Reviews (page 3 of 13)
It was the third of september! Papa was a rolling stone
Very soulful! Heavy "Shaft" vibes.
Кайф!
I'm discovering as I'm going through this list that I have a previously unknown affinity for funk music. This would be a five star album of it was literally just 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone'. Everything else is just a bonus.
Classic Motown, "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" & "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" stand out tracks but not much wrong with all of this Album. One for the collection deffo!
Funky MF! Altså Papa was a rolling Stone er 3 stjerner i sig selv, og så lidt flere numre giver 4-5 stjerner
Vraiment tres bon. Un album que je reviendrai assurement
groovy, too short 8c 5/5? mm probably
Quite a lot in here that I had heard without realising what it was, superb album I will definitely return to.
Sho’ Nuff it was funky "'Cause funky music sho nuff turn me on" "Look, the niggers are coming" "I watch you go to church on Sunday But you forget all you learned on Monday Well, you see your smiling face can't hide Well well well, how you hate your brother inside" "He came into this world with a mind so clean You took it, molded it, and made it mean" Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone always love this when I hear it a lot of Motown songs of this era and definitely earlier would pretty much be finished before the first vocals in this one love the "whammy" style or whatever you call it although considering the era probably just the production not sure but sounds great had to look it up and it was played by "Wah Wah Watson" so a pedal presumably Shoo-wop-shoo-wop The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face I love every single version of this song but had yet to hear this version, I cant believe that is a guy singing Isaac Hayes - Do Your Thing "version" is a fantastic closer
Absolutely fantastic album. Same thing - heard of Temptations but never went through the album. Even the unknown songs are great. And both ends - pure happy funky, to very relaxed and chill R&B motown. Great great great.
Beautiful
Interesting
So good.
Fantastic
Wow this was a surprise, knew a few of the tunes, the entire album was great though
Loved Papa was a rolling stone and run Charlie run
Classic
Love the temptations and a few of my favourites are on this album.
A perfect blend of Motown and Funk. Solid 5. Every song is a fucking goddamn gorgeous banger. Run Charlie Run and their cover of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is to die for.
Ich glaube das ist ein Klassiker den ich nicht kenne
Classic Put me in a good mood. Thoroughly enjoyed
I love the Temptations and there are some great songs on here but it's certainly not the most cohesive album I've ever heard and it feels a bit unfinished
This good. I liked hearing that crazy long intro to Papa was a rolling stone that's from the Nice Guys.
That fucking song about the chase is dumb as fuck but overall pretty solid
Starting off with some good funk. Great album, going between funk and Mowtown. Some great music here even if it's not something I would normally listen to.
Cool soul, well performed.
It wasn’t love at first sight but I ended up relistening the whole album almost 3 times and found more and more to enjoy
Papa was a Rolling Stone obviously the standout!
amazing
525/1089 - Repetitive but the looped material is pretty cool. Second side is waaay better. I Ain't Got Nothing and Mother Nature were my favorites.
4 stars. On the one hand, I listened on my phone, and just a song or two at a time (so far from ideal listening conditions); on the other hand, when I was a kid, I loved the three Temptations albums we had (which I still have: cloud nine, puzzle people, and psychedelic shack), so that might tend to inflate my grade, but I think those two factors cancel each each other out, and a 4 sounds about right. “Papa was a Rolling Stone” is great (if a little long); no, the others really stood out, after just one listen. The backing musicians (the famous Funk Brothers, with Norman Whitfield producing) sound great, although The Temptations by this time sound a bit dated (in their lyrics) trying to sound hip and cool to the younger generation or something (there earlier album that I have are probably guilty of that too, but I was not bothered when I was eight years old, just liking for the music (and the groovy album covers).
I'm feeling a light four for this. The beginning is so weird. Track 1 is a live version with stereo field issues? Track 2 has a message that I approve of, but the placement, so early in the album is strange. But in hindsight I suppose I like it, allowing for a mellow, soulful second half. Track 3 is the album's highlight and brings a noteworthy first half to a close. Tracks 4 and 5 are the strongest in the second half, and while the rest are more forgettable, I generally enjoyed them. Particularly, I enjoy how patient, spacious the grooves are. It lets you savor the licks. There are plenty of instrumental and vocal treats to enjoy. In some ways, it feels like they went in all directions (lyrically for example). But the mood that results from the arrangements is quite consistently mellow funk
Liked it a lot. Didn’t loove it.
Wasn’t expecting the Temptations to be dropping N bombs! That caught me off guard but the album in the whole quite enjoyable. Level of musicianship and range was also something I didn’t know they had in their bag. Impressive.
Outstanding on the upbeat songs and Papa Was a Rolling Stone. Some of the others are weaker but they still don’t really pull the album down at all
tenia otras espectativas por el genero y por la banda, pero eso no quita que me haya gustado. Cortito y al pie
that was fun!
- I am very familiar with the Temptations early Motown period, but have had almost no exposure to their later psychedelic soul and funk. Interesting change of pace. - Adore the first half of the record; somewhat ironic that the members of the group did not like "Run Charlie Run" or the divine "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone," because they have never sounded better. The latter is 11 minutes long and I could take another 11. - Second half is fine, just not nearly as fun as the first.
Hadn't heard this one before. Fabulous soul/RnB/funk.
