Peak UK Chart Position: #14 in January 1973.

Happy birthday on today, February 3rd, to:

• Lol Tolhurst – born Laurence Andrew Tolhurst, in Horley, Surrey, England – musician, turns 58 today (with The Cure: “Lullaby” UK #5 in 1989,  “The Love Cats” UK #7 in 1983, “The Walk” UK #12 in 1983)
• Dave Davies – born David Russell Gordon Davies, in Muswell Hill, London, England – musician/singer/songwriter/record producer/audio engineer, turns 70 today (with The Kinks, three UK number ones: “You Really Got Me” [US #7] in 1964, “Tired Of Waiting For You” [US #6] in 1965, “Sunny Afternoon” in 1966)
• Sean Kingston – born Kisean Anderson, in Miami, Florida, United States – singer/songwriter/rapper/record producer, is 27 today (“Beautiful Girls” UK #1/US #1 in 2007, “Party All Night (Sleep All Day)” UK #9 in 2011, “Eenie Meenie” with Justin Bieber UK #9 in 2010)

Finally for today, Dennis Edwards – Born in Fairfield, Alabama, United States – celebrates his 74th birthday. He was a vocalist with the Temptations from 1968 to 1976, 1980 to 1984 and 1987 to 1989, prior to which he was a member of the Contours, another Motown group. Edwards replaced David Ruffin in the Temptations, and during his period were two of their biggest UK hits: “Ball Of Confusion” (#7 in 1970) and “Just My Imagination” (#8 in 1971, and a US Number one). The group’s biggest hit in the UK was the 1992 reissue of their 1965 release “My Girl”, which took them to number two and featured in the movie of the same name starring Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin.

Edwards also tasted solo success, with his 1984 track “Don’t Look Any Further” perhaps not being a chart success, but was certainly a soul favourite, gaining wider recognition with M People’s 1993 cover going top ten. Edwards’ version also featured Siedah Garrett, who went on to appear on Michael Jackson’s “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”, a number one in 1987.

“Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” was originally recorded by The Undisputed Truth, another Motown act, in 1972. The Temptations’ version – getting to number 14 in the UK and number one in America – is one of only two hit versions, the other being by Was Not Was in 1990, whose cover actually peaked two places higher in Britain. Here is that Temptations version, here performed live (on an unknown show) and only three minutes in duration – compared to the album version’s twelve minutes, and the single version’s seven minutes.