The Temptations: Meet The Temptations - 1964

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This was the very first Temptations album. It was one that very much harked back to the street-corner harmonies of doo-wop. It is dominated by early-sixties semi-rock 'n' roll ballads and uptempo highly vocal rock 'n' rollers, but it does contain a few fine Smokey Robinson songs, including one superb one in the opener.

The first copper-bottomed Motown classic that The Temptations released was The Way You Do The Things You Do, the first song on their first album. It is a Smokey Robinson song and comes from the album The Temptations Sing Smokey. Eddie Kendricks leads the lads with his beautiful, clear falsetto. The song is joyously enthusiastic and gave The Temptations their first number one hit on the r 'n' b charts. It stands out a mile from the others on the album here. UB40 covered the song on their 1989 Labour Of Love II album. Daryl Hall & John Oates also did a great live version of it in the eighties, accompanied by Eddie Kendrick and David Ruffin. Check it out. 

I Want A Love I Can See, another Smokey song, is a shuffling, Latin-ish groove of a ballad. Dream Come True is a romantic, orchestrated ballad very much in that early sixties style. Paradise is classic doo-wop, with its Duke Of Earl deep vocals matched by Eddie Kendricks' high Frankie Valli-inspired falsetto. Isn't She Pretty is absolutely frantic as the group harmonise breathlessly over an effervescent backbeat.

Just Let Me Know is a harmonious and catchy number with all the group contributing solidly. This group certainly had something, didn't they? Your Wonderful Love is a solid Berry Gordy-penned ballad that again sounded somewhat retro. If they could just shake off those backward glances. The Further You Look The Less You See has those very prevalent doo-wop influences in its soulfulness once more. It is the first Norman Whitfield production for The Temptations. What a future they would have together, by the way. Check Yourself develops from a slow ballad to a fast-paced harmony work-out. Slow Down Heart is the final Smokey Robinson song on the album. Nice and rhythmic it is too. 

Farewell My Love and May I Have This Dance were two sides of another Temptations single and were in the harmonious doo-wop style - there's a surprise. Both tracks are similar, with lots of deep bass vocal interjections. You will know what I mean you hear them. 

Motown were sill in the process of trying to find a defined niche sound for The Temptations. Despite the impressive deep and high harmonies, they were still not quite there yet. 

The album is listenable but, in the grand scheme of Temptations things, not essential. Incidentally, David Ruffin is credited on the sleeve notes as Davis Ruffin. 

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