# Check Yourself

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Check_Yourself
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Check_Yourself.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Check_Yourself
> Source revision: 1292849290
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{For|the Ice Cube song|Check Yo Self}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Check Yourself
| cover      =
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [The Temptations](/source/The_Temptations)
| album      = [Meet The Temptations](/source/Meet_The_Temptations)
| B-side     = Your Wonderful Love
| released   = November 7, 1961
| recorded   = [Hitsville USA](/source/Hitsville_USA); October 28, 1961
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [Soul](/source/Soul_music), [R&B](/source/R%26B), [Doo-wop](/source/Doo-wop)
| length     = 2:45
| label      = [Miracle](/source/Motown_Records)<br><small>M 12</small>
| writer     = [Berry Gordy, Jr.](/source/Berry_Gordy%2C_Jr.) <br /> Elbridge Bryant <br /> [David English](/source/Melvin_Franklin) <br /> [Otis Williams](/source/Otis_Williams)
| producer   = Berry Gordy, Jr.
| prev_title = [Oh Mother of Mine](/source/Oh_Mother_of_Mine)
| prev_year  = 1961
| next_title = [Dream Come True](/source/(You're_My)_Dream_Come_True)
| next_year  = 1962
}}

"'''Check Yourself'''" is a [1961](/source/1961_in_music) song that was released as a [Miracle](/source/Motown_Records) label single by Motown singing group [The Temptations](/source/The_Temptations); and written by Motown president [Berry Gordy](/source/Berry_Gordy), and group members [Otis Williams](/source/Otis_Williams), [Melvin Franklin](/source/Melvin_Franklin) and Elbridge Bryant, and produced by Gordy.<ref>Williams, Otis and Weinger, Harry (2002). My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations [CD liner notes]. New York: Motown/Universal Records.</ref> It was the group's second single, as well as their second and last single for the Miracle label, which was deactivated immediately after this release.<ref>Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002). Temptations. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square. {{ISBN|0-8154-1218-5}}.</ref> Starting with the next single release, the group's future recordings for Motown would be issued under the Gordy label until it was deactivated in 1988.

==Recording==
This is one of the small handful of pre-psychedelic era songs the group recorded that had more than two members singing lead at one point (the second one recorded but the first released). [Tenor](/source/Tenor) [Otis Williams](/source/Otis_Williams) leads the intro of the song, while the group's bass singer, [Melvin Franklin](/source/Melvin_Franklin), has a spoken interlude. [Baritone](/source/Baritone) [Paul Williams](/source/Paul_Williams_(The_Temptations)), at the time the group's lead singer, leads the rest of the song as the song's narrator; the narrator talks about how after "breaking hearts" the tables have now turned on him as he’s losing his love and now "memories... are all I have".

According to some sources, including Otis Williams autobiography [falsetto](/source/falsetto) [Eddie Kendricks](/source/Eddie_Kendricks) and Elbridge "Al" Bryant did not record vocal on this single, and that the high notes of the song were done by [Brian Holland](/source/Brian_Holland) and/or [Eddie Holland](/source/Edward_Holland%2C_Jr.). However, this cannot be substantiated by official [Motown](/source/Motown) studio records. As for the label's deactivation, it was said to be due to poor sales (not helped by the slogan "If it’s a hit, it’s a Miracle") and confusion with [The Miracles](/source/The_Miracles) singing group.

==Reception==
The single was a regional hit around the Detroit area, receiving a lot of airplay on local stations, but it would never chart nationally. The group's next single, "[Dream Come True](/source/(You're_My)_Dream_Come_True)", would be led by Kendricks, and would be their first to chart nationally. When that happened their new label would give Kendricks the lead on the group's [A-sides](/source/A-side_and_B-side), and regulate Paul Williams to [B-sides](/source/A-side_and_B-side), until 1963. About two years after this single was released, "The Duke of Earl" [Gene Chandler](/source/Gene_Chandler) would cover the song on one of his singles.

==Personnel==
* Lead vocals by [Paul Williams](/source/Paul_Williams_(The_Temptations)) (song), [Otis Williams](/source/Otis_Williams) (intro) and [Melvin Franklin](/source/Melvin_Franklin) (intro-spoken interlude)
* Background vocals by [Eddie Kendricks](/source/Eddie_Kendricks), [Melvin Franklin](/source/Melvin_Franklin), Al Bryant, [Otis Williams](/source/Otis_Williams), [Brian Holland](/source/Brian_Holland) and [Eddie Holland](/source/Edward_Holland%2C_Jr.)
* Instrumentation by [The Funk Brothers](/source/The_Funk_Brothers)

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{The Temptations}}
{{The Temptations singles}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1961 singles
Category:The Temptations songs
Category:Gene Chandler songs
Category:Songs written by Berry Gordy
Category:Songs written by Otis Williams
Category:Song recordings produced by Berry Gordy
Category:1961 songs

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Check Yourself](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Check_Yourself) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Check_Yourself?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.