By stranger56 (165.155.160.135) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 04:59 pm:

Guys, according to the liner notes on the double cd release of "Former Lead Singers of the Temptations" (I forget the actual title), David Ruffin wrote the song Statue of a Fool. I know David had actually been quoted a few times as saying thet he wrote that song, but that song, which became a monster Country hit for Ricky Van Shelton in the 80's, was written back in the 50's by a guy named Jack something (Jeez...memory's shot). Anyway, two questions, 1) Anyone know the name of jack something that wrote the song, and 2) How could Ruffin say he wrote it when it was written by that Jack guy in the 50's? I mean, they even have Ruffin listed under the title as songwriter.
Strange.
Any help on this one?

Stranger56 (Jim)

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 05:35 pm:

Hi Jim

This is a topic we've aired quite a few times already, both here and on the Motown BB. The song was penned by Jan Crutchfield in the early sixties (that's when it was first registered with BMI). It was a Country hit in 1968. David Ruffin consistently claimed to have written the song, but all the evidence suggests otherwise. When the song was included on David's "Who I Am" album in 1975, he was given the writer credit, as he claimed to have written it, and Motown took his word for it. It's credited to "Ruffin" on the "Temptations One By One" set, but subsequent issues have listed the song with the composer credit amended to Jan Crutchfield. FYI, the song also has an alternate title, "Name It After Me".

By Common (209.2.55.168) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 06:05 pm:

Hello everyone,

I have a question: of all the country songs that David chose to claim as his, why this one? I find it strange that someone would claim a song as his that was a hit 7 yrs earlier prior to his version in '75. I just find this weird that's all.

Peace!

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 07:42 pm:

Jim;
the "Jack" was Jack Greene.

Steve K

By Scratcher (65.133.219.181) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 07:52 pm:

Jack Greene didn't write "Statue of a Fool" he had the first hit with the song.

I agree with Common that it's strange David would claim a song that had already hit for somebody with the songwriters name on the label, logged with a performance right society, and probably copyrighted in Crutchfield's name.

It's known that Ruffin spent time in Memphis and possibly Nashville before coming to Detroit. Maybe he sang the song for somebody who had a tape running and being young and naive never copyrighted it, and it was snatched.

What knocks that theory down, however, is the fact that David Ruffin isn't credited with writing another song in his whole career.

By medusa9e (65.43.80.113) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 08:01 pm:

Maybe they were different songs, but with the same title.

By Scratcher (65.133.219.181) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 08:04 pm:

Nope Medusa9e, they're the same exact song in every way shape and fashion.

By Jody (64.12.97.7) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 11:27 pm:

I approached David in 1978 about "STATUE OF A FOOL". Knowing about this album of Jack Greene, and that he was credited with writing the song, it was also claimed that Jan Crutchfield penned it. I ask David. He told me that he wrote the song. "You know how stuff like this happens", He said. Common, you hit the nail on the head!

By stranger56 (24.47.50.195) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 11:55 pm:

Heyguys, look what I found on the web.....and the Jim she's responding to is not me:
******
Statue of a Fool
From: Genna Sapia-Ruffin
Location: Los Angeles
Date: 7/24/02

Comments
Jim, thanks for the replies. Now let me tell u my REAL question! Here privately ;~) David Ruffin was my common-law husband. See my site http://gruffproductions.tripod.com. Back before I even met him in 1964, he first recorded "Statue of a Fool" on a 78. It was awesome. Over the years, I kept at him to re-record it. When we split in 1974, I screamed at him one last time that he needed to re-record it as a tribute to our relationship. Which he did do shortly thereafter--a bittersweet victory to me. Here's the thing: his name is listed on the label as writer. Now I never did believe that he wrote it, since he never wrote another song in his life, but since he was from the South too, I wondered if somehow he did write it before Jan Crutchfield. FOr decades, I've been trying to solve this mystery and the Copywrite entity in D.C. was no help, as they are both listed as writers-- w/o dates. I love/loved him and don't want to desecrate his position w/his fans, but they all want to give him credit on all their websites. I, on the other hand, would love for history to be correct. I just want to know the facts; for myself and for our son, David Ruffin Junior and for HIS sons. It was a mystery to me long before David even HAD these neo-fans (since that Temptations movie came out), and it irks me how they just refuse to believe me. They want to WORSHIP their idol!!! Not to take anything away from his fabulous voice and stage presence, but David was no writer! Not to MY knowledge--but I'd love to be proven wrong!! Whaddya say, folks, can you get me some facts?! RSVP to gruff productions at americaonline. Thanks. ****

Interesting, huh?

Stranger56

By Vickie (198.81.26.231) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 12:06 am:

are any of the other songwriters living or their next of kin that can verify if "they" did write it
or not..

does anyone know Jack or Jan?

By Chad (152.163.252.68) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 12:25 am:

It's up to David Ruffin's estate to prove he did write it. All evidence point to Jan Crutchfield being the writer. Only Genna has spoke of this 78 and has said it's copyrighted in both names.

