''The Temptations Wish It Would Rain'' is a

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

the Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

, released in 1968 via

Gordy Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

. It was the final release from the group's "Classic-5" era, during which

David Ruffin David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...

Eddie Kendricks Edward James Kendrick (December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992), better known as Eddie Kendricks, was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temptatio ...

, Paul Williams,

Melvin Franklin David Melvin English (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, or his nickname "Blue", was an American bass singer. Franklin was best known for his role as a founding member of Motown singing g ...

, and

Otis Williams Otis Williams (born Otis Miles Jr.; October 30, 1941) is an American baritone singer.Ribowsky, Mark (2010). ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Endearing Soul of the Temptations''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 7–9 He is o ...

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 William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive director. He was the founder and front man of the Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he was also chief ...

Overview

Included on ''Wish It Would Rain'' are the hit singles "

I Wish It Would Rain "I Wish It Would Rain" is a 1967 song recorded by the Temptations for the Motown label (under the "Gordy" imprint) and produced by Norman Whitfield. Release Issued with the Melvin Franklin-led "I Truly, Truly Believe" as its B-side, "I Wish ...

" and "

I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" is a single recorded by the Temptations and released on Motown Records' Gordy label during the spring of 1968. The song is the last with lyrics by Rodger Penzabene, and as the final Temptations sin ...

", both featuring Ruffin on lead vocals and co-written by Motown writer

Rodger Penzabene Rodger Penzabene (1945 – December 31, 1967) was an American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most notable compositions as a lyricist are " Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me" by Gladys Knight & the Pips; " The End of Our Road" by G ...

, who committed suicide on

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

1967 because of the breakup described in these two songs. "I Wish It Would Rain's"

b-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

, "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 "Please Return Your Love to Me" is a 1968 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. Produced by Norman Whitfield, who co-wrote the song with Barrett Strong and Barbara Neely, it is the last single to feature David Ruffin in the li ...

", 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 Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

that month (instead going to visit his then-girlfriend Gail Martin, daughter of

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

, 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 Dennis Edwards Jr. (February 3, 1943 – February 1, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a serie ...

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 The Village of Valley Forge is an unincorporated settlement located on the west side of Valley Forge National Historical Park at the confluence of Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania. The remaining village is in Schuylkill Tow ...

, 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 ''Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations'' is, as the title implies, a collaborative album combining Motown's two best selling groups, Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. Issued by Motown in late 1968 to coincide with the broa ...

''. Starting with the group's next solo studio album, also titled '' Cloud Nine'', producer

Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s.allmusic Biography/ref> He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motow ...

began edging the group towards a

Sly & the Family Stone Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, it was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Its core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-i ...

-esque sound (dubbed "

psychedelic soul Psychedelic soul (originally called black rock or conflated with psychedelic funk) is a music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and saw Black soul musicians embrace elements of psychedelic rock, including its production techniques, instrumenta ...

"), using Edwards' gruffer voice as the centerpiece for several psychedelic-based hit singles and albums.

Track listing

Unreleased track

*"I Know She's Not a Mannequin" (

Johnny Bristol John William Bristol (February 3, 1939 – March 21, 2004) was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a native of Morganton, North Carolina, about which ...

, Shena Dermell,

Harvey Fuqua Harvey Fuqua (July 27, 1929 – July 6, 2010) was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive. Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s. He is notable as one of th ...

) – 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 *

- vocals (tenor/falsetto) *

- vocals (tenor/falsetto) * Paul Williams - vocals (tenor/baritone) *

- vocals (bass) *

- vocals (tenor/baritone) with: *

The Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

- instrumentation

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Temptations Wish It Would Rain The Temptations albums 1968 albums Gordy Records albums Albums produced by Norman Whitfield Albums produced by Smokey Robinson Albums produced by Henry Cosby Albums produced by Johnny Bristol Albums produced by Harvey Fuqua Albums produced by Deke Richards Albums recorded at Hitsville U.S.A.