Customer Reviews

Ultimate Collection

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is not quite the ultimate Temptations collection, but it comes close. You could never fit all their great songs on one CD anyway, but the compilers were clearly determined to include some of their later recordings - the last three tracks on this CD. Angel doll, though recorded in 1967, was not one of their big hits - indeed, it was not even released at the time. The inclusion of these four tracks at the expense of real classics, including Beauty is only skin deep, devalues the title somewhat.

Despite the omissions, this is the best single-CD collection of Temptations music currently available and contains many familiar songs. It begins with The way you do the things you do. A big hit in America, it did not chart in Britain. I first came across the song via an excellent cover by Rita Coolidge, but the original version is impressive. Other classic sons here include My girl, Get ready, Ain't too proud to beg, I wish it would rain, Cloud nine, I can't get next to you, Ball of confusion, Just my imagination and Papa was a rolling stone.

Anybody seriously interested in sixties music in general and Motown in particular will enjoy the Temptations. Unless you want to go for a double-CD or a boxed set, this is the CD to choose.

Stop trying to pull the wool over our eyes! In this day of slick marketing and advertising gimmicks you can pretty much call any product anything you want to and make just about any claim you care to. Unfortunately such is the case with "The Ultimate Collection". For any true Temptations fan will tell you that this disc is certainly not reflective of its title and simply does not cut the mustard. Issued in 1997, "Ultimate Collection" is merely another in a string of largely inadequate offerings that purport to be the definitive Temptations Greatest Hits.
"Ultimate Collection" is not a terrible disc. It does offer tunes from all of the many phases of the Temptations dynamic career. The remastering job is just fine and I would rate the 12 page booklet acceptable but nothing more. The problem here is that there are 8 or 9 pretty important titles missing including 1966's "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" and the highly successful 1968 collaboration with Diana Ross and the Supremes "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". Some of these tunes should have been included on "Ultimate Collection" in place of filler like "Don't Look Back" and "Error Of Our Ways". For casual fans, "Ultimate Collection" might be an acceptable choice. But collectors and hard core Temptations fans should demand better. Hopefully, Universal will release a 2 disc set in the near future similar to the Four Tops "50th Anniversary" set. Such an offering is long overdue. In the meantime, I'll make due with what I already have.

For a serious Temptations fan (exempli gratia, ego) this is a pretty lousy and insufficient compilation. The pattern of lineups in this group can best compared to Lynard Skynard-there are so many flamin' line ups that it gets to the point where it's not the same group anymore; it's just the Temptations by name only. David Ruffin, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, all of them gone. If you ask me, the real Temptations died the early 1970s. In place of indispensable gems of their golden years (id est, the REAL Temptations) such as "Slow Down Heart", "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", "Just Let Me Know", etc. this "ultimate collection" includes mediocre, (relatively terrible) latter cuts such as "Error of Our Ways". If you endeavor the enchanted staggering, and soul-moving work buy their studio albums prior to 1976 like "Meet The Temptations" and "Temptations Sing Smokey"; the earlier the better. They are more rare, but they are worth the purchase. Also, almost any other Temptations hits compilation is way better. I give this one an extra star for the beautiful closing track, the acapella of "My Girl". It makes me cry and reminds me:

RIP TEMPTATIONS 1961-1976

1. The Way You Do the Things You Do
2. My Girl
3. It's Growing
4. Since I Lost My Baby
5. Don't Look Back
6. Get Ready
7. Ain't Too Proud to Beg
8. I'm Losing You
9. All I Need
10. You're My Everything
11. Angel Doll
12. I Wish It Would Rain
13. Cloud Nine
14. I Can't Get Next to You
15. Ball of Confusion
16. Just My Imagination
17. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
18. Shakey Ground
19. Treat Her Like a Lady
20. Error of Our Ways
21. My Girl (a cappella)[excerpt]

