Customer Reviews

Dancin' in the Street

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I love this video. I have to be honest and admit that I only brought it to see David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick's performance...Martha Reeves and Mary Wells were okay, but as I said, they were not the reason for my purchasing this. And why was Curtis Womack there, just because he was Mary's hubby at the time? His appearance simply was not necessary. In contrast to everyone's dressy attire, Curtis came on stage looking like he was prepared to clean out the garage or something. Mary did well enough to handle the songs by herself. Martha's voice sounded a bit odd to me during her performance - kind of shrill - not the voice that I loved so much on "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave", "My Baby Loves Me" and "Jimmy Mack". She can still sing, granted - but her performance is one of the reasons why I always skip past it to get to Eddie and David.

On the other hand, David and Eddie, who were clearly the main attraction on this bill due to a resurgence in their careers during 1987, were HOT! They performed only a few of their solo hits (Eddie only sang "Keep On Truckin'" while David did "My Whole World Ended" and "Statue of a Fool" which is one of the better performances on the video), plus the hits they had with the Temptations ("Get Ready", "My Girl", "Just My Imagination", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" to name a few). Plus, you can see the warmth and camaraderie that existed between these two while they thrilled the audience. David's vocals...damn, what more can I say about him, except that he was one of the finest singers that Motown ever produced. Eddie, ever the fashion plate, was sharp and still maintained his boyish good looks. His dancing was impeccable, and he even sings in his too often unused natural tenor (which I think he should have done more during his career, because it was so gorgeous). You have to check out Eddie on "(I Know) I'm Losing You". Even though it's a David lead, Eddie steps up to the plate in the background and delivers a home run! His natural tenor will absolutely floor you! His falsetto, unfortunately, was not as strong as it used to be, but he still managed to recreate some of that old magic. Even though both he and David had long left the Temptations behind, it was evident that that they had only left the group physically...not spiritually. They simply do what they do - entertain you with class, grace and style - qualities that will probably never be seen in the music industry again.

The finale consists of Martha, Mary, Curtis, David and Eddie all coming on stage to sing "Dancing In The Street". This video is a must for Motown fans, and for fans of classic soul period. Add it to your collection.

This is a must have DVD for three reasons.

1.) You will never see anything like it again. Wells, Kendricks and Ruffin are gone forever. Sure, by this time Wells, Reeves and Kendricks have lost the voices of their youth, but none of the passion for their music.

2.) No label today can produce artists and music of this caliber. The songs are as timeless as the performers. Wells and Reeves are still beautiful and energetic. (Wells' duet with Curtis Womack was diminished by his much-too-casual attire.) Kendricks' moves were as smooth and as synchronized as during his days with the Temps.

3.) David Ruffin. Ruffin rules the moment he steps on the stage. If you've never seen Ruffin perform, DON'T MISS THIS DVD! Considering his untimely demise, to see him perform is a bittersweet event, His sensuality and playfulness with the audience are masterful. His soulful rendition of Statue of a Fool, My Girl, Since I Lost My Baby and impromptu stylings are captivating.

Buy this DVD and buy it now! Because when it gone, it's gone.

Bought the video to see David & Eddie....so the 5 stars are for them only. I wanted to see how they performed in this 21 city tour in the summer of '87 and compare their act with the Live at the Apollo with Hall & Oates(this video was released in '85). Some additional grey hairs, a few missed notes...but they don't detract from the duos' overall dynamic performance. Ruffin's rendition of his late 60's composition "Statue of a Fool" was all powerful. "Just My Imagination" showed this dynamic duo's special bond (in song & friendship).A favorite is an extended version of "My Girl" ...Wow!! best rendition of this song I've seen in video. I have some old black & white clips of the original Temptations (w/ David & Eddie)singing "My Girl" which I can compare them to. As far as I know,there is no available video of the original group singing an extended version of this song that is available in the market. The 10 songs they performed are keepers for the Ruffin/Kendricks fans....these 2 definitely defined The Temptations' sound. Peace.