A great motown album. Unapologetically authentic. An easy listen with a great vibe. Each song was enjoyable. "Do Your Thing" was my favorite.
The album was a very easy listening. Really enjoyed the entire album. It gives you a different side of the Temptations to see if you’re used to some of their other music.
8/10… soul / funk / motown / *1972
This was great. In places much ‘harder’ than I’d expected, eg the no-punches-pulled Run Charlie Run. Papa Was A Rolling Stone is fabulous.
Love it great music
3.5
This was wind wonderful
I loved this album. Before this listen, I don’t know that I ever listened to an album by The Temptations - it had only been singles and “radio songs” but what an enjoyable experience.
These guys know how to vibe
Groovy
If the only song was “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, this would be perfect. And so I have added that to my playlist.
I mean. What else do you want? Some of the best to ever do it. I’m all in on the soul train, I spend a lot of time here. This is great. That’s about all.
Soul/Motown, lots of vocal harmonies and strings
Extended Papa Was a Rolling Stone. Liked this album a lot
Lovely funk
I was not ready for Run Charlie Run! Papa was Rollin' Stone is a classic. This album is very different from the last Temptations album- Cloud Nine. They all have amazing voices!
funky music 7.5 run charlie run 8 papa was a rollin stone 8.5 love 7.25 7.5 i aint got nothin 7.5 or 8 even maybe idk i rlly liked it the first time 8 mother nature 7.5 do your thing 7.5 weak 8 4/5
All Directions by The Temptations is a fantastic listen. It’s vibrant, energetic and packed with groove from start to finish. The Temptations have such a distinctive sound, and this album showcases exactly why they are regarded as one of the great vocal groups. The title All Directions feels very fitting because the album explores so many different styles. One moment you're listening to deep funk grooves, the next you're hearing soulful pop melodies, and somehow it all hangs together brilliantly. There’s a real sense of variety throughout the record, but it never feels disjointed. Instead, it keeps the album fresh and engaging from beginning to end. The musicianship is excellent, the vocals are superb, and there’s an effortless coolness running through the whole album. It’s the kind of record that’s easy to put on and enjoy, while still offering plenty of depth and quality. Favourite tracks: “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” is an absolutely brilliant song and the clear standout Least favourite tracks: Every song on the album earns its place Album artwork: Cool album cover
Has one of the best opening, walk out sounding tunes with the most upsetting sounding production. Actually hurt me listening to it. The Temptations are a great band though through and through
Ah, beautiful. The Temptations have made lovely music through the decades, and while this album isn't my favorite it's a good one, especially with the classic Papa Was A Rolling Stone.
Good blues
The slower songs don't do as much for me as the funkier songs do but man does this have some incredible highlights. Papa Was A Rolling Stone is absolutely fantastic.
Great R&B
This is a great slow burn soul album. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," "I Got Nothing," "Do your Thing" and "Mother Nature" are all like tihs. In this album they never dip into the sappiness that many soul artists sometimes do. And then there's some real funk, bringing the Temptations into the 70s. 4/5
I didn’t know The Temptations got this funky! Great album!
When I hear "the Temptations," I think of their classic ballad My Girl, specifically as a didactic example of the major pentatonic scale in use. That's about all I knew about them until now. I hadn't the faintest idea that they'd kept going into the 70s and had a progressive soul/funk phase. Actually, they never broke up! They're still playing to this day, though only one original member is still alive. I'm realizing, lately, that the 'repetitiveness' of progressive music is something of a backdoor to my normally... let's say dopamine-starved approach to musical appreciation. Hammering on a single idea for several minutes, even if it's relatively slow and contemplative, seems to make it much more likely to land for me. So I enjoyed this album. Admittedly, it being only a half hour long is probably biasing me in its favor. Also, the basslines on this are really good. But that's Motown for you, isn't it? Apparently, James Jamerson himself played on this record, but no one knows which songs he was on. Favorite tracks: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, Do Your Thing
You know what immediately strikes me, sitting down and listening to a full funk album for the first time in my life, is like... how to put this. From my british perspective, it immediately strikes me how my exposure to funk through Pop Culture has been very selective in terms of what got heard, you know what I mean? What I mean to say is that, what funk was 'big' enough to be known in The Monoculture over here was conspicuously less political. But the moment I listen to an influential album, I'm hit in the face with how overtly political it is. And I love that about it, to be clear. It's something where like, if you had asked me if funk music is often political or not, I would've said yes of course it is, because rationally I could've intuited that it was so. 'Intellectually', I knew it was true. But it was still a pleasant shock to hear it so immediately and consistently through this album, when the only funk I heard with any frequency at all in my life to date was what the powers of British popular culture from the time deemed safe and inoffensive enough to expose me to. A shorter album after the loooong sessions the last couple were is a nice break lol.
Joda, fungerer fint dette.
Papa was a rolling stone is a great song . Wish I could give 4.5 stars but they won’t let me
This is such a special album. While listening I felt wrapped in a warm, rich atmosphere that’s hard to describe — it just feels alive and deeply emotional from start to finish. The vocals are absolutely incredible (as expected from The Temptations), and the lyrics are strong and meaningful. This record contains some absolute masterpiece songs. “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” is a 12-minute epic that still gives me chills every time — the arrangement, the storytelling, the tension… it’s flawless. They also deliver a beautiful, heartwarming cover of Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and other standouts like “Mother Nature”, “Do Your Thing” and the funky energy on tracks like “Run Charlie Run.” What I love most is how powerfully they express feelings. You don’t just hear the songs — you feel them on your skin. The pain, the longing, the groove, the soul… it all hits so deep. This album is smooth, cinematic, and full of real emotion. All Directions is a true classic and one of The Temptations’ greatest achievements. Heartwarming, heavy, and timeless.
