Written by Smokey Robinson, 'My Girl' is the definitive masterpiece of the Motown era, blending lush orchestral strings with soulful vocal harmonies. It served as The Temptations' breakout number-one hit and remains one of the most recognizable love songs in music history.
The harmony of 'My Girl' is a masterclass in Motown soul. It relies on a simple but effective I-IV alternating structure in the verses to create a relaxed, 'sunny' feel. The sophistication lies in the arrangement: the bassline provides the melodic and harmonic…
Smokey Robinson wrote the song while on the Motortown Revue tour. After hearing David Ruffin perform with the group, Robinson decided to write a song specifically to showcase Ruffin's 'mellow yet gruff' voice, moving him to the lead vocal position for the firs…
“The iconic opening guitar riff was created and played by Robert White of the Funk Brothers.”
The harmony of 'My Girl' is a masterclass in Motown soul. It relies on a simple but effective I-IV alternating structure in the verses to create a relaxed, 'sunny' feel. The sophistication lies in the arrangement: the bassline provides the melodic and harmonic foundation, while the brass and strings thicken the texture. The modulation at the end (the 'Truck Driver's Gear Shift') is a quintessential 1960s pop technique used to heighten emotional intensity and energy for the climax.
Smokey Robinson wrote the song while on the Motortown Revue tour. After hearing David Ruffin perform with the group, Robinson decided to write a song specifically to showcase Ruffin's 'mellow yet gruff' voice, moving him to the lead vocal position for the first time over Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams.
Written by Smokey Robinson, 'My Girl' is the definitive masterpiece of the Motown era, blending lush orchestral strings with soulful vocal harmonies. It served as The Temptations' breakout number-one hit and remains one of the most recognizable love songs in music history.
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
Genre
R&B
Era
60s
Mood
Uplifting
Tempo
Mid-tempo
Key
Major
Texture
Layered
Sound
Vocal-focused
Feel
Groovy
9.3M
Plays
1.5M
Listeners
660K
Genius Views
7
Annotations
100%
Popularity
2:43
Duration
4/4
Time
From the album Emperors Of Soul
Bridge
Chorus
Verse
Chords C ✕ F Dm ✕ ✕ G Em D ✕ ✕ A ✕ C F Dm G Em D A Harmony The harmony of 'My Girl' is a masterclass in Motown soul. It relies on a simple but effective I-IV alternating structure in the verses to create a relaxed, 'sunny' feel. The sophistication lies in the arrangement: the bassline provides the melodic and harmonic foundation, while the brass and strings thicken the texture. The modulation at the end (the 'Truck Driver's Gear Shift') is a quintessential 1960s pop technique used to heighten emotional intensity and energy for the climax. Deep Analysis Available Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song. Notify me when it's ready Request Full Analysis
Chord Diagrams C ✕ F Dm ✕ ✕ G Em D ✕ ✕ A ✕
Composition Smokey Robinson wrote the song while on the Motortown Revue tour. After hearing David Ruffin perform with the group, Robinson decided to write a song specifically to showcase Ruffin's 'mellow yet gruff' voice, moving him to the lead vocal position for the first time over Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams. Inspiration: Smokey Robinson's wife and fellow Miracles member, Claudette Rogers Robinson. Recording Studio: Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A) Producer: Smokey Robinson, Ronald White The iconic opening guitar riff was created and played by Robert White of the Funk Brothers. The song features James Jamerson on bass, whose melodic line is considered one of his most famous works. It was the first Temptations single to feature David Ruffin on lead vocals. The song was originally intended to be recorded by The Miracles, but Robinson was convinced by the Temptations to let them record it instead.
Chord Sheet Transpose 0 Capo 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Auto-scroll Print Reset Chords Used Hide functions C I T F IV P Dm ii P G V D D I T G IV P Em ii P A V D Progression by Section Bridge C I T F IV P C I T F IV P Dm ii P G V D Em iii T G V D Chorus C I T Dm ii P F IV P G V D Verse C I T F IV P Chord Diagrams C ✕ F Dm ✕ ✕ G Em D ✕ ✕ A ✕ Harmony Analysis The harmony of 'My Girl' is a masterclass in Motown soul. It relies on a simple but effective I-IV alternating structure in the verses to create a relaxed, 'sunny' feel. The sophistication lies in the arrangement: the bassline provides the melodic and harmonic foundation, while the brass and strings thicken the texture. The modulation at the end (the 'Truck Driver's Gear Shift') is a quintessential 1960s pop technique used to heighten emotional intensity and energy for the climax. Find Tabs & Chords Songsterr Interactive tabs Ultimate Guitar Chords & tabs Cifra Club Chords
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