Way Over There

This song, Way Over There, has an interesting story that dates back to the early days of Motown. Originally, it was conceived and recorded by The Miracles, with Smokey Robinson leading the vocals and Berry Gordy Jr. on production. In fact, Berry Gordy Jr. had The Miracles record it several times during their time on the charts. The first version was quite sparse in its instrumentation, but strings were later added, and that is the one most oldies radio stations tend to play nowadays. On this recording, Claudette Robinson, Smokey's wife at the time, has prominent vocal parts, responding to Smokey's lines with phrases like "Come to me, Baby". The initial release of Way Over There was in 1960, and although it reached number 94 on the Billboard Pop chart, its B-side, (You Can) Depend on Me, became a major regional hit. Over time, this musical piece was covered by other Motown artists, including Edwin Starr and, of course, The Temptations.

The Temptations' interest in this song materialized on the album The Temptations Sing Smokey, released in 1965. As the title suggests, this record is entirely composed of tracks written and produced by Smokey Robinson and other members of The Miracles. Many of these songs were covers of tunes that Robinson had previously produced for The Miracles or for Mary Wells. Way Over There, while not a lead single from this album, is part of that repertoire that The Temptations explored under the direct influence of Smokey Robinson. This album marked an important stage for the group, also featuring hits like My Girl, with David Ruffin on lead vocals, and It's Growing. The Temptations' recording of Way Over There falls within this context of reinterpreting Motown classics, giving their own stamp to the track.