1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die #159. The Temptations - Cloud Nine (1969)

159. The Temptations - Cloud Nine (1969)

Label – Motown
Producer – Norman Whitfield
Art Direction – Ken Kim
Nationality – USA
Running Time – 34:41

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Cloud 9
2. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
3. Runaway Child Running Wild
4. Love Is A Hurtin' Thing
5. Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)
6. Why Did She Have To Leave Me (Why Did She Have To Go)
7. I Need Your Lovin'
8. Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me
9. I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back)
10. Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love

I admit, never been much of a Temptations fan, and other then the ‘classic’ tracks by them I am not familiar with any other of their recorded output. This record couldn’t be more different than the last several records reviewed. (Led Zeppelin, MC5).
I went in expecting to hear a great soul record, but turns out, this is the record that they decided to change up their sound, and entered what is reffered to as their “psychedelic soul" period.
I was not blown away by this record, but I didn’t despise it either. It lays somewhere in between. What’s good is REALLY good (Hey Girl) and what’s bad is REALLY bad (Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing).
You can tell right from the start of the title track, complete with a funky soul and it’s psychedelic frenzy this was going to be very different than what I had expected. I can only imagine it did the same to their fans back in 1969 when the record was first released.
There is a nine minute track (Run Away Child, Running Wild) that while has a nice groove, went on way too long.
Not surprisingly, the best tracks – the already mentioned “Hey Girl” along with “ I Need Your Lovin’” – are in the classic ‘business as usual’ Temptations style. It these wildly different styles of music that make this an uneven effort and the record has an odd flow about it.
It was well received, and the album went to number four on the Billboard Pop Albums Chart and the group received their first Grammy Award in 1969. "Cloud Nine" was a number six hit on the US pop singles chart, and a number two hit on the US R&B singles chart, and won Motown Records its first Grammy Award, for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental. The album's second single, and edited version of "Run Away Child, Running Wild", was a number-one hit on the US R&B singles chart, and a number six hit on the US pop chart.

It is recommended, with caution.