I recently purchased the Temptations: The Ultimate Collection, the CD is great, a wonderful collection of Temptations' hit songs, I would recommend this CD to all my friends and family. I play it in my car,
I have downloaded it to my Ipod. I've played it at work and my co-workers
enjoyed it as well.

I am enjoying this CD and have had it playing for a week. I am enjoying the sound quality. I like the selections, but am not happy to hear the "new" temptations songs, especially. The "a capella" classic song which closes the CD is to die for. I highly recommend this CD as it is one I relish having, and after looking over the complilations available, this former CKLW/Detroit/Windsor listener in the teen years feels like she's home.

Can't say enough for this cd; just love it - alot of great songs - just love My Girl!! Great to listen to while I do the treadmill thing each morning - love the replay button on my remote stereo system. Well worth the money and would recommend highly!

Ultimate Collection? Where is "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"? Their best tune and it is left off. How about cutting out the last 4 tracks as well.

Nothing like the Temps......no matter how many times they had different members. Their sound was unique and never will be duplicated. Today's music is just screaming with no heart.

This CD collection has so many memories of my high school years. I have enjoyed it very much. I never tire of listening to these tunes.

This album contains classic songs by the Temptations. My personal favorites are "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," which I sang as a sophmore in college with a friend and that experience inspired me to get this album. I also like "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and also "Get Ready," which I never knew the Temptations did until I bought this album. This is a great album and contains most of the songs you would want unless you are into unreleased songs and alternate takes on songs by the Temptations.

The CD was great - I know almost all the songs on it. The sound quality is excellent. And it arrived pretty promptly. Thank you!!

I was looking for a wide spread of TEMPTATION tunes. This CD covers from back in the day to the most recent. As much as I love this CD, I just have the feeling that this will not be my last TEMPTATIONS CD purchase. There are STILL some old TEMPTATIONS tunes out there that I have heard. However, I don't know the title so I can find them. I FINALLY found "LONELY", but not on THIS CD.

Man, all I can say is, "YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO OWN THIS CD!" The Temptations are the ultimate of the Motown Sound. The inside cover is very informative regarding the ups and downs of The Temptations. I love this CD and have played it over and over!

I dislike any title "Ultimate" because ultimate really is in the ear of the listener, but this CD had everything I wanted from the Temptations on it. It only lost one star because it's touchy working in my MacIntosh and the sound quality in general is not as good as I hoped for.

I'm only a passing fan of The Temps, but wanted at least a "Greatest Hits" CD in my collection so they would have some representation.

While (most) of the songs I know and like are on the disc, the sound quality is abysmal... unless you want to hear it like it was on that mono transister radio you had back in 1971. As far as I can tell, there was no remastering done whatsoever. A disappointment.

customers lose faith in vendors when they deliver defective merchandise. The CD would not perform in any player used. Vendors must earn a customer's trust by supplying reliable quality in the first place or standing up with ready replacements when they don't. This vendor did neither.

This CD is awesome! It contains most of their hit songs from back in the day! I recommend this CD to anyone who likes The Temptations.

The Temptations were Motown and this CD has their biggest hits and some that I had never heard before. Now I can say that I love everything the Temps did. The talent and voices are like majic. Otis Williams sure knew what he was doing when he put this group together.

The Temptations were one of Motowns hottest and most versatile acts. They began their career as The Primes, singing on street corners in the ghetto areas for blacks in Detroit with Diana Ross And The Supremes (then known as their sister group, The Primettes). After signing to Motown in 1961, they took a seperate road from The Supremes and before long, were pumping out to what would amount too, an endless river of classics.

In early 1964, the dynamic David Ruffin took over as lead vocalist of the group and immediatley gave them their own unique, identifiable sound, much in the way that Diana Ross had with The Supremes. Their first major hit would be produced by the genius, Smokey Robinson, who wrote and assembled the fantastic and highly infectious, The Way You Do The Things You Do, which featured a remarkable range of harmonies all blended fantastically well together which gelled neatly into the state-of-the-art soul production.

However catapulting them into wider recognition was their 1965 hit, My Girl, which soon became a chart-topper and one of their most distinguished classics. This was also one of Smokey Robinsons most lyrically and evocative compostions. With its sweeping strings and unforgetable vocal trade-offs on the chrous, this has easily become one of Motowns signature tunes.

