Temptations Underrated SINGLES

[RanRan79]

From the time the Tempts hit big with "The Way You Do the Things You Do" in 1964 thru 1969, Motown released 26 singles on the group in the US [[which includes 3 singles with the Supremes and one Christmas single) and also had 5 B-sides make the charts. During that same time span only Marvin Gaye and the Supremes had more releases [[Marvin with 28, which of course includes his duets with Mary, Kim and Tammi; Supremes with 27 which also includes their 3 duets with the Tempts and a Christmas single) and no one had as many B-side "hits" as the Tempts.

With so many releases...with so many HIGH QUALITY releases...during that time, some songs get more shine than others. "The Things You Do", "My Girl", "Get Ready", "Aint Too Proud to Beg", "I Wish It Would Rain", "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", and a few others, all huge hits, all played on the radio constantly still today and used in commercials, movies and tv shows. One can not say these songs are underrated. People appreciate them.

But what about the ones you don't hear as often? The ones that can legitimately be labeled underrated? Do you have favorites that you wish shined as brightly as some of the big hits? Singles only. No album tracks please.

[RanRan79]

I wrote all of that and failed to give my own picks. One of my favorites that I feel gets lost in the shuffle of the larger hits is "My Baby". There's something about that track and David's approach to the lyrics that I just dig. I guess it may not be as exciting as some of the other songs like "Get Ready" or "The Way You Do the Things You Do", nor is it as sweet as something like "My Girl", but it's definitely one of my all time favorite Temptations cuts.

"I Could Never Love Another" I feel is also highly underrated and I don't know why. It was a perfect follow up to "I Wish It Would Rain" and it became a big hit in it's own right, but it doesn't seem to have stood the test of time with the public the way "I Wish It Would Rain" has. David gives another A+ vocal performance on it. The track is good, the lyrics great, the Tempts harmony on point. I love this record.

[Motown Eddie]

Good question RanRan. Here's my picks for the most underrated Temptations singles.

1. "Heavenly"
2. "The Girl's Alright With Me"
3. "Sail Away"
4. "I Could Never Love Another [[After Loving You)"
5. "Happy People"
6. "The Further You Look, The Less You See"
7. "It's Summer [[1st version)"
8. "My Baby"

[TomatoTom123]

Great thread RanRan! Underrated Temptations singles... hmm... how about...

"Law Of The Land" -- Disco-Funk floorfiller extraordinaire! [[only released as a single in the UK... still counts right?)

"Plastic Man" -- tight, tight groove and excellent vocals from all Tempts

"Power" -- funky, funky excellence and great 'return to Motown' single

"Aiming At Your Heart" -- Philly-Motown mini-masterpiece!!

[TomatoTom123]

By the way, I've never really got into "My Baby"...

I mean, slap bang in the middle of The Tempts' classic run of singles [[and hits) lies "My Baby", a song that sounds positively boring next to "Since I Lost My Baby" and "Get Ready"... I don't really get why it was released as a single. Very nice, but not hit material IMO.

[TomatoTom123]

By the way, I've never really got into "My Baby"...

I mean, slap bang in the middle of The Tempts' classic run of singles [[and hits) lies "My Baby", a song that sounds positively boring next to "Since I Lost My Baby" and "Get Ready"... I don't really get why it was released as a single. Very nice, but not hit material IMO.

Ok, I just listened to it, and feel kinda bad for slagging it off, lol. It's a good song. Maybe I was [[previously) listening to the stereo album version, whereas the mono single mix sounds more like a hit.

[copley]

[[Loneliness Made Me Realise) It's You That I Need
I Could Never Love Another [[After Loving You)
Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down - Not issued here in the UK!
Take a Look Around
Law Of The Land - Not issued in the US!
Shaky Ground
Power

[luke]

Girl Why you wanna Make Me Blue. The best!

[marv2]

Every Ready Love from 1978.

[sansradio]

"All I Need"
"Power"
"Standing on the Top"
"Love on My Mind Tonight"

[mistercarter2u]

I love "Struck By Lightening Twice" and "Bareback." Neither was a hit, but they are among my absolutely favorite Tempts singles... also really like "Lady Soul," "Special," and "Power."

[blackguy69]

Let your Hair down was issued in the US. Peaked at #27 on the top 100 charts and was a #1 on the r&b charts.

