I Know I'm Losing You Archives

Album: The Temptations with a Lot o’ Soul
Year: 1966

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Yet another Temptations song that was covered by godsdamned Rare Earth, “(I Know) I’m Losing You” is also what the kids call an “absolute banger,” featuring an absolutely killer gutbucket guitar lick from Cornelius Grant, and one of Norman Whitfield’s most tension-filled arrangements.

Opening with that lick — four notes stacked on top of each other followed by two that take their sweet fucking time to hit — and a tambourine, “(I Know) I’m Losing You” features another desperate vocal from David Ruffin, this time channeling a man who knows it’s way too late to beg.

Album: Every Picture Tells a Story
Year: 1971

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You come at The Temptations, you best not miss. Their original 1966 version of “(I Know) I’m Losing You” was a masterpiece of pure tension, anchored by a gut-bucket Cornelius Grant guitar riff and a desperate David Ruffin vocal that was so compelling it went up to #8 despite not having a chorus. (SPOILER ALERT: There will be a shit-ton of Temptations when I get there).

And while Rare Earth had some how taken their pedestrian version up to #7 in 1970 — fucking hippies! — Rod Stewart decided to tackle it anyways, and with the help of The Faces, rocked it really fucking hard.

I Know I'm Losing You

Certain Songs #2680: The Temptations – “(I Know) I’m Losing You”

Certain Songs #2003: Rod Stewart – “(I Know) I’m Losing You”