Released: June 1966
A hand for the vocal band with the most stunning consistency. Their third album in 18 months and only one song on all three by my count that is average. All the rest are above average, with the vast majority being quite so.
That trend continues on Gettin’ Ready, which has two stone cold classics (even if they didn’t chart super high at the time) and two other sleeper deep cuts that should be classics. But the good news is that like Temptin’ Temptations, this album has goodies you’ve likely never heard from the Motown Golden Age.
The Known Stone Cold Classics
“Get Ready” and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” are two of the most famous songs from this album.
Surprisingly, neither was much of a pop hit back in 1966. Both topped the R&B chart, but “Get Ready” mustered a #29 pop showing while “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” hit #13. Obviously not bad, but not what Motown wanted from its premier male vocal group.
Tellingly, the album still rose to #12 on the Billboard 200 and was #1 R&B for six weeks. The Temptations had done a rarity for a Black vocal group at this time. Whenever their albums came out, the public was gonna buy them no matter what. Even the white public.
Anyways, “Get Ready” and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” have more than stood the test of time and are far better remembered than other songs that were bigger hits at the moment. So much so, I bet I don’t have to say anything about their actual song structure for you to know them.
Okay, I gotta give props for Melvin Franklin’s bass vocals imitating a giant on “Get Ready”. Fee-fi-fo-fum, baby.
The Unknown Stone Cold Classics
This album’s other two classics are relatively unknown.
“Say You” dramatically kicks the album off and is one of David Ruffin’s best performances. Ditto for Eddie Kendricks on the whispering ballad “Fading Away”. Either one of those songs could have been released as singles and performed well, IMO.
The Other Good Stuff
As we’ve come to expect from Temptations albums now, the songs flow effortlessly from ballads to dance numbers to mid-tempo tracks balancing the two moods. Just as effortless is the exchange of lead vocals with ad libs and harmonies from the remaining members that make things a beautiful group effort.
Paul Williams kills it on the ballad “Who You Gonna Run To” as he haughtily tells a silly lover of his she’s gonna need him some day. Kendricks delivers a killer performance of his own on “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby”, which would later be a huge smash for Marvin Gaye. Williams technically has the lead on “Lonely, Lonely Man Am I” but Franklin steals the show with his river deep lonely, I’m so lonely vocals. And the rest of the group hits haunting harmonies in support.
And the secret delight is the album closer “Not Now, I'll Tell You Later”, which was recorded way back in 1963 and features the Supremes as supporting vocalists. Good thing they are, cuz their vocals elevate the song quite nicely. Who woulda known that three years later those two hitless groups would be the cream of Motown’s crop?
ALBUM GRADE: B+
This album kind of splits the difference of the previous two LPs. It doesn’t have the same semi-lulls that Sing Smokey had, but also has higher highs than Temptin’ Temptations. But Temptin’ didn’t have any lulls; semi, quasi, or otherwise.
So a B+ bordering on an A- in my book.
This was also an important turning point in the group’s history. Famously, Norman Whitfield took over as the main producer for the Temptations after this LP since his “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” outperformed “Get Ready”, which was produced by Smokey Robinson, on the pop charts.
A decision of immense consequences further down the musical line…
Song Scores
Say You: 8.5/10
Little Miss Sweetness: 5.5/10
Ain't Too Proud to Beg: 9/10
Get Ready: 10/10
Lonely, Lonely Man Am I: 7/10
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby: 7.5/10
I've Been Good To You: 6.5/10
It's A Lonely World Without Your Love: 7/10
Fading Away: 9/10
Who You Gonna Run To: 7/10
You're Not An Ordinary Girl: 7/10
Not Now, I'll Tell You Later: 7/10