My pick

1. Mother Nature
2. All I Need
3. Don't Look Back
4. Girl Why You Want To Make Me Blue
5. It's Growing

[rovereab]

In the UK I think the Temptations/Supremes duet of Why [[Must We Fall In Love) should have been a bigger hit. It's a great production with outstanding vocals. The USA missed out on this one I think.

[lockhartgary]

My Baby
It's Growing
Since I Lost My Baby
Baby, Baby I Need You
You're Not an Ordinary Girl

[alexstassi]

I need you [[what an arrangement!)
Don't look back
It's growing
Take a look around
Heavenly

[copley]

Let your Hair down was issued in the US. Peaked at #27 on the top 100 charts and was a #1 on the r&b charts.

My pick

1. Mother Nature
2. All I Need
3. Don't Look Back
4. Girl Why You Want To Make Me Blue
5. It's Growing

Somehow I managed to cut and paste the wrong single. I meant 'Law Of The Land' - duh!

[blackguy69]

No worries

[RanRan79]

Ok, I just listened to it, and feel kinda bad for slagging it off, lol. It's a good song. Maybe I was [[previously) listening to the stereo album version, whereas the mono single mix sounds more like a hit.

Glad you got that straightened out Tom. Lol

[RanRan79]

I love "Struck By Lightening Twice" and "Bareback." Neither was a hit, but they are among my absolutely favorite Tempts singles... also really like "Lady Soul," "Special," and "Power."

I love "Lady Soul". Ali Woodson was a voice to behold.

[RanRan79]

In the UK I think the Temptations/Supremes duet of Why [[Must We Fall In Love) should have been a bigger hit. It's a great production with outstanding vocals. The USA missed out on this one I think.

Agreed. I don't know whose dumb idea it was to release that horrible version of "The Weight" as the 3rd single from the combo instead of the much better "Why Must We Fall In Love". That was a lost hit opportunity for sure.

[RanRan79]

Glad to see "My Baby" made a couple of lists.

[McMotown]

For me
Heavenly, most definately - one of my favourite Temps tracks
I Want A Love I Can See
It's Growing
Don't Look Back
Standing on the Top
My Love Is True [[Truly For You)
Look What you started

[TomatoTom123]

Can’t believe I forgot “It’s Growing” and “All I Need”... those two for sure! And of course “Let Your Hair Down”...!! “Standing On The Top” too I guess... I feel like it’s more appreciated but I’ve never heard it other than when I’ve played it to myself [[same with all the others I just mentioned)... so I guess that means it’s underrated!! :)

[TomatoTom123]

Glad you got that straightened out Tom. Lol

Yes thank you RanRan ;)

[TomatoTom123]

Glad to see "My Baby" made a couple of lists.

I’M NOT! HA!

Lol :p

[nathanj06]

1. Law Of The Land had it been released in the U.S.
2. Happy People
3. Glasshouse
4. Power
5. Look What You've Started
6. Treat Her Like A Lady
The majority of their 60s output was awesome with very few exceptions. I never cared for Runaway Child, Don't Let The Joneses or those 70s epic 30 minute raucuses Whitfield came up with that Eddie Kendricks didn't like either. Given the circumstances they had the best lead singers such as David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards and Ollie Woodson. Also you rarely hear anyone mention Unite The World which I liked at the time. It now seems overkill with the brass and all but still packed a punch.

[RanRan79]

1. Law Of The Land had it been released in the U.S.
2. Happy People
3. Glasshouse
4. Power
5. Look What You've Started
6. Treat Her Like A Lady
The majority of their 60s output was awesome with very few exceptions. I never cared for Runaway Child, Don't Let The Joneses or those 70s epic 30 minute raucuses Whitfield came up with that Eddie Kendricks didn't like either. Given the circumstances they had the best lead singers such as David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards and Ollie Woodson. Also you rarely hear anyone mention Unite The World which I liked at the time. It now seems overkill with the brass and all but still packed a punch.

"Runaway Child" is one of my all time favorite Temptations songs. I think it may be my favorite Dennis Edwards "non duet with the Supremes" lead.

[JimBagley]

Take A Look Around
Heavenly
It's Summer
Mother Nature
I Wonder What She's Doing Now

My favorite Temptations track was not a single: I Ain't Got Nothin'

[jobeterob]

I would say that forever, my most underrated Temptations single has b been Take A Look Around.