The Temptations were Motowns most succesful male act of the sixties. Their extraordinary stage act fascinated audiences in the sixties. They made countless classics through the sixties and early seventies and most of these turn up on this wonderful compilation which showcases their very best recordings. Fine classics featured on the album include THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO (written by Smokey Robinson), GET READY, AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG and a track that initially really sot the ball rolling; MY GIRL. They also made countless great recordings with the equally magnificent, Diana Ross and the Supremes with their most succesful collaboration being on I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME which also is on the album. Other notable tracks are CLOUD NINE, BALL OF CONFUSION, JUST MY IMAGINATION and the unforgetable PAPPA WAS A ROLLIN' STONE. Its a shame their momentum started to wear off after that particular release in 1972 but never the less their run of hits remain enjoyable and soulful.

Though missing some of the most popular songs the Temptations performed over the years, this collection contains some great, almost forgotten favorites and should be a part of any collection. The pul-out booklet could be more informative, but the images on the covers and inside are priceless.

A true fan will enjoy this CD in their computer or in the car and the digital recording is masterful, just like the group who made the music. Sadly, the a capella version of My Girl is incomplete on this CD and not always found on the Emperors Of Soul CD either. Still, a great collection by a great group, listen and you'll have a great time.

The Temptations were wonderful. David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin were a part of the original hit making lineup in the sixties. This CD has some good classics, but like said before; where's "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"?! Do we really need "Error of Our Ways"?! That is hardly a great song. Otherwise, while listening to this CD it's good, but you still feel more needs to be there. A nice sampling though!

The Temptations have simply done too much great music for the current technology. Their work cannot all fit here, and some hits you'll recall are missing.

The extra cost of their Anthology is well worth it.

This is in my opinion the ultimate collection of works by the Temptations, all their greats are here. If you know and love the Temptations I know you'll love this disc. An interesting tidbit at the end of this disc, an excerpt in acappella of "My Girl" it only runs for 1:20, it's actually the hit recording without the music track, but if you listen close you can hear the music track leaking in, it's an interesting concept, done right we could possibly have an acappella CD by the Temptations...think about it Motown.

Recently, an Amazon friend reviewed this book. Since I gave up my old vinyl collection, I have not had any Temptations' CDs in my collection. That review just mentioned impelled me to begin adding some of the group's music to the set of CDs that I own.

Just got the CD and is it glorious! Obviously, one CD will not hold all of the best music of this group. However, what appears here is pretty terrific. From 1964, "The Way You Do the Things You Do" and "My Girl"; from 1972, "Just My Imagination (Running away with Me)" and, maybe, my all-time favorite work, "Pap Was a Rolling Stone"; from 1994, "Error of Our Ways."

A few examples of their work. . .

The sunny "My Girl." A cheerful instrumental introduction followed by opening lines such as:

"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day;
When it's cold outside, I got the month of May."

Why? "My girl." A nice uptempo, upbeat tune, something that the Temptations could do so well.

Of course, more lugubrious feelings can be elicited as well. Take "Just My Imagination (Running away with Me)." The singer speaks of the joy of having a wonderful girl"

". . .I watch her as she passes by.
I say to myself, I'm such a lucky guy.
To have a girl like her is truly a dream come true."

But the reality?

"It was just my imagination, running away with me."

Good instrumentals and fine vocal backing. One of the classics among all Temptations' songs. The Rolling Stones did a nice cover of this, but this version is the "real deal."

Then, my personal favorite of all their oeuvre, "Pap Was a Rolling Stone." A 2 minute introduction, as funky as one could wish, with wailing horns and an hypnotic beat before vocals come into play. The first lines:

"It was the third of September,
A day I'll always remember. . .
That was the day that my Daddy died."

This is the story of a person being apart from a father and hearing lots of bad things about him. Then asking his mom why. Her answer?

"Papa was a rolling stone,
Wherever he laid his hat was his home."

Song after song. These bring memories flooding back as I recalled hearing some of these songs for the first time when they were first released. Want to know something about this group? This is a good starting point.