If you're going to call a song - not to mention a whole album - Masterpiece, then you better be pretty sure of yourself. If you're the Temptations though, at the height of your Motown fame, you can probably get away with it.
This was not intended to be the Temptations' masterpiece though, but that of writer/produce/Motown legend Norman Whitfield. This 14 minute track actually only includes 3 minutes of the Temptations, the rest belongs to Whitfield and Motown session musicians The Funk Brothers. If you're familiar with the extended version of Papa Was A Rolling Stone (which preceded this), you'll know what to expect. Me, I could listen to these guys play all day - 14 minutes goes by in a flash.
Cracking, cracking selection Rol - magnificent. Love this period of The Temps.
ReplyDeleteWhitfield was a genius..
ReplyDeleteGreat tune.
ReplyDeleteWonderful choice Rol. The title 'Masterpiece' is lacking in humility though
ReplyDeleteAgreed - although humility doesn't often go hand in hand with rock 'n' roll.
DeleteI said "amen, brother" a few times reading your post, but this is the truest moment: "I could listen to these guys play all day..."
ReplyDelete