Cloud Nine

I loved this album. After a long day at work getting back and putting this on whilst cooking dinner was an absolute winner

The Temptations are a weird group. They were early pioneers in funk but they came out of the motown scene. Most bands who straddle the genre line like this produce songs that sort of smear the line between. Not The Temptations. Oh, no. The songs on this album are very solidly either funk or motown. I love the funk tracks so much. They hit the pocket and just grind. They're great. The motown tracks no so much. They're great examples of motown soul ... I just don't dig the genre.

The A side could be an easy 5, but the back half drags into good but generic motown that brings the record down a bit.

My vague knowledge of The Temptations remains vague, but now I know for sure that I love them

👍🏼

Pleasant but unremarkable.

Super 70s production - very wide stereo sound, funky bass lines, crunchy guitar and rhodes riffs, soulful singing - lots of love jams. Good to throw on and just vibe. Favorite song: Love is a Hurtin' Thing

(à lire impérativement avec la voix de Jacques Chirac) Écoutez, je dois dire que j'ai été très déçu par cet album. La pochette laissait présager une véritable bouffée d'air soul au milieu de tous ces albums de rock générés par Robert. De la soul, oui, mais de la soul psychédélique, j'émets des réserves.

Obviously, The Temptations Cloud Nine was groundbreaking at the time for its use of funk, but how does it hold up? To modern ears, the earnestness of the lyrics grates a little. Social consciousness is one thing, but these lyrics are pretty on the nose. But how about the music? The playing and arrangements of the first three tracks in the relatively new funk style are impeccable. They groove relentlessly. And sure enough, it's the Temps, so the vocals kick ass. After the initial blast of funk, the rest of the album reverts to the Temptations signature smooth soul. This is not necessarily a bad thing. There's a lot to be said for soulful and varied vocals, competent if conventional arrangements, and the solid songcraft and musicianship from the Motown stable. I've got to be honest. I prefer 70s soul to 60s soul, but Cloud Nine is one of the more solid efforts of the period. There is little of the outright filler, pointless covers of hit material, and outright pandering to crossover audiences that was all too common on Motown releases. I'll subtract half a point for some painful earnestness and out of subjective personal preference. 4 1/2 out of 5

I absolutely love this album. It's got a lot of funk to it, and it has a great groove. The instrumental choices were very nice and characteristic of the era, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Feel good album. Started very soulful and got heavy 50s-pop toward the end. Not a huge fan of their rendition of "Heard It Through The Grapevine". Otherwise, good stuff.

I went on youtube for this shit. Like it was 2011. Maybe that's why I liked it so much. Sitting in a simpler time. Good energy. Ah. The Temptations!

I think people who don't like funk or soul music might just be racist. Favorite track: Hey Girl

I feel like there’s a whole group of people who find the Temptations really, really historically important but no one ever said anything and they just expect us to know? They don’t run around trying to insert the Temptations into ever conversation, it’s more like ‘whatevz, yer loss.’ Strange.

So feel good - another one you can't help wiggling all the way through to

RANKING 1) Love Is A Hurtin' Thing - 9.55 2) Why Did She Have To Leave Me (Why Did She Have To Go) - 9.31 3) I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back) - 9.3 4) Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love - 9.23 5) Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me - 9.22 6) I Need Your Lovin' - 9.1 7) Hey Girl - 8.8 8) Cloud Nine - 8.4 9) I Heard It Through The Grapevine - 8.35 10) Runaway Child, Running Wild - 7.7 AVG RATING - 8.90 PERSONAL RATING - 9 2/3 Spot are Interchangeable - Distinct but both very good, same with 4/5. Vocals, Instrumentation, Catchiness, Everything sounds distinct and amazing. All songs stand out, and they are all certified bops.

Man, I'm actually on a roll of good, classic albums. I don't even know if I have notes on this. It's just good.

Loved this. I’ve been hitting a wall lately — not wanting to keep up with this. But this album basically reinvigorated me haha.

The Norman Whitfield years are underway—epic songs, psychedelic soul. David Ruffin is gone, and Dennis Edwards takes over as lead, but the voices remain the standard—Kendricks, Williams, and Franklin take notable solo spots throughout. The cover of the Gladys Knight/Pips version of Grapevine is decent, as are the other b-side cuts, but the title track and Run Away Child, Running Wild set the tone for the Temps to come. Funk Brothers moving at full speed. A perfect encapsulation of the late 60s Motown era.

