The Temptations

Album Reviews and playlists

Oct 03, 2021

If you just want the album reviews and playlists, scroll on down.

The classic 1960s lineup from left to right: Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, and David Ruffin

You shouldn’t need me to provide a general overview of the Temptations, perhaps the greatest vocal group in American music history. During their heyday from roughly 1965 to 1975, every member of the group could sing lead. But having multiple capable lead singers didn’t mean the group harmonies suffered. Not in the least. No, sir or madam.

They also could transform with the times like few groups could working from doo wop to pop to funk to psychedelic soul. And even standards, unfortunately. Blame Berry Gordy pandering to MOR audiences.

Even beyond their heyday, the Temptations continued to put out credible contemporary music through the late 1980s. We’re not talking stuff that would challenge their 60s and 70s classics, but plenty of other groups from those eras did far worse than the Temptations by either completely embarrassing themselves at every turn or by just totally flaming out.

The classic 1970s lineup from left to right: Richard Street, Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin

Now this group is quite famous for its various lineup changes over the years and the six members who get the most fame are the ones inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Otis Williams
Melvin Franklin
David Ruffin
Eddie Kendricks
Paul Williams
Dennis Edwards

However, those fellas ain’t the only Temptations stalwarts who deserve appreciation. Richard Street should have been inducted to the HOF right alongside those other guys since he sang on some of the group’s biggest hits and was a member for over two decades. Damon Harris had a tenor/falsetto just as sweet as Kendricks’s, although his tenure lasted only four years. They were four fantastic years, though. Ron Tyson’s falsetto isn’t quite as effective as those two, IMO but it’s still pretty good. And he’s been with the group since 1983. Ali-Ollie Woodson was a soul-shouter who gave the group a mid-80s revival. Glenn Leonard gave a splendid tenor for nearly a decade from 1975 to 1983.

In my mind, those are the 11 men who should be considered The Temptations. And although the group continues performing even today, we should stop the charade. When Franklin died in 1995 leaving Otis Williams as the group’s sole original member, the Temptations shoulda been considered defunct.

The mid-1980s crew from left to right: Richard Street, Ali-Olli Woodson, Ron Tyson, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams

The group’s prolific output should not be underestimated. It is insane impact these fellas left on music. Nicknamed “The Emperors of Soul”, the group scored:

17 #1 R&B albums.
They also had five other albums reach #2 on the R&B chart
19 top 20 pop albums in a time when few Black musicians had any album reach the upper echelons of the pop charts.
14 #1 R&B singles and a further 30 top 10 R&B singles
Four #1 pop singles and a further 34 top 40 pop singles

Enough stats, time for the grooves and album reviews…