An Aural Jewel

Though at the time of its release in the fall of 1965, this album really only contained five tracks not heard before, it was such a splendid gathering of single hits and b-sides, there was no thinking twice about snapping it up. My favorite new beauty in this one was the shimmering "Born To Love You," which featured a trade-off lead vocal between Ruffin & Kendricks that pre-dated "You're My Everything" by nearly two years. The single black mark (for me) against the 5-disc "Emperors Of Soul" masterpiece, is that it didn't carry this cut. Even Collectables eventually carried it as a 45 in the early 90s.

In his wonderful 1988 biography of the group, original member Otis Williams says he cringes every time he looks at this album cover. The five singers had their white suits in time for the photo, but not YET their white shoes! No problem, Otis - like the record label says, `It's what's in the grooves that count.'

It is truly great for us baby-boomers that this, as well as other original LP's of the group ("Meet," "Sing Smokey," "Gettin' Ready," "Lot O' Soul," et. al.) are kept in print. My question is why is this respect only shown to the Temptations, among so many Motown greats? Just try and find The Supremes' "More Hits" with its original artwork, Brenda Holloway's "Every Little Bit Hurts," or "Four Tops Second Album." Good luck.

Before I started this review, I'd just finished reading 30-some customer comments for the Supremes' "Ultimate Collection," which contained several complaints about the fact that the disc is mono. I'm convinced the complainers were people younger than 35. No one old enough to have listened, in side-by-side comparison to the stereo and mono versions of mid-60s Motown LPs would EVER complain about the availability of mono versions.

Which brings me to the one thing Motown could have done here and achieved absolute perfection. The 80-minute recording area of a CD would certainly have facilitated both mono and stereo versions of this LP (then we could ALL be happy), and all the other Temptations albums of the 60's. The Beach Boys implemented this idea with "Pet Sounds," and it worked.

Let's see it tried also with The Supremes' "Where," "More Hits," & "Symphony"; Gaye's "Moods," the Vandellas "Watch Out" & "Dance Party," and the Miracles "Going To A Go-Go."

The Temptations Namesake Album

The Temptations became forever known as the Temptin' Temptations when this monster was dropped. Check out the classics: Since I Lost My Baby, Girl Why You Wanna Me Blue, The Girls Alright With Me, My Baby--all in the pocket. Not to mention the Kendricks/Ruffian led beauty Born To Love and Paul Williams masterful, mournful Just Another Lonely Night.

THE TITLE SAYS IT ALL!!

This CD is truly a masterpiece for the classic 5!! I loved just about all the songs on it!! I just received this CD this past weekend, and I already heard it about 4 or 5 times straight through--The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, was because I believed the sound quality could have been just a bit better--The sound quality was better that the "Emperors of Soul" Box CDS on the selected songs, but on spite of that, this CD IS THE BOMB!! In you are a true temptatipn fan of the classic 5 like I am, this CD is a must-have!!!

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

WE WHO KNEW THEM CALLED THEM THE "VOICES", THUNDER AND LIGHTNING ACTUALLY. DAVID AND EDDIE COULD PUSH AND PULL EACH OTHERS VOICE OR OCTAVE IN WHAT EVER DIRECTION ONE NEEDED THE OTHERS VOICE TO GO. THEY HAD AN UNSPOKEN APPRECIATION FOR THE MUSIC AND THEIR LOVE OF SONG. EDDIE WAS WRITING TUNES AT THAT TIME AND HAS A FEW OF HIS OWN ON THIS ALBUM. THEY WERE AS CLOSE AS BLOOD BROTHERS BACK THEN. 1 FOR ALL AND ALL FOR 1.IT WAS AROUND THIS TIME THAT CORNELIUS GRANT BECAME KNOWN AS THE 6TH TEMP. IT WAS TIME OF COMRADERIE, FAMILY AND FRIENDSHIP. THEY WERE TRULY BLESSED. AND I IN RETURN WAS BLESSED TO BE IN THEIR COMPANY.