An example of a temptation would have been to support Man City in the FA Cup final so that extra EUROPA space was available via the league. I resisted that temptation and kept my soul in place! This album has funk and seems to me a good example of the genre. I got bored as the album went on but resisted the temptation to skip tracks.

a good time :) missing that standout track to give it a 4 other than i need your lovin' though

Temptations at their best.

SO GOOD

great vibes, classic album.

Love it. Own it.

Classic banger. Best version of the song "I heard it through the grapevine"

Probably one of the best transition albums.

Just a really good album. It's probably a 4.5 because of the 9 minute sing that could've easily been 4 minutes shorter... but I'm still gonna round up. I'd buy this on vinyl.

It is said this was the Temptation’s first foray into psychedelic soul. I am very happy they did. I loved this album and enjoyed all the music, harmonies, and lyrics. Well worth many more listens!

Proof that the Temptations are one of the greatest vocal groups of all time. Just wow.

This album had quite a few surprises from what I was expecting from the temptations. Quite a bit more funky in spots from the My Girl days. The industry back then was also very weird. It all seems to be very label driven and songs were just reused almost annually. "I head it through the Grapevine" had huge success with two different artists in the two years prior to this album, so 3 artists in 3 years all singing the same song. All versions are quite a bit different, and I know there even a couple other covers later on. It's one of those songs that just got everywhere. As a kid from Grapevine who watched the California Raisins I may have paid a little more attention than your average kid to this song. The rest of this album is pretty interesting too. I'm an era of 3 minute tracks there is a 9+ minute epic of Runaway Child, and had it not been for the kid crying midway through it would have been my favorite on the album. All other songs do their best to say what they need to and efficiently move on to the next, and that is appreciated. Favorite track "I gotta find a way to get you back" 5/5

My favorite period of my favorite Motown group began with this album. Norman Whitfield, who had already produced singles for The Temptations, took full control of production. This coincided with David Ruffin’s departure and the arrival of Dennis Edwards. “Cloud Nine” featured the five Temps sharing lead vocals, often trading lines within verses, to an increasingly funky, psychedelic soul sound. The Funk Brothers added wah-wah guitars and intense instrumental vamps to the traditional Motown sound, and the lyrics introduced social commentary to the more familiar love songs. The title track kicks things off and we’re in Sly & the Family Stone territory; the 9-minute “Runaway Child, Running Wild”, which builds to an organ- and guitar-fuelled crescendo, is stunning and points the way to the even more powerful workouts to come in the early ‘70s. The ballads were still here but times were getting tougher and, with Whitfield’s encouragement, so were The Temptations…

#129/1001 🇺🇸 A cracking slice of Motown with all that you would expect from the label. Pounding rythm sections, horns, strings and more. Runaway Child Running Wild, Love is a Hurting Thing, I Need Your Loving, Got to Find a Way (To Get You Back).

Took me to cloud nine, a couple of stand-out classics

For goodness sakes people! It's The Temptations! If you only listen to one R&B, funk, soul album, this is definitely in the top 10 of what you should consider to hear!

I actually enjoyed this one. Fun album.

Vibes

Enjoyable. Nothing life-changing but none are skip worthy. 4.25

It was so great and so romantic, listened to it on the way to a date

It's The Temptations doing Temptations stuff, which basically means, "This is cool".

Blown away by the wall of sound

I always thought of the temptations as this old mowtown band but this is far more funky than I expected.

Psychedelic Temps I heard through the grapevine Run away child, running wild

Groovy and fun, for the most part. A couple of songs didn’t do it for me, but most I enjoyed. Cloud Nine and Gonna Keep On Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love are the perfect opener and closing song.

Great album, bringing their brand of hard soul. The opening track exudes social injustice and love their version of I heard it through the grapevine.

Fun lil album. Bass grooves were awesome and I was definitely vibing with that the whole way through. It’s also funny listening to their previous albums and finding out that this one is just so different than the rest.

funky and i fw this

This challenge has given me a good introduction to Psychedelic Soul: a genre I was probably interested in all along and never got around to it. This is so much better than My Girl.

With the arrival of Dennis Edwards, the Temptations shift into a funkier direction while still keeping their Motown roots. Of its time, but that’s not a bad thing.

