Customer Reviews

One By One

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Let's face facts...the best vocalists the Temptations ever had were David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams and Dennis Edwards, and the songs that they recorded with the group are timeless classics. I doubt if anyone could dispute this. But what about on their own as soloists? Well, ONE BY ONE give us more proof that these guys could still bring the house down without being Temptations.

Eddie Kendricks was by far the most successful, and this 2 CD set is dominated by both his hits and popular cuts from his albums. From him we have the unedited version of his gorgeous jazz-influenced ballad "Can I"; the isolating sadness of "This Used To Be the Home Of Johnnie Mae"; the breakup tune "Tell Her Love Has Felt the Need", the Christian-themed dance hit "He's A Friend", one of the pioneering records of the disco movement, "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind", the lively dance track "Date With the Rain" and the reggae-tinged, feel-goodness of "Eddie's Love", the last three being from Eddie's sophomore LP, the excellent PEOPLE...HOLD ON, which in my opinion is the tightest soul album ever recorded. The extended versions of his two biggest hits, "Keep On Truckin'" and "Boogie Down" are also included. His work is well represented here, although there were several other songs that should have also been added.

David Ruffin, one of the most electrifying talents ever in the Motown stable, was not so consistent as a soloist...his debut album, MY WHOLE WORLD ENDED, was a big seller in 1969. But afterward he struggled for six years, mostly recording material that really was not worthy of his talents until he blew up again in 1975 with a Van McCoy-produced tune, the exquisite "Walk Away From Love". Still, though, this collection does feature some real gems, like "The Double Cross", "Common Man", "Heavy Love", "Everything's Coming Up Love", "Just Let Me Hold You For A Night" and "Statue of A Fool". His version of Gamble and Huff's "I Miss You" kind of pales in comparison to the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' rendition, but he gives it a good effort.

What saddens me the most about the Paul Williams' songs "Feel Like Givin' Up" and "Once You Had a Heart" is the promise that was lost when Paul died in 1973. We can only wonder what would have happened in his career had he lived and these songs were released then. It's plain to see that this man was remarkably talented. But if you can put aside the sense of loss for a few minutes when you listen to his contribution to this CD, you will see and hear that Paul had one of the most soulful and heartfelt voices ever. By the way, "Feel Like Givin' Up" was written and produced by none other than Paul's best friend, Eddie Kendricks!

Dennis Edwards really didn't come into his own until the 1980s, but when he did, he set the music world on its ear, with the much sampled R&B classic "Don't Look Any Further" (1984). Prior to then, Dennis was in and out of the Temptations: his first solo single, "Which Way To My Baby" (1967) was never released and it wasn't until the mid '70s that Dennis became a soloist again with another unreleased single, "When The Lights Come Down On Love". Also featuring Dennis on lead vocals is a haunting, bluesy ballad that was originally slated for the Temptations' 1975 album A SONG FOR YOU, but was pulled at the last minute: "Soulmate".

So there you have it. These guys were the greatest of all the Temptations! David, Eddie and Paul are gone, but in this collection, their memories burn bright!

Unlike most groups perhaps, the Temptations were gifted with such an abundance of vocal talent that solid solo careers ought to have emerged for their individual members after they departed the group. Some succeeded better than others and those that didn't failed for reasons that had more to do with business politics, poor timing or plain bad luck than anything else.

Paul Williams, who sang lead on many of the Temptations' earliest recordings, suffered the same fate as Florence Ballard of the Supremes. He found himself increasingly sidelined after the alternating lead voices of Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin became synonymous with the sound of the Temptations following a long run of hits that stretched through nearly the end of the 60s decade. A tragedy....as Paul's was the all-time voice of heartache. The desperation of "Feel Like Giving Up" is so intense it hurts. "Once You Had A Heart" is another quality song, sung with great passion and feeling. Had he not met his tragic end so early in his career, we would surely have more than these two gems to remember him by.

David Ruffins, whose gruff and gritty tenor defined those mid-60s smashes, never attained the heights of stardom as a solo artiste after he left the group in 1968. Despite being remembered mainly for his first and only sizeable 60s hit, "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)", his best solo recordings during this period weren't singles but album tracks. "Double Cross" is gorgeous, truly sublime. So are "I Miss You" (better than Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' version) and "Common Man". These three tracks are vintage Ruffin. Though he had another major hit in the 70s with "Walk Away From Love" and some others, David's later recordings weren't all that compelling. Like much of Motown's 70s output, they lacked distinction. As if to adapt to the changing musical climate, you even hear Philly influences creeping in. Just listen to the shuffling beat and orchestral flourishes on "Walk Away From Love".

