With A Lot O' Soul [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Import]

Temptations | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Import
• Label: Polygram UK
• ASIN: B00000DBY9
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #219,320 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

The Four Tops's Levi Stubbs wasn't the only singer in a Motown group who could convince listeners that everything–-love, the future, life itself–-rode on the truth of a single song. There was also the Temptations' David Ruffin. With a Lot o' Soul begins with his crowning moment of desperation, "(I Know) I'm Losing You." The house band crashing majestically, Ruffin shouts to his straying lover as if to blow the walls themselves apart. "Loooosin' you!" Eddie Kendricks and the rest of Ruffin's fellows answer. While the cut provides the most dramatic piece of this 1967 album, it's hardly the only one of similar qualities: Ruffin's angst and the Sound of Young America's rhythmic maturation also make for perfect personal expression on "All I Need" and "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need." "Save My Love for a Rainy Day" provides a much-needed respite from the, er, storm. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aptly titled, January 5, 2003

By 

The Fancy One "blackprincess" (Westchester County, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: With A Lot O' Soul (Audio CD)

For anyone who has a real appreciation for close-knit, tight harmonies, you can't beat the Temptations on ANYTHING they sing. Always on point, they're back again with this offering from early 1967, WITH A LOT O' SOUL, which yielded four hit singles. By this time, the Tempts, aka THE CLASSIC FIVE, were the hottest R&B act on the planet, thrilling fans the world over, and albums like this were the reason why! It sounds just as mesmorizing and fresh today as it did back in 1967!! The gritty emotion of the opening song, the first smash "(I Know) I'm Losing You" with the magnificent tenor vocals of David Ruffin set the stage for what you're going to hear throughout this album...down-to-earth confessions from men telling of love lost and found, hearts broken and healed, and pleas for acceptance and forgiveness wrapped in a soulful and heartfelt package. And let me tell you, these guys NEVER, EVER come off as weak...but more like real men with feelings that aren't afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

By now Norman Whitfield was sharing production credits with Smokey Robinson, and you can tell the difference between the two when you hear the songs. Whereas Smokey's songwriting and productions usually were more on the sweeter and gentle side, Whitfield's were more demanding, more anguished, more driving, especially with David Ruffin out in front on most of the tunes, with the notable exceptions of the funky, blues-tinged "No More Water In The Well", a Smokey production -- with the supremely gifted but underrated Paul Williams on the lead vocal; Eddie Kendrick(s)' sweet falsetto guaranteed to seduce on "Save My Love For A Rainy Day", the gorgeous "Two Sides To Love", and still ANOTHER hit from WITH A LOT O' SOUL -- the duet with David, "You're My Everything" (the interplay between these two guys is sheer HEAVEN); and a rare lead vocal by Otis Williams on "Don't Send Me Away", another Smokey production.

The passion of the remaining songs and their lyrics are perfectly handled by Ruffin, who never failed to give less than 100% on any of his vocal performances. He shines on all of these songs, with my favorites being the aforementioned "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "(Loneliness Has Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" (the harmonies and the arrangement on this song -- WHOA!! and yet another hit), the Holland-Dozier-Holland soundalike "All I Need" (the fourth smash from this, produced by Frank Wilson, who would be teamed with Eddie in his solo career years later) and the down-home, Memphis-like sweetness of "Now That You've Won Me". You simply cannot appreciate music for what it is unless you hear this album. And once you hear it, you'll never have to wonder just why these guys are legends. A MUST HAVE.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Temptations Album Ever!, September 14, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: With A Lot O' Soul (Audio CD)

This is a near perfect album! "You're My Everything" a wonderful ballad with the great vocal trade-off between Eddie Kendricks & David Ruffin is awesome. The underated "Its You That I Need" is also great as it sounds kind of retro (like a Drifters song) but also very contemporary for 1967 standards, some wonderful harmonies in there (ATTENTION OLDIES STATIONS! PLEASE START PLAYING THIS SONG. IT WAS A TOP 20 HIT!) This song in particular sounds great on walkman headphones. There is also "All I Need", another rich, harmony laden, uptempo masterpiece. Who can forget "I'm Losing You", with its jagged guitar opening and David Ruffin's intense lead vocal. You also get the bluesy "No More Water in The Well" with a lead vocal from Paul Williams and a nice ballad with a rare lead by Otis Williams ("Don't Send Me Away" which also includes some great bass singing from Melvin Franklin). Eddie Kendricks gets some other leads on the interestingly arranged toe-tapper "Save My Love For a Rainy Day" and the lovely ballad "Two Sides to Love." David Ruffin gives great performances on two mid-tempo numbers ("One Last Look" & the 4 Top styled "Sorry Is A Sorry Word"). Everything else on this album is topnotch as well (the rocking "Ain't No Sun Since You Been Gone" and yet another nice ballad called "Now That You've Won Me"). Even though he gets no leads, Mel Franklin's wonderful bass vocals are all over this album!

The overall quality of this album can be partly credited (besides the Temptations great performances) to Norman Whitfield and others who contributed songs (including Smokey Robinson & Holland-Dozier-Holland and even the unsung R. Dean Taylor among others). This is one of the last great collections of Motown's first golden era.

What more can I say? This album should be required listening for any young vocal group who is just starting out.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST OF THE BEST, February 9, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: With A Lot O' Soul (Audio CD)

Okay, I'll be brief. This is one of the finest,
most fun, beautiful, soaring achievements to ever
come out of Motown. The Temptations had released
several wonderful LPs and singles before "With
A Lot O Soul", but this is the pinnacle of the
David Ruffin years. David, Eddie Kendricks and
Paul Williams all top themselves here, with soul
music so fantastic you'll smile and cry at once.
Stop reading, go buy this now!!