The Temptations Wish It Would Rain
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain | ||||
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Studio album by The Temptations | ||||
Released | April 29, 1968 | |||
Recorded | 1967–68 | |||
Studio | Hitsville USA, Detroit | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 32:00 | |||
Label | Gordy GS 927 | |||
Producer | Norman Whitfield, Smokey Robinson, Henry Cosby, Harvey Fuqua, Deke Richards, Johnny Bristol | |||
The Temptations chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Temptations Wish It Would Rain | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [2] |
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain is a studio album by the Temptations, released in 1968 via Gordy Records. It was the final release from the group's "Classic-5" era, during which David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams constituted the Temptations' lineup.
Wish It Would Rain also marks the last Temptations solo album to focus on the classic "Motown Sound", and the last to feature production from Smokey Robinson.
Overview
Included on Wish It Would Rain are the hit singles "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", both featuring Ruffin on lead vocals and co-written by Motown writer Rodger Penzabene, who committed suicide on New Year's Eve 1967 because of the breakup described in these two songs. "I Wish It Would Rain's" b-side, "I Truly, Truly Believe", is a rare solo showcase for Franklin, the group's bass singer.
The third single, "Please Return Your Love to Me", features Kendricks on lead, and was released in July after Ruffin's departure. The song's b-side, "How Could I Forget" (led by Paul Williams), is not included here, because it was newly recorded on June 29 to accompany the a-side.
Background
Ruffin himself did not sing on "How Can I Forget" because, by late June, he was no longer part of the Temptations. The group had already been dealing with Ruffin's ego clashes and his desire for special treatment for at least a few months, and warded off his desire to have the name of the group changed to "David Ruffin & the Temptations" (in response to The Supremes being renamed "Diana Ross & the Supremes"). After Ruffin failed to show up for a series of engagements in Cleveland, Ohio that month (instead going to visit his then-girlfriend Gail Martin, daughter of Dean Martin, and see her open her own musical show), Otis Williams and the other Temptations decided Ruffin had gone too far and fired him.
Dennis Edwards was brought in as Ruffin's replacement, amidst cries of "Where's David?" from the crowds at live shows, and Ruffin's attempts to jump onstage and steal the microphone from Edwards during the shows. Edwards was officially introduced as the Temptations' new lead singer on July 9, 1968, at a live show in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and the group enlisted extra security to prevent Ruffin from attending and disrupting their shows,
Edwards would make his on-record debut with the next Temptations album, Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations. Starting with the group's next solo studio album, also titled Cloud Nine, producer Norman Whitfield began edging the group towards a Sly & the Family Stone-esque sound (dubbed "psychedelic soul"), using Edwards' gruffer voice as the centerpiece for several psychedelic-based hit singles and albums.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" (lead: Ruffin) | Roger Penzabene, Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield | Norman Whitfield | 3:33 |
2. | "Cindy" (lead: Ruffin) | Smokey Robinson | Smokey Robinson | 3:08 |
3. | "I Wish It Would Rain" (lead: Ruffin) | Penzabene, Strong, Whitfield | Norman Whitfield | 2:48 |
4. | "Please Return Your Love to Me" (lead: Kendricks) | Strong, Whitfield, Barbara Neely | Norman Whitfield | 2:26 |
5. | "Fan the Flame" (lead: Ruffin) | Al Cleveland, Terry Johnson, Robinson | Smokey Robinson | 2:44 |
6. | "He Who Picks a Rose" (lead: Ruffin) | Edward Holland, Jr., Emilio "Father" Smiley, Whitfield | Norman Whitfield | 2:28 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Why Did You Leave Me Darling" (lead: Ruffin) | James Dean, Deke Richards | Dennis Lussier | 2:11 |
2. | "I Truly, Truly Believe" (lead: Franklin) | George Gordy, Margaret Gordy, Allen Story | Henry Cosby | 2:44 |
3. | "This is My Beloved" (lead: Kendricks) | Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson | Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol | 2:13 |
4. | "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" (lead: P. Williams) | Strong, Whitfield | Norman Whitfield | 2:46 |
5. | "I've Passed This Way Before" (lead: Ruffin, Franklin) | Dean, William Weatherspoon | James Dean, William Weatherspoon | 2:43 |
6. | "No Man Can Love Her Like I Do" (lead: P. Williams) | Holland, Whitfield, Eddie Kendricks | Norman Whitfield | 2:16 |
Unreleased track
- "I Know She's Not a Mannequin" (Johnny Bristol, Shena Dermell, Harvey Fuqua) – lead vocal by David Ruffin – produced by Johnny Bristol. Subsequently, released on Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968).
