The Temptations discography
| The Temptations discography | |
|---|---|
 The Temptations perform on The Ed Sullivan Show circa 1969 | |
| Studio albums | 43 |
| Live albums | 4 |
| Compilation albums | 15 |
| Singles | 109 |
| Soundtrack albums | 3 |
This article presents the discography of Motown group The Temptations. It is a complete listing of all their singles and albums. Thirty-seven of their singles reached the Billboard Top 40 in the US, with four of them reaching #1. On the R&B singles chart, the group scored a record 71 Top 40 singles, with 14 of those reaching #1.
Albums
Studio albums
Motown releases
All Temptations albums until 1987 were on the Gordy label except for the four Supremes/Temptations collaborative albums, which were released on Motown, and the two Atlantic Records releases.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | ||
| 1964 | Meet the Temptations | 95 | — | — |
| 1965 | The Temptations Sing Smokey | 35 | 1 | — |
| The Temptin' Temptations | 11 | 1 | — | |
| 1966 | Gettin' Ready | 12 | 1 | 40 |
| 1967 | The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul | 7 | 1 | 19 |
| The Temptations in a Mellow Mood | 13 | 1 | — | |
| 1968 | The Temptations Wish It Would Rain | 13 | 1 | — |
| Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1969 | Cloud Nine | 4 | 1 | 32 |
| Together (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) | 28 | 6 | 28 | |
| Puzzle People | 5 | 1 | 20 | |
| 1970 | Psychedelic Shack | 9 | 1 | — |
| The Temptations Christmas Card | 4 * | — | — | |
| 1971 | Sky's the Limit | 16 | 2 | — |
| 1972 | Solid Rock | 24 | 1 | 34 |
| All Directions | 2 | 1 | 19 | |
| 1973 | Masterpiece | 7 | 1 | 28 |
| 1990 | 19 | 2 | — | |
| 1975 | A Song for You | 13 | 1 | — |
| House Party | 40 | 11 | — | |
| Wings of Love | 29 | 3 | — | |
| 1976 | The Temptations Do the Temptations | 53 | 10 | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart "*" "Christmas Card"'s peak position regards the Top Christmas Albums Chart. | ||||
Atlantic Records releases
The following two albums were released by Atlantic Records.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | |||
| 1978 | Hear to Tempt You | 113 | 38 | |
| 1978 | Bare Back | - | 46 | |
Motown releases (return)
The Temptations return to Motown and the Gordy label.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | |||
| 1980 | Power | 45 | 13 | |
| Give Love at Christmas | 6 * | — | ||
| 1981 | The Temptations | 119 | 36 | |
| 1982 | Reunion | 37 | 2 | |
| 1983 | Surface Thrills | 159 | 19 | |
| Back to Basics | 152 | 30 | ||
| 1984 | Truly for You | 55 | 3 | |
| 1985 | Touch Me | 146 | 20 | |
| 1986 | To Be Continued | 74 | 4 | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart "*" "Give Love at Christmas" charted only on the Top Christmas Albums catalog. | ||||
The Gordy label is absorbed into the main Motown label.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||||
| 1987 | Together Again | 112 | 12 | ||
| 1989 | Special | — | 25 | ||
| 1991 | Milestone | — | 88 | ||
| 1995 | For Lovers Only | — | 43 | ||
| 1998 | Phoenix Rising | 44 | 8 | ||
| 2000 | Ear-Resistible | 54 | 16 | ||
| 2001 | Awesome | 140 | 27 | ||
| 2004 | Legacy | 163 | 18 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
New Door releases
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||||
| 2006 | Reflections | 80 | 14 | ||
| 2007 | Back to Front | 108 | 19 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
10/30 International releases
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||||
| 2010 | Still Here | - | 49 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
Live albums
- All Motown releases
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | ||
| 1967 | Temptations Live! | 10 | 1 | 20 |
| 1968 | Live at the Copa | 15 | 2 | — |
| 1970 | Live at London's Talk of the Town | 21 | 5 | — |
| 1973 | The Temptations in Japan | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Compilation albums
- All Motown releases
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | ||
| 1966 | Greatest Hits | 5 | 1 | 17 |
| 1970 | Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 | 15 | 2 | 28 |
| 1973 | Anthology (version #1) | 65 | 5 | — |
| 1986 | Anthology (version #2) | — | — | — |
| The Temptations 25th Anniversary | 140 | 55 | — | |
| 1992 | Motown's Greatest Hits | — | — | 8 |
