Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got

"Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" is a 1967 Soul song, originally recorded and made a hit by Jimmy Ruffin on Motown's Soul Label imprint. Ruffin's 1967 original version, from his album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten, reached the Pop Top 30, peaking at #29, and was a Top 20 R&B Hit as well, peaking at #14. It was also a hit in Britain, reaching #26 on the UK Singles Chart. The song has a social context: it depicts a man anticipating his release from prison on the morrow, when he'll return home on a train to "the girl that I left behind," promising himself that he will reward her steadfast love for him by "giv[ing] her all the love [he's] got." The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield.

In August 1968 Benny Gordon released his version on Wand 1188. Benny Gordon Born	1932 Died	24 December 2008 Genres	Soul Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter and bandleader Instruments	Vocals Years active	1962 - 70s Labels	RCA, Estill, Capitol, Wand. Benny Gordon (1932–2008) was a soul and r&b singer who recorded from the early 1960s up to the 1970s. Some of his early efforts were as a member of Christian Harmonizers. Their recordings were credited to The Christian Harmonizers (Featuring B. Gordon). Later recordings were as Bennie Gordon And The Soul Brothers.[

In 1970, Jimmy Ruffin's Motown labelmate Marvin Gaye, released the song on the Tamla label. released from his album, That's the Way Love Is. Gaye's cover version of the song was a modest hit when Gaye released it in early 1970, peaking at #67 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at #26 on the Hot Selling Soul Singles chart. For Gaye the single was a double sided hit, as its flip side, "How Can I Forget" also charted (#41 US Pop, #18 US R&B).

Still another Motown act, The Temptations, recorded the tune as part of their album "The Temptations Wish It Would Rain. However, it was The Temptations' baritone lead singer, Paul Williams, that sang lead vocals on the song, rather than Jimmy's brother, Temptations member David Ruffin. Their version was also released as a B-side to their hit single, "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", which turned out to be Ruffin's last lead released before he left the group.

Tony Tribe did a single cover of the song with Trojan Records, before dying in a car accident in Canada in 1970.

Jimmy Ruffin version

 * Lead vocals by Jimmy Ruffin
 * Background vocals by The Originals and The Andantes
 * Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
 * Produced by Norman Whitfield

Marvin Gaye version

 * Lead (and additional background) vocals by Marvin Gaye
 * Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
 * Produced by Norman Whitfield

Temptations version

 * Lead vocals by Paul Williams
 * Background vocals by Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin, and Otis Williams
 * Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
 * Produced By Norman Whitfield