The Ultimate Collection

by

The Temptations

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This is not quite the ultimate Temptations collection, but it comes close. You could never fit all their great songs on one CD anyway, but the compilers were clearly determined to include some of their later recordings - the last three tracks on this CD. Angel doll, though recorded in 1967, was not one of their big hits - indeed, it was not even released at the time. The inclusion of these four tracks at the expense of real classics, including Beauty is only skin deep, devalues the title somewhat.

Despite the omissions, this is the best single-CD collection of Temptations music currently available and contains many familiar songs. It begins with The way you do the things you do. A big hit in America, it did not chart in Britain. I first came across the song via an excellent cover by Rita Coolidge, but the original version is impressive. Other classic sons here include My girl, Get ready, Ain't too proud to beg, I wish it would rain, Cloud nine, I can't get next to you, Ball of confusion, Just my imagination and Papa was a rolling stone.

Anybody seriously interested in sixties music in general and Motown in particular will enjoy the Temptations. Unless you want to go for a double-CD or a boxed set, this is the CD to choose.

Stop trying to pull the wool over our eyes! In this day of slick marketing and advertising gimmicks you can pretty much call any product anything you want to and make just about any claim you care to. Unfortunately such is the case with "The Ultimate Collection". For any true Temptations fan will tell you that this disc is certainly not reflective of its title and simply does not cut the mustard. Issued in 1997, "Ultimate Collection" is merely another in a string of largely inadequate offerings that purport to be the definitive Temptations Greatest Hits.

"Ultimate Collection" is not a terrible disc. It does offer tunes from all of the many phases of the Temptations dynamic career. The remastering job is just fine and I would rate the 12 page booklet acceptable but nothing more. The problem here is that there are 8 or 9 pretty important titles missing including 1966's "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" and the highly successful 1968 collaboration with Diana Ross and the Supremes "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". Some of these tunes should have been included on "Ultimate Collection" in place of filler like "Don't Look Back" and "Error Of Our Ways". For casual fans, "Ultimate Collection" might be an acceptable choice. But collectors and hard core Temptations fans should demand better. Hopefully, Universal will release a 2 disc set in the near future similar to the Four Tops "50th Anniversary" set. Such an offering is long overdue. In the meantime, I'll make due with what I already have.