But it is Eddie Kendricks, whose famous falsetto graced so many Temptations hits, who is best represented and comes off best on this 2CD set. Eddie had arguably the most successful solo career of them all with two monster smashes "Keep On Trucking" and "Boogie Down" tucked under his belt, but like David Ruffin, these weren't the best things Eddie did with Motown. Opening with his debut single, the gloriously soulful and funky ballad "It's So Hard For Me To Say Goodbye" (covered by the Jean Terrell-led Supremes on their "Touch" album), the brace of seven tracks that sit at the heart of CD1 represents for me the best of Eddie's solo recordings as well as a purple patch of uninterrupted bliss on this 2CD set. These songs and Eddie's performance are just incredible. Listen to his underated natural tenor on the stunningly beautiful "This Used To Be The Home Of Johnnie Mae" or on "Can I", the tenderest of ballads which midway changes tempo and develops into something completely unexpected. "If You Let Me" is another delightful midtempo number that paves the way for "Girl You Need A Change of Mind", surely the funkiest and toughest dance track on the right side of disco to have been recorded.....and if by then you still need reminding of Eddie's legacy, buried right at the end of CD1 is another highlight. Eddie's heavenly falsetto on the opening line of "Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need" gave me instant goosebumps and an intimation of what the voice of angels must sound like. Sadly, nothing on CD2 by Eddie comes remotely close to the quality of material on CD1. "Shoeshine Boy" may be a big hit but it's pedestrian.

Unfortunately for Dennis Edwards, whose powerful and gritty voice defined the sound of the Temptations' late 60s hits from their psychedelic era, by the time he left the group, the music scene had changed inexorably and there was little about Motown that was Motown, so his solo contributions on this collection are largely unmemorable. It's not his fault, just simply a case of bad timing.

"One By One" is a "must have" for all fans of the Temptations and their lead vocalists. CD1 is absolutely essential. Alone, it is worth the price of the 2CD set. Packed to the brim with Grade A material, I would argue that CD1 is all that fans would ever need. CD2, containing mostly music from an era when Motown no longer reined supreme, pales so badly it can't help but affect the overall rating of the product. Buy it anyway for CD1 !

This two CD package was heaven sent when released a couple years ago. I do think, however, that Motown has many many unreleased gems that could have been included here and are not. Case in point, Paul's magnificent "Last One Out" (w/ the Tempts) which appears on the '99 release "Lost and Found, You've Got to Earn It" would fit here nicely. Or Dennis' "What Become Of the Brokenhearted". But what is here is great and representative of what made/makes Paul, Eddie, David and Dennis great vocalists and not just great Temptations group members. Great songs "Soul Mate", "Johnnie Mae", "Statute of a Fool", "Don't Look Any Further", "Can I" "Once You Had A Heart" the list goes on and on. A 3rd CD could have been added easily for me. I guess like James Brown, "I'm a Greedy Man".

This 2 cd set is wonderful. It makes you want to love The Tempts more, it shows they had a voice of their own, and they could do good on their own. A lot of these songs on this cd should of been released they could of been hits, like I Feel Like Givin' Up and Once You Had A Heart- by Paul Williams, Paul Williams really sounded soulful. A lot of David Ruffin's and Dennis Edwards songs were not released but sounds great and they sound so soulful. Eddie Kendricks probably was the most successful solo artist, all of his songs were released. But this is a most for Tempts fans who want to know what the former Tempts had to offer outside The Temptations. Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, and David Ruffin probably was more successful then The Temptations in the 70s.

I am a hardcore Tempts fan and absolutely love this CD. Lots of good stuff from Eddie and David. But not enough of Dennis and defintely not enough of Paul Williams. The CD only has two of Pauls's songs which is dissapointing considering Paul had a very soulful voice.

The Temptations are one of the truly great Motown gems - and I suspect that their solo material is just as much a magnet for fans. This 1996 2CD set is part of the famous Soul label's "Anthology" series - and while Hip-O Select (of the USA) has subsequently reissued the complete Solo Motown output for leads David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks - even now in 2011 - the Dennis Edwards and Paul Williams entries on here are rare by comparison. Here are the details for (UK) Motown 530 615-2:

Disc 1 (77:33 minutes):
1. My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) - DAVID RUFFIN
2. I've Lost Everything I've Ever Loved - DAVID RUFFIN
3. I'm So Glad I Fell For You - DAVID RUFFIN
4. Which Way To My Baby - DENNIS EDWARDS
5. The Double Cross - DAVID RUFFIN
6. It's So Hard For Me To Say Good-Bye - EDDIE KENDRICKS
7. This Used To Be The Home Of Johnnie Mae - EDDIE KENDRICKS
8. Can I - EDDIE KENDRICKS
9. If You Let Me - EDDIE KENDRICKS
10. Girl You Need A Change Of Mind - EDDIE KENDRICKS
11. Date With The Rain - EDDIE KENDRICKS
12. Eddie's Love - EDDIE KENDRICKS
13. Feel Like Givin' Up - PAUL WILLIAMS
14. Once You Had A Heart - PAUL WILLIAMS
15. I Miss You - Pt. 1 - DAVID RUFFIN
16. Common Man - DAVID RUFFIN
17. Darling Come Back Home - EDDIE KENDRICKS
18. Keep On Truckin' - EDIE KENDRICKS
19. Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need - EDDIE KENDRICKS

