Motown legend and sole surviving founding member of The Temptations, Otis Williams says he is not impressed with the current state of music.
Williams, often credited as the driving force behind the formation and direction of The Temptations, knows the importance of artist development. At 83 years old, he can still remember those early years — between 1960 and 1964 — before the beloved vocal group ever scored a hit on the Billboard charts.
In a recent interview with Fox News, the seasoned musician recounted the groups ascension into stardom while critiquing current-day music he hears on the radio.
Today’s Music
“Look, I always tell people that the one thing that’s constant in life is change,” Williams, the group’s last surviving member, explained to Fox News. “I try not to knock anybody in their endeavors wanting to make their bones in show business. But I have to say this, I’m not impressed with some of the stuff I hear on the radio today.”
“When I hear the lyrics… I hear cussing,” he bluntly mentioned. “I’m hearing a lot of degrading language. Now, I believe in freedom of speech, but it’s very reflective of where we are as a society today… You shouldn’t be hearing cussing on the radio.”
“I believe in great lyrics, lyrics that aren’t offensive and will resonate with anyone,” he shared. “That’s why Motown was so great. They stressed great songs. They were called, ‘Songs for America.’
“I know my time was a different time… but I’m just not impressed with what I’m hearing on the radio these days. I don’t know what happened when things have gotten so relaxed that you can hear cussing or people talking about doing very naughty things to women. Kids shouldn’t be hearing that.”
The Making of “My Girl”
“I remember being in the studio, and we heard ‘My Girl’ for the first time,” Williams explained.
“I was in the control room where Smokey was doing the producing, and I said, ‘Smoke, I don’t know how big a record this is going to become.’ Then we were at the Apollo. We got telegrams from the Beatles, Berry Gordy, The Supremes and Jules Podell, the guy who ran the Copacabana. Still have those four telegrams hanging up in my home today.”
“They’re very precious to me,” he reflected. “I just never imagined that The Temps would be receiving so many wonderful accolades at such an early stage. We formed in 1961, but we didn’t have hits until 1964… The song put us on the map.”
Why ‘My Girl’ Became Successful
“It’s got such a broad meaning,” he explained. “It’s a song that resonates with any life event. When fathers give away their daughters at their weddings, that will always be his girl in a sense.
“When a guy falls in love with a young lady, he’ll say, ‘That’s my girl.’ It’s got a lot of different meanings, and it gives a wide range of feelings. It’s not just relegated to a guy and a girl. It’s a way of being expressive about love.”