| 1994 | Emperors of Soul | — | — | — |
| 1995 | Anthology (version #3) | — | — | — |
| 1997 | The Ultimate Collection | 137 | 60 | — |
| 1999 | Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968) | — | — | — |
| 2000 | 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Temptations, Vol. 1 - the 1960s | — | — | — |
| 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Temptations, Vol. 2 - the 1970s, 80s, and 90s | — | — | — | |
| 2001 | The Temptations at Their Very Best | — | — | 28 |
| 2002 | My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations (re-released in 2005 as The Temptations: Gold) | 167 | — | — |
| 2003 | Psychedelic Soul | — | — | — |
| 2008 | Classic Soul Hits | — | — | 8 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Soundtracks
- All Motown releases
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | ||
| 1968 | TCB (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 1969 | The Temptations Show | 24 | 2 | — |
| On Broadway (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) | 38 | 4 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Singles
Otis Williams & The Siberians
- 1958: "Pecos Kid" b/w "All Of My Life"
The Distants
- 1959: "Come On" b/w "Always" (with The Andantes)
- 1960: "Open Your Heart" b/w "All Right"
Both singles originally released locally on the Northern label, then nationally on Warwick
The Temptations
1960s Motown releases
The following singles were released on Motown's Gordy label except for the following: "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check Yourself" were released on Miracle, "Mind Over Matter (I'm Gonna Make You Mine)" was released on Mel-o-dy, and the three American-issued Supremes/Temptations duets were released on Motown. "I Second That Emotion" was released only in the United Kingdom on Tamla-Motown. Lead vocalists are identified for each of the following singles.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | |||
| 1961 | "Oh Mother of Mine" | Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — |
| "Check Yourself" | Paul Williams, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
— | — | — | |
| 1962 | "Dream Come True" | Eddie Kendricks | — | 22 | — |
| "Mind Over Matter (I'm Gonna Make You Mine)" (credited as The Pirates) |
Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — | |
| "Paradise" | Eddie Kendricks | 122 | — | — | |
| 1963 | "I Want A Love I Can See" | Paul Williams | — | — | — |
| "Farewell My Love" | Paul Williams | — | — | — | |
| 1964 | "The Way You Do the Things You Do" | Eddie Kendricks | 11 | 1* | — |
| "I'll Be in Trouble" / | Eddie Kendricks | 33 | 22* | — | |
| "The Girl's Alright with Me" (B-side of "I'll Be In Trouble" ) |
Eddie Kendricks | 102 | 39* | — | |
| "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" | Eddie Kendricks | 26 | 11* | — | |
| "My Girl" | David Ruffin | 1 | 1 | 43 | |
| 1965 | "It's Growing" (additional background vocals by The Andantes) |
David Ruffin | 18 | 3 | 45 |
| "Since I Lost My Baby" / | David Ruffin | 17 | 4 | — | |
| "You've Got to Earn It" (B-side of "Since I Lost My Baby") |
Eddie Kendricks | 123 | 22 | — | |
| "My Baby" / | David Ruffin | 13 | 4 | — | |
| "Don’t Look Back" (B-side of "My Baby") |
Paul Williams | 83 | 15 | — | |
| 1966 | "Get Ready" | Eddie Kendricks | 29 | 1 | 10 (1969 reissue) |
| "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" | David Ruffin | 13 | 1 | 21 | |
| "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" | David Ruffin | 3 | 1 | 18 | |
| "(I Know) I'm Losing You" | David Ruffin | 8 | 1 | 19 | |
| 1967 | "All I Need" | David Ruffin | 8 | 2 | — |
| "You're My Everything" / | Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin | 6 | 3 | 26 | |
| "I've Been Good To You"" (B-side of "You're My Everything") |
Eddie Kendricks | 124 | — | — | |
| "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" | David Ruffin, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin and Eddie Kendricks |
14 | 3 | — | |
| 1968 | "I Wish It Would Rain" / | David Ruffin | 4 | 1 | 45 |
| "I Truly, Truly Believe" (B-side of "I Wish It Would Rain") |
Melvin Franklin | 116 | 41 | — | |
| "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" | David Ruffin | 13 | 1 | 47 | |
| "Please Return Your Love To Me" | Eddie Kendricks | 26 | 4 | — | |
| "Cloud Nine" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
6 | 2 | 15 | |