Tracks 1, 2 and 5 from the January 1969 US album "My Whole World Ended"
Track 3 is from the November 1969 US album "Feelin' Good"
Tracks 4 and 14 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
Tracks 6, 7 and 8 is from the April 1971 US album "All By Myself"
Tracks 9, 10, 11 and 12 from the May 1972 US album "People...Hold On"
Track 13 is from "Motown Year By Year: The Sound Of Young America 1973"
Tracks 15 and 16 from the February 1973 US album "David Ruffin"
Tracks 17 and 18 from the May 1973 US album "Eddie Kendricks"
Track 18 from Disc 1 and Track 1 from Disc 2 from the February 1974 US album "Boogie Down!"

Disc 2 (75:36 minutes):
1. Boogie Down - EDDIE KENDRICKS
2. Shoeshine Boy - EDDIE KENDRICKS
3. Happy - EDDIE KENDRICKS
4. Get The Cream Off The Top - EDDIE KENDRICKS
5. Walk Away From Love - DAVID RUFFIN
6. Heavy Love - DAVID RUFFIN
7. Statue Of A Fool - DAVID RUFFIN
8. He's A Friend - EDDIE KENDRICKS
9. When The Lights Come Down On Love - DENNIS EDWARDS
10. Everything's Coming Up Love - DAVID RUFFIN
11. Just Let Me Hold You For A Night - DAVID RUFFIN
12. You're My Peace Of Mind - DAVID RUFFIN
13. Don't Look Any Further - DENNIS EDWARDS feat SIEDAH GARRETT
14. (You're My) Aphrodisiac - DENNIS EDWARDS
15. Coolin' Out - DENNIS EDWARDS
16. Soulmate - DENNIS EDWARDS and THE TEMPTATIONS

Track 2 from the January 1975 US LP "For You"
Tracks 3 and 4 from the August 1975 US album "The Hit Man"
Tracks 5, 6 and 7 from the October 1975 US LP "Who I Am"
Track 8 from the January 1976 US LP "He's A Friend"
Track 9 is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
Track 10 is from the May 1976 US LP "Everything's Coming Up Love"
Tracks 11 and 12 from the December 1977 US LP "In My Stride"
Tracks 13 and 14 from the January 1984 US LP "Don't Look Any Further"
Track 15 from the August 1985 US LP "Coolin' Out"
Track 16 is an unreleased 1974 session released on the 1986 2LP set "The Temptations 25h Anniversary"

The 20-page booklet has liner notes by noted writer and music historian A. SCOTT GALLOWAY while the top class remastering is by one of Universal's most revered tape engineers ERICK LABSON (has over 950 credits to his name). The Sound quality is great - especially on the predominantly Seventies material.

Highlights are many as you can imagine - I especially love the Van McCoy written "Everything's Coming Up Love" with its irrepressible uptempo message and mid-Seventies strings and vibes (lyrics above). I've always loved the whole "People...Hold On" LP by Eddie Kendricks and its leadoff track "If You Let Me" is another gem. The Previously Unreleased tracks are surprisingly good too.

"One By One - The Best Of Their Solo Years" has become something of a rarity across the years - and at times - very pricey. But it's worth seeking out - and for Motown fans - a must buy.

Recommended.

though they needed more songs by Paul Williams. They only had two on this CD. I've always loved his voice. But the CD is great, lots of great stuff from the late great David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks. "Can I" by Kendricks "I Miss You", sang by Ruffin are probably the best songs on this duo CD. And of course Dennis Edwards sounded wonderful as always.

This Cd is very good because it brings you some very good hits from the solo careers of David Ruffin, Eddie Kendrick, Paul Williams, and Dennis Edwards. Most of this Cd features Ruffin and Kendrick, but I found the songs by Paul Williams, which were never released, to be very good. It is worth it just to here those songs.

The solo careers of former Temptations David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, and Dennis Edwards were remarkably underrated. Kendricks succeeded the most, but even his songs lacked the recognition they deserved. Paul William's sang his songs on this CD during hard times, but his performance shined as usual. David Ruffin's voice is a pleasure to listen to, and Eddie Kendricks songs prove that he was truly the artist! Although I am not the biggest Edwards fan, his songs are a lot of fun too!