By stranger56 (165.155.160.135) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 07:44 am:

Yes, Chad, but she also said he's no writer, and she obviously doubts the validity of his claim.
I'll check ASCAP for the official credits.

Stranger56

By RD (63.188.33.232) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 08:01 am:

Why do Genna doubt the validity when she says she saw and heard the 78 that David claims he wrote and recorded as Little David Bush in 1958...and, after seeing a copyright in David's name? If anybody shouldn't doubt the validity it should be Genna cause she's seen evidence nobody else has. Her having doubts makes me doubt that she's seen anything.

By Common (209.2.55.171) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 08:09 am:

Hello everyone,

Scratcher: That's exactly what I was thinking. It was well known that David spent time in Memphis(where it was alleged he went to high school by Eddie Bush) & Nashville. Also, David said that he did cut some songs when he was traveling with Mr. Bush. If anyone might have the answer, it would Eddie Bush. But David DID co-write one song called "In The Day Of The Life Of A Working Man" with Bobby Miller, off of David's self-titled LP in '73. And in Tony Turner's book "Deliver Us From Temptation", he claimed that David wrote & produced an entire album for RCA but it was rejected, due the fact the record company claimed the songs were "too black & radical". So who knows? It was also well known that songs were stolen all the time. Unfortunately, as Jody stated, David could not prove that he wrote it.

Peace!

By Common (209.2.55.171) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 08:10 am:

RD: You hit the nail on the head with that one!


Peace!

By Ritchie (81.102.248.100) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 08:14 am:

FYI - if you want to check out the song, it's registered with BMI, not ASCAP.

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 02:42 pm:

I've recently found out that Don Rondo, a Detroit
based singer who sang mainly middle-of-the-road
ballads recorded a song called "Statue Of A Fool"
If this is the same song as Jack Greene's maybe
Don Rondo's version got some airplay in Detroit
and that's how David heard it.

By stranger56 (165.155.160.135) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 02:49 pm:

Here's what BMI says:

NAME IT AFTER ME (Legal Title) BMI Work #1048065
Alternate Titles:
STATUE OF A FOOL
Songwriter/Composer Current Affiliation CAE/IPI #
CRUTCHFIELD JAN L ASCAP 7148112
Publishers
SURE FIRE MUSIC COMPANY INC BMI 29920277
Artists
GREENE JACK
VANSHELTON RICKY
Denotes BMI Award Winning Song!
**********************************

Guess that makes it official, then......or does it?

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 03:08 pm:

A little addendum - the song was first published in 1962, and was also recorded by Ferlin Husky in 1970 :o)

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 04:37 pm:

Ferlin Husky and the Hush Puppies ! One of my favourite country names ...

By Jody (152.163.252.68) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:59 pm:

I don't want to go there, but hasn't it always been the white artist that claimed they did write it, they sang it better, the first hit was theirs, or they covered a black artist and got the bigger hit through cross over? David was a young black artist from the South, perhaps they saw his song somehow, somewhere, and they copied it. Who can prove who did what? By the way to Genna who thinks that David was not a song writer, David does have a brother, Jimmy who writes very well, and another brother Quincy who is Dr. Quincy Ruffin. Some very talented kids, those Ruffin guys. A sister Rita Mae was a great singer. The benefit of the doubt would be nice here. By the way Genna, this is not a fan talking. This is a matter of who and what is right. Obviously the song is good and he sang it to the moon and back. I don't see any one of these aclaimed writers ever suing anyone. Maybe they all knew the truth.

By Chad (152.163.252.68) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 11:14 pm:

David Ruffin has no songs listed with BMI or ASCAP. What songs did he write? He mustof lied about the song with Bobby Miller too.

By JCP (152.163.252.68) on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 03:19 pm:

Chad,
Arn't you the nice one?

By Common (209.2.55.172) on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 03:38 pm:

If I'm correct, isn't Bobby Miller still alive? If so, he would be the person to confirm whether or not David did co-write the song or not.

Peace!

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 03:51 pm:

After some research on the 'net, I have discovered that Jan Crutchfield - who is credited as the composer of "Statue.."/"Name It After Me" - is happily still with us. Incidentally, he has over 800 compositions published. Kind of makes you wonder if he would really "steal" another person's composition and claim it as his own...?

By ZAZZ (152.163.252.68) on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 03:59 pm:

Isn't David credited as one of the writers of one of his old songs recorded way BEFORE the Temptations? I think it may be "I'm In Love" a solo record of his. I believe Ruffin, Berry Gordy and perhaps it was Billy Wilson who are the song writers listed on this. Too bad I have my old 45's packed away or I could tell you exactly which one it is. His name is definitely listed as co-writer on an early Ruffin solo and I think that's the one.

By Vickie (198.81.26.231) on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 04:38 pm:

I say we contact this Jan and invite to our forum for a happy little discussion..

Vickie