Track Listing

1. The Way You Do The Things You Do - Smokey Robinson, The Temptations
2. My Girl - Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Ronnie White
3. It's Growing - Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, The Andantes
4. Since I Lost My Baby - Smokey Robinson, The Temptations
5. Don't Look Back - Smokey Robinson, The Temptations
6. Get Ready - Smokey Robinson, The Temptations
7. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations
8. (I Know) I'm Losing You - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations
9. All I Need - Frank Wilson, The Temptations
10. You're My Everything - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations
11. Angel Doll - Clarence Paul, The Temptations
12. I Wish It Would Rain - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations
13. Cloud Nine - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations
14. I Can't Get Next To You - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations
15. Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations
16. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations, Jerry Long
17. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone - Norman Whitfield, The Temptations, Paul Riser
18. Shakey Ground - Jeffrey Bowen, The Temptations, Berry Gordy Jr.
19. Treat Her Like A Lady - Albert Phillip McKay, Ralph Randolph Johnson, The Temptations
20. Error Of Our Ways - Bob Tucker, Dennis Nelson, The Temptations
21. My Girl - Ronald White, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13258 in Music
• Released on: 1998-08-10
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 70 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A brave effort at cramming one disc full of Temptations classics, The Ultimate Collection nevertheless makes a couple of puzzling choices. Why, for instance, include "Error of Our Ways", a very minor mid-1990s hit, and ignore "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" or "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", both number ones from their classic period? Still, for the price, it's hard to argue with. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

One of the great Motown groups
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.

Essential Motown!
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.

Great songs, poor recording quality on some
'It's growing' sounds very muffled and slightly clipped.
Not all tracks are affected but one bad track makes me think the person who re-mastered it did not listen to every track.