Track Listing

1. Cloud Nine
2. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
3. Runaway Child, Running Wild
4. Love Is A Hurtin' Thing
5. Hey Girl
6. Why Did She Have To Leave Me (Why Did She Have To Go)
7. I Need Your Lovin'
8. Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me
9. I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back)
10. Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #83832 in Music
• Released on: 1991-12-16
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A Transitional Stage For the Group
Definitely a change in style (and personnel) from the group's earlier (classic) period, so don't assume that you will love or hate "Cloud Nine" just because of your reactions to earlier releases. In "Cloud Nine" they begin to move away from their basic group harmony mainstay. David Ruffin (baritone) has left and been replaced by Dennis Edwards (formerly with the Contours). And producer Norman Whitfield has taken over; so suddenly there is a lot of "Sly and the Family Stone" influences.

All this translated into a looser, funkier style which would later produce big hits "I Can't Get Next to You", "Psychedelic Shack", and "Ball of Confusion". But "Cloud Nine" also sounded the death nell for the group as tenor Eddie Kendricks soon left (in 1971) and was never satisfactorily replaced. Only the name would remain the same, with "Cloud Nine" the first part of a transitional period between the classics and the "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone and disco-oriented successor.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

A heady soul-psych-funk gumbo!
Released in 1969, Cloud Nine was intended to update the Temptations' sound, augmenting their smooth soul harmonies with elements of funk, rock, and even psychedelia. This new direction incorporated effects-heavy guitars, pounding rhythms, rawer vocals, and gritty, socially concious lyrics. However, in order not to alienate the Tempts' original fans (okay, I'm not actually sure that that's the reason), only the first half of the album features this sound. Side two features the group's standard brand of harmony-heavy soul. The result is a very good record, with several fantastic moments.

As you can probably imagine, the first side gets most of the attention. It consists of only three tracks: The title track is a tight, funky groover with a surging bassline and soaked in wah-wah guitars.The group's vocals rough and authoritative, a far cry from the sugary crooning that marked their previous singles. Next up is an innovative take on the classic "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" which strips the song down to nothing but churning rhythms and forceful vocals. Finally, there's the epic "Runaway Child, Running Wild." Probably the best song on the album, this is a tight, heavy slab of deep, throbbing funk. The music is a dense and apocalyptic web of snakey fuzz guitars, stomping rhythms, and cruel vocals. The result is a taut, harrowing masterpiece.

Side two isn't discussed as often, and for good reason- it isn't nearly as good as the first half. The songs are standard-issue harmonized soul. They're not bad by any means- and in the case of "I Gotta Find A Way" and "Hey Girl," they're actually quite good- but the songs are pretty generic and unexciting when compared to Temptations classics such as "My Girl" and "Get Ready," or to the music on the first half of this album.

So, pick this up for the fantastic first half, and the decent second half. And as always, enjoy!

"The beginning of the Temptations and Norman Whitfield's psychedelic stage"
In Febuary of 1969 the Temptations released Cloud Nine and many people thought what happened to the old Tempts. Well after seeing Sly Stone & the Family Stone having so much success Norman Whitfield in his third album at the helm of the producers chair fo the Tempts decided it was time for change. The first half on the original vinyl version consist of only 3 song which basically carries the whole album. The title track is one of the funkiest songs ever laid to wax with it's wah-wah guitars and the Tempts voices flowing through the sons, but the best song here is the 9 plus minute version of "Runaway Child Running Wild". The song will by far blow you away with new lead singer Dennis Edwards dynamic vocal performance. The rythm arrangement of this song is brilliant and Funk Brothers really get down and dirty on this one. Definitely the funkiest song of the 60's. Side two on the original vinyl is back to business as usual with the Tempts apparently not ready to completly give total control to Whitfields newly refined production style. Overall great album for the first 3 songs on the album which also consist of putting a different twist on a cover version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" which was also done by Gladys Knight & the Pips and Marvin Gaye respectively. Although the second side is mostly ballads there's still stong vocal performances by Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams, with most of the leads going to Dennis. A must have for soul music lovers and Temptations fans alike.