They also conveyed their versatality on such lush, romantic ballads that steered narrowly into pop with such offerings as I Wish It Would Rain, Since I Lost My Baby and You're My Everything as well as enjoying a dynamic tour de force with Diana Ross and the Supremes on such fabulous cuts such as I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, which are all included on this superbly compiled collection.

They also made renowned classics such as the jamming, Get Ready and Ain't Too Proud To Beg. The alternating lead vocals between the forceful, aggressive delivery of David Ruffin and the sweet, sensual falsetto of Eddie Kendricks marked an interesting transistion in their work. David Ruffins voice mostly sounded seemingly angst ridden especially on the magnificent, (I Know) I'm Losing You.

Other than Smokey Robinson, a large portion of their work was produced by Norman Whitfield. What Whitfield encapsulated with his work with The Temptations was blending late 60's trends of Pop and Funk into this groups output, giving it a healthy balance and therefore making The Temoptations strong innovators with their music.

In 1968, David Ruffin was eventually fired and after an unsuccesful solo career, got caught up in a hazadous whirlwind of drugs and died in 1991. He was replaced by Dennis Edwards, another forceful and dynamic singer that certainly had all the credibility of David Ruffin as The Temptations continued to pump out hits until the early 70's.

Cloud Nine marked a turning point for The Temptations, becoming one of their own and indeed, Motowns landmark recordings. It introduced an injection of social consciousness into the lyrics and featured a startling psychedelic guirtar riffage amidst the complex musical arrangements.

The Temptations were clearly influenced by the Rock-Soul-Psychedelic phenomenon and much of their output from the late 60's to the early 70's, encapsulted this explosive range of styles on such fantastic recordings as Psychedelic Shack and the compelling masterpiece, Runaway Child, Running Wild.

They scored one of my most favourite classics in 1970 with the rip-roaring, Ball Of Confusion, which offered profound political statements and social commentary. Dennis Edwards voice is just explosive and gives startling ignition to the stark musical arrangements that is broken up by an effective harmonica interlude.

Finally in 1972 they scored their last major hit of their heyday with the compelling, Papa Was A Rolling Stone (another favourite of mine), a triumphant soul masterpiece with its compelling undertones of red hot, pulsating funk. After this their momentum sadly wore thin but this compilation highlights their upmost glory days and they remain significant influences in todays music culture.

With their memorable dance moves, lavish outfits and distinct singing style, The Temptations was Motown at its best. From the classics "My Girl, Get Ready, Just my Imagination" and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" to some of the lesser known songs, this is a terrific collection. There are arguments of a song or two that should have been left off or added but the meat of the group's work is here. Their music has never left us. Weather you first heard the original recordings, discovered them in 1985 at Live Aid with Daryl Hall and John Oates joining Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin onstage or have heard their songs in the countless soundtracks of movies that their music has been featured in, everyone since the group's inception has heard The Temptations. The sad thing is that most of the original members are now gone but we still have our memories and imaginations..and these recordings to remember them by. One more time.

At last, a little truth in advertising! Here is truly the ultimate career spanning collection from the best and baddest soul group EVER, Motown or otherwise. The temptin' Temptations were blessed with a trio of powerhouse lead singers, from David Ruffin's pleading, sexy growl to Eddie Kendricks' otherwordly falsetto to Dennis Edwards' mighty macho screams; the payoff was the longest list of RNB and pop classics by anyone out there. Motown maestro Smokey Robinson provided them with an embarrassment of musically creamy, lyrically cunning masterpieces such as GET READY, THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO, DON'T LOOK BACK, and of course MY GIRL. Likewise, the incredible composing team of Norman Whitfield and Barrett (MONEY) Strong helped the Tempts score later smashes via earthier, frequently topical material (PAPA WAS A ROLLIN' STONE, BALL OF CONFUSION, and AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG). Though their lineup was constantly shaken by personal turmoil (four of the original quintet died tragic deaths), the Temptations were, to quote a hit for which there was apparently not enough room here, SUPERSTAR's of the highest magnitude, leaving behind a wellspring of timeless gems to prove it. RATING: FIVE TEMPTATION WALKS

The temptations are my favourite band ever...and this is their best album...You just can't deny songs like "My Girl"...which is in my opinion the best song ever...I recommend this album for any SOUL music fan.

The Temptations CD was everything I expected. All of their greatest hits were on this CD and the recording quality was excellent. This CD is a must for all MOTOWN and Temptations fans.

