The Temptations, originally called The Elgins, is an American band formed in 1960 in Detroit and originally made up of members from 2 rival bands in Detroit, Otis Williams & The Distants and the Primes. Coming from the first group Otis Williams, Elbridge Bryant and Melvin Franklin and the second Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams.
Group that can boast of having ranked no less than 4 titles in the first place of the American Billboard Hot 100 and having also obtained 14 places of No.1 in the Singles R&B chart.
The group released their first track "Oh mother of mine" in 1961, which will go completely unnoticed. This is not the case with "Dream come true" which came out a year later in 1962 and gave the group its first notorious success.
It’s the arrival of Smokey Robinson in 1964, in production and in the management of the group, that will hellishly speed things up. First with the title "The way you do the things you do" which came out the same year and which allowed the group to gain considerable notoriety. A success reinforced by the release in the wake of their first album "Meet the Temptations". An exceptional year 1964 which ended in apotheosis with the release of the title "My girl", title which gave them their first global mega hit.
Success confirmed and amplified in the years that followed with titles like "It's growing" in 1965, "Beauty is only skin deep" in 1966, "You're my everything" in 1967, "Cloud nine" in 1968, "I can 't get next to you" in 1969,"Ball of confusion (That's what the world is today)" in 1970 and "Just my imagination (Running away with me)" in 1971.
In 1972, what will undoubtedly remain one of their Masterpieces, namely the enormous “Papa was a rollin' stone”, a title which contains a unique start of its kind and which will remain as one of the biggest titles of the decade and the end of the twentieth century period.
The group will never be able to match the level of success of this gem in the years that will follow but will experience several notable successes during the 80s with titles such as "Standing on the top Pt.1" in 1982, "Sail away" in 1983, "Treat her like a lady" in 1984 and "I wonder who she's seeing now" in 1987.
The group will even continue the adventure during the 1990s and 2000s, this time with a very relative level of success ...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Dream come true 1962
The way you do the things you do 1964
Girl (Why you wanna make me blue) 1964
My girl 1964
It’s growing 1965
Since I lost my baby 1965
My baby 1965
Get ready 1966
Ain’t to proud to beg 1966
Beauty is only skin deep 1966
I know (I’m losing you) 1966
You’re my everything 1967
I wish it would rain 1968
I could never love another (After loving you) 1968
Cloud nine 1968
I’m gonna make you love me 1969
I can’t get next to you 1969
Psychedelic shack 1970
Ball of confusion (That’s what the world is today) 1970
Just my imagination (Running away with me) 1971
Superstar (Remember how you got where you are) 1971
Take a look around 1972
Papa was a rolling stone 1972
Masterpiece 1973
Hey girl (I like your style) 1973
Heavenly 1974
Happy people 1974
Glasshouse 1975
Keep holdin’ on 1976
In a lifetime 1977
Ever ready love 1978
Power 1980
Take me away 1980
Aiming at your heart 1981
Standing on the top - Pt.1 1982
Sail away 1983
Treat her like a lady 1984
My love is true (Truly for you) 1985
A fine mess 1986
I'm fascinated 1986
Lady soul 1986
To be continued 1986
I wonder who she’s seeing me 1987
Look what you started 1987
Do you wanna go with me 1988
All I want from you 1989
Soul to soul 1990
The Motown song 1991
The Jones 1991
Hoops of fire 1992
Error of our ways 1994
Silent night 1995
Stay 1998
This is my promise 1999
I'm here 2000
Party 2000
4 days 2001
Awesome 2001
Swept away 2001
Fifty/fifty love 2004
Mr Fix it 2004
Reflections 2006
I'll be there 2006
Never, never gonna give ya up 2007
Love ballad 2007
Change has come 2010
Warm summer nights 2010
Waitin' on you 2018
Earned it 2018
It is gonna be yes or no 2022
When we were kings 2022
My Christmas tree 2022
Santa Claus is comin' to town 2022
Clips :
1962 ... the beginnings of a bunch of little guys who in a few decades will quite simply become one of the major groups of the end of the 20th century
1964 ... in a style so typical of the 60s, the group crosses the stages of success one after the other and we suspect that at some point something big will happen
1964 ... a BIG year 1964 with a plethora of titles of more than certain quality, all accompanied by an impressive rise in power. Something's going to happen, that's for sure !
1964 ... then THIS title comes ! The title that will literally explode their notoriety and make them one of the biggest planetary phenomena of the moment. MAS-TER-FUL !
1965 ... the group is now carried by an incredible dynamic which is not ready to weaken. And it's gone like that for a few decades !
