Get up on it and ride..

The Temptations - Bare Back (1978, Atlantic)

The Temptations - Mystic Woman (Love Me Over) (1978, Atlantic)
The Temptations - Touch Me Again (1978, Atlantic)
❚

For the record, while I'm definitely not endorsing any of the practices supposedly suggested or implied in this song, I do heartily endorse it's groove.

The title track from The Temptations' "Bare Back" (1978, Atlantic) album, their second and last during their brief, unsuccessful period on the Atlantic label in the late 70's, this was a single, but like all of their other Atlantic material, never went anywhere commercially. Supple basslines, spirited vocals (largely courtesy of lead vocalist Richard Street), and propulsive bass-heavy groove aside, perhaps it was better that it didn't, in retrospect. I suppose using the expression "riding bareback" as a metaphor for life and living may have been acceptable in 1978 pre-AIDS; to say that it's an expression which hasn't held up too well over the years would probably be an understatement. Then again, I suppose that depends entirely on one's perspective..

However, with the great production and the admittedly out-of-context naughtiness one can't help but read into it today, I personally can't get enough of it. With this track and practically the entire album produced and co-written by Motown veteran Brian Holland alongside brother Eddie Holland and their main writing partner at this time, Harold Beatty (essentially Lamont Dozier's replacement), this is just one of the many excellent, underrated productions that the Holland Brothers were involved with at the time. While there's no topping the legacy of Holland-Dozier-Holland as pop songwriters, Eddie Holland's bright, funk-bottomed, disco flavoured productions in the late 70's for acts like The Supremes (covered on here before), The Jackson 5, Eloise Laws and others like the short-lived group, New York Port Authority are top quality, in my opinion..

As far as the album goes, In spite of having pulled together a top-flight team of Philadelphia's finest (which included Norman Harris and future group member Ron Tyson) on their first Atlantic LP, "Hear To Tempt You" (1977, Atlantic), out of their two Atlantic albums, I'd consider this to be the best of them. While not as ambitious as their Norman Whitfield material, or their last big Motown record, the Jeffrey Bowen-produced "A Song For You" (1975, Gordy/Motown), the other disco-flavoured tracks on the record like "Mystic Woman (Love Me Over)" and "Touch Me Again," the sublime balladry in "Ever Ready Love" (also a single), and "I See My Child" (the only track not written by Holland, Beatty and Holland) make it solid and satisfying, nonetheless.

While I can't imagine any of the current Tempts revues get too many requests in their shows for the song in question, thankfully You Tube has video. One from a 1979 live performance on the Chicago TV show Soundstage, and another from the ever-reliable Soul Train. Also from the same Soul Train appearance, is a performance of one of the album's ballad tracks "Ever Ready Love," which, if I'm not mistaken, might have been their final single release for Atlantic.


The Temptations - Bare Back (1978)
Uploaded by 2007wiifit


Temptations - Bare Back (Soundstage Chicago 1979)
Uploaded by whatiship73


The Temptations - Ever Ready Love (1978)
Uploaded by 2007wiifit

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
WHITNEY DOES LOLEATTA.. (FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2009)
R.I.P. MICHAEL JACKSON (FRIDAY JUNE 26, 2009)
DISCO DELIVERY #51: THE SUPREMES - HIGH ENERGY (1976, MOTOWN) (SATURDAY JANUARY 26, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #41: TÁTA VEGA - TRY MY LOVE (1978, MOTOWN) (SATURDAY MAY 19, 2007)
THE SUPREMES - MARY, SCHERRIE & SUSAYE (REPRISE) (THURSDAY MARCH 8, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #12: DAMON HARRIS - SILK (1978, WMOT/FANTASY) (FRIDAY MARCH 24, 2006)
ALL I NEED'S A LITTLE POWER.. (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #1 - THE SUPREMES - MARY, SCHERRIE & SUSAYE (1976, MOTOWN) (TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2006)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: THE TEMPTATIONS - BARE BACK LP
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: THE TEMPTATIONS - BARE BACK (REVIEW)
DISCOGS: BRIAN HOLLAND
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: BRIAN HOLLAND
WARR.ORG: THE TEMPTATIONS - BARE BACK (REVIEW)
ROBERT CHRISTGAU REVIEWS: THE TEMPTATIONS

CATEGORIES: MINI DELIVERIES, VISUAL DISCO

all I need's a little power..

The Temptations - Power (1980, Motown) | LINK TWO

One little song before Friday.. This is one that I've been listening to quite a bit lately and a group which I'm just starting to get familiar with. "Power" was something of a comeback for the Tempts after a disastrous late '70s dry spell. It also signaled their return to Motown after a brief and unsuccessful stint on Atlantic Records. The Temptations hit it big in the discos early on with "Happy People" and "Glasshouse" off their 1975 "A Song For You" album, so it appeared they would have no trouble adopting disco elements into their sound and seemed well on their way to continued success. Unfortunately, it didn't quite turn out that way and would only be downhill from there.. After a few more albums they would leave Motown citing the label's lack of attention - a common complaint with many prominent Motown acts in the '70s (just ask The Supremes, The Four Tops and The Jackson 5 to name a few..). Jumping ship to Atlantic didn't exactly help matters either, so upon returning "home" to Motown, Berry Gordy himself (along with frequent collaborator Angelo Bond), in what seemed to be a response to their earlier claims of inattention, had personally taken the reins and produced their comeback album and single.

The result, "Power," is one pretty tight, meaty track; something of a throwback to the socially conscious themes that ran through much of their work with Motown funk genius and super-producer Norman Whitfield, minus Whitfield's grand (others might say grandiose) style. I really love how it builds up and peaks right when Dennis Edwards (I think that's him) gets to doing his his soul-shouting thing towards the end of the track.. "..their hands sweat.. their fingers itch.. I'm the only one you can trust with the switch.. give it to me!." In my opinion, a great blend of funk and disco to be sure.. It was also a long overdue follow-up to their 1975 disco hits; they had done some disco in between then, yet this was their first since '75 to make the club/disco charts (peaking just outside of the top 20). Judging from some of the things I've read, it didn't seem to be quite the big comeback that was expected. It would just miss the top 10 of the R&B charts and the top 40 of the pop charts, but even so, still a success after literally falling off the radar for several years there..

Note: I'm done with FileLodge. This file is up on zShare. Thanks to the commenter jbpeevish on the First Choice post for the suggestion.

LINKS:
THE TEMPTATIONS @ ALLMUSIC.COM
THE TEMPTATIONS DISCOGRAPHY @ WIKIPEDIA
THE TEMPTATIONS' ALBUMS 1980s, 1990s
THE TEMPTATIONS - POWER LP (REVIEW) @ ALLMUSIC.COM

PURCHASE:
LIFE:STYLES COMPILED BY COLDCUT CD (INCLUDES "POWER")

CATEGORIES: MINI DELIVERIES