Another fake album

Here's another of my fantasy albums.

Sometimes there are those groups or bands where a certain member gets lost in the shuffle or whose reputation is dimmed due to the shining lights of others in the group. Sometimes this is as it should be and sometimes it's unfortunate. For instance, I don't think Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, or even Mick Taylor, for that matter, would've added much to the Stones' ouevre had Mick and Keith allowed more input from their lead guitarists. However, George Harrison, had he been the leader of his own group in the late 60s, may well have had a decent career. Another dark horse is Dennis Wilson. There's some good stuff there that only fans would know about.

So I find myself compiling an album of The Temptations' Paul Williams lead vocals. Overshadowed by David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks and then later by Dennis Edwards, Paul only sang leads on about two tracks per album (sounds like George) and never on hit singles. Sometimes the songs he sang were hits for other artists (Stevie Wonder, David's brother Jimmy Ruffin, O.C. Smith) but only once was a Paul Williams lead released as a single and D.J.s went ahead and played the flipside more anyway, another Ruffin lead (and an equally good song as Paul's). The thing that I really like about my compilation, though, despite it featuring this underappreciated great soul singer track-after-track is that without any of those overplayed Temptations hits on it, the album sounds relatively fresh. Also, the songs were decent tunes and Paul gave them everything he had.

So cull together these MP3s if you can find them online and treat yourself to my "The Best Of Paul Williams." In parentheses are the albums where the tracks can be found. Finally, I inlcuded only Paul's leads so songs where he is featured singing certain lines only (Cloud Nine, I Can't Get Next To You, Just My Imagination, etc.) are left out (and there go the hits!)

Side One:

Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got (Wish It Would Rain)

Running Away (Puzzle People)

Don't Look Back (The Temptin' Temptations)

I Want A Love I Can See (Meet The Temptations)

Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me (Cloud Nine)

Little Green Apples (Puzzle People)

Last One Out Is Brokenhearted (You've Got To Earn It)

Side Two:

Just Let Me Know (Meet The Temptations)

You Beat Me To The Punch (The Temptations SIng Smokey)

No More Water In The Well (With a Lot Of Soul)

Hey Girl (Cloud Nine)

Lonely, Lonely Man Am I (Gettin' Ready)

I Now See You Clear Through My Eyes (You've Got To Earn It)

For Once In My Life (In A Mellow Mood)