Song Clearance Sheet
3 sources citedPapa Was a Rollin’ Stone
See all The Temptations in the catalogue →
Soul1970s121BPM
UnconfirmedKey
Tempo/key via Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong), no dispute found — the Dennis Edwards “father’s death date” story is presented as widely circulated but factually imprecise, not settled fact.
Quick Facts
Released1972
AlbumAll Directions
GenreSoul, Funk
LabelGordy / Motown Records
ProducerNorman Whitfield
Recorded atDetroit
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Motown/Gordy; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A much-covered, much-sampled Grammy-winning soul-funk landmark; part of this catalogue’s Temptations / Whitfield-Strong web.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
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Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong
A widely circulated but factually imprecise storyDennis Edwards reportedly hated the opening lines, believing the writers had deliberately referenced the real date of his own father’s death to needle him — but this widely repeated story has been flagged as factually imprecise, since his father’s actual death date was reportedly slightly different from the date in the song. Presented here as a real, widely repeated but explicitly inaccurate story, NOT settled fact.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Restraint over Edwards’ objections — and Whitfield tension
Whitfield pushed Edwards to re-record his vocal many times, asking for a more muted delivery than Edwards wanted; Edwards has recalled his frustration, only appreciating it once he heard the finished record. The group had grown weary of Whitfield’s increasingly elaborate productions overshadowing their vocals — tension that eventually led to his dismissal as producer. It won three 1973 Grammys.
American Songwriter / Stereogum · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A three-Grammy soul-funk landmark
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
PA
Whitfield & Strong / Motown
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 3 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 15)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass