Puzzle People

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Puzzle People
Puzzle People cover
Studio album by The Temptations
Released September 23, 1969
Recorded 1969
Genre Soul/Psychedelic soul/Rock
Length N/A
Label Gordy
GS 949
Producer(s) Norman Whitfield
Professional reviews
The Temptations chronology
The Temptations Show
(1969)		 Puzzle People / Together
(1969)		 On Broadway
(1969)


Puzzle People is a 1969 album recorded by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. Entirely produced by Norman Whitfield, Puzzle People takes the next step along the path that Cloud Nine started, and takes the Temptations further away from a classic soul sound, and more towards the realm of psychedelic soul. Although a few ballads, including "Running Away (Ain't Gonna Help You)", are still present, the album is primarily composed of Sly & the Family Stone/James Brown-derived proto-funk tracks such as the lead single "Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down", and the number-one Billboard Pop hit "I Can't Get Next to You". Also included are psychedelic-styled covers (recorded with distored guitars, clavinets, and spacy reverb and sound effects) of contemporary songs such as The Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing", The Beatles' "Hey Jude", and Roger Miller's "Little Green Apples".

As opposed to the recordings of the David Ruffin/"Classic 5" era, the lead vocals here are frequently traded back and forth between the group members, with each of the two singles featuring all five Temptations on lead, and Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams dominating most of the leads on the album tracks.

The lyrics on some of the original numbers, written by former Motown artist Barrett Strong, were becoming increasingly socially conscious and political. "Slave" deals with the injustice in the prison system, while "Message From a Black Man" is a Black power song with a militant refrain: "no matter how hard you try/you can't stop me now". "Message From a Black Man" was a popular radio request in 1969, although the Temptations themselves, who thought the record too forward, never performed it live.

Puzzle People was released on the same day (September 23, 1969) as Together, a duets album of covers by the Temptations and labelmates Diana Ross & the Supremes.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "I Can't Get Next To You" (Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong)
  2. "Hey Jude" (Paul McCartney, John Lennon)
  3. "Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down" (Norman Whitfieid, Barrett Strong)
  4. "Message From A Black Man" (Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong)
  5. "It's Your Thing" (Ronald Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley)
  6. "Little Green Apples" (Bobby Russell)
  7. "You Don't Love Me No More" (Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, Roger Penzabene)
  8. "Since I've Lost You" (Norman Whitfield)
  9. "Running Away (Ain't Gonna Help You)" (Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong)
  10. "That's the Way Love Is" (Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong)
  11. "Slave" (Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong)

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Sample

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