''The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul'' is the fifth studio album by

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 ...

for the Gordy ( Motown) label released in 1967. Featuring four hit singles, ''With a Lot o' Soul'' is the most successful Temptations album from their "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 Temptation ...

, 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 ...

, 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.

Overview

The four singles from the album, all Top 20 pop/ Top 10 R&B hits, were "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "All I Need", "You're My Everything", and "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need". three of these four songs also reached the Billboard Pop Top 10 as well.

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 Mo ...

produced most of the tracks here, supporting the Temptations' vocals with a hard-edged

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

sound with elements of the music of James Brown. "

(I Know) I'm Losing You "(I Know) I'm Losing You" is a 1966 hit single recorded by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label, written by Cornelius Grant, Eddie Holland and Norman Whitfield, and produced by Norman Whitfield. The group performed the song live on ...

", already a nine-month-old hit by the time ''With a Lot o' Soul'' was released, opens the album. The rest of the album expands upon the template established by Norman Whitfield with "I'm Losing You". Whitfield and the other ''With a Lot o' Soul'' producers, including Ivy Jo Hunter, Smokey Robinson, and, on " All I Need" (in which Ruffin portrays a man who admits to his lover he has been unfaithful and begs her forgiveness), Whitfield's protégé Frank Wilson, supply the group a more modern sound than was present on previous or contemporary Motown releases. Most of the tracks on side A of the album feature

brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...

-heavy, dramatic backing tracks with more prominent uses of

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...

lines (Whitfield's "(I Know) I'm Losing You" and Ivy Jo Hunter's "Sorry is a Sorry Word" from side B) and shifts in dynamics (Whitfield's "Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone", the single "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need", and the Eddie Kendricks-led "Save My Love for a Rainy Day"). Paul Williams delivers a dramatic performance on the Smokey Robinson-produced "No More Water in the Well",(written by Robinson and fellow Miracles

Warren "Pete" Moore Warren Thomas "Pete" Moore (November 19, 1938 – November 19, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and record producer, notable as the bass singer for Motown group the Miracles from 1955 onwards, and was one of the group's original members. H ...

and

Bobby Rogers Robert Edward Rogers (February 19, 1940 – March 3, 2013) was an American musician and tenor singer, best known as a member of Motown vocal group the Miracles from 1956 until his death. He was inducted, in 2012, as a member of the Miracles to t ...

, an uptempo number regularly identified as one of his standout performances. Williams and the other Temptations constantly complained about Williams' not being able to sing lead on more album tracks, and on singles as well, but Motown paid their complaints no heed, and continued to rely on David Ruffin's (and occasionally Eddie Kendricks') leads for each single. Side B begins with "Just One Last Look", written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, Motown's main songwriting and production team. The Temptations were one of the few major Motown acts never to release a single produced by the trio, because of Whitfield's (and previously, Robinson's) tight hold on the group.

Brian Holland Brian Holland (born February 15, 1941) is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound, and numerous h ...

and

Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He co-wrote and produced 14 US ''Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Doz ...

had to in fact fight for the chance to produce "Just One Last Look" for the Temptations, and Whitfield successfully blocked its release as a single. "Just One Last Look" remains the only H-D-H produced track to appear on any Temptations studio album. While David Ruffin takes most of the leads on the album and its singles, he shares the spotlight with Eddie Kendricks on the Norman Whitfield/

Cornelius Grant Cornelius Grant (born April 27, 1943) is an American guitarist, composer, and band leader. He served as the musical director, guitar player, and live show arranger for Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1964 until 1982. Early life Grant was ...

/ Roger Penzabene love ballad "You're My Everything". Penzabene wrote "You're My Everything" specifically with Kendricks in mind to sing it (Ruffin only sings lead during the bridge), and visualized the singer performing it to a "special girl" Kendricks would pick out of the audience (''"You're the girl I sing about/in every love song I sing/You're my everything, girl."''). ''With a Lot o' Soul'' concludes with three more ballads: Smokey Robinson's "Now That You've Won Me" (led by Ruffin), Norman Whitfield's "Two Sides to Love" (led by Kendricks), and Robinson's "Don't Send Me Away" (a rare lead showcase for stalwart Temptation Otis Williams).

Track listing

All lead vocals by

except where noted

Side one

" (

, Edward Holland, Jr.,

) 2:26 #"Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone" (Grant, Sylvia Moy, Whitfield) 2:59 #" All I Need" ( Frank Wilson, E. Holland, R. Dean Taylor) 3:07 #" (Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" (E. Holland, Whitfield) (lead singer: David Ruffin; last verse vocals:

, Paul Williams,

) 2:35 #"No More Water in the Well" ( Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson,

) (lead singer: Paul Williams) 2:59 #"Save My Love for a Rainy Day" ( Roger Penzabene, Whitfield) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) 2:56

Side two

#" Just One Last Look" (

Holland–Dozier–Holland Holland–Dozier–Holland was a songwriting and production team consisting of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland. The trio wrote, arranged and produced many songs that helped define the Motown sound in the 1960s. Du ...