No. 234/1001 Cloud Nine 4/5 I Heard It Through The Grapevine 3/5 Runaway Child, Running Wild 3/5 (3x) Love Is A Hurtin' Thing 4/5 Hey Girl 3/5 Why Did She Have To Leave Me 4/5 I Need Your Lovin' 3/5 Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me 4/5 I Gotta Find A Way 4/5 Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love 4/5 Average: 3,5 Really fun soul album.

not as good as the last temptations album, but still a 4

This was fun. I know this album gets pegged as the Temps' big funk and psychedelic turn, but much of it is not. It's more that they took their signature sound and tweaked it slightly to go with the tone of what was on the charts at the time. It actually works pretty well. The more funk-driven tracks of side 1 are the real deal. The title track is a stone cold classic. I'm just realizing "Runaway Child" clocks in at 9+ minutes. It's pretty awesome as well, and kind of surprising coming from this group. Honestly the only side 1 song that left me a little cold was the cover of "Grapevine," which brought nothing new to the song. Dennis Edwards absolutely deserves credit here for making his mark as a vocalist in the wake of David Ruffin's departure. He was never going to top Ruffin, but he sounds great here, his grit balanced nicely by Eddie Kendricks’ splendid vocal. The album could have been a flat-out failure, and it's actually a really fun listen. I'm actually digging several of the more conventionally Temptations-y romantic songs. They're lovely, classic Motown songs, which are always a delight to hear. Fave Songs: Cloud Nine, Run Away Child Running Wild, I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back), Why Did She Have to Leave Me, Love is a Hurtin' Thing

Don't think I've ever sat down and listened to a Temptations record before. Production sounds amazing, crisp and warm, it does the slightly disorienting 60s stereo thing where the drums are hard panned to one channel, so it's not a headphones record. Pretty ballsy putting a 9-minute track third, but it mostly worked here. Sounds like it's straddling the line between classic Motown and 70s soul - I preferred the Motown-style tracks. Really refreshing to hear another version of Grapevine that hasn't been played to death

The funky version of the Temptation works for me. There were times when I thought the mix could have been a bit better. Sometimes the falsetto stands out a bit too much from the rest of the arrangement. The songs, though, are top notch 4/5

2000s department store commercials has left an irreversible impression that music like this is essential for people dancing in a NYC loft. It's a good album, I just wish I could imagine more beyond the Macy's.

Strange record. The title track is good, and the doo-wop vocals over a more '70s soul sound is funny, but I guess kinda works. 'Runaway Child, Running Wild' is incredibly bizarre. The second side is much better, probably because it sounds more like you'd expect a Temptations record to sound.

Can't say it's bad but I wasn't really into it either.

such a fun listen. i had a really good time and pretty much liked all the songs!! faves: why did she had to leave me, don’t let him take your love from me

This was enjoyable, but I’ve previously docked Creedence Clearwater Revival a point for a Grapevine cover that’s nowhere near as good as Marvin Gaye’s, so for consistency this is a 3

Pretty good. “Runaway Child, Running Wild” took me by surprise.

smooth and warm. OK

Grosse erreur de la part des Temptations, qui n'ont pas eu la présence d'esprit, a la sortie de leur album, de le rendre disponible sur les plateformes de streaming. Ceci plafonne par consequent directement leur note a 3/5. A l'heure du digital, il est tout bonnement scandaleux de ne proposer un album qu'exclusivement disponible sur Youtube. J'ai d'ailleurs alerté mon bon ami robtouillère de ce petit scandale, qui s'est empressé de le signaler directement à Robert Dimery, grâce à sa proximité extrême avec ce dernier. Des mesures devraient etre prises très bientôt, à bon entendeur.

It was decent.

It was okayish funky. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it

This is a bit boring, especially for funky Motown. I also hate this version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine

Ok as background music. This versions of grapevine is the worst I’ve heard. The whole record is oddly boring for all the histrionic singing. And like with a lot of Motown recordings the backing band are the best thing here but aren’t named.

Meh - it’s like a record of templates for Motown songs with no real bops.

Basic motown shit

Was ok as backaground.

2/5 nothing to remember

I honestly don't know how this is on this list. Very poor output from them. How can you take a song as soulful as Heard It Through The Grapevine and render it elevator ready. Whomever is attempting the falsetto on this album, please stop. The Temptations have some iconic songs but none of them (or their essence) is here. This is sad. Like when a classic band is touring 30 years later with just the original bass player carrying the name from casino to casino.

These guys have many classic singles but “Cloud Nine” is not one of them. With that being the tentpole for the album, the whole thing collapses! I can safely say there is not a good song to be found anywhere on this album. “Runaway Child, Running Wild” is especially dumb, and this has to be the worst cover of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” ever recorded. I think I’m just more of a Four Tops man.

