Released: March 1965
After their underwhelming first album collected four years’ worth of (mostly) failed singles, the Temptations wasted no time in cranking out one of the best R&B albums of the 1960s. As the title implies, The Temptations Sing Smokey is a collection of songs (co-)written and produced by Smokey Robinson.
The album is about split evenly between new songs and covers, but they are all at the very least competently performed. The tracks were all also recorded around the same time in 1964 instead of spreading out over the course of three years or so. That tight chronology lends further cohesion to the album’s sound.
Notably, original Temptation Al Bryant was fired from the group and David Ruffin brought in to replace him.
The lineup of Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Ruffin would often be referred to as “the classic lineup”. It’s a damn good lineup, but the Temptations would keep making classics for a long long while.
But this was indeed their first classic album. No doubt about that.
THE STONE COLD CLASSICS
This album has two perfect songs: “My Girl” and “It’s Growing”. I assume everyone reading this has heard “My Girl”, which topped the R&B and pop charts. What the hell else can I say about it?
“It’s Growing” was also a good hit in its own right (#3 R&B, #18 pop), yet has largely been forgotten since. It’s a symphonic masterpiece. Ruffin gives a magnificent lead performance and the Temptations are joined by the angelic Andantes who lift the song to higher heights. It might be my favorite song by the Temptations.
Motown also decided to do a cheesy trick by including “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, which had already been on the Meet the Temptations album.
Another new classic was found in “You'll Lose A Precious Love”. Ruffin once again killed it on lead vocals. It’s easy to see why after “My Girl”, “You’ll Lose A Precious Love” and “It’s Growing” that Ruffin caught everyone’s eye. But we don’t sleep on the other Temptations. Franklin was rumbling with Mariana Trench deep bass vocals on “Precious Love”.
“What Love Has Joined Together” was a velvety ballad led by Kendricks. This silky track was proto-Quiet Storm soul. A beautiful thing here.
(Also, you ever heard Ruffin sing “My Girl” as a solo artist? I have. It sounds naked and pedestrian without the support of a full group.)
THE COVERS
Perhaps the prowess of the other Temptations got lost in the shuffle because the rest of this album was largely turned over to covers (often of big hits made famous by other Motown artists), not brand new songs.
For example, “You Beat Me To the Punch” and “You've Really Got A Hold On Me” are both handled really well by the Tempts, but you can’t help but think of the originals, by Mary Wells and the Miracles, respectively; both of which surpass these versions.
However, there is a moment where their version does surpass the original: “Who’s Lovin’ You”. The original, released in 1960, was by the Miracles and Smokey’s lead vocals on that are awful as he had yet to master his own voice. Under the guidance of the Temptations, the song somehow became an R&B/soul classic. I think it’s merely a good song, not a classic. But whatever, I’m not the arbiter of all things music. Other people get opinions too, I suppose.
The one song on this album that I am inclined to skip is “(You Can) Depend On Me”. It’s such a wimpy song. Thankfully it’s also the last song on the album, so you can just cut it off without any issues.
THE ODDBALL
“Baby, Baby I Need You” is the odd ball on this album not recorded in ‘64. Instead it traces back to 1963, but is still a very good song with large portions of it turned over to unified group harmonies on the “lead” vocal.
ALBUM GRADE: B+
Almost got an A-, but side two of the album is definitely a step below from the first. Plus repeating “The Way You Do The Things You Do” was a cheap move. I can’t reward Motown for that silliness.
Nonetheless, this is an amazingly good album considering how record companies treated albums generally in this period and how pop albums in particular were. And this thing was a monster. Spent 18 weeks at the top of Billboard’s R&B chart while cracking the pop top 40 (#35).
Song Scores
The Way You Do The Things You Do: 9/10
Baby, Baby I Need You: 7.5/10
My Girl: 10/10
What Love Has Joined Together: 8/10
You'll Lose A Precious Love: 8.5/10
It's Growing: 10/10
Who's Lovin' You: 7.5/10
What's So Good About Goodbye: 6/10
You Beat Me To the Punch: 7/10
Way Over There: 6.5/10
You've Really Got A Hold On Me: 7/10
(You Can) Depend On Me: 5/10