Temptations, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"

"It was the third of September
That day I'll always remember
(Yes I will.) 'Cause that was the day
That my daddy died."

OK, the selection today's due to the conceit of the date, but DAMN do the Tempts truck on this one. Orchestrated soul is one of my very favorite of musical styles, and this is one of the very best examples. The song's been covered numerous times over the years, including an audacious treatment from George Michael as part of a medley with Seal's "Killer," but no one could approach the Temptations' ability to trade off lines like a seasoned relay team handing off a baton.