Cool
More funk than their earlier albums, this one had more orchestral elements and I'd say it's what I think of as "action noir" music.
faves: do your thing, mother nature, love woke me up this morning least faves: papa was a rolling stone
4/5
The sort of dish that I gobble up and then ask for seconds This is ace
New to me but I find I know many of these tracks, as quality rises to attention. 1. Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On 2. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone 3. The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)
Good, very Good
From the ppl who brought you My Girl
Enjoyable. Would be nice from a car radio.
Strong album anchored around the behemoth Papa Was A Rolling Stone. Strong 4 suffers from the Motown habit of padding their albums with the artists take on a current hit. In this case Ewan Macoll’s First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, which had been a smash for Roberta Flack a few months before. It’s a fine recording but not especially original.
I had only superficial knowledge about The Temptations before being assigned this album. Listening to the album cold was not working for me, so I stopped, did some reading about the careers of the Temptations and Norman Whitfield, the recording and marketing of the album, and some of the particular songs, and then came back to listening. Papa Was A Rolling Stone was a focus for me. It's obviously a classic of soul, specifically psychedelic soul. But I was disappointed on listening to it, at how sparse the opening section sounded (bass guitar sound quite bare, hi hat pattern quite basic). After a quick browse, I realised my expectations of the song are derived from the Was (Not Was) version (recorded 20 years later) - the original leaves me waiting/wanting for more. (I noted that the 7 minute version released as a single added congas to the hi-hat line, hmm.) Other songs were only mildly interesting, didn't motivate me to give them a second listen. For me, it's only the presence of Papa Was A Rolling Stone that pulls the album as a whole up to Good, 7/10.
The start to this album is among the best I have heard. I didn’t know “Run, Charlie, Run” and it was both fantastic music and fantastically uncomfortable. Then 11 minutes of funk heaven with “Papa was a Rolling Stone”. The album then goes in all directions (see what I did there?) and doesn’t flow with this opening at all. Fine music but not where my head space was at. Great closing with “Do Your Thing.” Tough one to rate as it doesn’t make sense as an album. The parts are so good though, that I will go higher than I might otherwise.
Feel good protest music
A second Temptations record, also in the same funk oriented vein, and this is the stronger album. Papa Was A Rolling Stone is one of the greatest tracks ever. Good takes on The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face and Do Your Thing. Enjoyed it
Me quedé en negro.
Borderline 3-4 but I do love a good funky album.
36 minutes long. 12 of that was “Papa was a Rolling Stone” Pretty solid album
Solid but not a 5 for me.
Love! Good instrumentation, great composition, great music!
this album tastes like love
Really really excellent. The vocals, the funk, the harmonies. Just an enjoyable record from beginning to end. I knew about them but this was just purely discovery and fun.
I was pleasantly surprised … much more funky than expected. It was great!
pure talent. love their voices and the groove!!
Great new experience this album. A lot more funky and soulful than expected which was a surprise and glad it was pop. With a coupe of big tunes on here. Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. 4.1/5.
3.5/5
Not a bad song on this record 4/5
Really enjoyed it!!
The highlight of this album is clearly the full, long version of Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, but it has a few other tracks worth listening too as well. Faves: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, Love Woke Me Up This Morning, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Good stuff
First song, last song and Rolling Stone are the standouts here.
Mix of funk, RnB, and doo-wop. Love the funky socially conscious songs - Run Charlie Run, Mother Nature, Papa was a Rolling Stone. The doo-wop songs aren't my thing. But the funk is top-class!
That full length instrumental intro for Papa Was a Rolling Stone is SO exciting.
kings
Number: 94 Date: 04/06/2026 Artist: The Temptations Album: All Directions Year: 1972 Genre: Soul Funk Rating: 4 Notes: Before: ======= I don't think I've ever listened to this whole album before. During: ======= Cool, I do like 70's funk. 3 Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On 5 Run Charlie Run 4 Papa Was A Rollin' Stone 4 Love Woke Me Up This Morning 4 I Ain't Got Nothin' 3 The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) 3 Mother Nature 5 Do Your Thing ----------------------------------------------------- E 3.88 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= 4 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4.3 composite rating
felt like my granddaddy listening to this lol
The funk of "Funk Music Sho Nuff (etc)" and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" is revelatory. Great stuff. The rest is a mixed bag of pretty good soul pop or whatever. The quality varies. The strings don't go with the funk. I was ready to be blown away as I listened to Papa, but it was largely disappointing after that. That said, good album overall. There's something for everyone, and therefore few will be fully happy with it.
Enjoyed this. Some songs a bit too long for me .. Eleven minutes! 😬
Incredible voices, groovy and very enjoyable listen.
