We continue our look at the music of 50 years ago…..
In 1971 the Temptations had 13 albums behind them and had established a reputation as a smooth soul machine. They also, under producer Norman Whitfield, had embraced the explosion of “psychedelic soul” in the late 60’s-early 70’s personified by Sly Stone and others. Songs like “Cloud Nine”, “Runaway Child Running Wild” and “Ball Of Confusion” took them out of the romantic ballad game to appeal to a different audience. But on their 14th LP “Sky’s the Limit” they returned to that smooth soul sound for the most part. It included a stunning tune that went to Number 1. “Just My Imagination ” had been written by Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1969 but shelved. Hard to imagine that they didn’t see the hit potential in the hands of Eddie Kendricks and his bandmates.
Along with that masterpiece the album also contained a number of other ballads including some that had been recorded by earlier Motown groups. It also included a couple of longer songs that let the Funk Brothers spread their instrumental wings a bit. Love Can Be Anything is a more standard soul shouter but Smiling Faces is something else. The tune is another classic and was supposed to be the follow-up single after Just My Imagination…but when Kendricks left the group shortly after the LP was recorded, Whitfield gave the song to another group…the Undisputed Truth…who had their own Top 5 hit with it. Ive included their version so you can compare the two.
With Kendricks, like David Ruffin before him, leaving the band, along with another founding member, Paul Williams, having to quit for health reasons, the Temps would sound much different going forward. But for this one last LP, Kendricks delivers some beautiful performances. Motown may have been known as a factory…but the Temptations could be counted on to deliver more than an assembly line product.
Here is the LP and I hope you can dig it!