Not much to say about this album, other than I found it incredibly boring from start to finish... I saw "Grapevine" on there - and thought maybe they had written it, but they did not - they were just another cover version, and it's a pretty crappy cover at that... Marvin Gaye's cover is the definitive version... Boring will get you a 1 from me every time...

Meh. I liked the first song. Hated their grapevine cover.

The Temptations failed to tempt me. There were a couple but it didn't really do anything for me. The second half of the album were basically songs on trying to get a girl back with very little luck, seemed a little sad and desperate really. Best: Cloud Nine Worst: I Need Your Lovin’ Spotify didn't have many of the songs- needed to fully listen to the album on YouTube

Motown is so fun. I cleaned the garage to this with my dad, and it was perfect vibes.

My favorite Temps album and one of the all time best Motown albums.

The grooviest shit. I’ve loved this music since I was a kid, thrilled to relisten

# The Temptations - *Cloud Nine*: An In-Depth Review Released on February 17, 1969, *Cloud Nine* is far more than just another album from the legendary Temptations; it is a landmark recording that fundamentally altered the trajectory of the group and the Motown label itself. It marks the beginning of the group's "psychedelic soul" era, a daring fusion of social commentary, funk rhythms, and psychedelic production. ## Lyrics: The Harsh Reality Behind the Euphoria The lyrical content of *Cloud Nine* represents a significant departure from the standard Motown fare of romantic ballads and love-lorn tales. The title track, "Cloud Nine," written by the powerhouse team of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, is a poignant narrative of poverty and escape . The lyrics are unflinching: *"The childhood part of my life wasn't very pretty / You see, I was born and raised in the slums of the city"* . The protagonist's journey from a desperate upbringing to seeking a job and finding none leads him to depression, and finally, to "Cloud Nine" as a mental escape from a "dog-eat-dog world" . While the euphoric chorus ("I'm doing fine up here on Cloud Nine") suggests a state of bliss, the verses ground the song in a despair that has led many to interpret it as a reference to drug use . However, the group and its creators have consistently denied this was their intention. Otis Williams, the group's sole surviving original member, has explained that the phrase "cloud nine" was a long-standing expression for being in a state of euphoria, not a coded drug reference . As he put it, they were "just writing from what they felt," and producer Norman Whitfield and co-writer Barrett Strong didn't even use drugs . Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, even thought the song was about getting high, but Williams maintains the song was about an emotional, not chemical, escape . This theme of social hardship is further explored in the album's epic second track, "Run Away Child, Running Wild." The lyrics tell the story of a young boy who runs away from home and becomes lost, his fear and regret palpable as he calls out, "I want my Mama!" The song is not a glorification of rebellion but a cautionary tale that captures the vulnerability and desperation of a child in a harsh urban environment . ## Music and Production: A Psychedelic Revolution The music and production of *Cloud Nine* were revolutionary for Motown. The album is the brainchild of producer Norman Whitfield, who, after initial reluctance, embraced the psychedelic sounds pioneered by Sly and the Family Stone at the behest of Otis Williams . The result was a seismic shift from the polished, pop-oriented "Motown Sound" to a grittier, more experimental "psychedelic soul" . This new sound is immediately apparent on the title track. The song opens with "some of the most warped sounds ever to grace a Motown release" , featuring a prominent wah-wah guitar played by Dennis Coffey, a driving, hard-hitting beat, and conga drums . This was a stark contrast to the string sections and pianos that had defined the group's earlier hits . All five members—new lead singer Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams—trade lead vocals in a style inspired by Sly Stone's multi-lead approach . The album's most audacious moment is the nine-and-a-half-minute opus, "Run Away Child, Running Wild" . At a time when radio singles were typically three minutes long, this track was a bold statement. It masterfully combines doo-wop vocals, droning organ lines, and a lengthy instrumental jam session with hard-hitting drums reminiscent of James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone . The song's extended instrumental break showcased Whitfield's ambition to create immersive soundscapes, a technique he would further develop on subsequent classics like "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" . ## Themes: A New Social Consciousness The overarching theme of *Cloud Nine* is a newfound social consciousness for The Temptations. The album moves away from the personal and romantic and instead tackles broader societal issues facing Black America. The lyrics on "Cloud Nine" address poverty, unemployment, the breakdown of the family, and urban despair . The message is not one of political activism but of survival and the complex need for an escape from a reality that is "a rat race where only the strongest survive" . This shift in subject matter was a direct reflection of the turbulent times. In 1968, a year of immense social and political upheaval in the U.S., Motown was seen by some as out of touch with the counterculture and the increasingly militant messages of other soul artists . *Cloud Nine* allowed The Temptations to remain relevant by speaking to the realities of their audience while maintaining their signature vocal sophistication. ## Influence: Saving Motown and Sparking a Genre The influence of *Cloud Nine* cannot be overstated. It is credited with saving Motown from becoming "increasingly outmoded" and putting the label "back at the forefront of American popular music" . The title track earned Motown its first Grammy Award (for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance), a significant achievement for the label . More importantly, the album opened the door for a new genre: psychedelic soul. Its success gave Whitfield the creative freedom to push The Temptations even further into experimental territory with albums like *Psychedelic Shack* and *All Directions*, and socially conscious hits like "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" . The album's fusion of funk, rock, and soul paved the way for artists like Funkadelic and became a vital precursor to the funk and disco that would dominate the 1970s . ## Pros and Cons of the Album **Pros:** * **Historical Significance:** A pivotal album that saved Motown, revolutionized The Temptations' sound, and pioneered the "psychedelic soul" genre . * **Influential Production:** Norman Whitfield's innovative production, featuring wah-wah guitar and extended instrumental passages, was groundbreaking and forward-thinking . * **Socially Conscious Lyrics:** The album's honest and unflinching lyrics about poverty and urban life gave the group a new relevance and gravitas . * **Musical Highlights:** The title track is a classic, and "Run Away Child, Running Wild" is a daring and successful nine-minute epic . * **New Vocal Energy:** The addition of Dennis Edwards, with his "grit and righteous indignation," provided a perfect voice for the group's new, harder-edged material . **Cons:** * **Uneven Tracklist:** The album is essentially split into two halves: the revolutionary side one and a more conventional side two that returns to the group's standard balladry . This makes it a "halfway house" rather than a complete transformation . * **Lack of Consistent Innovation:** The second side's more traditional fare, while well-performed, can feel like a step backward after the artistic fireworks of side one. * **Interpretive Ambiguity:** While the creators deny drug references, the lyrical content of the title track can be interpreted as either a profound statement on escapism or a more literal, problematic endorsement of drug use . ## Conclusion *Cloud Nine* is not without its inconsistencies, but its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. As the album that introduced the world to "psychedelic soul" and revitalized the career of one of music's greatest vocal groups, it remains an essential listen. The album's first side, in particular, with its powerful lyrics and groundbreaking production, stands as a testament to a moment of immense creative risk that paid off spectacularly. It is an album that captures a band, a producer, and a label adapting to a changing world and, in doing so, helping to change the course of popular music itself.