This was so so good
This started off SO strong! And what a great album. But lost it slightly at some point, for me. So 4.9
Fun as hell, not sure what I got into here... Best Song: Run Charlie Run Rating: 7.0/10 Stars: 4
Fueron parte del influjo del cambio: Marvin Gaye , What's Going On, en 1971, Sly Stone (escuchen Funky Music Sho' de este disco), y ellos mismos con Cloud 9 en el 69 y un par de años después con Puzzle People. Atrás dejaron los Temptaions melódicos y bailones de Ruffin y junto a los Funk Brothers hicieron algo excepcional: fueron la voz de su generación. Dos versiones son dos de los mejores temas de este fundamental álbum: Funky Music Sho' 'Nuff Turns Me On de Edwin Star y Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, una versión, todo un viaje de doce minutos de un sencillo de Undisputed Truth producido por Whitfield y con excelso un Wah Wah Watson a la guitarra (se nota mucho la influencia de Hayes-Shaft en la guitarra, la orquestación y en general en el tono) . Mother Nature fue el primer sencillo, no tuvo apenas repercusión que hacía presagiar el fracaso del disco, pero con Papa todo cambió. Run Charlie Run fue toda una declaración de principios en aquella época. Con estos 3 temas se acabala cara A, pero menuda cara! La B abre con un tema de Ashford y Simpson: Love Woke Me Up This Morning, la única junto a la siguiente I Ain't Got Nothin (popularizada por Marvin Gaye), en la que no canta Edwards. Otra versión más, esta del clásico folk que había sido un éxtio en manos de Roberta Flack: The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face), cantada magistralmente por Street. Cierran con Do Your Thing otro clásico de Isaac Hayes.
Classic band. Kings of soul and funk.
10/10
decent one
I typically put on the Motown era Temptations when I want to hear something classic. God damn, this was so sick. I didn’t even know psychedelic funk was a genre? 8 songs, 36 minutes? Chefs kiss, no notes.
very good i didn’t know that got down like that
anfang war etwas Komisch, dann gefiel es mir aber
Really enjoyed this. Standout track is obviously Papa Was A Rollin' Stone.
I love when members are worried that a record wont workout and then it turns out to be a #1 on some famous list. Tracks 4 5 and 8 were on repeat for me.
#317/1001. Starts up with a (fake?) live song, suddenly jumps to Papa, then done now slower and ghetto funk. Or psychedelic / cinematic soul. A bit ago directions, also turns out most of the songs were picked from other artists, I guess common for this era / style, as our is often mentioned how the band was a vehicle for the producer's ideas. But what a vehicle! Must be a smoochy Cadillac with a big enough back seat to show some heaven to the ladies in.
Really like this. Funky and fun, and although I know a couple of their songs, I've never intentionally listened to The Temptations. 7/10
Notable tunes: - Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone - Good LORD the funk on that one
One of the best funk albums I've heard. Did not expect The Temptations to switch up this hard.
The Temptations rock. I have nothing bad to say, enjoyable the whole way through. I love a quick concise album with no skips
Sounds pretty good
The music was more of a feeling and immersive. The themes were heavy and definitely an album when needing to just feel.
The Temptations - All Directions Papa Was a Rolling Stone is, IMO, one of the greatest recordings ever. The other track that stands out is The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. It’s a fine rendition, but mostly I just have a soft spot for the song itself. The rest of the album is not super memorable, but good enough.
Really enjoyed this. Some easy listening.
I love this genre and it always leaves me wanting to listen to it more, so it really cannot score very low here for me. However it just misses the final bit of oomph to put it in the highest category. 4/5
Awesome album, soul and funky records. Juste great. Song I like: Papa was a rolling stone, love woke me up this morning,
Really liked it. This quick album breezed by.
This album starts a 3 but ends a 4. Yeah.
Álbum com ênfase vocal mas também com muito Groove. Bem legal mesmo. QoA Adonis New.
Very enjoyable listen.
Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone // I Ain’t Got Nothin’ // 3.5/5
Not what I was expecting. Still good though.
Great album with some generational bangers. Couple of great things I learned. The lead singer didn't want to do Papa was a Rollin Stone cause his papa was a Minister. He said he was raised right and his dad was a stand up guy, so didn't seem right, but glad they did! Also, heard talking about today's hiphop "40 guys... 40 mikes... back in the day... 5 Temptations... 1 mike!"
Track 1 was insane. Blew me away, so funky! I just wish the rest of the record followed suit.
I really liked the long song. The others were pretty good too
70s psychedelic soul is my jam.
4/5. A great R&B album that makes for pleasant passive or active listening. Excellent instrumentation, vocals, and composition the whole way through. If you enjoy R&B, this'll be a treat.
Funky and enjoyable
Me ha sorprendido para bien, no es el estilo de música que me suele gustar. Se apreciarla, pero normalmente no suele apañarme si me paro a hacer escucha activa. A empezado fuerte, y es lo que menos me ha gustado, pero según ha ido avanzando se ha puesto mas instrumental y más lenta y me ha gustado bastante.
cool album, love papa was a rolling stone, run charlie run, mother nature and i aint got nothin'
The funk is ginormous when it wants to be. The groove is careful. The writing is good. The mix is really good. A few songs worth skipping, which isn't great when there are only 8. The good ones are holding their weight though. 3.9/5
I was not familiar with your game, and I apologize. Really deep breadth of music in here. Not just "my girl" type shit.
Tough to find a reason to criticize. Pioneers in so many ways.
It was pretty good, and quite bold on the civil rights message, which I didn't expect!
Ouhhh
Good stuff
Now that's a funky good time.
This was a very groovy album. I always think of The Temptations as very Motown, and this was definitely more funky than I was thinking it was going to be. This was enjoyable, I especially enjoyed Papa Was A Rolling Stone, but really it didn’t have many misses.
Ég fíla Freistingarnar.
Very good. A couple of songs I would skip
Interesting departure for them and sounds like they were dragged into the political scene. Excellent representation and arrangement. Worth listening to and definitely a snapshot of the dichotomy of that time. 4
36 minutes, 8 songs, every song must be about 4 minutes, right? Not so much! Only a couple are around 4 mins, the rest are pretty short and then we have a 12 minute epic, making this an interesting construction. This album waffled between excellent and decent, basically song by song. Loved the opener, which has a great funk element to it. Run Charlie Run, which followed, wasn't nearly as good. Horns were decent, and that's about it. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone is a great, great song. Is it too long? Maybe, but I really enjoyed it throughout and, let's be honest, it's a pretty iconic track. That was followed by Love Woke Me Up This Morning which was a let down by comparison. Things picked back up with I Ain't Got Nothin'. Simple lyrics in some respects, but it sets up the point of the track well. Excellent tune. However, once again, this was followed by another song that wasn't as good in the The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, which was just drifted along poorly for me. The yo-yo went back up with Mother Nature, another really soulful track with some great vocals. Fortunately, things stayed up with the closer with Do Your Thing. All in all, tons to like on here with a few duds. Makes for an excellent album overall.
Knew 3-4 songs. liked 6 of 8
I mean Papa Was Rollin Stone earns enough stars on its own for this album. Great album that isn't too long and probably has one of the coolest songs of all time on it. The album oozes cool throughout but not quite a 5 for me as it's not up there with my favourites of all time. It's a good 4 though.
yeah this fucks
It was good but all over the place
After some amount of boredom on this list recently, this album has restored some of my faith in the process. Brilliant. 4.5*
Great Songs: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On, Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, Do Your Thing Good Songs: Run Charlie Run, Love Woke Me Up This Morning, I Ain't Got Nothin', Mother Nature Mid Songs: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Bad Songs:
Best Song: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone. A fantastic example of a how you can maintain and play around a singular groove in a way that stays interesting for t relatively long (10+ minute) runtime. Worst Song: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. The pure softness of this ballad wasn't my favourite. Not a terrible song by any means, however. Overall: Soulful, passionate, energetic music. Grand and orchestral at times, but also capable of swinging back down to quiet, intimate arrangements. A really fantastic, dynamic album.
Papa was a rolling stone- classic. Also this music is just so easy to listen to. Aww love woke me up this morning is sweet. Idk I'd listen to this all day tbh.
Great Album
Am I giving this 4 simply because it's funky? Maybe...
Good album, but didn't have any stand out song.
A album with more funk than I expected. Had many soothing sounds and great grooves.
Groovy. Michael is better though. Funky listen
This sort of thing is usually right up my alley. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but a saxophone quintet appeared out of thin air and started playing while I was trying to listen to that, so I chose the live music.
In middle school, my parents sent me to dance school to learn ballroom dancing and manners and such once a week. It was an awful hazing experience that I would not wish upon my own children. Every session ended with a free dance where the men had to ask any of the women to dance, and the very last dance was always to The Temptations' "My Girl." I hated that song for a long while because of that experience (I'm not sure I've forgiven that song yet), and I also avoided the Temptations like the plague. I missed out on a lot of great music for a long time because of that -- holy crap this album is so good. The Temptations' Christmas album is so good. "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is so good. High up there on my list of favorite Motown groups.
The slower they play the groovier they are
Great early 70s soul!
I was today years old when I learned that the Temptations were so funky! The harmonies and production here are out of this world, of course. Just a great record from one of the all-time great R&B groups. Influence 5. Quality 5. Hits 4. Intangibles 5. Not my preferred genre, but I can dig it, baby 4.
Not really my kind of music but really good of its kind, classic sound. Rounding up. 3.5
I grew up hearing a lot of Temptations hits on the radio. But I haven’t listened to their collective work. I was really impressed.
Just the vibe I needed for my drive to work. A little bit slow I guess but I thought it was really nice
Something unusual for me i like it. I dont normally listen to this type of song, but i can image it being used in some kind of movie. Its good.
Some gems - such as possibly the definitive performance of Papa was a Rolling Stone. Some material didn't age so well. Not my go to genre but I enjoyed it.
Big band innit
There's a contrast between the funk which is excellent and the soul which is wimpy. It also breaks up the groove.
Ts was good, gonna relisten again.
I think I’m really a sucker for a horn section, cause I really loved the first half of this and then when it slowed down a little bit it stopped being my thing as much. Still a really impressive album, lots of great vocal performances all over it. Favorites: Run Charlie Run, Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,
The funk is out of control. Somehow it had escaped me the fact that papa was a rolling stone is almost 12 minutes of pure banger!? this is a 4 or a 5, I would never have guessed it ahead of time.
I tried to rate this lower, but dayum
Súper complejo, muchísimas capas y dimensiones distintas, amo la facilidad con la que se pueden reconocer las influencias q increíble
Oooo it's super funky and groovy, the kinda vibe I absolutely LOVE! I only really knew of their Christmas songs, as they're included on a lot of complains. This was a huge injustice and I will be listening to more of their work when I can!
p good
Gorgeous. Some classics on here. Not my vibe but undeniably good.
