| Puzzle People | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 23, 1969 | |||
| Recorded | 1969 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 43:37 | |||
| Label |
Gordy GS 949 | |||
| Producer | Norman Whitfield | |||
| The Temptations chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  
[1] |
| Rolling Stone | (favourable) [2] |
Puzzle People is the eleventh studio album released by American soul quintet The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label in 1969. Produced entirely by Norman Whitfield, Puzzle People expanded on the psychedelic soul sound of the Temptations' previous LP, Cloud Nine. Although a few straightforward soul ballads are present, the album is primarily composed of Sly & the Family Stone/ James Brown-derived proto- funk tracks such as the lead single "Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down", and the number-one Billboard Pop hit " I Can't Get Next to You".
Puzzle People was released simultaneously with Together, a duets album of covers by the Temptations and labelmates Diana Ross & the Supremes. It peaked into the Top 5 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, and spent fifteen weeks at number one on the R&B Albums chart.
Track listing
All selections produced by Norman Whitfield.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Leads(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | " I Can't Get Next to You" | Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong | Edwards, Franklin, Kendricks, P. Williams, O. Williams | 2:55 |
| 2. | " Hey Jude" | John Lennon, Paul McCartney | Edwards, Kendricks, P. Williams, Franklin, O. Williams | 3:32 |
| 3. | "Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down" | Whitfield, Strong | Edwards, Franklin, Kendricks, P. Williams, O. Williams | 4:45 |
| 4. | "Message from a Black Man" | Whitfield, Strong | Kendricks, Edwards, Franklin | 6:02 |
| 5. | " It's Your Thing" | Ronald Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley | Edwards, P. Williams | 3:13 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Leads(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | " Little Green Apples" | Bobby Russell | P. Williams | 3:45 |
| 2. | "You Don't Love Me No More" | Whitfield, Strong, Roger Penzabene | Kendricks | 2:35 |
| 3. | "Since I've Lost You" | Whitfield | Edwards, Franklin | 2:43 |
| 4. | "Running Away (Ain't Gonna Help You)" | Whitfield, Strong | P. Williams | 2:48 |
| 5. | " That's the Way Love Is" | Whitfield, Strong | Edwards, P. Williams | 3:20 |
| 6. | "Slave" | Whitfield, Strong | Edwards, Kendricks, Franklin | 7:30 |
Personnel
- The Temptations
- Dennis Edwards - tenor/baritone vocals
- Eddie Kendricks - first tenor/falsetto vocals
- Paul Williams - baritone vocals
- Melvin Franklin - bass vocals
- Otis Williams - second tenor vocals
with:
- Norman Whitfield - producer, songwriter
- Barrett Strong - lyricist
- The Funk Brothers - instrumentation
Charts
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums ( RPM) [3] | 17 |
| Japanese Albums ( Oricon) [4] | 82 |
| UK Albums ( OCC) [5] | 20 |
| US Billboard 200 [6] | 5 |
See also
References
- ^ "Puzzle People - the Temptations | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ Bangs, Lester (7 February 1970). "Records". Rolling Stone. No. 40. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.
- ^ "RPM: The Temptations (albums)". RPM Magazine. Archived from the original on April 15, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "The Temptations Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
- ^ "The Temptations US Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
