Sensational '70's Tune for Wednesday, May 13th, '09

This 1976 Charles Kipps song produced by Van McCoy is arguably David Ruffin's greatest solo release and ranks with anything he did with the Temptations. The man's special qualities come to fore for all to see on this emotional saga about leaving before the bomb hits. As Kipps eloquently wrote: "I'm going to walk away from love before love breaks my heart." Ruffin sings "break my heart" at the end of three choruses, raising the intensity and the length of heart each time, with the last the prettiest and most heartfelt. Catching Ruffin live was always a disappointment after this song hit, because he didn't even try to extend the note, just sung it straight. But on the record his performance is touching; it aced the R&B chart and crept into the pop Top Ten, hanging at number nine. The Choice Four originally recorded this song, but listening to theirs and then David's is akin to amateur and pro sports. It's been remade over and over by and including Kimberly Briggs, Ken Boothe, Bares Hammond, Chuck Jackson, Mike Anthony, and Willie Clayton's great version.