People...Hold On

File:Eddie Kendricks (1972).png in 1972.]]

Eddie Kendricks had been a founding member of the Temptations since 1960. However, by 1971, the internal drama within the group had taken a toll on him. Seeking a fresh start, Kendricks signed a solo deal with Motown, marking the beginning of his solo career.{{cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/behind-the-iconic-band-name-the-temptations/|title=Behind the Iconic Band Name: The Temptations|author=Utti, Jacob|date=June 14, 2023|website=American Songwriter}}{{cite web|url=https://albumism.com/features/eddie-kendricks-people-hold-on-album-anniversary|title= Eddie Kendricks' 'People… Hold On' Turns 50 |website=Albumism|date=May 1, 2022|author=Ousley, Brandon}} In April 1971, Kendricks released his debut solo album, All by Myself, which peaked at number 80 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape.

That same year, he discovered the band the Young Senators, who had formed in 1965 and had just released their debut single, "Jungle," which rose to number one on local and regional R&B music charts. Kendricks met the band's leader, Jimi Dougans, and asked him if they wanted to be his backing band on tours, and Dougans agreed without consulting the other members.{{sfn|Lornell|Stephenson|2009|pp=74–75}} The Young Senators began touring with Kendricks the following year and started recording his next album.{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/culture/2014/05/eli-meir-kaplan-photographs-soul-and-funk-musicians-in-washington-d-c-in-his-series-soul51-photos.html|title=Legends of Soul and Funk in the Nation's Capital |website=Slate|date=May 12, 2014|author=Teicher, Jordan G.}}

The album was recorded in January 1972 and was one of the last albums to be recorded at Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studio before the label's move to Los Angeles. According to Dougans, Kendricks, along with the engineers, producers, and session musicians, stayed up until three o'clock in the morning to record the track "Girl You Need a Change of Mind."{{cite web|url=https://downbeat.com/news/detail/eddie-kendricks-people-was-no-accident|title=Eddie Kendricks' 'People' Was No Accident|date=February 11, 2020|author=Contreras, Ayana|website=DownBeat}}

File:The Young Senators, 1970s.jpg, who toured with Kendricks and played on People...Hold On.]]

People...Hold On is noted for being less pop-oriented, with DownBeat describing the music as "the sound of the streets." The tracks "If You Let Me" and "Eddie's Love," both released as singles, featured two-step rhythms and horn charts that were "steeped in an urban sound," created to resonate with a specific demographic rather than appealing to all of the United States. The third single, "Girl You Need a Change of Mind," is noted for its gospel influence, with Frank Wilson's production featuring strings and a breakdown and buildup.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/06/04/726180343/searching-for-discos-cro-magnon|title=Searching For Disco's Cro-Magnon|date=June 4, 2019|website=NPR|author=Heller, Jason}} This track has been described as a prototype for the disco genre and later became popular in New York City dance clubs.{{sfn|Echols|2010|pp=14}}{{cite web|url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/413206/remembering-leroy-fleming-soul-searchers-member/|title= Remembering Leroy Fleming, Former Member of Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers |date=March 21, 2013|author=Kiviat, Steve|website=Washington City Paper}}

In the song, he touches on women's rights, questioning the process and expressing his concerns by asking why women marched in picket lines.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/12/50-best-songs-solo-artists-from-bands/|title= The 50 Best Songs by Musicians Who Went Solo |website=Spin|author=Anderson, Jason|date=December 5, 2017}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-motown-songs-1139063/eddie-kendricks-girl-you-need-a-change-of-mind-1972-1142742/|title=The 100 Greatest Motown Songs|author=Leight, Elias|magazine=Rolling Stone}} The track runs for nearly eight minutes, with a radio version being released by Motown.{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2019/4/26/18514953/disco-invention-changed-pop-music-12-inch-single|title=Why disco made pop songs longer|date=April 26, 2019|author=Caswell, Estelle|website=Vox}}{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2041127/the-number-ones-eddie-kendricks-keep-on-truckin/columns/the-number-ones/|title=The Number Ones: Eddie Kendricks' "Keep On Truckin'"|date=April 25, 2019|website=Stereogum|author=Breihan, Tom}}

"My People...Hold On" uses a syncopated chant and African percussion, with Kendricks alternating between his falsetto and a deeper voice throughout the track. He described the song to Disc as "a spiritual song," encouraging people to hold on to love, emphasizing its lasting importance.{{cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/eddie-kendricks-my-people-hold-on-feature/|title='My People…Hold On': Eddie Kendricks' Spiritual Anthem|date=May 1, 2024|website=UDiscoverMusic|author=Jackson, Ashawnta}}{{cite web|url=https://www.expressnews.com/entertainment/article/50-year-old-Motown-protest-songs-still-relevant-15328726.php|title=50-year-old Motown protest songs still relevant today|date=June 5, 2020|author=Darling, Cary|website=San Antonio Express-News}} "Someday We’ll Have A Better World" features Kendricks dreaming of a utopian world, while "Day by Day" portrays Kendricks wanting comfort from a broken heart in the rainfall.{{cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-1972-songs/|title=The Best Songs Of 1972: 66 Classic Tunes|date=September 27, 2022|author=Armstrong, Sam|website=UDiscoverMusic}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/celebrate-black-history-month-timeless-environmental-playlist|title=Celebrate Black History Month With This Timeless Environmental Playlist|date=February 20, 2023|author=Curtis, Deja|website=Sierra Club}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 =AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}

