David Ruffin - "Hurt The One You Love"

[TomatoTom123]

I love me a bit of David Ruffin [[his solo career is insanely underrated IMO!) and even this, his last ever [[released) recording, for Motorcity Records in 1990, is still very good indeed...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg5IJ1ju4DI&app=desktop

Thoughts? :)

[Bluebrock]

I love me a bit of David Ruffin [[his solo career is insanely underrated IMO!) and even this, his last ever [[released) recording, for Motorcity Records in 1990, is still very good indeed...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg5IJ1ju4DI&app=desktop

Thoughts? :)
Totally with you all the way. I love virtually allof his solo albums, and i have always liked this tune. One of the times that Ian Levine got it spot on.

[TomatoTom123]

Totally with you all the way. I love virtually allof his solo albums, and i have always liked this tune. One of the times that Ian Levine got it spot on.

Yes I agree! Good job Mr Ian Levine. Interestingly I believe it was co-written by Renaldo Benson and Ronnie McNeir of The Four Tops [[no less!)

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes indeed, TomatoTom123, I have always thought this was very good, with David Ruffin in fine voice, and is one of the better Motorcity recordings.

The 'tick-tock' metronome drum sound does detract somewhat, especially when not heard with full bass response, but that wasn't unusual in the 1980s/1990s. The computer-generated drum sounds could never equal those from the Snakepit, and which strongly contributed to the Motown Sound.

There's a later remix of the track somewhere, which reduced the computerised sound element....but overall, I still prefer this original recording.:)

[TomatoTom123]

Yes indeed, TomatoTom123, I have always thought this was very good, with David Ruffin in fine voice, and is one of the better Motorcity recordings.

The 'tick-tock' metronome drum sound does detract somewhat, especially when not heard with full bass response, but that wasn't unusual in the 1980s/1990s. The computer-generated drum sounds could never equal those from the Snakepit, and which strongly contributed to the Motown Sound.

Yes, this is definitely one of the better Motorcity songs. I'm not a massive fan of the "computerised" backing track but this is still a really superb song. Then again, I don't think David Ruffin could sing a bad song, so yea! ;)


There's a later remix of the track somewhere, which reduced the computerised sound element....but overall, I still prefer this original recording.:)

I found this other version, is it the one you mean? :)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e5NnB3lsl4&app=desktop

[westgrandboulevard]

No, TomatoTom123, I'd never heard that version before, so very interested to hear it. Thank you for posting it.

I'd say that's more of a re-arrangement than an actual remix. To my ears, it's far too busy and jerky. Not so dance-friendly.

I've just found the one I remember. Track 18, disc 3, 'Reaching For The Very Best', and maybe on other releases. If you like at least some of Ian Levine's work, and don't have a copy, I'd recommend you find one.

I used the word 'remix' and, to some extent, it is....but perhaps re-arrangement would also apply. It's closer to the original than the one you have posted above. The 'Motorcity Sound' horns and drum have been replaced with a new, light, cool 'loping' beat arrangement, while retaining some of the string sounds, and the same vocals.

I'm not able to post it, but maybe someone else can.

Many of the original Motorcity recordings have been rearranged/remixed over the years by Ian Levine [[the original version of 'Hold on A Little Longer' by Mary Wells is one of my favourites but, IMO, the later reworking of it is a revelation, when given a completely different, summer swingbeat/jazz sound).

While I might not fully appreciate many of the original Motorcity recordings because of the instrumental sound arrangements, Ian Levine's work has preserved so many of those wonderful voices at a later stage in their singing careers, a great number of whom having now passed away.

[TomatoTom123]

Oh right! So there's another version. I'll try and find it, thank you westgrand!

And I have massive respect for Ian Levine, he did a truly brilliant thing - even if the results of the recordings themselves weren't always that good. This song, however, sums up the brilliance of Motorcity for me!

[mike_sku]

I've always liked this song. A Motorcity standout, for sure. I have to say, in all honesty, that I treasure all of the Motorcity releases, and I am lucky to have a good bit of them. They're not all perfect, but that's okay. Not everyone's taste is the same, and no label's output is completely flawless. It was always exciting to me to hear a new recording by an artist I long admired.

[westgrandboulevard]

It should be technically possible to take all the vocal tracks from the Motorcity project, and match them to new instrumental tracks. Very regrettably, all the costs and time in doing so, and the small market for the finished product, would seem to make it an unviable proposition.

In contrast, there should be a market, even if not now particularly large, to take the band tracks stored in the Motown vaults, and dub in new vocals by newer artists [[or even original artists) and with additional instrumentation. Technically, it should be possible...but the cost of obtaining the rights to do so would no doubt again make it unviable in commercial terms.

[TomatoTom123]

Yes indeed westgrand. A shame really!

[TomatoTom123]

The 12" single release of "Hurt The One You Love"

12128

[midnightman]

Decent song but the production... usually I felt most of Levine's productions missed the mark though the vocals were stellar. David never lost his prowess even in his dying days.

[arr&bee]

Not bad,david was still in good voice.

[TomatoTom123]

Yes indeed, David still had that incredible voice. A true legend, from start to finish!

[TomatoTom123]

I read on another thread [[http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?2126-Artist-Spotlight-2-quot-David-Ruffin-quot-DDR-Show-4) that this song was actually a something of a British hit! Is this true?

[theboyfromxtown]

I read on another thread [[http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?2126-Artist-Spotlight-2-quot-David-Ruffin-quot-DDR-Show-4) that this song was actually a something of a British hit! Is this true?


I can think of 3 releases from Ian Levine that did really well for him. Frances Nero's Footsteps Following Me, Chuck Jackson' All Over The World and Hurt The One You Love from David Ruffin. Frances made the top 20. Chuck told me himself that his song opened up new avenues for him so he was well pleased and I know the 45 did make the top 100. David's 45 quickly made everyone's want list and it soon sold out very quickly - copies started to soar in price. Not sure it made the national chart though.

[TomatoTom123]

I can think of 3 releases from Ian Levine that did really well for him. Frances Nero's Footsteps Following Me, Chuck Jackson' All Over The World and Hurt The One You Love from David Ruffin. Frances made the top 20. Chuck told me himself that his song opened up new avenues for him so he was well pleased and I know the 45 did make the top 100. David's 45 quickly made everyone's want list and it soon sold out very quickly - copies started to soar in price. Not sure it made the national chart though.

Oh thank you very much boyfromxtown!! Fantastic info.

I love Frances' "Footsteps" and that certainly deserved to be a hit. And it's great to know that both Ian and David had success with "Hurt The One You Love", it's a great song!!!