| "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" / | Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams and Otis Williams |
— | — | — | |
| "Silent Night" (B-side of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer") |
Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — | |
| 1969 | "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks (Spoken interlude by Otis Williams) |
2 | 2 | 3 |
| "Runaway Child, Running Wild" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
6 | 1 | — | |
| "I'll Try Something New" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks | 25 | 8 | — | |
| "Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
20 | 2 | — | |
| "I Second That Emotion" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks | — | — | 18 | |
| "I Can't Get Next to You" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
1 | 1 | 13 | |
| "The Weight" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams |
46 | 4 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
(*) Denotes information derived from the Cashbox R&B chart, as there was no Billboard R&B Singles Chart from November 1963 to January 1965. When the Billboard R&B singles chart was reinstated on January 30, 1965, The Temptations' "My Girl" was the first #1 hit on the new chart.
1970s Motown releases
The following singles were released on Motown's Gordy label except for "Why (Must We Fall in Love)" and "Law of the Land", released on Tamla-Motown in the United Kingdom. Lead vocalists are identified for each of the following singles.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US AC | UK | |||
| 1970 | "Psychedelic Shack" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
7 | 2 | — | 33 |
| "Why (Must We Fall in Love)" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — | 31 | |
| "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Melvin Franklin |
3 | 2 | — | 7 | |
| "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World)" / | Dennis Edwards | 33 | 8 | — | — | |
| "Hum Along and Dance" (B-side of "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World)") |
Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
— | — | — | — | |
| 1971 | "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" | Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams | 1 | 1 | 33 | 8 |
| "It's Summer" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street and Melvin Franklin |
51 | 29 | — | — | |
| "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
18 | 8 | — | 32 | |
| 1972 | "Take a Look Around" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, and Otis Williams |
30 | 10 | — | 13 |
| "Mother Nature" / | Dennis Edwards | 92 | 27 | — | — | |
| "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" (B-side of "Mother Nature") |
Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
— | 27 | — | — | |
| "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, and Melvin Franklin |
1 | 5 | — | 14 | |
| 1973 | "Masterpiece" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, and Melvin Franklin (Spoken introduction by Otis Williams) |
7 | 1 | — | — |
| "Plastic Man" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, and Melvin Franklin |
40 | 8 | — | — | |
| "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" | Richard Street | 35 | 2 | — | — | |
| "Law of the Land" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, and Damon Harris |
— | — | — | 41 | |
| "Let Your Hair Down" (instrumentation by Rose Royce) |
Dennis Edwards | 27 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1974 | "Heavenly" | Richard Street and Damon Harris | 43 | 8 | — | — |
| "You've Got My Soul on Fire" | Dennis Edwards | 74 | 8 | — | — | |
| "Happy People" (instrumentation by "The Temptations Band": The Commodores) |
Dennis Edwards and Melvin Franklin | 40 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1975 | "Shakey Ground" (instrumentation by The Eddie Hazel Band) |
Dennis Edwards | 26 | 1 | — | — |
| "Glasshouse" | Dennis Edwards, Otis Williams, Richard Street, Melvin Franklin and Damon Harris |
37 | 9 | — | — | |
| 1976 | "Keep Holdin' On" | Dennis Edwards | 54 | 3 | — | — |
| "Up The Creek (Without A Paddle)" | Dennis Edwards | 94 | 21 | — | — | |
| "Who Are You (and What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life)" | Dennis Edwards | — | 22 | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
