Motown Legends: Cloud Nine

Track Listings

1. I Wish It Would Rain

2. Cloud Nine

3. Don't Send Me Away

4. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby

5. Now That You've Won Me [*]

6. Don't Look Back

7. Baby, Baby I Need You

8. You're the One I Need

9. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

10. Not Now (I'll Tell You Later) [*]

11. Check Yourself [*]

Motown Legends: Cloud Nine,The Temptations,Motown Legends,Motown,Pop,R&B,Soul

Tracks:

I Wish It Would Rain
Cloud Nine
Don't Send Me Away
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
Now That You've Won Me
Don't Look Back
Baby, Baby I Need You
You're The One I Need
The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)
Not Now, I'll Tell You Later
Check Yourself

Customer Reviews:

A heady soul-psych-funk gumbo!.......2007-07-27

Released in 1969, Cloud Nine was intended to update the Temptations' sound, augmenting their smooth soul harmonies with elements of funk, rock, and even psychedelia. This new direction incorporated effects-heavy guitars, pounding rhythms, rawer vocals, and gritty, socially concious lyrics. However, in order not to alienate the Tempts' original fans (okay, I'm not actually sure that that's the reason), only the first half of the album features this sound. Side two features the group's standard brand of harmony-heavy soul. The result is a very good record, with several fantastic moments.

As you can probably imagine, the first side gets most of the attention. It consists of only three tracks: The title track is a tight, funky groover with a surging bassline and soaked in wah-wah guitars.The group's vocals rough and authoritative, a far cry from the sugary crooning that marked their previous singles. Next up is an innovative take on the classic "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" which strips the song down to nothing but churning rhythms and forceful vocals. Finally, there's the epic "Runaway Child, Running Wild." Probably the best song on the album, this is a tight, heavy slab of deep, throbbing funk. The music is a dense and apocalyptic web of snakey fuzz guitars, stomping rhythms, and cruel vocals. The result is a taut, harrowing masterpiece.

Side two isn't discussed as often, and for good reason- it isn't nearly as good as the first half. The songs are standard-issue harmonized soul. They're not bad by any means- and in the case of "I Gotta Find A Way" and "Hey Girl," they're actually quite good- but the songs are pretty generic and unexciting when compared to Temptations classics such as "My Girl" and "Get Ready," or to the music on the first half of this album.

So, pick this up for the fantastic first half, and the decent second half. And as always, enjoy!

"The beginning of the Temptations and Norman Whitfield's psychedelic stage".......2007-02-03

In Febuary of 1969 the Temptations released Cloud Nine and many people thought what happened to the old Tempts. Well after seeing Sly Stone & the Family Stone having so much success Norman Whitfield in his third album at the helm of the producers chair fo the Tempts decided it was time for change. The first half on the original vinyl version consist of only 3 song which basically carries the whole album. The title track is one of the funkiest songs ever laid to wax with it's wah-wah guitars and the Tempts voices flowing through the sons, but the best song here is the 9 plus minute version of "Runaway Child Running Wild". The song will by far blow you away with new lead singer Dennis Edwards dynamic vocal performance. The rythm arrangement of this song is brilliant and Funk Brothers really get down and dirty on this one. Definitely the funkiest song of the 60's. Side two on the original vinyl is back to business as usual with the Tempts apparently not ready to completly give total control to Whitfields newly refined production style. Overall great album for the first 3 songs on the album which also consist of putting a different twist on a cover version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" which was also done by Gladys Knight & the Pips and Marvin Gaye respectively. Although the second side is mostly ballads there's still stong vocal performances by Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams, with most of the leads going to Dennis. A must have for soul music lovers and Temptations fans alike.

Cloud Nine.......2006-08-10

Whether or not you are a Temptations fan, you will definitely enjoy this album. Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks are exceptional. Listening to "I Need Your Loving" will make you remember why you began a relationship with that special someone. I thought the Temps would be a lesser group without David Ruffin, but this album/CD proved me wrong. You will thoroughly enjoy it!

"Temptations Standing on the Top of Cloud Nine!!".......2001-08-10

I am definitely a Temptations fan and this CD is truly awesome. Eddie Kendricks with the sweetness of that beautiful voice singing, "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" was totally awesome. Paul Williams singing on lead with that sexy baritone voice of his was just scrumptious. An extended version of "Runaway Child, Running Wild" was truly captivating. A music CD that I'd certainly recommend to anyone, Temptations fan or not (but I hope that you are). Cloud Nine, Temptations standing on the top singing it the way they do best.

A great experiment that paid off.......2000-10-01

When this album was originally released in early '69, it was a gamble. Could the Temptations, known as smooth melodic crooners of love songs, successfully reinvent themselves as contemporaries of Sly and the Family Stone, Jimi Hendrix, Funkadelic, and the Chambers Brothers, with their psychedelic rock and soul sounds? The answer was YES. CLOUD NINE, this masterpiece by produced by Norman Whitfield, the most soulful producer to ever come out of Motown, is one of my favorite CDs by the Temptations. The grittiness of "Cloud Nine", the title song and the album opener (and the first single from the album, released in late 1968) demands that you pay attention to what the Tempts are saying. Songwriter Barrett Strong's words come to life as newest Temptation Dennis Edwards tells the story of growing up poor in the inner city...and the debate about this song continues to this day. Was the song about getting high, or just changing your way of thinking? A funky rendition of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" takes Gladys Knight and the Pips' version, strips it down to the rhythm track, and emphasizes the Tempts' harmonies above everything else. I LOVE the scatting on this track!! The nine minute and thirty-eight second version of "Runaway Child, Running Wild" is worth the price of the CD alone. Simply relentless, with the sound of a child crying for his mother. What was really great about this CD was the use of multiple vocalists singing different parts at the same time on each song. Prior to this CD, you'd basically have David Ruffin, or sometimes Eddie Kendricks singing the lead and the rest of the guys singing "Oooh, waaa" or "Oh baby" in the background. However on these three cuts on CLOUD NINE you might hear Dennis, then Eddie, then Paul, the Melvin, then Otis...all on the same song! I just love it.

The second part of the CD, to me, seemed to let Temptations' fans know that they could still sing the love ballads in the way that made them famous, even though David Ruffin was no longer in the group by then. There are some very nice remakes on it ("Love Is A Hurtin' Thing", "Hey Girl") plus some beautiful original tunes ("I Need Your Lovin'" with Eddie Kendricks on lead vocals, "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", a Paul Williams standout lead, "Why Did She Have To Leave Me" and others). A daring bit of work that forever changed Motown, and a definite part of their history, since "Cloud Nine" was the very first Motown tune ever to win a Grammy. Get it, and you too will be on CLOUD NINE!

R&B Music:

R&B Music

r&b music

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