Customer Reviews

With A Lot O' Soul

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!!

IN 1967 THE MOTTO WAS NO PAIN NO GAIN. GIVE IT YOUR ALL, GIVE IT ALL YOUVE GOT AND YOULL GET ALL IN RETURN. ALL MEMBERS OF THE GROUP WERE PUTTING THEMSELVES INTO THEIR MUSIC AND WORK 110% . THE FURIOUS FIVE HAD A STROKE OF MAGIC THAT WAS TOO HOT TO THE HUMAN TOUCH. THEIR BAND DIRECTOR, CORNELIUS GRANT HAD 3 CUTS ON THIS ONE. HE WAS PUTTING THE PEDAL TO THE METAL AND STRETCHING THEM OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE. CORNELIUS GRANT WROTE 3/SONGS- "I KNOW IM LOSING YOU / AINT NO SUN SINCE YOU BEEN GONE/AND YOURE MY EVERYTHING. HIS MUSICAL ABILITY HELPED THEM TO SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS AND DRIVE THEM INTO NEW #1 HITS. THE GIFTS/TALENTS WERE FLOWING ABUNDANTLY. YOU HAD TO BE THERE TO EXPERIENCE IT.

I was there in 1967, 13 years old, when this one came out in the summer, originally as "Gordy 922." Better than most Supremes LP's (or Motown albums in general) in that it fathered four hit singles.

"I Know I'm Losing You" and "All I Need" preceded the LP in Nov. 66 & Apr. 67, respectively. "You're My Everything" more or less came out as a 45 simultaneously with album. Then in September, the album was mined for "It's You That I Need" backed with "Don't Send Me Away." Four touchstone Temptations singles, but as far I'm concerned there's at least two more 45s that should have been scooped out of this one, and read "In album: Temptations With A Lot O' Soul" on their labels.

"Save My Love For A Rainy Day," is a study in delayed gratification, but not the least bit sad. Playing confident and determined, Eddie Kendricks assures his lady love, who's in love with someone else for the time being, that he gonna stick close by. He knows the guy she thinks she loves is a scoundrel, will reveal himself soon enough, and Eddie's gonna be right there with the true love that will rescue her. The wonderful background vocals ("drip-drop, save, baby") are essentially Eddie's cheering section. It's his most optimistic delivery of song since "The Way You Do the Things You Do."

"Just Once Last Look," led off the second side of the original LP, and is an ideal showcase for a masterful David Ruffin delivery. More importantly, it is the only work by The Temptations released within the 60's where they worked with Holland, Dozier, Holland. The lyrics are sad, but the up-tempo pitch leaves the impression that broken-hearted David won't stay down for long. The only thing to be sad about here is that the famed, genius producers and this legendary group didn't have more occasions to work together.

Thanks in part to this seminal Temptations release, I believe 1967 will eventually come to mean in record history what 1939 meant to movies. It's also the year the spotlight she long deserved, found and has never left Aretha Franklin thanks to the "I Never Loved A Man" & "Aretha Arrives" LP's. The Supremes put out a 2-disc "Greatest Hits" making 10 of their immortal #1 hits new again. In the rock arena, there was the landmark first Doors album, Jefferson Airplane's "Surrealistic Pillow," and, of course, "Sgt. Pepper." Hell, even the Monkees were having a great year. I'm glad I wasn't born too late.

I have been listening to the TEMPS FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND IN MY OPINION THIS Was their best album. equal to their greatest hits album.

At a time when Motown was regularly putting out albums that consisted of a couple of hit singles and lots of filler, this brilliant album was released in the summer of 1967. Featuring some of David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks' most affecting vocal performances they ever recorded, "With A Lot O' Soul" is loaded with hits("I Know I'm Losing You", "All I Need", "You're My Everything", "(Loneliness Made Me Realize)It's You That I Need", and great album tracks like "Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone", and "No More Water In The Well", make this one of the best albums in the Motown catalog. The 24-bit remastered sound is stunning and will win over anyone who has been put off by previous poor sounding issues of this great album.

David Ruffin has a voice that can dig down to the depths of despair and display the heartbreak and agony of love. Combine that with the heavenly falsetto of Eddie Kendricks, the deep bass of Melvin Franklin and you have what made the Temptations such a magnificent vocal group. With A Lot O' Soul finds the Tempts dealing with heartaches. From the hit single of "(I Know) I'm Losing You" to the lesser known songs like "Sorry Is A Sorry Word", "Don't Send Me Away", "No More Water In The Well" and "Just One Last Look", the band explores the true meaning of being lonely. This is not a typical Motown album that makes you want to get up and dance, but shows that Motown artists could make mature music.

along with "Temptin Temptations", and "Sing Smokey", "With a Lot Of Soul" puts the greatness of the original Temptations (Eddie, Paul, David,Melvin and Otis) right out in front, on glorious display. Even Otis gets to sing a lead on this masterpiece and the background vocals on "Don't Send Me Away" are exquisite! Every other song is priceless with Eddie and David sharing most of the lead including the triumphant "You're My Everything"!!!! A GREAT GREAT album, what the Temptations were all about!!!1

I was thrilled that this wonderful Temptations album has been re-released on CD. I will always remember wonderful dancing parties in Philadelphia, 1967, featuring this album. David Ruffin is the most powerful of the soul era singers, and this album shows him, and the rest of the Motown sound at their peak. Most people are familiar with the Best of the Temptations compilations, but this CD is a must to add to your collection. (I'd also recommend the new compilation of David Ruffin's post-Temptations work, but only if you love a singer whose soul is completely honest and tragic.) Of course Eddie Kendricks is fabulous here too, and the other Tempts get solos as well. Great ballads, great dance numbers, great arrangements -- a must for any lover of this period of American soulfulness.