Personnel
- The Temptations
- David Ruffin - vocals (tenor/falsetto/baritone)
- Eddie Kendricks - vocals (first tenor/falsetto)
- Paul Williams - vocals (second tenor/baritone)
- Melvin Franklin - vocals (bass)
- Otis Williams - vocals (second tenor/baritone)
with:
- The Funk Brothers - instrumentation
References
- v
- t
- e
- Otis Williams
- Ron Tyson
- Terry Weeks
- Tony Grant
- Jawan Jackson
- Melvin Franklin
- Eddie Kendricks
- Paul Williams
- Elbridge Bryant
- David Ruffin
- Dennis Edwards
- Ricky Owens
- Richard Street
- Damon Harris
- Glenn Leonard
- Louis Price
- Ali-Ollie Woodson
- Theo Peoples
- Harry McGilberry
- Barrington "Bo" Henderson
- Ray Davis
- G. C. Cameron
- Joe Herndon
- Bruce Williamson
- Larry Braggs
- Willie Green
- Mario Corbino
- Meet the Temptations
- The Temptations Sing Smokey
- The Temptin' Temptations
- Gettin' Ready
- The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
- The Temptations Wish It Would Rain
- Cloud Nine
- Puzzle People
- Psychedelic Shack
- Sky's the Limit
- Solid Rock
- All Directions
- Masterpiece
- 1990
- A Song for You
- House Party
- Wings of Love
- The Temptations Do the Temptations
- Hear to Tempt You
- Bare Back
- Power
- The Temptations
- Reunion
- Surface Thrills
- Back to Basics
- Truly for You
- Touch Me
- To Be Continued...
- Together Again
- Special
- Milestone
- Phoenix Rising
- Ear-Resistible
- Awesome
- Legacy
- Still Here
- Temptations 60
- The Temptations in a Mellow Mood
- For Lovers Only
- Reflections
- Back to Front
- All the Time
- Temptations Live!
- Live at the Copa
- Live at London's Talk of the Town
- The Temptations in Japan
- Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations
- TCB
- The Temptations Show
- Together
- On Broadway
- The Temptations Christmas Card
- Give Love at Christmas
- Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968)
- Greatest Hits
- Greatest Hits II
- Anthology
- Emperors of Soul
- The Ultimate Collection
- My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations
- Psychedelic Soul
(US/UK Top 10)
- "My Girl"
- "Get Ready"
- "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"
- "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"
- "(I Know) I'm Losing You"
- "All I Need"
- "You're My Everything"
- "I Wish It Would Rain"
- "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)"
- "Cloud Nine"
- "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
- "Run Away Child, Running Wild"
- "I Can't Get Next to You"
- "Psychedelic Shack"
- "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"
- "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)"
- "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
- "Masterpiece"
- "Let Your Hair Down"
- "Happy People"
- "Shakey Ground"
- "Treat Her Like a Lady"
- "The Motown Song"
- "My Girl" (reissue)
- Band members
- The Temptations (miniseries)
- Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations
- Discography
- The Supremes
- The Undisputed Truth
- Smokey Robinson
- Norman Whitfield
- Barrett Strong
- Sly Stone
- George Clinton
- Category