) 2:43 #"Sorry is a Sorry Word" (E. Holland, Ivy Jo Hunter) 2:27 #" You're My Everything" (Grant, Penzabene, Whitfield) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks; bridge vocals: David Ruffin) 2:57 #"Now That You've Won Me" (Robinson) 3:09 #"Two Sides to Love" (Moy, Whitfield) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) 2:46 #"Don't Send Me Away" (

, Robinson) (lead singers: Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin) 2:56

Known outtakes

The following outtakes were included on the Temptations box set '' Emperors of Soul'' in 1994. *"I Got Heaven Right Here on Earth" (Kendricks, E. Holland, Whitfield) **Produced by Norman Whitfield, led by David Ruffin *"I'm Doing It All" (Robinson, Grant) **Produced by Smokey Robinson, led by Eddie Kendricks *"Angel Doll" ( Stevie Wonder,

Clarence Paul Clarence Otto Pauling (March 19, 1928 – May 6, 1995) better known and published as Clarence Paul, was an American songwriter, record producer and singer who was best known for his career with Detroit's Motown Records. Early life and career Bo ...

, Morris Broadnax) **Produced by Clarence Paul, led by David Ruffin The following outtakes were included on the Temptations CD set '' Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968)'' in 1999. *"What Am I Gonna Do Without You" (Hunter, Wonder) **Produced by Ivy Jo Hunter, led by David Ruffin *"Love Is What You Make It" (Robinson) **Produced by Smokey Robinson, led by David Ruffin *"No Time" (Robinson, Moore) **Produced by Smokey Robinson, led by Eddie Kendricks *"Last One Out Is Brokenhearted" (

William "Mickey" Stevenson William "Mickey" Stevenson (born January 4, 1937) is an American former songwriter and record producer for the Motown group of labels from the early days of Berry Gordy's company until 1967. Life and career He was born William Stevenson and, a ...

, Hunter) **Produced by Ivy Jo Hunter, led by Paul Williams *" I Can't Think of a Thing At All" (Robinson) **Produced by Smokey Robinson, led by Paul Williams *"Forever in My Heart" (Robinson, Rogers) **Produced by Smokey Robinson, led by Paul Williams *"I Now See You Clear Through My Eyes" (Robinson) **Produced by Smokey Robinson, led by Paul Williams *"Camouflage" ersion 2( Berry Gordy, Jr.) **Produced by Berry Gordy, Jr., led by Eddie Kendricks & David Ruffin *"We'll Be Satisfied" (F. Wilson, Marc Gordon) **Produced by Frank Wilson, led by David Ruffin, Paul Williams & Eddie Kendricks *"Only A Lonely Man Would Know" (Hunter, Beatrice Verdi) **Produced by Ivy Jo Hunter, led by David Ruffin

Personnel

;The Temptations *

– vocals (

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...

) *

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

– vocals ( bass) *

– vocals (tenor/baritone) with: *

The Andantes The Andantes were an American female session group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Ma ...

– additional backing vocals on "All I Need" *

– guitar on "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "All I Need" and "You're My Everything" *

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: ** Earl Van Dyke – keyboards on "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "All I Need" and "Sorry is a Sorry Word" **

James Jamerson James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases ...

– bass on "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "All I Need" and "Sorry is a Sorry Word" ** Uriel Jones – drums on "(I Know) I'm Losing You" and "All I Need" **

Benny Benjamin William "Benny" Benjamin (July 25, 1925 – April 20, 1969), nicknamed Papa Zita, was an American musician, most notable as the primary drummer for the Motown Records studio band The Funk Brothers. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of ...

– drums on "Sorry is a Sorry Word" **

Eddie "Bongo" Brown Eddie "Bongo" Brown (September 13, 1932 – December 28, 1984) was an American musician born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Brown played congas, bongos, the gourd and claves for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brot ...

– percussion on "(I Know) I'm Losing You" **

Bobbye Hall Bobbye Jean Hall is an American percussionist who has recorded with a variety of rock, soul, blues and jazz artists, and has appeared on 20 songs that reached the top ten in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Early career, work for Motown and move to ...

– percussion on "Sorry is a Sorry Word" "...such as Bobbye Hall whose insistent bongos can be heard..." **

Jack Ashford Jack Ashford (born May 18, 1934), known to his friends as Jashford, is an American musician widely known as the percussionist for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. Ashford is most famous for playing th ...

– tambourine on "(I Know) I'm Losing You" and "Sorry is a Sorry Word", percussion on "All I Need" ** Robert White – guitar on "Sorry is a Sorry Word" ** Joe Messina – guitar on "Sorry is a Sorry Word" **

Eddie Willis Eddie "Chank" Willis (June 3, 1936 – August 20, 2018) was an American soul musician. Willis played electric guitar and occasional electric sitar for Motown's in-house studio band, The Funk Brothers, during the 1960s and early 1970s. Career B ...

– guitar on "Sorry is a Sorry Word" Production *

– "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone", "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need", "Save My Love for a Rainy Day", "You're My Everything" and "Two Sides to Love", Executive Producer * Smokey Robinson – "No More Water in the Well", "Now That You've Won Me" and "Don't Send Me Away" * Frank Wilson – "All I Need" *

and

– "Just One Last Look" * Ivy Jo Hunter – "Sorry is a Sorry Word"

Charts

Weekly charts

Singles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Temptations With A Lot O' Soul, The 1967 albums The Temptations albums Gordy Records albums Albums produced by Norman Whitfield Albums produced by Smokey Robinson Albums produced by Frank Wilson (musician) Albums produced by Ivy Jo Hunter Albums produced by Brian Holland Albums produced by Lamont Dozier Albums recorded at Hitsville U.S.A.