From 'My Girl' to 'Cloud Nine,' their harmonies defined a generation of soul music.
For the sweet side, 'My Girl' still holds up. For something with more edge, try 'Get Ready' or 'Cloud Nine.'
The Temptations gave soul music some of its most durable moments. 'My Girl' from 1964 still feels immediate, built around those close harmonies and a simple melody that just works. Later tracks like 'Cloud Nine' showed they could shift toward tougher, more rhythmic material without losing what made them special.
They formed in Detroit in 1960 and signed with Berry Gordy's Motown label, moving from doo-wop roots toward a more polished sound. Through the 1960s and into the 1970s, lineup changes became part of their story, with David Ruffin leaving in 1968 and Dennis Edwards stepping in. They left Motown for Atlantic in 1975, but those early years at Gordy's label produced most of what people remember.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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