}}

The album charted moderately well, peaking at number 13 on Billboard’s Soul LPs chart and reaching number 131 on the Top LPs & Tape.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/eddie-kendricks/chart-history/tlp/|title= Eddie Kendricks |website=Billbiard}} Billboard described the album as having Kendricks' "best performance to date" with "good arrangements and variety."{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ycEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA53|title=Billboard Album Reviews|date=May 27, 1972|page=53|publisher=Billboard}} This success helped to elevate Eddie Kendricks' profile during the early stages of his solo career after leaving The Temptations. Lindsay Planer of AllMusic described People...Hold On as "dabbling with communally conscious soul and making initial forays into dance music that would predate disco," giving the album 4.5 out of 5 stars.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/peoplehold-on-mw0000691647|title=People...Hold On|author=Planer, Lindsay|website=AllMusic}}

Andrew Hamilton described People...Hold On as an example of why best-of and greatest-hits compilations aren't definitive, saying that much of the album's material went unnoticed. He praised "My People...Hold On" for its strong social message and highlighted "If You Let Me" as showcasing some of Kendricks' best vocal performances.{{sfn|Bogdanov|2003|pp=387}} Jared Boyd of Al.com described it as an "expansive journey of sound," highlighting Kendricks' decision to create a "risky soul manifesto" instead of relying on his previous success with The Temptations.{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/entertainment/2017/07/alabama_soul_albums_that_shoul.html|title=20 forgotten Alabama soul albums that you should totally revisit|author=Boyd, Jared|date=July 26, 2017|website=Al.com}}

People...Hold On was released during a pivotal moment in American history, coinciding with the rise of the Black power movement. A year prior, Stevie Wonder released Where I'm Coming From, and shortly after, Marvin Gaye's What's Going On was released. The album marked a significant departure in Kendricks' sound, showcasing a more socially conscious and dance-oriented approach. However, Kendricks did not fully capitalize on this new direction and instead scaled back his sound in subsequent releases.

Multiple songs from the album were sampled in other songs. "My People...Hold On" was sampled in Erykah Badu's "My People" from her 2008 album New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) and in J Dilla's "People" from his 2006 album Donuts.{{cite web|url=https://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/802926/erykah-badu-triumphs-with-her-first-cd-in-years/|title=Erykah Badu triumphs with her first CD in years|date=March 7, 2008|author=Chomut, Christina|website=SheKnows}}{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/entertainment/2017/03/25_sick_songs_that_sample_alab.html|title=20 sick songs that sample Alabama musicians|author=Boyd, Jared|date=March 8, 2007|website=Al.com}} "Date with the Rain" was sampled in Lil Wayne's "Let the Beat Build" from his 2008 album Tha Carter III, produced by Deezle and Kanye West.{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/perry-kostidakis/all-of-the-tracks-from-tha-carter-iii-ranked|title=All Of The Tracks On 'Tha Carter III,' Ranked|website=Complex|date=June 10, 2018|author=Kostidakis, Perry}}{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2015/03/101-best-kanye-west-produced-songs-that-dont-feature-kanye/|title= The 101 Best Kanye West-Produced Songs That Don't Feature Kanye |date=March 24, 2015|author=Unterberger, Andrew|website=Spin}} The Canadian rapper Drake sampled the song "Just Memories" on "Ratchet Happy Birthday" from his 2018 album Scorpion.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/drake-scorpion-album-every-sample-8463431/|title=Every Sample on Drake's 'Scorpion' Album|date=June 29, 2018|author=Saponara, Michael|magazine=Billboard}}{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/backwoodsaltar/here-is-all-the-samples-on-drakes-scorpion|title=Here Are the Samples on Drake's 'Scorpion'|date=June 29, 2018|author=Price, Joe|website=Complex}}

