The Temptations - Message in their Music Quiz

Answer: The Psychedelic Shack

This single by the Temptations can be found on the "Psychedelic Shack" album released in 1970 on the Gordy Record label.
The single reached the number seven position on the US Billboard Pop Charts, and the number two position on the US Billboard R&B Charts.
The single told of an establishment in the urban neighborhood where people could go to "enhance their minds" through art, music, and mind-altering drugs.

Answer: the band played on

The 1970 hit single "Ball of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)" was originally released on the Gordy Record Label. The song sent a strong message of the multitude of problems faced by the world of 1970. At the end of the lyrics. Melvin Franklin's final comment (in his typical deep bass voice) was, "and the band played on". The single reached the number three position on the US Billboard Pop Charts, and the number two position on the US Billboard R&B Charts.

"Ball of Confusion"
written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong

"1, 2, ... 1, 2, 3, 4, Ow!

People moving out, people moving in.
Why, because of the color of their skin,
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,
Vote for me and I'll set you free,
Rap on, brother, rap on.

Well, the only person talking about love thy brother is the preacher,
and it seem, nobody's interested in learning, but the teacher.

Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration,
aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation,

Ball of confusion, That's what the world is today Woo, hey hey.

The sale of pills are at an all time high,
Young folks walking round with the heads in the sky.
Cities aflame in the summer time, and oh, the beat goes on,
Evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul,
Shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon,
Politicians say, "more taxes will solve everything",
And the band played on.

So, around and around, and around we go,
Where the world's headed, nobody knows.
Oh, great googalooga can't you hear talking to you
Just a Ball of confusion, that's what the world is today.
Woo, hey, hey.

Fear in the air, tension everywhere.
Unemployment rising fast, the Beatles new record's a gas.
And the only safe place to live is on the Indian reservation,
And the band played on.

Eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors,
Mod clothes in demand, population out of hand.
Suicide, too many bills, hippies moving to the hills,
People all over the world are shouting "end the war",
And the band played on."

Answer: let the Jones' get you down

The hit song, "I can't Get Next To You" was a single from the 1969, on the album, "Puzzled People" released on the Gordy Record label. The song features members of The Temptations trading verses about how having all the powers in the world means nothing if a man cannot impress the woman he loves. A portion of the song states,
(Dennis Edwards) - "I can turn the grayest blue..."
(Melvin Franklin)- "I can make it rain, whenever I want it to..."
(Eddie Kendrick) - "I can build a castle from a single grain of sand"
(Paul Williams) - "I can make a ship sail, on dry land"
(Dennis Edwards) - "But my life is incomplete, and I'm so blue,
Cause I, can't get next to you ..."
The single was the best selling single in the groups history. The song held the number one position on the US Billboard Pop Singles charts for two weeks in October of 1969, and was number one for five weeks on the US Billboard R&B Charts.

Answer: September 3rd

In this song, Temptation singers Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Richard Street, and Damon Harris alternate vocal lines, taking the role of siblings questioning their mother about their now-deceased father, asking increasingly pointed question and negative rumors they had heard about him. Their mother repeats the same response, "Papa was a rollin stone, wherever he laid his hat was his home, and when he died, all he left us was alone".
The single reached the number one position on the US Billboard Pop Charts on December 2, 19772, and the number five position on the US Billboard R&B Charts. The song also won three Grammy Awards in 1973.
One point of controversy arose when singer Dennis Edwards was angered by the song's first verse, "It was the third of September, that day I'll always remember, because that was the day that my father died". Edward's real-life father had died on the same day as the fictional father in the song. Although the song was written for another group to perform (The Undisputed Truth) Edwards was convinced that producer Norman Whitfield assigning him the line was intentional. Although Whitfield denied the accusation, he used it to his advantage by making Edwards record the disputed line over and over until Whitfield finally got the angered, bitter grumble he desired out of the usually fiery-toned Edwards. This however was one of the reasons Whitfield was eventually fired as the group producer.

Answer: tears

In their 1969 hit, "I Wish It Would Rain", the portion of the lyric that provides the answer and explanation is,

"Day in, Day out, my tear stained face,
Pressed against the window pane"
"My eyes search the skies, desperately for rain."
"'Cause raindrops will hide my teardrops,
and no one will ever know,
That I'm crying, crying, crying, crying,
when I go outside".
"To the world outside my tears, I refuse to explain,
I wish it would rain (Oh how I wish that it would rain")

The song was released in December of 1967, and became a 1968 hit for the group. This was one of the most melancholy songs in The Temptation's repertoire, with the lead singer, David Ruffins, delivering in a pained voice, the story of a heart-broken man who wants to hide his sorrow. His woman has just left him and he wishes that it would start raining, to hide the tears falling down his face because, "a man ain't suppose to cry. The song reached the number for position on the US Pop charts and number one on the US R&B charts.

Answer: cloud nine

The single "Cloud Nine", was on the Temptation's 1969 album, "Cloud Nine". The single was criticized for its supposed emphasis on the use of drugs. The song seems to suggest that the best way for someone to deal with the problems that came with being poor and black in America was to "ride high on cloud nine". Several members of the Temptations denied this allegation.

The song reached the number six position on the US Pop Charts, and number two on the US R&B Charts. The single also won Motown its first Grammy Award for "Best Rhythm and Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental".

Answer: my imagination

This romantic ballad was released in 1971, as a single from the group's 1971 "Sky's The Limit" album. "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" is a tender song relating the bittersweet story of a young man who is too shy to approach the woman he loves, and settles instead to daydream and imagine a relationship with her. The song is now considered by many to be one of The Temptation signature songs, and is notable for recalling the sound of the group's 1960's recordings.

It was also the final Temptation single to feature founding members Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams.

The single spent two week in the number one position on the US Billboard Charts in 1971, and was number eight on the UK Singles Charts.

Answer: the Joneses

The single "Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down" was released on the "Puzzled People" album by The Temptations in 1969. The message on this single was simple. Be happy with what you have. If you try to keep up with the neighbor in acquiring material things, it could lead to financial problems. Besides, the neighbors may not be as well off as you think.

Answer: to run away

The plight of the young runaway was chronicled in the single, "Runaway Child Running Wild". The single was the third song, om side one of the album, "Cloud Nine", released in 1969 by The Temptations. The single reached the number six position on the US Billboard Pop Charts, and the number one position on the R&B Charts.

Answer: smiling faces

The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, for the Motown label, and was included on the 1971 album by The Temptations, "The Sky's The Limit".
That same year, producer Norman Whitfield had the song re-recorded by the Motown group, The Undisputed Truth. The version of the song recorded by The Undisputed Truth reached the number three position on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts, and was the only top 40 single recorded by the group.
The single was also featured on the debut album, "The Undisputed Truth". Both versions of the song deals with the subject of back-stabbing friends who do their friends wrong behind their backs.