Bargain Audio CDs & Priceless Collection (series)

Song For You

by The Temptations

Product Description:

The Temptations: Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris, Richard Street (vocals).

Additional personnel: Eddie Hazel, Melvin "Wah Wah" Hagin (guitar); Donald Baldwin (clarinet, saxophone, piano, clavinet, Moog); William Nelson (bass); Ollie E. Brown, Zachary Frazier, James Gadson (drums).

Producers: Jeffrey Bowen, James Carmichael, Suzee Ikeda, Terry Woodford, Clayton Ivey.

Engineers include: Russ Terrana, Art Stewart, Fred Ross.

Recorded at Motown Recording Studio, Hollywood, California.

Originally released on Gordy #969 in January 1975.

Digitally remastered by Jeff Willens at PolyGram Studios.

Although 1975's A SONG FOR YOU was the last truly great Temptations album, it's a killer, and it should come as a revelation to anyone who thinks the band didn't do anything worthwhile after Dennis Edwards took over lead vocals following the departures of David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks. Edwards's gruffer voice does take a bit of getting used to for those accustomed to Ruffin and Kendricks's smooth sounds, but he's a fiery, impassioned lead singer. His delivery of the Leon Russell-written title track shreds not only the better-known Carpenters version, but also the Donny Hathaway rendition that many feel is definitive. The other highlight is the scorching "Shakey Ground," a cataclysmic funk powerhouse co-written by Funkadelic guitar legend Eddie Hazel, who delivers some searing solos on the track. Longtime Temptations fans consider this one of the group's finest albums, up there with CLOUD NINE and IN A MELLOW MOOD.