Classic vibes from these legends and would listen to again
4.3
“Funky music sho nuff turns me on”
This is a fantastic soul album.
Smooth funky soul
Typically don't like slower albums but love woke me up this morning might just be my song of the month also any album that has a good 7+ min song is good in my taste
It's the Temptations, so it is awesome by default. But the messages here are powerful. Four stars
Lyrically and musically EXCELLENT!
The Temptations were a great group. Papa was a Rolling Stone at 11 mins is a marvelous track. Other tracks not so great but might improve on further listening.
I love a good Motown record, and this is exactly that. Apart from the opening track, which is strong musically but let down by its live recording quality, every song is great. I’ll definitely be coming back to this.
God damn, the first few tracks were cool as hell! It loses a lot of steam through the middle with the slower more soulful songs. I much prefer the more upbeat, funky songs.
Rating: 7.5/10
Loved it, just would have preferred a few more up tempo numbers throughout. Nice blend of styles, including funk and soul. Can’t go wrong with classic Motown.
"the n-words are coming, the n-words are coming" damn, i didn't think you could say shit like that in '72 lmao great album, i guess i thought the Temptations were like the Four Tops or something, did not realize they got down like this
This seems to be another case of looking to include an artist group that was integral to the history of American popular music. The Temptations were pretty much that, as one of the most prominent vocal groups out of Motown in the 1960s, going on to pioneer psychedelic soul. Not only is their first foray into this genre shift included in the book, but also this album, where they further pivoted into funk. If there's one song likely to be recognized from All Directions, it's the Temptations' rendition of Undisputed Truth's "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", transforming a simple underground soul tune into a 12-minute suite with extended instrumental passages with the chicken-scratching guitar work and symphony orchestra accompaniment, gradually building as the members each sang from the perspective of different children questioning their mother about their dead father. It's a rather well-thought-out rendition that became the standard for this song. I wish I could give just as much praise to the rest of this album. There isn't a bad song, far from it. But between the more by-the-numbers renditions of the likes of Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and Edwin Starr's "Funk Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On", the latter being preceded by fake live audience jeering, along with the more laid-back original soul compositions such as "I Ain't Got Nothin'" and "Mother Nature", it's easy-listening on the ears, but there was an opportunity to go for broke in venturing into more hard-hitting funk territory. Last month, I covered the Isley Brothers' venture into funk on 3+3, and thoroughly enjoyed their fully-committed metamorphosis into the genre. All Directions doesn't quite go as far as that record did, and that's a shame cause I think they are a good vocal ensemble that could have taken further advantage of a sonic expansion. I still enjoyed this record at the end of the day, and am curious enough about the preceding Temptations record in the book. I just have this feeling it could have been even greater, that's all.
very chill nice for background music
Pretty damn good
what the f is up with this mixing. if you listen with earbuds, put your streaming service in mono. besides that, a pretty good collection of soul. i like Would I listen again: maybe Deserves to be on this list: maybe 3.6
Apart from track 2 an absolute pleasure. Motown and funk. 4/5
Gosh what a lovely record, correct me if I’m wrong but they didn’t have a part in writing or arranging any of this? With that in mind I’m going with a 4, if this was all their compositions it’d be a low 5 as it’s beautiful
Un très bon album de Soul, j'aime particulièrement la seconde partie tout en douceur. Et bien évidemment le single Papa was a rolling stone, incontournable.
Superb vocals, some really good songs. Some filler. 4
So funky! I only think of the temptations in the doo wop 50's style. I had no idea they did Papa was a rolling stone!
Muscular 70s funk with no fucks.
maybe one of the first motown albums ive fully heard, wasnt too bad! very chill but also a boogie.. saved 3 songs to my liked songs
Light years away from “My Girl”. Funky and earthy 70s offering. I like it
Funky, not funky enough. Somewhat too minimalistic at times. Political! e.g. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" Fav: Do Your Think = groovy bassline
Experimental Cure for sure. Don’t expect greatest hits material. Cerebral.
Excellent funk
'Papa Was a Rolling Stone' is worth everything on this album.
Papa was a Rollin Stone, and when be died, this album was born. The pace, the vibe, such a great flow. Starting with a live song was not an ideal choice for me but everything that followed was excellent
What a great jam.
Such a smooth, soothing Album. I found myself feeling more grounded and calmer with each song. Not one to listen to frequently, but It's handy to know it for when i need some smooth vibes.
