Gordy 911 – released March 20, 1964
—peak: #95 Pop

The group’s first album is a hodgepodge of near-miss singles and one big hit—Smokey’s "The Way You Do the Things You Do." Paul and Eddie split the leads, and all but one of the recordings (the aforementioned one) featured Elbridge Bryant, who was replaced by David in time for the big hits.

The Way You Do the Things You Do

Just Let Me Know

I Want a Love I Can See

Your Wonderful Love

Dream Come True

The Further You Look, the Less You See

Paradise

Check Yourself

May I Have This Dance

Slow Down Heart

Isn't She Pretty

Farewell, My Love

The Temptations Sing Smokey

Gordy 912 – released March 22, 1965
—peak: #1 R&B, #35 Pop

"The Way You Do the Things You Do" makes a return appearance here, but "My Girl," David Ruffin’s first lead and the group’s first number-one song, highlights this collection of Smokey-penned tunes. The Tempts cover the Miracles on "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," "What’s So Good About Good-Bye," "Way Over There," and "(You Can) Depend on Me," and Mary Wells on "You Beat Me to the Punch." But David’s renditions of "My Girl," "Who's Lovin' You,"and "It’s Growing" dominate the album. Paul and Eddie share a lead on the tender "Baby, Baby I Need You."

The Way You Do the Things You Do

Who's Lovin' You

Baby, Baby I Need You

What's So Good About Good-Bye

My Girl

You Beat Me to the Punch

What Love Has Joined Together

Way Over There

You'll Lose a Precious Love

You've Really Got a Hold on Me

It's Growing

(You Can) Depend on Me

Gordy 914 – released November 1, 1965
—peak: #1 R&B, #11 Pop

The follow-up includes more Smokey/Miracles-written hits, including "Since I Lost My Baby," "My Baby," "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)," and "I’ll Be in Trouble." Paul gets a sleeper favorite in "Don’t Look Back," his last single lead. And before "You’re My Everything" two years later, "Born to Love You" was the first shared lead by Eddie and David.

Since I Lost My Baby

Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)

The Girl's Alright with Me

Don't Look Back

Just Another Lonely Night

I Gotta Know Now

My Baby

Born to Love You

You've Got to Earn It

I'll Be in Trouble

Everybody Needs Love

You're the One I Need

Gettin’ Ready

Gordy 918 – released June 15, 1966
—peak: #1 R&B, #12 Pop

Though Smokey produced this album, the Tempts’ transition towards Norman Whitfield’s productions—as well as the shift towards Ruffin-led singles--was beginning, with his "Ain’t Too Proud to Beg" ranking higher than Smokey’s "Get Ready" on the charts. The mandatory Paul Williams tunes here are "Who You Gonna Run To" and "Lonely Lonely Man Am I." And the Tempts recorded Whitfield’s "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" three years before it became one of Marvin Gaye’s biggest songs.

Say You

I've Been Good to You

Little Miss Sweetness

It's a Lonely World without Your Love

Ain't Too Proud to Beg

Fading Away

Get Ready

Who You Gonna Run To

Lonely, Lonely Man Am I

You're Not an Ordinary Girl

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby

Not Now, I'll Tell You Later

Gordy 922 – released July 17, 1967
—peak: #1 R&B, #7 Pop

Norman put together an album starring two of Motown’s biggest (non-Supremes) weapons: the Temptations and the combined talents of the Hitsville writing/producing stable. About two dozen tracks were cut, though the final roster was clearly the best of the bunch. Three of the four singles were top-10 hits, with "(I Know) I’m Losing You" the big number one.

(I Know) I'm Losing You

Just One Last Look

Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone

Sorry is a Sorry Word

All I Need

You're My Everything

(Loneliness Made Me Realize)
It's You That I Need

Now That You've Won Me

No More Water in the Well

Two Sides to Love

Save My Love for a Rainy Day

Don't Send Me Away

The Temptations in a Mellow Mood

Gordy 924 – released November 27, 1967
—peak: #1 R&B, #13 Pop

A crossover album of popular standards and Broadway show tunes, Berry Gordy and the Motown marketing machine used it to help put the group in top supper clubs, such as New York’s Copacabana. "For Once in My Life"--Paul’s signature song (though Stevie Wonder turned it into a hit the following year)--is featured here.

Hello Young Lovers

Try to Remember

A Taste of Honey

Who Can I Turn To
(When Nobody Needs Me)

For Once in My Life

What Now My Love

Somewhere

That's Life

Ol' Man River

With These Hands

I'm Ready for Love

The Impossible Dream

Gordy 927 – released April 29, 1968
—peak: #1 R&B, #13 Pop

Had David Ruffin had his way, the group could have been known as David Ruffin and the Temptations by this point. Nevertheless, his last album with the Tempts displayed him in great form, knocking the wood off of "I Wish it Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)." Eddie Kendricks gets a hit lead with "Please Return Your Love to Me," and Paul gets another great album cut, "Gonna Give Her All the Love I Got." Even Melvin Franklin gets to sing up front, on "I Truly, Truly Believe."

I Could Never Love Another
(After Loving You)

Why Did You Leave Me Darling

Cindy

I Truly, Truly Believe

I Wish it Would Rain

This is My Beloved

Please Return Your Love to Me

Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got

Fan the Flame

I've Passed This Way Before

He Who Picks a Rose

No Man Can Love Her Like I Do

Cloud Nine

Gordy 939 – released February 17, 1969
—peak: #1 R&B, #4 Pop

The addition of Dennis Edwards (as Ruffin's replacement) and Barrett Strong (as Whitfield’s main writing collaborator) went hand-in-glove with the beginning of the group’s "psychedelic soul" and message song phase. The title song featured all five Temptations prominently and earned the group, and Motown, their first Grammy Award. The record version of "Runaway Child, Running Wild" clocks in at over nine and-a-half minutes, and is worth every second of it. Also on this album: the Tempts’ versions of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" and "Love is a Hurtin’ Thing," and Dennis shows a soft side in "Why Did She Have to Leave Me."

Cloud Nine

Why Did She Have to Leave Me
(Why Did She Have to Go)

I Heard it Through the Grapevine

I Need Your Lovin'

Runaway Child, Running Wild

Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me

Love is a Hurtin' Thing

I Gotta Find a Way (to Get You Back)

Hey Girl

Gonna Keep on Tryin' Till I Win Your Love

Gordy 949 – released September 23, 1969
—peak: #1 R&B, #5 Pop

A follow-up to Cloud Nine built on the power of another number-one song, "I Can’t Get Next to You," and "Don’t Let the Joneses Get You Down." Covered are the Beatles are in "Hey Jude," Marvin Gaye on "That’s the Way Love Is," and a former Motown act, the Isley Brothers, on "It’s Your Thing." Another track, "Message from a Black Man," became an unofficial Black Power anthem. And everybody could relate to "Slave"—but who could imagine the Temptations in prison stripes, as Eddie and Dennis sang?

I Can't Get Next to You

You Don't Love Me No More

Hey Jude

Since I've Lost You

Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down

Running Away (Ain't Gonna Help You)

Message From a Black Man

That's the Way Love Is

It's Your Thing

Slave

Little Green Apples