Sometimes you get a song that’s so powerful, so moving, so emotionally stirring that no matter who performs it, you can’t hear a bad version. And in this case, the song I’m talking about is called “Temptation’s About to Get Me.”
It was originally written by Jimmy Diggs in 1965, and Diggs performed it with his recording partner Richard Dunbar as the Knight Brothers, and it became a huge R&B hit in its time.
After the Knight Brothers dominated R&B radio with their track, their record labelmate Billy Stewart took “Temptation’s About to Get Me” and gave it a gospel-gilded interpretation.
The song was also ported to another Chess group, Aesop’s Fables, who performed it on Chess’ Cadet subsidiary label.
Let’s spin forward to 1969, when the Rascals – they of the “People Got to Be Free” and “Groovin'” and “Good Lovin” Rascals – gave us a stereo-separated spectacular of blue-eyed soul.
Meanwhile, in Australia, a trio known as the Virgil Brothers covered “Temptation’s About to Get Me,” which not only became a big hit Down Under, it was also picked up by Motown in the United States and released on Motown’s rock and roll imprint Rare Earth.
In 1971, singer Ed Robinson poured his heart out with his version of the track, which for him was produced by Arif Mardin of Bee Gees fame.
Do you want a Memphis-influenced soul version of the track? The Collection’s got cha covered.
Hey, let’s give it a Philly Soul interpretation, as covered by the “Expressway To Your Heart” Soul Survivors.
Yeah, it seems that every regional soul group or band had their own take on the song. From Atlanta, here’s Archie Durham and 4 Winds.
You want a live version that sounds like it was recorded by someone in the front row with a hand-held cassette recorder? Check out the version by the Rationals.
How about an Australian glam rock version from 1977, as performed by Jeff Duff?
How about an early 1970’s female-led horn-rock version that sounds like a bonus track on a Chicago album? Let me introduce you to Susan Carter.
One more version, recorded in 1996, by the retro band Class of 60-Something, pays respect and homage all the way back to the Knight Brothers interpretation.
There you have it. Not a bad performance in the batch. And you can hear where each of the songs brings love to the performances before it.
Good stuff to start your day today.
Chuck The Writer 
I only hace the Rascals – I have A LOT of Rascals. I love Felix and Eddioe’s give-and-take.
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