The Temptin' Temptations [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Import]

The earliest single was released in May 1964, "I'll Be In Trouble". Peaking at #33 on the pop charts (the R&B charts had been temporarily put to rest in '64), the song is another shining example of the songwriting genius of William "Smokey" Robinson. At the time of this album, Smokey was the Tempts' main producer & he helms half of the album's 12 tracks, also scoring on probably the album's best-known song "Since I Lost My Baby" (#17 pop, #4 R&B), "My Baby" (#13 pop & #4 R&B), "You've Got To Earn It" (B-side to "Since I Lost My Baby"), the overlooked & soon-to-be concert standard "Don't Look Back" (#83 pop & #15 R&B) & "You're The One I Need".

"Since I Lost My Baby" is a deserved classic with great group harmony; "My Baby" is mistakenly dismissed as "My Girl" redux (it still has a great lead sung by tenor David Ruffin); "You've Got To Earn It" contains some of Smokey's cleverest lyrics; "Don't Look Back" proves its cult status as one of the Tempts' lost classics; "You're The One I Need" is another day at the office for Smokey, but still quite good.

Even when the Tempts don't have Smokey in their corner, they still work their magic on other people's material. Future full-time Tempts producer Norman Whitfield is at the helm for "The Girl's Alright With Me" (co-written by its lead singer Eddie Kendricks), "Everybody Needs Love" (later a hit for Gladys Knight & The Pips), "Girl [Why You Wanna Make Me Blue]" (#26 pop) & "I Gotta Know Now". While they show little traces of the rougher sound the Tempts would adopt under Whitfield later, that's probably due to the songs being co-written with Eddie Holland of the famed Holland-Dozier-Holland triumvirate. HDH's glamorous production approach was miles away from Whitfield's more soulful take that would reach its heights when he teamed up with Barrett Strong.

The remaining two songs are often grossly overlooked, but certainly don't deserve to be. Ivy Jo Hunter & William "Mickey" Stevenson often wrote hit songs for other Motown acts, but rarely for the Tempts. TEMPTIN' TEMPTATIONS has the moody ballad "Just Another Lonely Night" (sung by the very underrated Paul Williams) & the bouncy, Eddie Kendricks-led "Born To Love You". These two songs show that Hunter & Stevenson were just as capable songsmiths as their more famous counterparts & remain an overlooked part of the Motown legacy.

Although the Temptations' best work still lay ahead, when TEMPTIN' TEMPTATIONS was released in 1965, the classic quintet of Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams & Otis Williams (no relation) were already showing signs of greatness. Some may say the Tempts were only as good as the material they were being given, but it was how that material was performed that mattered the most & for that, The Temptations were in a class by themselves. Particularly when it came to distinguished writers like Smokey Robinson & Norman Whitfield, the Tempts definitely ran the table. In short, another classic album you'll feel tempted to grab wherever you see it.