3,5 - Für mich es etwas zu ruhig, aber so Bomben wie Papa Was A Rolling Stone allein machen das Album allein schon hörenswert. Highlights: Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Mother Nature
This was an interesting album. The funky stuff is always great and it gets surprisingly deep. Run Charlie Run was an unexpected song but it was a fascinating listen. The Temptations are a great group!
prva polovina album mojih snova; poslušala tri puta
Soulful and beautiful album, songs are amazing and tell a story in each one, great to listen to and it keep you hooked all the way through. Loved it.
i enjoyed this album
enjoyable
это реально очень хорошо, под настроение я бы и сама это слушала. а так по радио или с семьей-с удовольствием каждая песня отличается от предыдущей papanwas a rollin stone
Medio monótono pero me gustó
Album 1009 of 1089 All Directions - The Temptations (1972) Rating : 3.5 / 5 I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I’ve always had a soft spot for that late-’60s / early-’70s blend of pop, rock, funk, and soul, and The Temptations wear it well here. This album really feels like a time capsule to 1972 - polished but not slick, confident without being flashy. The grooves are steady, the vocals are strong, and the production fits the era perfectly. Nothing here is trying too hard or reaching for something it isn’t. It’s just solid music delivered by a group that knew exactly who they were at this point in their career. Maybe not an album packed with instant stand-out singles for me, but as a full listen it works well and holds your attention. A good example of a veteran group evolving with the times without losing their identity. Easy to enjoy, easy to recommend.
background olarak çok iyiiii ama bilemedim The first time ever I saw your face :))
this was v groovy I liked it a lot 4.5/5
This is a really well done album. I had never heard any of these songs except Papa was a Rolling Stone and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. I have heard the drums off the first track before but as a sample I believe. Love the musicianship and spirit of this album.
This album is like 60s porn. The women have soul, sass, and hairy muffs. The men have already hooked up with other women this morning, and have plans to meet up with other woman later.
70s soul funk. Great band. 4
Really good funky stuff
Nice, and chill. Enjoyable
i like the trumpet!!! run charlie run is good
I liked this one a lot! I've been getting rock albums non-stop, so I was very glad to get this album. :)
Seventies Temptations are my favorite Temptations and some of my favorite funk. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" is a stone-cold classic. While you can't expect other tracks to measure up to it, there are some jams on this album. A couple clunkers bring it down to four stars. But the Temptations are still where it's at.
This is better than the other Temptations album on this list. Where that felt at times grating and weird, this is mostly smooth soul mixed with funk. Both types of song are done very well, with excellent singing throughout. As with the other Temptations album, there was an overlong song(11 min!), but it wasn't as bad as the one on the other album. While that album felt like a work in progress, this feels like the finished, smooth product of a tight, talented performing unit.
i especially like love woke me up this morning and i ain’t got nothin’
Nice.
Classic funk and soul standards. High quality instrumentation and arrangement. Enjoyed all the tracks — “Do Your Thing” is smoothnesses incarnate. 4.3/5.0
Lowkey fire
Killer opening track, loved the beat. The funk is great. Even better closing track. Amazing. I don't think I'll ever really care for the slower R&B, high pitch voice of the temptations. Just not my thing. But a lot else on here I really liked.
A bit of a shambles but I really enjoyed it. I went it to it fearing it would be the type of music that one original member would tour to provincial theatres with a bunch of stand-ins. It receives the standard bonus star for not being another boring rock record.
An easy 4. It got a 3 for the baseline to Papa was a Rolling Stone alone. Groovy.
Genial
A later entry from the Temptations. Lots of emotion in this album- a mix of funk/soul plus vocal harmonies remiscent of their Motown years. A couple of hits, and a lot of enjoyable songs. Overall- good album. 3.5 to 4 / 5
Unstoppable groove, LOVED Fave tracks: Papa was a rolling stone (they just don’t make ‘em like this anymore) I ain’t got nothing
Smooth classy soul. Great production and bass playing. Managed to turn a simple repetitive riff into an 11 minute classic!
Groovy
Smooth as silk. Love myself a timpani
Is Papa Was A Rolling Stone the best song to come out of Detroit in the 60s and 70s? I Ain't Got Nothin and Love Woke Me Up This Morning are also excellent standouts. Just like Marvin Gaye the luscious strings and raw funkiness are a elite combination.
Funky and more controversial than some of their other work, but there are some soft, sultry tracks later on. Crunchy PB and oh so sweet jam.
It's a bit all over the place, but man when this hits it hits hard. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is an all-time fav of mine, but the entire second half is full of gems. Really enjoyed this.
Love ittt specially Mother Nature
Funky, tasty. Love the vibe.
I thought they were a doo-wop group. No idea they had this much funk. Motown did it right!
Clara’s birthday album
Easy listening, soul, funky. Liked "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". "Run Charlie Run" reminded me of something I would hear during a heist movie montage. Mix of groovy/upbeat and slow and crooning tunes.
This is a lot heavier than I expected. For me, when I think of the Temptations I think of poppy vocal harmony stuff like My Girl first. I should have known there was more to them. Of course I was familiar with the song Papa Was a Rolling Stone I just never explicitly realized in a way that was the same Temptations. And it does feel a bit weird for a group of just singers - no instrumentalists - to make a heavy funk album like this (with some sexy ballads as well). Having adjusted my expectations of the group, I really enjoyed this.
Nothing like some good 70s R&B
great soul
All Directions really grabbed me with its rhythm section. The bass across the album is incredibly cool — deep, steady, and full of character. And the guitar really stood out too: the funky muted cutting in “Run Charlie Run” and the lightly wah-tinged rhythm guitar in “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” give the songs such a distinctive groove.
Barely the same band that made “My Girl”, but a good album that showcases their talent.
man that first song is wackadoo I heard more crowd noise than needed. Which sucks because the song itself sounds like it couldve been great, the rest of the album feels like a strange departure. Temptations you are smooth as hell and I thoroughly enjoyed this whole listen, outside that first track.
