Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got

"Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got"
Cover of the single released in the Netherlands
Single by Jimmy Ruffin
from the album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten
B-side	"World So Wide Nowhere to Hide (From Your Heart)"
Released	February 23, 1967
Recorded	August 1966
Studio	Hitsville USA
Genre	Soul
Label	Soul S 35032
Songwriter(s)	Norman Whitfield Barrett Strong
Producer(s)	Norman Whitfield
Jimmy Ruffin singles chronology
"I've Passed This Way Before" (1966) "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" (1967) "Don't You Miss Me a Little Bit Baby" (1967)

"Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" is a 1967 Soul song, originally recorded and made a hit by Jimmy Ruffin on Motown's Soul Label imprint.^[1] Ruffin's 1967 original version, from his album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten, reached the Pop Top 30, peaking at #29, and was a Top 20 R&B Hit as well, peaking at #14.^[2] It was also a hit in Britain, reaching #26 on the UK Singles Chart. The song has a social context: it depicts a man anticipating his release from prison on the morrow, when he'll return home on a train to "the girl that I left behind," promising himself that he will reward her steadfast love for him by "giv[ing] her all the love [he's] got." The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield.

In August 1968 Benny Gordon released his version on Wand 1188. Benny Gordon Born 1932 Died 24 December 2008 Genres Soul Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter and bandleader Instruments Vocals Years active 1962 - 70s Labels RCA, Estill, Capitol, Wand. Benny Gordon (1932–2008) was a soul and r&b singer who recorded from the early 1960s up to the 1970s. Some of his early efforts were as a member of Christian Harmonizers. Their recordings were credited to The Christian Harmonizers (Featuring B. Gordon). Later recordings were as Bennie Gordon And The Soul Brothers.[

In 1970, Jimmy Ruffin's Motown labelmate Marvin Gaye, released the song on the Tamla label.^[3] released from his album, That's the Way Love Is. Gaye's cover version of the song was a modest hit when Gaye released it in early 1970, peaking at #67 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at #26 on the Hot Selling Soul Singles chart. For Gaye the single was a double sided hit, as its flip side, "How Can I Forget" also charted (#41 US Pop, #18 US R&B).

Still another Motown act, The Temptations, recorded the tune as part of their album "The Temptations Wish It Would Rain.^[4][5] However, it was The Temptations' baritone lead singer, Paul Williams, that sang lead vocals on the song, rather than Jimmy's brother, Temptations member David Ruffin. Their version was also released as a B-side to their hit single, "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)",^[6] which turned out to be Ruffin's last lead released before he left the group.

Tony Tribe did a single cover of the song with Trojan Records, before dying in a car accident in Canada in 1970.^[7]

Credits

Jimmy Ruffin version

• Lead vocals by Jimmy Ruffin
• Background vocals by The Originals and The Andantes
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
• Produced by Norman Whitfield

Marvin Gaye version

• Lead (and additional background) vocals by Marvin Gaye
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
• Produced by Norman Whitfield

Temptations version

• Lead vocals by Paul Williams
• Background vocals by Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin, and Otis Williams
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
• Produced By Norman Whitfield

References