Masterpiece (The Temptations album)

Masterpiece
Studio album by The Temptations
Released	February 21, 1973
Recorded	1972 - 1973
Genre	Soul/Funk/Psychedelic soul
Length	42:08
Label	Gordy GS 965
Producer	Norman Whitfield
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The Temptations chronology
All Directions (1972) Masterpiece (1973) The Temptations in Japan (1973)

Masterpiece is a 1973 album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label, produced and written by Norman Whitfield.

Overview

The title refers to the album being not the group's intended masterpiece, but Whitfield's. Having already produced songs for the Temptations such as "Smiling Faces Sometimes" and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" which emphasized his instrumental tracks over the group's vocals, Whitfield goes one step further here.

The title track, at nearly fourteen minutes long, includes only three minutes of vocals from the group, who all share sections of the lead vocal. "Masterpiece" shares space on side one with "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)", a slow classic-styled ballad led by Richard Street which opens the album. Side two of the LP opens with "Ma", an ode to a hillbilly mother led by Street, Damon Harris, and Melvin Franklin, which was recorded as the title track of Rare Earth's 1973 Whitfield-produced LP. "Law of the Land", led by Dennis Edwards, Street, and Harris, was recorded the same year by The Undisputed Truth. The song is a message track in the tradition of "Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down" from Puzzle People. "Plastic Man", with its lead vocal shared between Edwards, Harris, Franklin, and Street, disparages "plastic people" who operate in backhanded ways, while the eight-minute album closer, "Hurry Tomorrow", is a solo spot for Harris, which explores a hallucinogenic drug trip.

Many critics, and the Temptations themselves, remarked that much of Masterpiece, and especially its title track, sounded more like Norman Whitfield/Funk Brothers solo recordings rather than Temptations recordings. Fans complained directly to the Temptations themselves, and some music journalists began snidely referring to the Temptations as "The Norman Whitfield Chorale Singers" and other such names.

Despite the criticism directed towards the LP, "Masterpiece" became a #1 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart, and a #7 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Its follow-up, the "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"-like "Plastic Man", hit #40 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" also became a Top 40 hit in the late summer/early fall of 1973.

Masterpiece was the final Temptations LP recorded in Detroit at Motown's Hitsville USA studio. By 1973, Motown Records had completed its migration to Hollywood, California, and beginning with the next release, 1990, the Temptations would record in Los Angeles-area studios.

Track listing

All selections written and produced by Norman Whitfield

Side one

1. "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" – 4:36
2. "Masterpiece" – 13:49

Side two

1. "Ma" – 4:46
2. "Law of the Land" – 5:08
3. "Plastic Man" – 5:53
4. "Hurry Tomorrow" – 8:06

Personnel

Dennis Edwards: vocals (tenor) Damon Harris: vocals (high tenor/falsetto) Richard Street: vocals (tenor) Melvin Franklin: vocals (bass) Otis Williams: vocals (tenor/baritone) Norman Whitfield: producer, composer Paul Riser: arranger Orson Lewis: engineer Asari Ghraham: creative assistant to Norman Whitfield Des Strobel: design Parvis Sadighian: sculpture (for album cover image) Jim Britt: liner photo

Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers: Earl Van Dyke: piano, organ Johnny Griffith: organ Robert Ward: guitar Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin: guitar Joe Messina: guitar Paul Warren: guitar Robert White: guitar Eddie Willis: guitar Aaron Smith: drums Richard "Pistol" Allen: drums Uriel Jones: drums Andrew Smith: drums Leroy Taylor: bass Bob Babbitt: bass Eddie Watkins: bass Eddie "Bongo" Brown: bongos, congos Jack Ashford: tambourine, maracas, sticks Jack Brokensha: tympani, vibes, bells, gourd Maurice Davis: trumpet Ted Lucas: harmonica

Singles history

• "Masterpiece [Vocal]"
  • Gordy single 7126, February 1, 1973; *b-side: "Masterpiece [Instrumental]"

• "Plastic Man"
  • Gordy single 7129, May 10, 1973; b-side: "Hurry Tomorrow"

• "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)"
  • Gordy single 7131, July 24, 1973; b-side: "Ma"

• "Law of the Land"
  • Tamla-Motown single TMG-866, 1973 (United Kingdom only); b-side: "Run Charlie Run" (from All Directions)

Chart history

Name	Chart (1973)	Peak position
Masterpiece	U.S. Billboard Pop Albums	7
Masterpiece	U.S. Top R&B Albums	1
"Masterpiece [Vocal]"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	7
"Masterpiece [Vocal]"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	1
"Plastic Man"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	40
"Plastic Man"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	8
"Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	35
"Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	2

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1973 (U.S.)