The Temps are one of my favorite Motown bands, and this is a very strong collection from them. Just about every song is classic, and it contains minimal filler. The best material, in my mind, is from I Wish It Would Rain to my favorite Temps tune, Papa was a Rolling Stone. But the early stuff (My Girl, Get Ready, Ain't Too Proud to Beg, I'm Losing You) is also excellent. The last few songs, with the exception of Treat Her Like a Lady, are weak, as are All I Need, You're My Everything and Angel Doll. There is also a missing song: Runaway Child, Running Wild. Great song, I wonder why it wasn't included. But this is a great collection and is worth your money.

The first couplet of the first song begins "You've got a smile so bright, you know you could've been a candle./ I'm holding you so tight, you know you could've been a handle."

Anyone who has heard of the Temptations knows those lines from their classic "The Way You Do the Things You Do." It is crisply sung, almost doo-wop. It never loses its poise or falls into cliche.

Most of these songs were hits. If the titles don't jar your memory, listen to the samples. Expect to know at least 10 of these.

A couple weak links are present in "Treat Her Like a Lady" and "Error of Our Ways." In these two songs, there's no funk, no soul, and no depth. Both are acceptable, as pop R&B, but are musically pallid when compared to "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "Ball of Confusion."

The liner notes provide a puffy history, and credits song-by-song. That's not why this is worth buying. It is the sheer cool class and sway of the Temptations greatest hits. A couple songs might be left off, but most are here.

I fully recommend "The Ultimate Collection" by the Temptations.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

The Ultimate Collection is a very good one to get; it includes the majority of the group's biggest hits, the remastering sounds great, and the chronological sequence gives a fine picture of the group's constant musical evolution. The Ultimate Collection isn't the last word on The Temptations, but it's a splendid starting point to their music, and will add a satisfying portion of sweet-and-sour soul to your next party.

The Temptations "Ultimate Collection" falls way short from achieving the status it's title suggests. It's not a bad CD. Come on now, it's the Temptations. This CD is very much enjoyable, but why didn't they have "Beauty's Only Skin Deep", or "The Impossible Dream" or more songs that were led by Paul Williams. This is an enjoyable album and the songs that are on here are classic and well worth the money spent, but I fail to see what is ultimate about this album.

Stop trying to pull the wool over our eyes! In this day of slick marketing and advertising gimmicks you can pretty much call any product anything you want to and make just about any claim you care to. Unfortunately such is the case with "The Ultimate Collection". For any true Temptations fan will tell you that this disc is certainly not reflective of its title and simply does not cut the mustard. Issued in 1997, "Ultimate Collection" is merely another in a string of largely inadequate offerings that purport to be the definitive Temptations Greatest Hits.
"Ultimate Collection" is not a terrible disc. It does offer tunes from all of the many phases of the Temptations dynamic career. The remastering job is just fine and I would rate the 12 page booklet acceptable but nothing more. The problem here is that there are 8 or 9 pretty important titles missing including 1966's "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" and the highly successful 1968 collaboration with Diana Ross and the Supremes "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". Some of these tunes should have been included on "Ultimate Collection" in place of filler like "Don't Look Back" and "Error Of Our Ways". For casual fans, "Ultimate Collection" might be an acceptable choice. But collectors and hard core Temptations fans should demand better. Hopefully, Universal will release a 2 disc set in the near future similar to the Four Tops "50th Anniversary" set. Such an offering is long overdue. In the meantime, I'll make due with what I already have.

I get tired of buying cds only 40 minutes in length. This cd easily has more songs (and better songs) than any other single cd i've ever bought. Even though the last tracks do seem out of place, they aren't that terrible. And for some reason I love listening to "Shaky Ground" even though it doesn't sound like the Temptations i know. Fantastic value - must buy.

This is a terrific compilation from probably the best Motown act ever! Yes, there are few errors here: songs like "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", "I Could Never Love Another After Loving You", "Loneliness Made Me Realize It's You That I Need", and "Psychedelic Shack" are missing. I think I can understand why Motown did what they decided to do with this. The Temptations were a really special group, and their musical output was beyond vast, both with their hits and misses. A wide overview of this output was given and not just stuck to the same era. That's why songs like "Treat Her Like A Lady", which is from the '80s, and "Error Of Our Ways", from the '90s is on here.
I don't why an a capella version of "My Girl" is here, though. If the four songs mentioned above were on this disc, it would be perfect running at nearly 80 minutes. Things were done to preserve continuity. All in all, you can't resist the temptation of purchasing "The Temptations: Ultimate Collection."