Atlantic Records releases
The following four singles were released by Atlantic Records.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B | |||
| 1977 | "In a Lifetime" | Glenn Leonard | 21 |
| 1978 | "Think for Yourself" | Louis Price | 58 |
| "Bare Back" | Richard Street and Glenn Leonard | 42 | |
| "Ever Ready Love" | Glenn Leonard | 31 | |
Motown releases
The Temptations return to Motown and the Gordy label.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US AC | UK | |||
| 1980 | "Power" | Dennis Edwards, Glenn Leonard, Melvin Franklin & Richard Street |
43 | 11 | — | — |
| "Struck by Lightning Twice" | Dennis Edwards | — | 55 | — | — | |
| "Take Me Away" (from the movie Loving Couples) |
Glenn Leonard | — | 69 | — | — | |
| 1981 | "Aiming at Your Heart" | Richard Street and Glenn Leonard | 67 | 36 | — | — |
| "Oh What a Night" | Richard Street | 104 | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | "Standing on the Top - Pt. 1" (featuring Rick James) |
Rick James, Dennis Edwards, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Richard Street,and Melvin Franklin |
66 | 6 | — | 53 |
| "More on the Inside" | Dennis Edwards | — | 82 | — | — | |
| 1983 | "Love on My Mind Tonight" | Dennis Edwards | 88 | 17 | — | — |
| "Miss Busy Body (Get Your Body Busy)" | Dennis Edwards | — | 67 | — | — | |
| "Sail Away" | Ron Tyson | 54 | 13 | 17 | — | |
| 1984 | "Treat Her Like a Lady" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | 48 | 2 | — | 12 |
| 1985 | "My Love Is True (Truly for You)" | Ron Tyson | — | 14 | — | 84 |
| "How Can You Say That It's Over" | Ron Tyson and Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 81 | — | — | |
| "Do You Really Love Your Baby" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 14 | — | 88 | |
| 1986 | "Touch Me" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 63 | — | — |
| "A Fine Mess" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 63 | 28 | — | |
| "My Girl" (re-issue) | David Ruffin | — | — | 27 | 92 | |
| "I'm Fascinated" | Richard Street | — | — | — | 84 | |
| "Lady Soul" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | 47 | 4 | — | — | |
| "To Be Continued..." | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 25 | — | — | |
| 1987 | "Someone" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 45 | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
The Gordy label is absorbed into the main Motown label.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US AC | UK | |||
| 1987 | "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now" | Dennis Edwards | — | 3 | 36 | 90 |
| "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (re-issue) | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Melvin Franklin and Damon Harris |
— | — | — | 31 | |
| "Look What You Started" | Dennis Edwards | — | 8 | — | 63 | |
| 1988 | "Do You Wanna Go with Me" | Dennis Edwards | — | 53 | — | — |
| 1989 | "All I Want from You" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 16 | — | 71 |
| "Special" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 10 | — | — | |
| 1990 | "Soul to Soul" | Ali-Ollie Woodson and Ron Tyson | — | 12 | — | — |
| 1991 | "The Motown Song" (Rod Stewart ft. the Temptations; issued on Warner Bros) |
Rod Stewart and Ali-Ollie Woodson | 10 | — | 3 | — |
| "The Jones" | Otis Williams, Ron Tyson and Ali-Ollie Woodson |
— | 41 | — | 69 | |
| 1992 | "My Girl" (re-issue) | David Ruffin | — | — | — | 2 |
| "Hoops of Fire" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 68 | — | — | |
| 1994 | "Error of Our Ways" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 86 | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
The following album cuts all charted, but were not available as commercially issued singles.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B |
US Urban AC | |||
| 1995 | "Silent Night" | Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards and Glenn Leonard |
16 | — |
| 1998 | "Stay" | Theo Peoples, Terry Weeks and Ron Tyson |
28 | 1 |
| 1999 | "This Is My Promise" | Theo Peoples | 54 | — |
| "How Could He Hurt You" | Barrington "Bo" Henderson | 57 | — | |
| 2000 | "I'm Here" | Terry Weeks | 40 | — |
| 2007 | "How Deep Is Your Love" | Ron Tyson | — | 38 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
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