"Wild Honey" - David Ruffin

[TomatoTom123]

Love this Oriental-flavoured cut from David's 1975 Van McCoy-produced album Who I Am... and there's even a Soul Train performance of it to boot!

[TomatoTom123]

I remember a certain someone saying that he wanted more of these little-known clips....

Now this is great! Something I'd like to see more of in this New Year. Things/clips that I haven't seen.

... so, here you go, Marv, enjoy!

[copley]

Interesting clip. Poor David always thought that he was going to have massive hits as a solo artist but of course it didn't happen. Why? Well Motown already had two huge male stars in Stevie & Marvin they didn't need a third. Second rate material, poor promotion and of course David himself was something of a liability. He would have better cleaning up his act and staying with the Temptations. Stepping out from a group is fraught with difficulties. Many have done so and many have failed to achieve the same level of success! Within Motown itself there are several that come to mind and one that stands out a mile!

[TomatoTom123]

Yea, I agree. David was probably quite a liability and not solo star material according to Motown.

However, I have always thought that Motown did try with David material-wise. By 1973 his career was at a real low so they teamed him up with legendary producer [[and hit-maker) Norman Whitfield. When that didn't work they went and got Van McCoy [[no less!), the multi-talented singer-songwriter-producer who had just had a huge Disco hit in "The Hustle".

Sometimes I quite like the fact that his solo career is massively underrated and relatively hit-less. It makes it all the more fascinating and brilliant to discover!

[TomatoTom123]

I have always wondered about this... David went on Soul Train to perform "Wild Honey" but the song was never released as a single? Was this normal? Or was this performance just to promote the album as a whole?

[sansradio]

I have always wondered about this... David went on Soul Train to perform "Wild Honey" but the song was never released as a single? Was this normal? Or was this performance just to promote the album as a whole?

Quite normal. Artists booked on Soul Train would generally perform two numbers...their current single and, later in the show, an album cut of note. So my response to your second question is yes.

[TomatoTom123]

Quite normal. Artists booked on Soul Train would generally perform two numbers...their current single and, later in the show, an album cut of note. So my response to your second question is yes.

Ah! Thank you very much sansradio. You literally answered all my questions perfectly!

[sansradio]

Ah! Thank you very much sansradio. You literally answered all my questions perfectly!

Glad I could help!

[blackguy69]

He was promoting his who am I album. He first performed Walk Away From Love, the came back later in the show and did Wild Honey

[TomatoTom123]

Glad I could help!

He was promoting his who am I album. He first performed Walk Away From Love, the came back later in the show and did Wild Honey

Thanks blackguy

And here it is...