THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

491-Eddie Kendricks-Keep On Truckin’

1973-Number 18 single.

Best Bit-At 0.10. ‘Keep On Truckin” is a phrase of encouragement, meaning to continue to stay focused regardless of circumstances or setbacks.

Eddie Kendricks was born Edward James Kendrick, on December 17th, 1939, in Union Springs, Alabama, United States, he was a heavy smoker for 30 years, and died of lung cancer on October 5th, 1992, at the age of 52. Kendrick was one of the founding members of what would become ‘Tamla Motown’s’ most successful male group, the ‘Temptations’ (see also best songs 1031-1001-777 and 569.) He remained with the group from their formation in 1955, until leaving in bitter circumstances in 1971, to pursue a solo career. Eddie Kendricks, who added the ‘s’ at the end of his surname for his stage name, was noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, and can be heard singing the lead vocal on many of the ‘Temptations’ hits, including ‘Get Ready,’ and ‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me.’) During the mid 1980’s, he dropped the ‘s’ from his stage name, and reverted back to his birth name. The American Rapper, songwriter, and filmmaker Kendrick Lamar was named by his mother after Kendricks.

Eddie Kendricks solo career got off to a slow start, with all of his first five singles, released from his first two solo Albums, failing to break into the American Billboard Hot 100 top 40, His first two Albums also fared no better, but things changed with the release of his third Album, and especially after the release of ‘Keep On Truckin” as a single. The solo discography of Eddie Kendricks includes 15 Albums released between 1971-1987, and 30 singles released within the same time period. Included in those Album releases is a ‘Live at the Apollo’ recording with David Ruffin, and Daryl Hall & John Oates, from 1985, and a duets Album with his fellow ex ‘Temptations’ band mate David Ruffin, (1941-1991) called ‘Ruffin & Kendrick,’ which turned out to be Eddie Kendricks final recording, in 1987. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, Eddie Kendricks (away from the Temptations) has had six top 40 hit singles, with ‘Keep on Truckin’ reaching the Number 1 position, while in the UK, he has charted twice, with ‘Boogie Down,’ being the other hit when reaching Number 39 in 1973.

‘Keep on Truckin’ was the second and final single released from Eddie Kendricks’ self titled third solo studio Album from May 1973, the song was co-written by Leonard Caston Jr., Anita Poree, (1939-2018) and Frank Wilson, (1940-2012) (see also best songs 1001-411 and 97) who also produced the song. ‘Keep on Truckin’ was released with ‘Part 1’ being on the ‘A’ side, and ‘Part 2’ being on the ‘B’ side, as the Album version lasts for 8 minutes. The song which signified a change in style, moving towards a more ‘dance’ orientated sound, finally gave Eddie Kendricks a hit single at the seventh time of asking, and was finally making him more successfully commercial than his bitter rivals the ‘Temptations.’ ‘Keep on Truckin’ is considered to be one of ‘Disco Music’s’ first breakthrough hits.

Leonard Caston Jr. who was one of the songs co-writers was born on November 13th, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois, United States, he is a songwriter, record producer, pianist and singer. In 1964 he joined the American R&B group ‘The Radiants,’ who were signed to ‘Chess Records,’ he stayed a member until 1965. At ‘Chess’ he began to write and produce music, as well as working as a session musician, notably playing piano on the Fontella Bass song ‘Rescue Me’ (1965-Billboard Number 4 & UK Number 11.) Caston left ‘Chess’ for ‘Motown Records’ in 1968, where his numerous songwriting credits include ‘Nathan Jones,’ for the ‘Supremes’ (1971-Billboard Number 16 & UK Number 5.)

‘Keep On Truckin” was also co-written by Anita Poree, who was born on September 14th, 1939, in Chicago, Illinois, United States, she died of cancer on July 8th, 2018, at the age of 78. Prior to co-writing ‘Keep On Truckin” she had co-written two American Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits for the American vocal group ‘The Friends of Distinction, ‘Going in Circles,’ (1969-Number 15) and ‘Love or Let Me be Lonely,’ (1970-Number 6.) Harry Elston of that group said after her death, ‘She was a pioneer during a period when women were less accepted as popular songwriters.’ The musician Greg Poree who is her brother said that after several years of composing songs, his sister became disheartened with the music industry, and the whole Hollywood scene. She re-focused her life creating art with paints, composing poetry, and calling for justice for racial minorities, members of the ‘LGBTQ’ community, and others denied equal treatment and opportunity.

In ‘Keep on Truckin” the narrator is telling us of his love, and desire for another, and he will do whatever it takes to make that person his. The lyric ‘In old temptation’s rain I’m duckin,” is a dig at his former band mates, who had previously had a dig at him and David Ruffin, in their song ‘Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are.’)

‘I’m the red ball express of lovin,’ Diesel-powered straight to you, I’m truckin.’ In old Temptation’s rain, I’m duckin, ‘for your love through sleet and snow, I’m truckin,’