Me and Rock N Roll Are Here to Stay

chronology
Me and Rock N Roll Are Here to Stay
Studio album by David Ruffin
Publication ; (s)	December 1974
Label (s)	Motown (M6818S1)
Format (s)	LP
Title (number)	8th
running time	32 min 30 s
occupation	David Ruffin ( vocals ); Eddie "Bongo" Brown ( Bongos , Conga ); Eddie Willis ( guitar ); Dennis Coffey (guitar); Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin (guitar); Johnny McGhee (guitar); Earl Van Dyke ( keyboard ); Mark Davis (keyboard); Ed Greene ( drums ); Aaron Smith (drums); James Gadson (drums); Ron Brown ( bass ); Henry Davis (bass); Stephanie Spruill ( percussion ); Mykal Moore ( saxophone ); Freddy Dubb ( trumpet ); Kenny Copeland (trumpet); Maxine Williard Waters ( Background Vocals ); Julia Tillman Waters (Background Vocals); Lisa Roberts (Background Vocals); Oren Waters (Background Vocals); Joe Greene (Background Vocals); Luther Waters (Background Vocals); Carolyn Willis (Background Vocals); Jessie Kirkland (Background Vocals);
production	Norman Whitfield ; Mark Davis ( No Matter Where and City Stars )
Studio (s)	Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood , California , USA

Me and Rock N Roll Are Here to Stay is an album by David Ruffin . It brought together two of the greatest figures in Motown history : David Ruffin, singer for Temptations in the 1960s and voice of hits like My Girl , (I Know) I'm Losing You or I Wish It Would Rain , and during that time Norman Whitfield , as the main producer of Temptations after Ruffin's departure, was responsible for their new “psychedelic” sound with hits like Papa Was a Rollin 'Stone and Masterpiece .

Together they created an energetic album that only partially features the “psychedelic soul” sound typical of Whitfield at the time. Because while songs like I Saw You When You Met Her or Smiling Faces Sometimes (a title that Whitfield had previously recorded with The Undisputed Truth and the Temptations ) go in that direction, there are also clear counterparts.

Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) , also recorded by Temptations a few years earlier , has been completely rearranged and is now more reminiscent of a trucker / country song. Me and Rock 'n Roll (Are Here to Stay) and I Just Want to Celebrate , on the other hand, are up-tempo songs with an almost excessive use of brass .

There are also contrasts between Take Me Clear From Here , a soul piece with strings underlaid with a carefree, light arrangement , and City Stars , produced by Mark Davis , which is also accompanied by strings and rhythmically light on the Eddie Kendricks hit Keep On Truckin ' remembers.

Track list

I Saw You When You Met Her (6:49)
( Norman Whitfield )
Take Me Clear From Here (3:33)
( Vincent DiMirco )
Smiling Faces Sometimes (5:31)
(Norman Whitfield / Barrett Strong )
Me and Rock and Roll (Are Here to Stay) (3:05)
(Norman Whitfield)
Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) (3:33)
(Norman Whitfield / Barrett Strong)
No Matter Where (3:34)
( Clarence Drayton / Tamy Smith )
City Stars (3:13)
( Dobie Gray / Chuck Higgins Jr. )
I Just Want to Celebrate (3:12)
( Nick Zesses / Dino Fekaris )

Charts

US - pop charts # 201
US R & B -charts: # 37

Published singles

Me and Rock 'n' Roll (Are Here to Stay) / Smiling Faces Sometimes

published October 10, 1974; no chart placement

Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) / No Matter Where

published January 31, 1975; no chart placement

CD release

2005, Hip-O Select / Motown: The Great David Ruffin - The Motown Solo Albums, Volume 1