If it was a single, Night and Day would be the other one; a most incredible version.

[Ngroove]

My Baby
It's Growing
Since I Lost My Baby
Baby, Baby I Need You
You're Not an Ordinary Girl

I would not classify "Since I Lost My Baby" as an "underrated", nor "Runaway Child [[Running Wild)". Both were big enough hits in its day, and still heavily rotated on classic r&b stations and Temptations compilations.

To bring up one that was / is not so much, I would say the Ali-Ollie Woodson period, as most Temptations anthologies, save for Emperors of Soul, which had most of their 1961-1994 input, has most of the 1964-1976 David Ruffin / Dennis Edwards eras, but only maybe about one or two or so Ali-Ollie Woodsons.

Their 1995 Anthology, for instance, only had, for Ali-Ollie, "Treat Her Like A Lady" and "Lady Soul", 1997's The Ultimate Collection, "Treat Her Like A Lady" and "Error Of Our Ways".

Might I add:

"Do You Really Love Your Baby" [[co-penned & backed by Luther Vandross)
"Special"
"Hoops Of Fire"

Okay, I'll add in the brief 1987 fill-in Dennis Edwards comeback between Ali-Ollie departure and second chance, "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now", as another that should have been more represented, than on just Together Again and Emperors of Soul.

[TomatoTom123]

Hey Ngroove, I love “Do You Really Love Your Baby?” And agree that it is underrated. Very much in that “Treat Her Like A Lady” vein [[and very Luther-influenced!) and I don’t know why it wasn’t a bigger hit, or at least a more appreciated Tempts single. :)

[TomatoTom123]

"Runaway Child" is one of my all time favorite Temptations songs. I think it may be my favorite Dennis Edwards "non duet with the Supremes" lead.

I’ve never really got into “Runaway Child” unfortunately RanRan... I don’t think I really like the whole premise of the song... bit weird IMO... lol.

BTW I think my favourite Dennis lead is “Let Your Hair Down”...!!!

[TomatoTom123]

Also you rarely hear anyone mention Unite The World which I liked at the time. It now seems overkill with the brass and all but still packed a punch.

Hey nathan, “Unite The World” is a killer track!! Craazzzy fuzzy guitar, maddd horn section, infectious hand-clapping... I’m pretty sure there’s even a harmonica in there, lol... oh yea and a great build-up too!!!! :D

[RanRan79]

I’ve never really got into “Runaway Child” unfortunately RanRan... I don’t think I really like the whole premise of the song... bit weird IMO... lol.

BTW I think my favourite Dennis lead is “Let Your Hair Down”...!!!

The song was a warning Tom. Kids keep your little asses at home before you end up in somebody's basement or decomposing in the woods somewhere. The lyrics were true then and now. Kids wanna be grown so bad, think they know more than the parents. And then they get out in the streets and realize nobody loves you like your parents [[if they're good parents of course). Sad when they realize it too late.

[bradsupremes]

"My Baby" and "It's Growing" are top-notch singles and among my favorites from the Temptations. They don't get played enough and are stellar love songs.

[Levi Stubbs Tears]

It's Growing would be my pick - I loved the choreography too :)

[Ngroove]

Shoulda-been-at-least-somewhere-charting Otis-Melvin-Eddie-Paul-Elbridge Temptations sides, 1961-1963:

"Your Wonderful Love"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U-IlqgwwtE

"Slow Down Heart"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnLwPeWIaTM

"I Want A Love I Can See"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHIMke7frc0

"Farewell My Love"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tRinKWzIA4

[tjl]

You're Not An Ordinary Girl
My Baby
All I Need
Firefly
Don't Look Back
The Girl's Alright With Me
Lonely, Lonely Man Am I
The Impossible Dream
It's Growing
Lady Soul
Girl Why You Wanna Make Me Blue
Paradise
I Want A Love I Can See
You've Got To Earn It

[144man]

Although "Get Ready" was a number one in the R&B charts, it only reached #29 in the Hot 100. I wonder why it performed so comparatively badly nationally.

[Luciano]

For me it would be "I Could Never Love Another [[After Loving You)" comes to my mind first [[but many others):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGvY7tzpfhg

[Philles/Motown Gary]

It's Growing

My Baby [[The strings solo in the instrumental break are among Motown's coolest and classiest moments EVER!)

All I Need

Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down

Unite The World

Glasshouse