Temptations (Formed in 1960)

Included here as the classic example of the quintessential soul group, with a raft of great singers within the group and a succession of superb writers working with them. They were fortunate in having writers such as Smokey Robinson, Holland, Dozier and Holland and Norman Whitfield writing for them over the years but even so vocalists David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards took whatever they were given and lifted it into a different dimension.They made some of the most powerful records to come out of the Motown studios and the consistency and quality of their output is probably unsurpassed by any other group working in the pop or soul music genres.

The group started life as The Elgins, signing to Motown in 1961. They began the first of a series of successful collaborations by teaming up with Smokey Robinson in 1962. This partnership created such timeless classics as 'The Way You Do The Things You Do', 'My Girl', 'Since I Lost My Baby', 'Don't Look Back', 'Get Ready' and 'It's Growing'.
This work alone would be enough to ensure a place in the history of soul but the group then moved on to work with Holland, Dozier and Holland and Whitfield, continuing to notch up hits such as 'Ain't Too Proud To Beg', 'I Know I'm Losing You' and 'Beauty Is Only Skin Deep'.

Whitfield took total control from 1967 onwards and he (along with his co-writer Barrett Strong) took the group in a heavier, more complex direction, recording songs that reflected the themes of the period. 'Runaway Child, Running Wild', 'Psychedelic Shack', 'Ball Of Confusion', 'Cloud Nine' and the fabulous 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone' are all excellent examples of this period of the Temptations career. And for those who believed Whitfield had become just a little one dimensional, the Temps went back to their roots and recorded the sublime ballad 'Just My Imagination'.
It was also around this time that the Temptations and Whitfield produced fully rounded albums, with lush, complex orchestration and lengthy instrumental passages - examples include "Cloud Nine", "Psychedelic Shack" and "Solid Rock".

During their career, which continues to this day although not with the same degree of commercial success, there have been a series of personnel changes, during which time the leads David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks have left and replacements of the quality of Dennis Edwards have been brought in. Looking back over this brief introduction to their music, you quickly realise that despite the frequent changes in personnel the sheer virtuosity of their vocal performances and the quality of the material have ensured a first class back catalogue.

One of the few groups who truly deserve a Box Set treatment, the Motown 5 CD Anthology "Emperors Of Soul" (Motown 31453-0338-2) is lovingly put together and a fitting testament to the best soul group ever, even if it is probably one CD too many and a trifle expensive. For those who can't run to the Box Set, there are any number of compilations of their material which will serve as a useful introduction to the group, the double CD "Anthology" being one of the best.

And if you like the Temptations, don't forget to give the following a try:-

• The Chi-Lites
• The Dells
• The Four Tops
• Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
• The Spinners