Songs from the album have also been covered by various artists. In June 2020, the American singer Amber Mark covered "My People...Hold On" as a response to the George Floyd protests, stating that it was "time to bring more positive force into this world."{{cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/amber-mark-people-video/|title=Watch The Video For Amber Mark's Cover Of Eddie Kendricks' 'My People'|date=June 19, 2020|website=UDiscoverMusic|author=Peacock, Tim}}{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/we-insist-a-timeline-of-protest-music-in-2020/2020/09/02/907968351/the-revolution-starts-with-community-in-amber-marks-cover-of-my-people|title=The Revolution Starts With Community In Amber Mark's Cover Of 'My People'|date=June 19, 2020|author=Harris, LeTesha|website=NPR}} The cover was the fourth track in her Covered-19 series, with the music video, directed by Mark herself with choreography by Morgan Marie Grayned, features Mark and dancers in white dresses performing on a rooftop.{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/amber-mark-covers-eddie-kendricks-my-people-hold-on-for-juneteenth|title=Amber Mark covers Eddie Kendricks' "My People… Hold On" for Juneteenth|date=June 19, 2020|website=The Line of Best Fit|author=Kenneally, Cerys}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gorillavsbear.net/amber-mark-shares-a-beautiful-cover-of-eddie-kendricks-my-people-hold-on/|title=Amber Mark shares a beautiful cover of Eddie Kendricks' "My People…Hold On"|website=Gorilla vs. Bear|date=June 19, 2020|author=Cantalini, Chris}} Pitchfork praised the video, describing it as offering "a nourishing vision of beauty that feels especially potent in this time of unrest."{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/the-7-best-music-videos-of-june-2020/|title=The 7 Best Music Videos of June 2020|date=July 1, 2020|author=Torres, Eric|website=Pitchfork}} In May 2023, the vocalist Billy Valentine covered the song on his album Billy Valentine and the Universal Truth.{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/billy-valentine-the-universal-truth-share-inspired-cut-my-people-hold-on/|title=Billy Valentine & The Universal Truth Share Inspired Cut 'My People… Hold On'|date=May 3, 2023|author=Murray, Robin|website=Clash}}{{cite web|url=https://www.jazzwise.com/review/article/billy-valentine-universal-truth-bring-the-political-funk-to-the-fore-for-stunning-jazz-cafe-performance |title= Billy Valentine & Universal Truth bring the political funk to the fore for stunning Jazz Café performance |date=October 17, 2023|author=Le Gendre, Kevin|website=Jazzwise}} The song "Girl You Need a Change of Mind" was covered by D'Angelo for the 1996 film Get on the Bus.{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/erry-2018/02/e061b287d4/25_covers_of_songs_by_alabama.html|title=25 covers of songs by Alabama artists that are almost as good as their originals|website=Al.com|date=February 28, 2018|author=Boyd, Jared}}

All tracks produced by Frank Wilson except where noted.

{{Track listing

| headline = People...Hold On standard track listing

| total_length = 41:46

| title1 = If You Let Me

| writer1 =Frank Wilson

| length1 = 3:10

| title2 = Let Me Run Into Your Lonely Heart

| writer2 ={{hlist|Wilson|Anita Poree}}

| length2 = 2:59

| title3 = Day by Day

| note3 = {{hlist|class=inline|Wilson|Caston Jr.}}

| writer3 ={{hlist|Leonard Caston Jr.|Terri McFaddin}}

| length3 = 3:07

| title4 = Girl You Need a Change of Mind

| note4 = {{hlist|class=inline|Wilson|Caston Jr.}}

| writer4 ={{hlist|Poree|Caston Jr.}}

| length4 = 7:30

| title5 = Someday We'll Have a Better World

| writer5 ={{hlist|Norma Toney}}

| length5 = 3:35

| title6 = My People...Hold On

| note6 = {{hlist|class=inline|Wilson|Caston Jr.}}

| writer6 ={{hlist|Poree|Caston Jr.}}

| length6 = 5:40

| title7 = Date with the Rain

| note7 = {{hlist|class=inline|Miller}}

| writer7 = {{hlist|Bobby Miller}}

| length7 = 2:42

| title8 = Eddie's Love

| note8 = {{hlist|class=inline|Wilson|Caston Jr.}}

| writer8 ={{hlist|Poree|Caston Jr.}}

| length8 = 3:20

| title9 = I'm on the Sideline

| writer9 ={{hlist|Penelope McClendon}}

| length9 = 2:56

| title10 = Just Memories

| note10 = {{hlist|class=inline|Wilson|Caston Jr.}}

| writer10 ={{hlist|Poree|Caston Jr.}}

| length10 = 5:50

}}

• Eddie Kendricks – vocals
• The Young Senators – rhythm
• Cal Harris – Moog synthesizer
• David Leacraft, David Van De Pitte, Leroy Fleming – arrangements
• Weldon A. McDougal III – photography

{{reflist}}

;Works cited

• {{cite book|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt2tvm04|title=The Beat: Go-Go Music from Washington, D.C.|last1=Lornell|first1=Kip|last2=Stephenson|first2=Charles C.|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|year=2009|jstor=j.ctt2tvm04 |isbn=978-1-60473-241-2 }}
• {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DzrvOAA2tvAC|title=Hot Stuff: Disco and the Remaking of American Culture|last=Echols|first=Alice|date=March 29, 2010|publisher=W. W. Norton & Company|isbn=978-0-393-07701-8 }}
• {{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xiELEQAAQBAJ&pg=PT1874|title=All Music Guide to Soul|chapter=Eddie Kendricks|pages=|last=Bogdanov|first=Vladimir|year=2003|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-61713-496-8 }}

• {{Discogs release|148268|type=album}}

{{Eddie Kendricks}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1972 albums

Category:Eddie Kendricks albums

Category:Tamla Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Frank Wilson (musician)