1965 ... every title that comes out now becomes a notorious success almost instantly. But they are worth it !
1965 ... the number of titles released each year is impressive. One of the best productivity available today, especially since there is almost no waste. All good little guys !
1966 ... 1964 and 1965 were 2 very big years, 1966 will be even stronger. Yes Yes, it's possible. Starting with this title !
1966 ... each title released during this year 1966 will immediately become a global top hit. Little guys literally walk on water !
1966 ... a flood of hits that made them one of the truly essential groups of the moment. A well-deserved consecration !
1966 ... 4 top planetary hits in a single year, quite a feat. This title will not necessarily be the most successful of the 4 but it largely holds up, it's clear
1967 ... slight drop in the level of success in this year 1967 but frankly, nothing to worry about, that's clear. They also can't be on top all the time !
1968 ... business picks up again in this new year. We suspected that with them, the slight air hole would not last very long
1968 ... business resumes but the group struggles to produce a new exceptional title. Of course, quantity is always the order of the day, but the group must not fall asleep on its laurels ...
1968 ... for the year 1968, the 'big' hit of the year, it will be this one. A particularly punchy title as they know how to do it so well !
1969 ... a decade which is drawing to a close and which will have established this group as one of the best of the decade. And when you see what is on the horizon for the next decade, no need to worry about them ...
1969 ... a decade that ended in apotheosis with this new global top hit. The sound of the group is evolving in a flagrant way, which is very reassuring for the rest of the events ...
1970 ... will the 70s allow the group to reach a new level or will there be stagnation, only the future will tell ...
1970 ... we would rather start with a phenomenon of stagnation for the moment. The group still can not reproduce the feat of "My girl". Patience, patience ...
1971 ... this title will not have quite the same level of success of 'My girl' but will approach it more or less. The group delivers an absolutely sumptuous track all in finesse and softness which literally floats in the air. MA-GIC !
1971 ... we go from one extreme to another with this track which spins at the speed of light. An overspeed which will unfortunately penalize the title somewhat ...
1972 ... another big gap and return to the Intimist domain. Once again, the group is showing well above average skills in this area ...
1972 ... then comes the WONDER ! The group is surely delivering one of the most emblematic titles of the decade and of the end of the twentieth century. Half instrumental, half sung, we almost reach perfection. And even if this title is in truth a cover of the title originally interpreted by the Undisputed Truth, it is this version that will go around the world. MAS-TER-PIE-CE !
1973 ... a certain similarity with the previous title but which unfortunately cannot match it. Anyway, this title will also have a nice run in the Charts
1973 ... a new Intimist title of all beauty which allows once again the group to show all its talent in this field. And talent, they have it !
1974 ... this one is not bad either ! It is clear that in this area, they are truly among the best in the world. We want more !
1974 ... back in Dance mode and it must be said that in this area, they are not bad either, that's clear. A versatility that is only found with the Greatest, obviously !
1975 ... a year 1975 which will not be remembered as their greatest vintage. It must be said that, given their impressive annual productivity level, we suspect that they cannot produce exceptional title after exceptional title either ...
1976 ... 1976 won't necessarily be a better year. A mid-1970s which saw the group playing with ease and contenting themselves with producing tracks of average quality. Watch out for stall ...
1977 ... a single title year, an exceptional fact concerning them. And my faith, the result is far from being ridiculous as what, sometimes, it is better the quality to the quantity ...
1978 ... a 1970s which saw the group consolidate its place in the big leagues, but without accentuating it. It will therefore take a serious rethinking of the fundamentals during the following decade to hope to continue the adventure in the best conditions ...
1980 ... welcome to the 80s. The sound of the group has evolved, it's obvious and rather in a good way. Bodes well for the rest of their journey in this new decade
1980 ... they even make in the soundtrack of film with this sumptuous Ultimate slow which will be part of the soundtrack of the film 'Loving couples'. Paradoxically, he will only have limited success in the Charts ...
1981 ... even if the group manages to stay in the big league, its level of success has nothing to do with that of the 1970s. And even less with that of the 1960s. Hard law of the trade ...
1982 ... they will still manage to make 'big shots' as they say, including this one. Trendy sound, style and rhythm, everything you need for a hit !
1983 ... the production of titles has slowed down somewhat compared to the previous decade but what they continue to offer is more than enough to keep the adventure going
1984 ... the proof with this excellent title ! For a group that started in 1961, we can only salute the feat. Absolutely not old-fashioned little guys. HU-GE !
1985 ... a new sweet parenthesis of all beauty. A know-how in this field which does not weaken an Iota and which makes them references in the matter, again and again !