I was pretty put off by the first song which is the worst sounding live recording I’ve ever heard, but then the rest of the album was very enjoyable. Reminds me of Awaken My Love. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is a stone cold classic and the rest of the tunes were funky and soulful
Groovy as hell
Loved the funk, and Papa Was a Rolling Stone is classic. They truly did go in All Directions on the other tracks, from doo wop to social commentary.
Fantastically funky. This album has one of the greatest openers I’ve ever heard, it got me so pumped the first time I heard it. The singers are all incredible. The arrangements are very good throughout. I feel like Papa Was a Rolling Stone should have been cut down a little bit, I love long songs, but only if they deserve the length and I feel like this song would be better around 7 minutes. I also feel like the sequencing could be better because pretty much every slow song is right next to each other. 4/5
Весёлый, смешной, местами грустный funk pop
Classic Temptations with classic vocals, hip funk for the time and a ton of soul. Papa was a rolling stone is clearly the highlight here. Run Charlie Run is a jarring, shows the racism at the time with lyrics that smash you over the head. Mother Nature is a smooth lil number
Well, I never thought I would enjoy a funk/soul album but here we are.
This was a pleasant surprise. Great mix of enjoyable songs with an all time classic.
Mother Nature and I ain't got nothin we're unexpected bangers
Very nice album I love the soul the funk the rhythm & blues, a couple songs were more boring but the rest is great.
This is one of those albums that is just generational. This version of Papa was a Rolling Stone definitely gets lost nowadays
A phenomenal, deeply funky record. It has that unmistakable Temptations groove - tight, fluid, and confident. I’m pretty sure I saw them live (or a later lineup? Cover group?) when I was a teenager, and the energy on this album lines up with what I remember: an absolutely commanding performance from a group that knew exactly what they were doing.
I enjoyed the vibe in the early morning run to yoga!
Interesting, surprised how sad it was. Quite the story it tells. New some songs, hadn't listened as intently before.
They come out strong on the opening tune and let you know this is absolutely a classic Fun, Soul, R&B classic. Track 3 alone, they’re putting their all into it and demonstrating that they’re absolute legends to the genre. What an epic track Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone is, it’s a pinnacle track to the genre. I wish they could have kept the energy a tad higher throughout, that’s always been my issue with the R&B genre. Still great overall 4 stars
Pretty fun! Did know any of them, and they have a pretty good range. It's quite short so I listened to it twice and rather enjoyed it!
I am so very happy to be getting an album in a genre I don't know much about from an artist I've never heard of that sounds pretty good. This album is exactly why I'm using this generator. This is a pretty solid list of tracks. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone is particularly good, and it looks like it's the most popular track of the album, for good reasons in my opinion.
Some gems I’ve never heard before mixed in with the classics. Great album.
Album 51/1001 Was unaware of The Temptations' foray into funky music, but I sho' nuff like it. 🕺🏿🕺🏿🕺🏿🕺🏿 Favourite song: Papa Was A Rolling Stone👴🏿🪨 Honourable mention: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On 🕺🏿😛🍆 Love Woke Me Up This Morning 🥰🛌🙆🏿♂️ Run Charlie Run 🏃🏿♂️ Mother Nature 🤰🏿🌳🌎 Do Your Thing 👉🏿
very funky. Also a bit romantic. And some familiar sounds and beats.
Feeling 4 stars, it’s a good vibe, didn’t realize these guys went from do wap to this soul vibe, it’s a pretty solid album.
Funktastic
mother nature reminds me of something hozier would take inspiration from
Only really know their hits, this was cool to hear. More edge to it than I’d expect from their hits. Orchestration is gorgeous, especially on Mother Nature.
This is a fascinating record — ambitious, layered, and clearly a turning point for The Temptations. You can hear them stretching beyond their classic Motown sound into something moodier and more cinematic. “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” is stunning, no doubt, and the production throughout is polished and confident. Still, I found myself wanting to love it a little more than I did. Maybe I’m just biased — “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” came on right after this, and that raw, joyful energy reminded me what I’m looking for. I even played “My Girl” last night, so maybe that warmth is still too top of mind. All Directions feels cooler, more calculated — impressive, but not as emotionally direct. Even so, it’s a fascinating chapter in the Temptations’ evolution, showing how far they were willing to go to stay vital and creative.
so cutest i love the temptations 8/10
Great vocals. Great compositions. Glad I found my way to this album.
oooooh the Temptations! Awesome. I know a few of their songs but definitely never heard any of their albums from start to finish. I'm sure this will be a good one. Hehe the guitar in Papa Was A Rollin Stone is so 70s lol like the porn music. This was the track with the most streams and it's almost 12 minutes long. Shoo wop shoo wop! lol Love this old sound man. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is by them?! or is this a cover. This is a pretty song. This is creeping up to be a 4 I guess the first singer was Peggy Seeger, but the one I know is by Roberta Flack but this version is really good. Nice soft voice.
Damn. This ain’t the motown Temptations I was expecting. Funk changes a man. Disco strings (Mother Nature - official forest bathing track)!
Fun and funky, the Temptations were an incredible group. Talented with both their instruments and their harmonies, it’s hard to ignore their talents. I will always love a good bass guitar and trumpet, and they nail both. Add to that the lyrics covering their experience as black men in America in the 60s/70s, and you have one great funk album.