Meet The Temptations - Outtakes and Other Early Tracks

Outtakes and Other Early Tracks

Technically there wasn't a recording session for this album as it was basically a collection of the group's singles and B-sides up to that point. Other tracks that were recorded along the same timeline that could have been included on the album were:

• "My Pillow" (Robert Plaisted)*
  • Produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson, led by Eddie Kendricks & Melvin Franklin
    • (Features Franklin, Otis Williams, Al Bryant, and Paul Williams singing the chorus out front in a four part vocal harmony)
• "Camouflage " (Gordy)*
  • Produced by Berry Gordy, Jr., led by Eddie Kendricks & Melvin Franklin
• "So Much Joy" (Bradford, Rebecca Nichols, Earl Brooks)
  • Produced by Earl Brooks, led by Paul Williams
• "I Couldn't Cry If I Wanted To" (Whitfield, Edward Holland, Jr.)**
  • Produced by Norman Whitfield, led by Paul Williams
• "Tear Stained Letter" (Whitfield, Bradford)*
  • Produced by Norman Whitfield, led by Paul Williams
• "It Don't Have To Be This Way" (Clarence Paul)
  • Produced by Clarence Paul, led by Paul Williams
• "Witchcraft (For Your Love)" (Stevenson, Robert Hamilton)**
  • Produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson & Robert Hamilton, led by Paul Williams
• "(Talking 'Bout) Nobody But My Baby" (Whitfield, Holland)**
  • Produced by Norman Whitfield, led by Eddie Kendricks
• "Positively Absolutely Right" (Andre Williams)
  • Produced by Andre Williams, led by Melvin Franklin, Al Bryant and Eddie Kendricks
• "A Tear From A Woman's Eyes" (Holland–Dozier–Holland)**
  • Produced by Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier, led by Eddie Kendricks
• All of the above tracks have subsequently been released
• Four other tracks were released as tracks/bonus tracks on other albums

There have also been some reports (including Otis Williams’ Temptations autobiography) that some of the then-current group members were not available at the time of recording some songs. However, this cannot be substantiated by official Motown studio records. The tracks with supposedly missing group members (and the missing member/s) are:

• "Check Yourself" (Eddie Kendricks and/or Al Bryant)
• "May I Have This Dance" (Al Bryant)
• "I Couldn't Cry If I Wanted To" (Al Bryant)
• "I Want A Love I Can See" (Melvin Franklin)
• "The Further You Look, the Less You See" (Melvin Franklin)
• "Farewell My Love" (Al Bryant)

"A Tear From A Woman's Eyes", an H-D-H production, competed with "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (and "Just Let Me Know", "Not Now (I'll Tell You Later)", and "Give It Up") for the a-side of the group’s seventh single. It was recorded just three days before the hit song.

(*) released on Lost and Found: You've Got To Earn It (1962-1968) (**) released on the Emperors of Soul box set