1986 ... good job, as usual. The group will not produce any exceptional hits during this decade but good, even very good, it's already that !
1986 ... a great adventure which continues quietly with this title once again of more than certain quality. The talent, quite simply
1986 ... BIG year 1986 with a plethora of titles and quality on every level. It had been a long time since the group had experienced such productivity !
1986 ... a magnificent year which ended in style with this very high caliber Intimist title. A constant with them, the Intimist titles of high caliber !
1987 ... the years go by, as do the decades, and they're still here and in great shape. Not sure that all those who will have started their career during the 1980s will have their longevity !
1987 ... back in Dance mode, a long time ago. Of course, this title will not set fire to all the Dancefloor on the planet, but it will largely succeed
1988 ... a Dance parenthesis that only lasted for a moment. The group tirelessly sets out again in the Intimist field, its favorite field since the dawn of time. But at one point, too many Intimist kills the Intimist ...
1989 ... a good surprise to end the decade that this Dance title has more than certain quality. We also like them in this register !
1990 ... hunt the natural, it inevitably comes back at a gallop. The beginning of the 90s will therefore once again be Intimist. Hopefully they vary the pleasures later ...
1991 ... inevitably, when you bring together a range of such talents, one suspects that the result will be up to the task. And it must be !
1991 ... the rest will prove to be somewhat complicated to manage. Inspiration decreasing, just like the level of success, in short, the indicators are starting to turn red ...
1992 ... and yet their goodwill is evident. But their style is too rigid and does not really correspond to the standards of the time. Attention danger...
1994 ... we take the same ones and start over. Obviously, that won't really help their business. They are still present in the Charts but at levels they have never known before ...
1995 ... they will try everything to get back in the race including the traditional Christmas song. Their version is nice but unfortunately nothing more ...
1998 ... as much as they had been able to take the measure of the 1980s, they will not have been able to situate themselves in this 1990s. Race results : the beginning of the end ...
1999 ... they end the decade by once again relying on their fundamentals. Good job once again but it won't be enough to save them. They will return the following decade but the result will be the same. The end of a magnificent adventure for one of the greatest American groups which will leave in its wake several exceptional tracks and just as such, we can only bow !
2000... the end of a magnificent adventure in terms of success in the Charts at the Singles level but surely not the end of the adventure at all. Because they still have things to offer and especially to sing, that's for sure...
2000 ... each decade we tell ourselves that it will be the last and each time we find them the following decade. Again and again and again...
2001... not only do we find them systematically but what they continue to offer is far from devoid of interest. Hope it lasts...
2001...especially since they try to stick a minimum to the latest musical developments of the moment, which doesn't spoil anything, quite the contrary. The best way to last as they say...
2001...who would have thought they would still be around 40 years after their debut ? Not many people that's for sure and yet it is indeed the case !
2004...not only are they still there, but the production of titles remains impressive to say the least. It is the basic fans who are delighted and who always ask for more...
2004 ... in any case we will follow them to the end because they frankly deserve it. Even if they haven't appeared at the top of the bill for a long time, they at least have the merit of continuing to believe in it and us with them...
2006...this new opus is essentially based on the cover of old standards from past decades, starting with this title from the Supremes dating from 1967. Strange cover...
2006...they revisit here the title of Jackson 5 dating from 1970 and give us a version that is not lacking in interest. But that won't bring much more than the original anyway...
2007...definitely, they decided to revisit a bunch of old standards in the middle of the 2000s. This time it's the turn of Barry White's title dating from 1973 which will have their favor...
2007...then it's the turn of the L.T.D. and their 1976 title to be revived. As with the other revisited versions, the result is certainly nice, but does not transcend the original...
2010...and another decade, one more ! Impossible to stop them little guys and whether there is success or not, the main thing for them is to remember that they are still there...
2010...they make it a point of honor to come back every decade and it will be like that until the end. We won't remake them again as they say...
2018... big air hole of 8 years but here they are again. It is clear that the production of albums decreases from decade to decade but they are always there in any case...
2018... still there and still just as effective in 'emotional' titles, it is clear. An area in which they have always excelled...
2022...they will have gone through the 60s, then 70s, then 80s, then 90s, then 2000, then 2010 and here they are in this new decade of 2020. I told you, unstoppable little guys !
2022...and each time the grassroots fans are delighted to see them still there, despite the growing weight of the years on their shoulders. Totally exceptional longevity...
2022...and they also don't forget to regularly deliver their revisited versions of the main Christmas standards. Always nice musical moments...
2022...standards revisited hundreds and hundreds of times by others as well, but their own versions are not lacking in charm, that's for sure...
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime I
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime II
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime III
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :