Sky's The Limit

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.