The first couplet of the first song begins "You've got a smile so bright, you know you could've been a candle./ I'm holding you so tight, you know you could've been a handle."

Anyone who has heard of the Temptations knows those lines from their classic "The Way You Do the Things You Do." It is crisply sung, almost doo-wop. It never loses its poise or falls into cliche.

Most of these songs were hits. If the titles don't jar your memory, listen to the samples. Expect to know at least 10 of these.

A couple weak links are present in "Treat Her Like a Lady" and "Error of Our Ways." In these two songs, there's no funk, no soul, and no depth. Both are acceptable, as pop R&B, but are musically pallid when compared to "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "Ball of Confusion."

The liner notes provide a puffy history, and credits song-by-song. That's not why this is worth buying. It is the sheer cool class and sway of the Temptations greatest hits. A couple songs might be left off, but most are here.

I fully recommend "The Ultimate Collection" by the Temptations.

Anthony Trendl

The Ultimate Collection is a very good one to get; it includes the majority of the group's biggest hits, the remastering sounds great, and the chronological sequence gives a fine picture of the group's constant musical evolution. The Ultimate Collection isn't the last word on The Temptations, but it's a splendid starting point to their music, and will add a satisfying portion of sweet-and-sour soul to your next party.

The Temptations "Ultimate Collection" falls way short from achieving the status it's title suggests. It's not a bad CD. Come on now, it's the Temptations. This CD is very much enjoyable, but why didn't they have "Beauty's Only Skin Deep", or "The Impossible Dream" or more songs that were led by Paul Williams. This is an enjoyable album and the songs that are on here are classic and well worth the money spent, but I fail to see what is ultimate about this album.

Stop trying to pull the wool over our eyes! In this day of slick marketing and advertising gimmicks you can pretty much call any product anything you want to and make just about any claim you care to. Unfortunately such is the case with "The Ultimate Collection". For any true Temptations fan will tell you that this disc is certainly not reflective of its title and simply does not cut the mustard. Issued in 1997, "Ultimate Collection" is merely another in a string of largely inadequate offerings that purport to be the definitive Temptations Greatest Hits.
"Ultimate Collection" is not a terrible disc. It does offer tunes from all of the many phases of the Temptations dynamic career. The remastering job is just fine and I would rate the 12 page booklet acceptable but nothing more. The problem here is that there are 8 or 9 pretty important titles missing including 1966's "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" and the highly successful 1968 collaboration with Diana Ross and the Supremes "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". Some of these tunes should have been included on "Ultimate Collection" in place of filler like "Don't Look Back" and "Error Of Our Ways". For casual fans, "Ultimate Collection" might be an acceptable choice. But collectors and hard core Temptations fans should demand better. Hopefully, Universal will release a 2 disc set in the near future similar to the Four Tops "50th Anniversary" set. Such an offering is long overdue. In the meantime, I'll make due with what I already have.

I get tired of buying cds only 40 minutes in length. This cd easily has more songs (and better songs) than any other single cd i've ever bought. Even though the last tracks do seem out of place, they aren't that terrible. And for some reason I love listening to "Shaky Ground" even though it doesn't sound like the Temptations i know. Fantastic value - must buy.