For a serious Temptations fan (exempli gratia, ego) this is a pretty lousy and insufficient compilation. The pattern of lineups in this group can best compared to Lynard Skynard-there are so many flamin' line ups that it gets to the point where it's not the same group anymore; it's just the Temptations by name only. David Ruffin, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, all of them gone. If you ask me, the real Temptations died the early 1970s. In place of indispensable gems of their golden years (id est, the REAL Temptations) such as "Slow Down Heart", "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", "Just Let Me Know", etc. this "ultimate collection" includes mediocre, (relatively terrible) latter cuts such as "Error of Our Ways". If you endeavor the enchanted staggering, and soul-moving work buy their studio albums prior to 1976 like "Meet The Temptations" and "Temptations Sing Smokey"; the earlier the better. They are more rare, but they are worth the purchase. Also, almost any other Temptations hits compilation is way better. I give this one an extra star for the beautiful closing track, the acapella of "My Girl". It makes me cry and reminds me:

RIP TEMPTATIONS 1961-1976

I SAW THE MOVIE THE TEMPTATIONS AND I THOGHT IT WAS GREAT!
I THINK THE WAY THINGS THE WAY YOU DO IS THE BEST SINGLE
THE EVER EVER MADE!!!!!!!!!! I THINK DAVID IS THE BEST
TEMPTATION!!

This CD has my absolute favorite (and hard-to-find) Temptations song, "Don't Look Back." I remembered that from when I was a kid 4 years old and my parents played it during backyard barbecue parties. Took me right back to '65, when the living was easy!

This cd is great! I'm only 15 yrs old, but I know great music when I hear it! The Temptations were one of the greatest Motown acts. You can easily "hear" why. Just listen to the vocals on "My Girl" and "Just My Imagination". Timeless! The beats on "Ball of Confusion" and "Shakey Ground" are unbeatable too. So for all the teenagers out there...pull the plug on punk and get into The Temps! I would also recommend The Ultimate Collection: Eddie Kendricks and The Temptations mimi-series (movie).

I know I'm in for a battle from Four Tops fans, but the Temptations are the best of the best! I grew up on them. Loved them through all of their incarnations. My husband sings their tunes to me when he wants to get me in the mood. Hey, what can I say, they're probably the reason my daughter's here on earth. You can't go wrong with the Temptations. They're MY GROUP!

If you know where the title of this review comes from, then you will appreciate this collection and don't need me to tell you much about the Temptations. This is the best single-CD collection of their material. The only reason not to get it is that there is a 2-CD album "My Girl: Best Of Temptations" that is more complete, including two glaring omissions from this collection, "Beauty's Only Skin Deep" (unforgivable!) and "Runaway Child, Running Wild". It's true that this collection includes "Error of our Ways", a beautiful and important song from 1994, which is NOT included in the "My Girl" collection, but it hardly makes up for the missing "Beauty". Either way, you are getting a stirring, stunning collection from the best soul act ever, but my recommendation is to lay down the extra bucks and go with "My Girl".

This is not quite the ultimate Temptations collection, but it comes close. You could never fit all their great songs on one CD anyway, but the compilers were clearly determined to include some of their later recordings - the last three tracks on this CD. Angel doll, though recorded in 1967, was not one of their big hits - indeed, it was not even released at the time. The inclusion of these four tracks at the expense of real classics, including Beauty is only skin deep, devalues the title somewhat.

Despite the omissions, this is the best single-CD collection of Temptations music currently available and contains many familiar songs. It begins with The way you do the things you do. A big hit in America, it did not chart in Britain. I first came across the song via an excellent cover by Rita Coolidge, but the original version is impressive. Other classic sons here include My girl, Get ready, Ain't too proud to beg, I wish it would rain, Cloud nine, I can't get next to you, Ball of confusion, Just my imagination and Papa was a rolling stone.

Anybody seriously interested in sixties music in general and Motown in particular will enjoy the Temptations. Unless you want to go for a double-CD or a boxed set, this is the CD to choose.

The Temptations were wonderful. David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin were a part of the original hit making lineup in the sixties. This CD has some good classics, but like said before; where's "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"?! Do we really need "Error of Our Ways"?! That is hardly a great song. Otherwise, while listening to this CD it's good, but you still feel more needs to be there. A nice sampling though!