The Temptations Wish It Would Rain

The Temptations Wish It Would Rain is a 1968 album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. It was the final release from the group's "Classic-5" era, during which David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams constituted the Temptations' lineup.

Wish It Would Rain also marks the last Temptations solo album to focus on the classic "Motown Sound", and the last to feature production from Smokey Robinson.

Overview

Included on Wish It Would Rain are the hit singles "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", both featuring Ruffin on lead vocals and co-written by Motown writer Roger Penzabene, who committed suicide on New Years Eve 1967 because of the breakup described in these two songs. "I Wish It Would Rain's" b-side, "I Truly, Truly Believe", is a rare solo showcase for Franklin, the group's bass singer.

The third single, "Please Return Your Love to Me", features Kendricks on lead, and was released in July after Ruffin's departure. The song's b-side, "How Could I Forget" Williams), is not included here, because it was newly recorded on June 29 to accompany the a-side.

Background

Ruffin himself did not sing on "How Can I Forget" because, by late June, he was no longer part of the Temptations. The group had already been dealing with Ruffin's ego clashes and his desire for special treatment for at least two years, and warded off his desire to have the name of the group changed to "David Ruffin & the Temptations" (in response to The Supremes being renamed "Diana Ross & the Supremes"). After Ruffin failed to show up for a series of engagements in Cleveland, Ohio that month (instead going to visit his then-girlfriend Gail Martin, daughter of Dean Martin, and see her open her own musical show), Otis Williams and the other Temptations decided Ruffin had gone too far and fired him.

Dennis Edwards was brought in as Ruffin's replacement, amidst cries of "Where's David?" from the crowds at live shows, and Ruffin's attempts to jump onstage and steal the microphone from Edwards during the shows. After the Temptations enlisted extra bodyguards to prevent Ruffin from attending and disrupting their shows, Edwards was officially introduced as the Temptations' new lead singer on July 9, 1968 at a live show in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Edwards would make his on-record debut with the next Temptations album, Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations. Starting with the group's next solo studio album, also titled Cloud Nine, producer Norman Whitfield began edging the group towards a Sly & the Family Stone-eque (dubbed "psychedelic soul", using Edwards' gruffer voice as the centerpiece for several psychedelic-based hit singles and albums.

Track listing

Superscripts denote lead singers for each track: (a) David Ruffin, (b) Eddie Kendricks, (c) Paul Williams, (d) Melvin Franklin.

Side one

1. "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" (Roger Penzabene, Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield) ^a
2. "Cindy" (Smokey Robinson) ^a
3. "I Wish It Would Rain" (Penzabene, Strong, Whitfield) ^a
4. "Please Return Your Love to Me" (Strong, Whitfield) ^b
5. "Fan the Flame" (Al Cleveland, Terry Johnson, Robinson) ^a
6. "He Who Picks a Rose" (Edward Holland, Jr., Emilio "Father" Smiley, Whitfield) ^a

Side two

1. "Why Did You Leave Me Darling" (James Dean, Deke Richards) ^a
2. "I Truly, Truly Believe" (George Gordy, Marget Gordy, Allen Story) ^d
3. "This Is My Beloved" (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) ^b
4. "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" (Strong, Whitfield) ^c
5. "I've Passed This Way Before" (Dean, William Weatherspoon) ^{a, d}
6. "No Man Can Love Her Like I Do" (Holland, Whitfield, Eddie Kendricks) ^c

Unreleased track

• "I Know She's Not a Mannequin" (John Bristol, Shena Dermell, Harvey Fuqua) ^a - produced by Bristol; subsequently released on Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968).

Personnel

• David Ruffin: vocals
• Eddie Kendricks: vocals
• Paul Williams: vocals
• Melvin Franklin: vocals
• Otis Williams: vocals

Producers

• Norman Whitfield: "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", "I Wish It Would Rain", "Please Return Your Love to Me", "He Who Picks a Rose", "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got", "No Man Can Love Her Like I Do"; Executive Producer (Album)
• Smokey Robinson: "Cindy", "Fan the Flame"
• Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol: "This Is My Beloved"
• Henry Cosby: "I Truly, Truly Believe"
• Dennis Lussier: "Why Did You Leave Me Darling"
• James Dean and William Weatherspoon: "I've Passed This Way Before"