A report on Cloud Nine (The Temptations song)

1968 hit single recorded by The Temptations for the Motown label.

- Cloud Nine (The Temptations song)

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Overall

The "Classic 5" lineup of the Temptations in 1967. Clockwise from top: David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams.

The Temptations

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American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s.

American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s.

The "Classic 5" lineup of the Temptations in 1967. Clockwise from top: David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams.
A promotional image of the original early 1960s Temptations lineup. Clockwise from top right: Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Elbridge "Al" Bryant.
The Temptations perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in September 1969. Left to right: Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, and Dennis Edwards.
The Temptations on stage at London's Royal Albert Hall, November 2005. Pictured L-R: Joe Herndon, Otis Williams, G.C. Cameron, Terry Weeks, and Ron Tyson.

The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968, pioneered psychedelic soul, and was significant in the evolution of R&B and soul music.

Norman Whitfield's The Temptations

Norman Whitfield

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American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s.

American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s.

Norman Whitfield's The Temptations

During his 25-year career, Whitfield co-wrote and produced many enduring hits for Motown artists, including "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "War", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".

Kendricks in 1972

Eddie Kendricks

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American singer and songwriter.

American singer and songwriter.

Kendricks in 1972

He shared lead vocal duty on other records, including "You're My Everything" (1967) (shared with David Ruffin), and a long string of Norman Whitfield produced psychedelic soul records where all five Temptations sang lead, such as the Grammy winner "Cloud Nine" (1968), "I Can't Get Next to You" (1969), and "Ball of Confusion" (1970).

The Chambers Brothers in 1970

Psychedelic soul

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Music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and saw Black soul musicians embrace elements of psychedelic rock, including its production techniques, instrumentation, effects units (wah-wah pedal, phaser, etc.) and drug influences.

Music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and saw Black soul musicians embrace elements of psychedelic rock, including its production techniques, instrumentation, effects units (wah-wah pedal, phaser, etc.) and drug influences.

The Chambers Brothers in 1970

Also important were the Temptations and their producer Norman Whitfield, who moved from a relatively light vocal group into more hard-edged and topical material like "Cloud Nine" (1968), "Runaway Child, Running Wild" (1969), and "Psychedelic Shack" (1969).

Edwards performing with The Temptations on The Ed Sullivan Show in September 1969.

Dennis Edwards

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American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records.

American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records.

Edwards performing with The Temptations on The Ed Sullivan Show in September 1969.

With his rougher gospel-hewn vocals, Edwards led the group through its psychedelic, funk, and disco periods, singing on hits such as "Cloud Nine" (1968), "I Can't Get Next to You" (1969), "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" (1970), "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972), and "Shakey Ground" (1975), among others.

Williams performs with The Temptations on The Ed Sullivan Show

Paul Williams (The Temptations singer)

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American baritone singer and choreographer.

American baritone singer and choreographer.

Williams performs with The Temptations on The Ed Sullivan Show

Williams also sang lead with Dennis Edwards, who joined in 1968, on Motown's first Grammy Award-Winner "Cloud Nine".

Dance to the Music (song)

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1967 hit single by soul/funk/rock band Sly and the Family Stone for the Epic/CBS Records label.

1967 hit single by soul/funk/rock band Sly and the Family Stone for the Epic/CBS Records label.

The Temptations' single "Cloud Nine" was inspired by "Dance to the Music" and was a top ten hit, winning a Grammy Award.

The Doors in 1968

1968 in music

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List of notable events in music that took place in the year 1968.

List of notable events in music that took place in the year 1968.

The Doors in 1968

"Cloud Nine" – The Temptations

Funk Brothers in early 1960s. Left to right: Benny Benjamin, James Jamerson, Joe Hunter, Larry Veeder, Hank Cosby, Mike Terry

The Funk Brothers

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The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972.

The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972.

Funk Brothers in early 1960s. Left to right: Benny Benjamin, James Jamerson, Joe Hunter, Larry Veeder, Hank Cosby, Mike Terry
The Funk Brothers as reincarnated in 2006. The lineup includes three of the original members: Bob Babbitt (2nd from left), Joe Hunter (4th from left), Uriel Jones (8th from left).

"Cloud Nine" – The Temptations

Dennis Coffey

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American guitarist.

American guitarist.

By the late 1960s as a member of the Funk Brothers studio band, Coffey played on dozens of recordings for Motown Records, and introduced a hard rock guitar sound to Motown record producer Norman Whitfield's recordings, including distortion, Echoplex tape-loop delay, and wah-wah: most notably heard on "Cloud Nine", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and "Psychedelic Shack" by The Temptations.