Search - Temptations :: "The Temptations - Greatest Hits, Vol. 2"

Pretty good Collection, if somewhat lacking.

Dylan | Portland, OR USA | 02/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Greatest Hits Vol. II is just that. This is where the first release of "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today)" was issued in Stereo. These definitely are good songs, however they aren't really in "chronological" order, but that's not really worth complaining about. It's a good collection, but if you want a better one, invest in something like "Emperors of Soul" or "Anthology: The Best of the Temptations" instead. Those both have most / all of the songs that are on Greatest Hits II and more, but some are Mono mixes. If you need to have EVERY one of the songs on this collection in stereo, or if you need to complete your Temptations CD collection, then go ahead and buy this, but otherwise, it might be wiser to invest in one of the much better Temptations compilations that are available. It gets 5 stars for being full of good songs, but if I were to rate it as a collection of songs, I would probably give it 3 (because of the fact that there are better ones out there)."

A Second Heaping Scoop O' Hits

D.V. Lindner | King George, VA, USA | 09/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In September 1970, in a burst of generosity surpassing any that had gone before, my mother bought me the finest stereo I'd ever owned, a console with 12 inch woofers - all MINE, and I was only 16. Bought at the same time, I believe "Temptations Greatest Hits Vol. 2" was the first album I ever played on it, and that was a fine way to christen new audio equipment. (In fact, both things were both bought on the same day at the same place, but I had to wait for the stereo to be delivered, you know?)This LP picked up exactly where the first "Greatest Hits" left off. Vol. 1 had carried all the singles from January 1964 (their big breakthrough - "The Way You Do The Things You Do") through August 1966 ("Beauty Is Only Skin Deep," Norman Whitfield's second smash in a row after "Ain't Too Proud To Beg"). Right after "Beauty," came "I Know I'm Losing You" in November of '66, and that's where this album begins. Whereas the first "Greatest Hits" was predominately the Smokey Robinson years of production, this one was ALL Norman Whitfield now.Every significant single from "Losing You" through May 1970's "Ball Of Confusion" was recounted here with one major omission: April 1967's "All I Need." Strange, because it had reached #8 on the pop chart, outdoing "I Could Never Love Another" (#13) and especially "Please Return Your Love Me" (#26). But it's more to be missed because THIS "Greatest Hits" also chronicled David Ruffin's last appearances singing lead on Temptations singles. "I Could Never Love Another" was his very last, followed by the Kendricks-led "Please Return..." and by autumn of 1968, Dennis Edwards was in Ruffin's place and "Cloud Nine" had landed - the arrival of the politically conscious and sometimes angry Temptations. Still, Ruffin is represented well with "I'm Losing You" and "I Wish It Would Rain" and his co-lead with Eddie Kendricks on "You're My Everything." This was a solid package and time has made no more noticeable in-roads to damage it than it has to Volume One. The NEXT "Greatest Hits" on the group would by the 3-LP, 1973 "Anthology" (immortalized in its appearance in the film "The Big Chill"), and would carry all the songs of these first two "Greatest Hits," as well as all subsequent singles up to "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone."However, this is an instance where shrinking down original LP artwork to CD-size shows how it can hurt. The cover took a little humorous fun with the songs titles: the Morton Salt girl and her umbrella for "I Wish It Would Rain," a porcupine for "I Can't Get Next To You," and so forth. Surely they lose something being taken down from 12x12 to a barely perceptible 5x5. Finally, for the exacting - this was originally Gordy LP No. 954, spent 70 weeks on the Pop LP chart and peaked at No. 15. I don't have R&B album numbers, but my bet says it went to No. 1."