The Temptations were one of the defining acts of Motown in the mid-60’s, bringing their impeccable harmonies that sounded like smooth silk alongside a soulful big band flair to deliver some of soul music’s most iconic hits over the decade and defining the entire genre in the process. Their 1965 album The Temptations Sing Smokey was the band’s second studio album on the Motown label and recorded with their “Classic Five” lineup featuring David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams. It’s the lineup that was the best known iteration of a group which has included over 25 members of the years (most of those joining the group in the 90’s and later after the original members began to get older) and features their iconic hit “My Girl” which will forever remain one of the greatest love songs of all-time. There are a bevy of other standouts on this album (“It’s Growing” being a great piece of storytelling and vocal performances) but none of them quite match the sheer star power that “My Girl” brings to the table. Which is probably an impossible task to complete anyway considering how perfect that song is.
Standout Songs: “My Girl”, “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, “It’s Growing”
