The Temptations - Meet the Temptations

The Meet and Greet

The most special thing about this album is most of the songs are led sang by Paul Williams, who I have decided was not only the best singer in the group but my favorite member even though he died 8 or 9 years before I was born. What he does with I Want a Love I Can See, Just Let Me Know, and Farewell My Love are awesome.

The least special thing about this album is that Berry Gordy produced a considerable amount of the songs and his songs always end up having a similar sounding melody or beat to other songs that already existed. Of course, the fact he would "borrow" melodies from other songs is nothing new when you consider how he "borrowed" his artists' royalties and forced many of them to die penniless because of his greed and svengali personality. There is no reason, other than Gordy's greed, why a group like the Temptations shouldn't have been millionaires by the late Sixties with all the hits they had. It doesn't matter they didn't write a majority of their own music. Neither do many artists today, but they're still rich.

The two reasons I won't buy the Emperors of Soul 5-cd collection even though something is telling me I should is 1) I know there will be songs not included on that collection: e.g. Just Let Me Know and Your Wonderful Love are two beautifully sang songs by Paul that are not on Emperors of Soul. 2) I guess I don't feel I really need that much Temptations music and instead should pick & choose certain individual albums and call it a day. Time will tell if I change my mind.

I also wish they would have added "Come On" as another bonus track. I wonder how many fans of the Temptations movie listen to that song waiting for the toilet to flush.

Bottom Line: a good start but not a five-star outing.
May 10, 2007

The Tempts Before David Ruffin

Motown was not truthful about this album in 1964; it represented a culling of three years or so of unsuccessful singles by the Temptations, with their new hit "The Way You Do The Things You Do" added on. Apparently word got around, so the label was forced to include "The Way" on the group's second album, "The Temptations Sing Smokey". Elbridge Bryant, who preceded David Ruffin in the group, did not sing lead; most of these songs feature the great Eddie Kendricks. March 23, 2007

Nice Meeting You All!

If you love the Temps, then this is a must have for your collection! Great early stuff from the original five. January 6, 2007

Great Lp.

Definitely a great Lp! These are my faves:
1. The Way You Do The Things You Do (Eddie 1st hit!)
2. I Want A Love I Can See (Paul: one of my fave Paul leads)
3. Dream Come True (Not that much a fave but it's good)
4. Paradise(Eddie sounds like he's having fun on this record)
7. Just Let Me Know (Paul again! Whoo Amazing!)
8. Your Wonderful Love (Paul incredible record! Love it)
10. Check Yourself (Love It! Aww that's what they told me I paid no mind!
13. Oh, Mother Of Mine (Paul once again! Whoo love this record! OOOOOHH mother oooooohhhhhh mother of mine I've been blind!)
14. Romance Without Finance (Paul defintely a Paul Lp!)

I love this Lp. Cuz Paul is my fave and Paul really shines on this but then Paul shines everywhere LOl. September 14, 2006

The Fabulous Five Gentlemen of Song

I first heard of the Temptations when I was a twelve-year boy in 1961 growing up in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, where I was born. I heard their song, "Check Yourself" on WCHB radio, 1440, Inkster, also the home of the Marvelettes, another Motown act. I saw them in person at Cobo Hall, at that time the home of the Detroit Pistons NBA team, singing among various songs, "A Tossin' And Turnin' " in December, 1961 at the WCHB Christmas Party with my younger sister. My favorite Temptations-lineup is not the classic lineup. My favorite is the original lineup consisting of Paul Williams, baritone and lead singer, Eddie Kendricks, falsetto tenor, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, tenor, Otis Williams, tenor and Melvin Franklin, bass. To our lost, with the exception of Otis Williams, they have all died.

This is an outstanding album. Listen to them do "Your Wonderful Love," a Berry Gordy, Jr., cop of the Impressions' "Your Precious Love." It reminds one of depths of gospel music that you will find in the church. With Paul on the lead and the other four providing the background vocals, it is art of the highest form. Then there is of course "Wonderful Love's" A-side, "Check Yourself," written by Gordy and three members of the Tempts, Al Bryant, Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin. It speaks to the heart of broken love of a man who only discovers what he has lost after it is too late to get it back. Bill "Smokey" Robinson's first release on the group, entitled "Slow Down Heart," the B-side to Gordy's "Paradise," a cop of the Four Seasons' "Cherry Baby," is on the level of two other of his 1962 compositions, his Miracle's "I'll Try Something New" and his "Your Heart Belongs To Me" that was recorded by the Supremes. "Isn't She Pretty," the B-Side to "Dream Come True" (written by Gordy) and written by Gordy, Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams reminds me somewhat of what the Temptations lineup number three would do with "Cloud Nine" and "Run Away Child Running Wild" of having several lead voices popping in and out of the piece. "The Further You Look The Less You See", the B-side to "I Want A Love I Can See" and written by Robinson and Norman Whitfield was recognized to be such a great song that a Caribbean group recorded it in the 70's. "Paradise," "Dream Come True," "Farewell My Love" and "May I Have This Dance" (the B-side of "Farewell"), which were all written by Gordy with the exception of "Dance," which were written by Whitfield and Janie Bradford, all feature the five distinct voices, who each could have been the sole lead singer of some other group. "O Mother Of Mine" (co-written by Otis Williams) and "Romance Without Finance"(co-written by Eddie Kendricks), both produced by William "Mickey Stevenson, one of Gordy's lieutenants in the early years of Motown and the Hitsville, U.S.A. studio on West Grand Boulevard, constituted their first single released in the summer of 1961. Their treatment on these two songs is special and it tells the listener that this group was special and greatness was only a matter of time. One must remember that Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks were in their early 20's and the other three were in their late teens. Gordy's "Just Let Me Know" features the classic Tempts way of doing a song with the lead singer, in this case Paul, with the other four members being voices to sing with or sing against in a type of group harmony never achieved. What the original Temptations could do with their voices is equivalent to what the King Cole Trio could do with their instruments and Band Leader Cole's voice. Their voices were incomparable.

This album showcases what a great lead singer the late Paul Williams was, a fact of which many Temptations' fans are unaware. As someone once wrote that he had a voice for the ages. His greatest lead of the early days of the Temptations was unquestionably Robinson's "I Want A Love I Can See." When I first heard the song in the spring of 1963, I knew I had to buy it, which I did. It should have been a top ten hit on both the Pop and R&B charts. Their other selections should have been Top 40 hits, especially in light of what masquerades as hits today.

The Temptations did not begin with "My Girl," "It's Growing," "Since I Lost My Baby" and "My Baby." Cornelius Grant, the Tempts' guitarist and band leader, once said that when people heard the original line-up, they got religion. When you listen to "Meet The Temptations," you will get religion.

G. E. Williams, White Plains, Westchester County, New York

April 20, 2006

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