The Temptations - Ultimate Collection
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Free Music Notes for Ultimate Collection
Free Music Review: Essential!
Hit: 5 Stars
The Temptations were one of Motowns hottest and most versatile acts. They began their career as The Primes, singing on street corners in the ghetto areas for blacks in Detroit with Diana Ross And The Supremes (then known as their sister group, The Primettes). After signing to Motown in 1961, they took a seperate road from The Supremes and before long, were pumping out to what would amount too, an endless river of classics.
In early 1964, the dynamic David Ruffin took over as lead vocalist of the group and immediatley gave them their own unique, identifiable sound, much in the way that Diana Ross had with The Supremes. Their first major hit would be produced by the genius, Smokey Robinson, who wrote and assembled the fantastic and highly infectious, The Way You Do The Things You Do, which featured a remarkable range of harmonies all blended fantastically well together which gelled neatly into the state-of-the-art soul production.
However catapulting them into wider recognition was their 1965 hit, My Girl, which soon became a chart-topper and one of their most distinguished classics. This was also one of Smokey Robinsons most lyrically and evocative compostions. With its sweeping strings and unforgetable vocal trade-offs on the chrous, this has easily become one of Motowns signature tunes.
They also conveyed their versatality on such lush, romantic ballads that steered narrowly into pop with such offerings as I Wish It Would Rain, Since I Lost My Baby and You're My Everything as well as enjoying a dynamic tour de force with Diana Ross and the Supremes on such fabulous cuts such as I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, which are all included on this superbly compiled collection.
They also made renowned classics such as the jamming, Get Ready and Ain't Too Proud To Beg. The alternating lead vocals between the forceful, aggressive delivery of David Ruffin and the sweet, sensual falsetto of Eddie Kendricks marked an interesting transistion in their work. David Ruffins voice mostly sounded seemingly angst ridden especially on the magnificent, (I Know) I'm Losing You.
Other than Smokey Robinson, a large portion of their work was produced by Norman Whitfield. What Whitfield encapsulated with his work with The Temptations was blending late 60's trends of Pop and Funk into this groups output, giving it a healthy balance and therefore making The Temoptations strong innovators with their music.
In 1968, David Ruffin was eventually fired and after an unsuccesful solo career, got caught up in a hazadous whirlwind of drugs and died in 1991. He was replaced by Dennis Edwards, another forceful and dynamic singer that certainly had all the credibility of David Ruffin as The Temptations continued to pump out hits until the early 70's.
Cloud Nine marked a turning point for The Temptations, becoming one of their own and indeed, Motowns landmark recordings. It introduced an injection of social consciousness into the lyrics and featured a startling psychedelic guirtar riffage amidst the complex musical arrangements.
The Temptations were clearly influenced by the Rock-Soul-Psychedelic phenomenon and much of their output from the late 60's to the early 70's, encapsulted this explosive range of styles on such fantastic recordings as Psychedelic Shack and the compelling masterpiece, Runaway Child, Running Wild.
They scored one of my most favourite classics in 1970 with the rip-roaring, Ball Of Confusion, which offered profound political statements and social commentary. Dennis Edwards voice is just explosive and gives startling ignition to the stark musical arrangements that is broken up by an effective harmonica interlude.
Finally in 1972 they scored their last major hit of their heyday with the compelling, Papa Was A Rolling Stone (another favourite of mine), a triumphant soul masterpiece with its compelling undertones of red hot, pulsating funk. After this their momentum sadly wore thin but this compilation highlights their upmost glory days and they remain significant influences in todays music culture.
Free Music Review: What great music. . . .
Hit: 5 Stars
Recently, an Amazon friend reviewed this book. Since I gave up my old vinyl collection, I have not had any Temptations' CDs in my collection. That review just mentioned impelled me to begin adding some of the group's music to the set of CDs that I own.
Just got the CD and is it glorious! Obviously, one CD will not hold all of the best music of this group. However, what appears here is pretty terrific. From 1964, "The Way You Do the Things You Do" and "My Girl"; from 1972, "Just My Imagination (Running away with Me)" and, maybe, my all-time favorite work, "Pap Was a Rolling Stone"; from 1994, "Error of Our Ways."
A few examples of their work. . .
The sunny "My Girl." A cheerful instrumental introduction followed by opening lines such as:
"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day;
When it's cold outside, I got the month of May."
