 Fuqua and Bristol handled the recording's production.Ruffin had been dismissed from the Temptations in June 1968 for what has been repeatedly deemed increasingly unprofessional behavior.The song was originally intended to be sung by the Temptations when Ruffin was still the group's front man.David Ruffin had always been signed as a single artist which was part of the issue with the group who had a collective contract
Once he left

The song, with its melody and intro based upon the classical music piece "Frühlingslied" by Felix Mendelssohn, is a bittersweet ballad in the style of "Since I Lost My Baby", "All I Need", "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need", "(I Know) I'm Losing You" and "I Wish It Would Rain", Ruffin, as the narrator, sings of the extensive pain he has felt since his lover has left him.