Aaaaaahhh yiiisssss!

🎶 K-EARTH 101 LOS ANGELES 🎶

Classic

I’ve heard this before. I love the Temptations and this is a great mix of their earlier Motown sound with the later psychedelic soul and funk. It’s been a while since I’ve heard this album so I forgot that Run Away Child Running Wild is ten minutes long with an extended instrumental psych jam which is extremely my thing. Classic album.

Great album

Cranking out bangers 5/5

Love listening to this album as a story about pursuing a relationship. Lovely jazzy chill vibe

Cloud 9? What about “5 Stars”

while other men my age fully move towards yacht rock I am firmly entrenched in mid life Motown, and it's not a phase. It's a lifestyle. Cue Psychedelic Psoul for the win... bet. (My cowboy shirt has guitars on the shoulders)

moy boeno, me hace sentir poderosa y vulnerable de la manera mas amorosa posible y eso me gusta mucho 7/10 le doy un 7 pq inicia muy fuerte pero termina maso

music is love

This was outstanding. I really enjoyed this one a ton! The bass lines are amazing!

auntie music

One of my favorite albums

First time listening to the Temptations. Really enjoyed this one. May be picking this up on vinyl soon. If you told be psychedelic progressive soul was I thing I would not have believed you, but here we are. 5/5

Bellísimo

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excelente álbum saludos!

Excellent album and a wonderful display of a soulful Motown work. Gives me a starting point to further explore The Temptations.

Muy buen disco, sobretodo muy buena banda!

Oh my god flawless from front to back. The perfect Sunday album. Not a single skip - would happily sit and relisten to this in full again and again and again.