"Everybody Needs Love" is a 1964 Motown song by Norman Whitfield and Edward Holland, Jr. The first version released was by The Temptations for their album The Temptin' Temptations in 1965^[1] (it also got airplay on some radio stations in the U.S.), but the most successful version was on a single by Gladys Knight & the Pips, which peaked at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #3 on the Billboard R&B singles chart, in 1967.^[2] Other Motown acts that recorded this song were Mary Wells (who was the first to record it, though it was not released until after she left the company),^[3] which featured Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations in the background, Jimmy Ruffin, The Velvelettes, and The Miracles.^[4] All versions of the song were produced by Whitfield.

Personnel

Mary Wells version

• Lead vocals by Mary Wells
• Background vocals by The Love Tones: Joe Miles, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Stan Bracely, with Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Jimmy Ruffin version

• Lead vocals by Jimmy Ruffin
• Background vocals by The Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Temptations version

• Lead vocals by Eddie Kendricks and Melvin Franklin
• Background vocals by Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, David Ruffin, and Otis Williams
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Gladys Knight & the Pips version

• Lead Vocals by Gladys Knight
• Background Vocals by Merald "Bubba" Knight, Edward Patten and William Guest
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

The Miracles version

• Lead Vocals by William "Smokey" Robinson
• Background Vocals by Claudette Robinson, Pete Moore, Ronnie White, and Bobby Rogers
• Guitar by Marv Tarplin `
• Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

The Velvelettes version

• Lead Vocals by Carolyn Gill
• Background Vocals by The Andantes: Louvain Demps, Marlene Barrow, and Jackie Hicks
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers