Customer Reviews

Sky's the Limit

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's obvious that by now, that the Temptations were tiring of the "psychedelic soul" sound. For a while they had been complaining about the redunancy of some of the songs they were recording, but their producer Norman Whitfield ignored them. It continued on with this album, SKY'S THE LIMIT, but thank goodness this time around, the emphasis was not so much on psychedelia but on ballads, which is something that the Tempts had wanted. Eddie Kendricks' vocals dominate this album, and he does some of his finest work as a Temptation here (he had complained that he had not been getting enough leads). Most likely it was an effort to discourage him from leaving the group. (He left anyway, after this album was completed.)

SKY'S THE LIMIT isn't all that bad, in fact the highlight of the LP are the ballads, which are mostly handled by Kendricks. We already know about the smash "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)", which went to Number One in 1971. A smoothed-out version of a song the guys did in '69, "Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love" is included, as is the gorgeous "I'm the Exception to the Rule" and "Throw A Farewell Kiss" (lead vocals by Dennis Edwards on the latter). The ballad "Man" has Eddie out in front and some muted background harmonies by the Tempts, and touches upon man's failure to give thanks to God for all that he has accomplished ("Will he take a moment to give thanks before he's on his way? Everybody wanna go to Heaven...don't nobody wanna pray") and the eventual destruction of the world if man does not acknowledge the wrongs he has done. It had to grow on me, but now this is one of my favorite tunes from this album. "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)" is a psychedelic shower of electric guitars, a funky bass, and Dennis Edwards' lionine-like delivery...not one of best cuts here, it's typical Whitfield for this period. Same thing goes the way too lengthy "Love Can Be Anything". Clocking in at over 9 minutes, this is another example of Whitfield not knowing when to quit - you're already tired of it halfway through. But not all the psychedelic stuff was bad: there's an excellent version (even though it is LONG, 12:35) of "Smiling Faces Sometimes" here featuring Eddie on lead that later went on to be a huge hit for the Undisputed Truth. Had Eddie not left the group, this would have been released as the next single and no doubt it would have been a monster.

Unfortunately, this album not only marked the end of Kendricks', but also Paul Williams' days as members of the group. Paul, an amazingly talented but underrated vocalist whose most well known leads were "I Want A Love I Can See" (1963), "Don't Look Back" (1966) and "For Once In My Life" (1967-68), only sang on two songs on this album ("Just My Imagination" and "Ungena Za Ulimwengu"; the reason being the latter song was recorded in 1970) and he was forced to retire from the group in early '71 due to health problems. His departure officially ended a classic and the most memorable era in Temptations history. However, SKY'S THE LIMIT is still a purchase worthy of your collection, and if you decide to get it, get it for Eddie's treatment on the ballads. You won't be sorry.

I was 17 and in my junior year of high school when this one came out and I bought it quickly. It was originally Gordy LP No. 957. My best friend from out-of-town would sometimes spend weekends at my place, and a routine involving this album was followed many times. When it was time to crash for the night, side one of this LP went on the player.

The first three songs: "Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love," "Just My Imagination," and "I'm The Exception To The Rule," while certainly soulful workouts by the group, could also be said to have sedating presentations, but things changed dramatically by song four, the last on the side. "Smiling Faces Sometimes" creeps it way though it's opening instrumentation in a manner that reminds you of a spider walking, and the tension only builds as the vocals come in. The leisurely long and spell-casting song seems to reach its summit with the line: "the impossible task is to figure out which of the smile's is a mask." The group takes its time working this line in imaginative ways, including echo. But for sheer blood freezing chills, nothing beats bass-voiced Melvin Franklin's repeated, sinister chuckling of the words "Hi...FRIEND," augmented with mocking and menacing laughter from the group. For a couple of high-school buddies, this was as good as any bedtime horror movie! He and I are both 49 this year, but I bet he's not forgotten this either. It's been said that had Eddie Kendricks not left the group at this point, "Faces" would have been the Temptations next single. But, bearing in mind the chop job done on Diana's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," perhaps we don't want to know how "Faces" would come back out after Motown puts its 12:35 length through draconian reduction surgery.

Granted, I love this album, but like some other reviewers here, I've got to dock it one star too. While "Smiling Faces," is a brilliant example of how Norman Whitfield's indulgence in length can work splendidly, "Love Can Be Anything" is equally an example of instances when he didn't know when to stop. The routine for the second side was to hang on for the first three songs, which were fine, but as often as not, by the halfway point of "Love Can Be Anything's" 9-plus minutes, you'd hit the `reject.'

Sadly too, Paul Williams photo on the cover - smallest and the most recessed of the five members - was in keeping with his near ghostly absence in the grooves. He seems to be receding into the rest of the cover's sundown sky, and now that we know what tragedy lay ahead in only two years, it's an even more sobering picture.

It is a shame that "Sky's the Limit" has somehow drifted into obscurity over the years. This is one of the best of the 70's featuring the group's patented harmonies equally matched by one of the best session bands in history. Featuring the quintet's number one hit "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)," the set also includes a lengthy version of fellow Motown recording artists Undisputed Truth's "Smiling Faces (Sometimes)." The over twelve-minute opus lets the boys and the band cut loose with a masterful blend of funk and orchestral wizardry. The song is only matched by the group's "Papa was a Rolling Stone," which would appear a few years later.

'The Sky's The Limit' marks an important turning point for The Temptations.It was Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams final recording with them-Kendricks leaving only because he could'nt be in a group without his ailing best friend Paul.Both of course go out (hitwise) in a triumphant moment on "Just My Imagination"-the last Temptations smash hit with Kendricks aboard.At this point both group founder Otis Williams and Kendricks had professed to prefer The Tempts mellow,melodic soul style to Norman Whitfield psychedelic experiments.Therefore 'Sky's The Limit' is dominated by lush,laid back cinematic soul in the style of the hit an "Gonna Keep Tryin' Til I Win Your Love","Man" and "Throw A Farewell Kiss" are no exception."I'm The Exception To The Rule" is in the same school and features Eddie singing in his lower voice-he still sounds great.The highlite is their own twelve minute version of "Smiling Faces Sometimes",which is much busier and psychedelic then the famous hit version by The Undisputed Truth-Eddie's falsetto is absolutely chilling and it climaxes with a cavalcade of heavily echoed wicked laughter.The last two songs are uptempo-"Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World)" can also be found on the 'Emperors Of Soul' box set but is a hard rocking psychedelic soul tune with screaming electric guitars and Dennis Edwards heavily echoed singing."Love Can Be Anything (Can't Be Nothing But Love)" is in the same ball game but the guitars are replaced by The Temps own dramatic vocal turns.'Sky's The Limit' will almost make you want to forgot contempory R&B didn't exist-these guys.......just as secularized church style as Ray Charles sometimes.But even so it was very much a sad album for the group as Kendricks was departing and Paul Williams was delving further into the alcohalism and related illnessess that would in many ways be the end of him.But even if "Sky's The Limit' is something of a goodbye in many ways,one wonders way so many partings aren't so elegant.

As I stated in my title for this review this was the last album to feature the great vocals of Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams who were now relegated as sidemen for the "Norman Whitfield Machine" as Dennis Edwards strong baritone dominated most Tempts songs. Eddie was was getting very tired of all the social commentary and pychedelia that Whitfield was producing for the group and Paul was battling health problems. So in my opinion it seems that apparently Whitfield was listening to the group members and reach a compromise with Eddie and suddenly went back to their r&b roots...but not for long. Eddie leads most of the songs here and had his first lead singing song"Just My Imagination" that topped both the r&b and pop charts(which was also the last time the Temptation would ever do so). But you know Whitfield had to throw some of his lenthy pychedelic productions "Smiling Faces" and "Love Can Be Anything" in there for good measure. Personally not one of my favorites although I do love "Just My Imagination","Smiling Faces", and "I'm The Exception To The Rule". So in my conclusion of this review I guess Eddie Paul had to do what they had to do and the rest of the guys continued on with Whitfield and two additional members. Eddie did have a nice solo career so I guess it worked out for both parties. I would give this album a 4.5 but the rating system won't let me, so another 5 star rating from one of my favorite groups alltime. Get it if you can, but another out of print cd(damn Motown).

As someone who owned both the Cloud Nine and Sky's the limit LP's I can say that Gonna keep on tryin'(till I win your love)was done by both Eddie and Dennis,on Cloud Nine it was Dennis with it more uptempo and Eddie's was slower on sky's the limit,on sky's the limit songs like I'm the exception to the rule,throw a farewell kiss,along with just my imagination were classic Tempts ballads,Norman Whitfield was keeping in step with the psychedelic mood of the time with the version of Smiling faces and ungenaza ulimengu(united the world) also this is also the lastlp with Paul Williams the lineup that went into the R&R hall of fame was missing one person and that's David Ruffin,the earlier songs with him to me at least are the best but if you are a longtime Temptations fan you will also want this cd for it is also a part of their best years 1964-1975.

The last LP by the classic Temptations who would be inducted in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. A tribute to departing lead Eddie Kendricks. Peaches 13: "Gonna Keep On Trying Til I Win Your Love" IS led by EJK on "Sky's The Limit". The Dennis Edwards led version you speak of is on "Cloud Nine". Your reference doesn't make your review "null and void" however, just makes it in need of correction ((Smiling Faces Sometimes)) ........Peace

"Smiling Faces Sometimes" is Norman Whitfield's best production, better than "Papa Was a Rollin Stone", better than "Masterpiece" and better than anything he did with the Undisputed Truth. "Just My Imagination" was their best ballad of the 70's and thew slowed down version of "I'm Gonna Keep on Tryin' Until I win Your Love" is superior to the original version on "Cloud Nine". Docked a star for the truly terrible "Love can be anything...." but stands as an excellent example of psychedelic soul.

I don't have this CD, but I do have the original vinyl album of "Sky's The Limit." Although this album is great, it's so sad that it was the last Temptations album with Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks. Even their #1 hit single "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" was their last with Eddie singing lead & Paul taking the bridge. Unfortunately, Paul didn't sing a note in other seven tracks, neither lead nor background. Simply because he was battling depression & alcoholism that ruined both his voice & dance steps. Eddie was singing lead in most of the tracks, like "Gonna Keep On Trying Til I Win Your Love," "Man," and "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (better than Undisputed Truth's version). To me, this album had launched Eddie's decision to go solo. Dennis Edwards did contribute on a couple of songs, but the spotlight was on Eddie.

Although the first Single was the Billboard Top Ten Smash "Ungena Za Ulimwengu", it was the Platinum Billboard #1 Single "Just My Imagination" the ballad that took the group to higher heights! I think this even caught Motown by surprise, because their was NO further Singles released from this album, although Album Favorite "Smiling Faces Sometimes" could have went Top Ten (R&B) as an Edited Version or a Two-Part Single, but it's pretty safe to say Motown wasn't going to take a chance and maybe miss the mark. Another nice gem on this album was "I'm The Exception To The Rule" that was a B-Side of a previous released Single, so there was no need to try to release it again as an A-Side, so it too was left alone. Another Album Favorite was "Love Can Be Anything" not strong enough for a Single, but it worked as an Album Track.