Why? "My girl." A nice uptempo, upbeat tune, something that the Temptations could do so well.
Of course, more lugubrious feelings can be elicited as well. Take "Just My Imagination (Running away with Me)." The singer speaks of the joy of having a wonderful girl"
". . .I watch her as she passes by.
I say to myself, I'm such a lucky guy.
To have a girl like her is truly a dream come true."
But the reality?
"It was just my imagination, running away with me."
Good instrumentals and fine vocal backing. One of the classics among all Temptations' songs. The Rolling Stones did a nice cover of this, but this version is the "real deal."
Then, my personal favorite of all their oeuvre, "Pap Was a Rolling Stone." A 2 minute introduction, as funky as one could wish, with wailing horns and an hypnotic beat before vocals come into play. The first lines:
"It was the third of September,
A day I'll always remember. . .
That was the day that my Daddy died."
This is the story of a person being apart from a father and hearing lots of bad things about him. Then asking his mom why. Her answer?
"Papa was a rolling stone,
Wherever he laid his hat was his home."
Song after song. These bring memories flooding back as I recalled hearing some of these songs for the first time when they were first released. Want to know something about this group? This is a good starting point.
Free Music Review: One of the great Motown groups
Hit: 5 Stars
This is not quite the ultimate Temptations collection, but it comes close. You could never fit all their great songs on one CD anyway, but the compilers were clearly determined to include some of their later recordings - the last three tracks on this CD. Angel doll, though recorded in 1967, was not one of their big hits - indeed, it was not even released at the time. The inclusion of these four tracks at the expense of real classics, including Beauty is only skin deep, devalues the title somewhat.Despite the omissions, this is the best single-CD collection of Temptations music currently available and contains many familiar songs. It begins with The way you do the things you do. A big hit in America, it did not chart in Britain. I first came across the song via an excellent cover by Rita Coolidge, but the original version is impressive. Other classic sons here include My girl, Get ready, Ain't too proud to beg, I wish it would rain, Cloud nine, I can't get next to you, Ball of confusion, Just my imagination and Papa was a rolling stone.
Anybody seriously interested in sixties music in general and Motown in particular will enjoy the Temptations. Unless you want to go for a double-CD or a boxed set, this is the CD to choose.
Free Music Review: GET READY!...
Hit: 5 Stars
At last, a little truth in advertising! Here is truly the ultimate career spanning collection from the best and baddest soul group EVER, Motown or otherwise. The temptin' Temptations were blessed with a trio of powerhouse lead belters, from David Ruffin's pleading, sexy growl to Eddie Kendricks' otherwordly falsetto to Dennis Edwards' mighty macho screams; the payoff was the longest list of RNB and pop classics by anyone out there. Motown maestro Smokey Robinson provided them with an embarrassment of musically creamy, lyrically cunning masterpieces such as GET READY, THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO, and of course MY GIRL. Likewise, the incredible composing team of Norman Whitfield and Barrett (MONEY) Strong helped the Tempts score later smashes via earthier, frequently topical material such as PAPA WAS A ROLLIN' STONE, BALL OF CONFUSION, and AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG. Though their lineup was constantly altered by personal turmoil (four of the original quintet died tragic deaths), the Temptations were, to quote a hit for which there was apparently not enough room here, SUPERSTAR's of the highest magnitude, leaving behind a wellspring of timeless gems to prove it.
RATING: FIVE TEMPTATION WALKS
Free Music Review: "And the band played on" Temptations Greatest Hits
Hit: 5 Stars
The first couplet of the first song begins "You've got a smile so bright, you know you could've been a candle./ I'm holding you so tight, you know you could've been a handle."
Anyone who has heard of the Temptations knows those lines from their classic "The Way You Do the Things You Do." It is crisply sung, almost doo-wop. It never loses its poise or falls into cliche.
Most of these songs were hits. If the titles don't jar your memory, listen to the samples. Expect to know at least 10 of these.
A couple weak links are present in "Treat Her Like a Lady" and "Error of Our Ways." In these two songs, there's no funk, no soul, and no depth. Both are acceptable, as pop R&B, but are musically pallid when compared to "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "Ball of Confusion."
The liner notes provide a puffy history, and credits song-by-song. That's not why this is worth buying. It is the sheer cool class and sway of the Temptations greatest hits. A couple songs might be left off, but most are here.
I fully recommend "The Ultimate Collection" by the Temptations.
Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com