Some of Motown's minor-league singers are often more highly appreciated in the U.K. than in their home U.S.. It may be the reason as follows : while at the foot of Motown their songs are taken as teenagers' consumptive music and famous artists are apt to concentrate everyone's concern on themselves, in the other side of the Athantic Motown tunes are regarded as appreciative music and side-persons' tunes are easy to take the notice of the audience, who sometimes think that 'experts' listen to them more thankfully. "Tamla Motown Big Hits & Hard to Find Classics vol.1~3", which I frequently take up, are Motown's minor-league compilations brought from such experts' affection and you may enjoy them better than mere bests of the well-known. Among these masterpieces you may be honestly convinced by Jimmy Ruffin's. Born in Mississippi and bred in Detroit as a singer with his younger brother David Ruffin, however, he had the duty for the service in the Armed Forces. While David began walking on the gorgeous carpet as a member of the Temptations, Jimmy managed to cut his own sides from Motown's subsidiary, Soul since 1964. The younger David was a genius in singing and stage appearance, and the elder Jimmy was also impressive.
Two of Jimmy Ruffin's tunes are picked up on "vol.1". The steady rhythm and pathetic strings and chorus of What Becomes of the Brokenhearted completely match to his rather clumsy but honest delivery. Although this song is said to have been attempted to be cut as Supremes' single, the real decision ought to have been far wiser. His another tune I've Passed This Way Before is also such kind of tunes, which is a contrast to his younger brother David Ruffin's husky and dramatic singing style appeared in My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) on the same "vol.1". The younger brother had taken the lead of Temptations and had various fine tunes but left the group because of his excessive ego and ended his solo career in adversity as compared with his prime time, and the elder was reappreciated in the U.K., where he now lives and had a talk show for a time, and had some hits even after '70 : they just remind me of a famous Japanese comic dialogue duet Mr. Yasushi Yokoyama and Mr. Kiyoshi Nishikawa (it happens to be that both of them have a genius who wears glasses).
Since I cannot be satisfied with only two songs, I got Jimmy Ruffin's "Greatest Motown Hits" and "Early Classics", which compiles some flip-sides. Some like Baby I've Got It are driving in such Motown's way as you know, however, his emotional and convincing tunes are more appealing. Farewell is a Lonely Sound, I'll Say Forever My Love and It's Wonderful to Be Loved by You imply to me that they touched the chord of the hearts of many audiences in Britain. You can hear some duets with David Ruffin on the CDs. Stand by Me is pretty good for the dialogue of the honest brother and the dramatic brother. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother is direct and impressive. I suddenly want to listen also to Hollies' or Donny Hathaway's version.
After leaving Motown Jimmy Ruffin cut disco tunes at RSO: Hold on to My Love, produced by Robin Gibb of the Bee-Gee's, is so 'disco' of that age that it makes me smile unconsciously (it is included in compilations like "Ocean Drive vol.4"). It's sad that aside from their masterpieces Motown's minor-league singers seemed not to be able to avoid ones in low quality. However, not only there are ways of singing as many as the number of singers, but there is the one and only relish the person can have. Jimmy Ruffin was lucky to meet with such a significant song. (2005/01/23)(2006/08/10)