QUICK AND TO THE POINT, THE VIDEO "DANCIN IN THE STREETS" FEATURING MARY WELLS AND OTHERS WAS SAVED BY THE PERFORMANCE OF DAVID RUFFIN AND EDDIE KENDRICKS. JUST TO SEE THE FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE DISPLAYED ON STAGE MADE THE PURCHASE WORTH WHILE. DAVID VOICE IS TOP NOTCHED AND EVEN THOUGH EDDIE VOICE WASN'T AS TIGHT AS IT USED TO BE HIS ENTHUSIASM AND SHOWMANSHIP BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES AND SMILES AND MADE UP FOR ANYTHING HIS VOICE LACKED. ALSO THE PERFORMANCE IS NOT A SHORT SET BUT MEMORIES OF MANY OF THEIR HITS. IF YOU ARE A TEMPTATIONS FAN YOU'LL GET YOUR MONEY OUT OF THIS ONE BUT DON'T BANK ON THE REST OF THE SHOW TO MAKE YOU GLAD YOU MADE THIS PURCHASE.

The other performances on this DVD may not hold up over the course of time, but without a doubt, Eddie and David's will. Sweet, soulful and live. You can see their camrauderie together, and the music is pure. Sure, their voices weren't what they used to be, but they're still solid. I'd recommend this DVD to any motown fan; simply for Misters Kendrick and Ruffin. Also worth mentioning; 4 years later, the duo appeared in a series of dates live at The Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. An unbelievable recording of this period was recently uncovered and is now available. 5 horns; full rythmn section; backup vocalists and the works. Un-be-lievable. 2 cd set. Look for Ten Am Entertainment. You won't believe your ears.

The sound and picture quality was excellent. David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks were the best performers overall.

David Ruffin really gets a groove on in this one. It's so nice too see one of the greatest lead singers of them all on tour in his later years, still able to sing as well as he did back then. He's doing some of his solo hits like My Whole World Ended and Statue of a Fool and great Temptations leads like My Girl and I Know I'm Losing You plus a medley of other Temps hits. It's wonderful to see Eddie looking fine though his voice is gone by this time, 1987, unfortunately. He does his great Just My Imagination. And although Mary Wells died a few years later of throat cancer you would never know it by her voice. She still sings exceedingly well. Martha Reeves doees her old hits in an odd voice but on the whole it's fantastic to see these Motown greats do their thing. Ruffin and Kendricks are the closing act as they should be because they Get Down.

I just don't get it. Some reviewers rate this DVD based on all of the performances from all of the performers. That would be like judging a Muhammad Ali fight based on the undercard. Who cares? It is extra gravy. Ruffin, one of the best vocalists and entertainers ever, becomes the center of attention as soon as he, well, walks on center stage. He singlehandedly makes this a 5-Star review. I bought this DVD solely to see him and Eddie Kendricks perform. With a DVD, you can skip the preliminaries--as I suggest you do--and go straight to the chase. Ruffin, Motown's greatest act, was the Temptations. Make no bones about it. Though they would have been a good group without him, they became untouchable with him. Ruffin's solo career, because Motown did not properly promote it, did not live up to its billing. His work was as good, but it simply was not promoted as it should have been. The music from his post-Temptations days remains, arguably, the least appreciated music there is. I had the privilege of seeing him perform twice. Once, just before he left the Tempts. A second time, while he was performing with Eddie Kendricks in a show similar to this. Both times he was simply electrifying. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. This goes to my major gripe regarding this DVD: Poor camera work. The director must have gotten a whiff of some wacky weed for he misses ALL of Ruffin's splits and most of his dancing. Instead, entirely too much time is devoted to the splendid dance moves of the background singers (who are EXCELLENT, but Ruffin should have been showcased more. What a shame. Nevertheless, if you want to know what REAL soul is, check this DVD out. If you're not tapping your feet throughout, especially on the grand finale, "I Know I'm Losing You," have someone check your pulse.

I WAS NOT TOO IMPRESSED WITH THIS DVD, DAVID RUFFIN WAS EXCELLENT HIS VOICE WAS IN TOP FORM, ALTHOUGH I ABSOLUTELY LOVE EDDIE KENDRICKS HIS VOICE WAS NOT THERE BUT IT WAS GREAT SEEING HIM, I CAN'T EVEN REMEBER ANY OTHER ARTIST THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING

Listening to your the favorite music of your young adulthood can be saddening and uplifting. We find out that the idols of your youth have aged, just like you. Some of the stars, like Martha Reeves, should let her songs live in our memories. Edie Kendricks and David Ruffin, on the other hand, show that time may have taken the glitter off their voice in their prime but they still have it; the charisma and showmanship are still stellar. Even if nature has made their voices a little ragged in places, age has enriched their ability to interpete the songs with greater subtlety.