- Masterpiece (The Temptations song)
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"Masterpiece" Single by The Temptations from the album Masterpiece Released February 1973 Genre Soul Length 4:22 (single version)
13:49 (album version)Label Motown Records Writer(s) Norman Whitfield Producer Norman Whitfield The Temptations singles chronology "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
(1972)"Masterpiece"
(1973)"Plastic Man"
(1973)"Masterpiece" is a 1973 soul single by American vocal group The Temptations. The song's architect, Norman Whitfield, titled the song "Masterpiece" because he felt it was a perfect blending of strings, horns, rhythm players, voices, studio tricks, and sweetening elements.[1] However, the word masterpiece does not appear in the song's lyrics. As with their Whitfield-produced hit from the previous year, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", the Temptations do not make their first appearance until after a long instrumental section. This added to already building tension between the group and Whitfield and led some music writers to start referring to the Temps as "the Norman Whitfield Choral Singers".[2] Released from the album of the same title, it reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and spent two weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart.[3] It would be their last Top Ten pop hit with Motown Records.
Personnel
- Lead and background vocals by Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Melvin Franklin (song verses), and Otis Williams (spoken introduction)
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
Chart positions
Charts Peak
positionU.S. Billboard Hot 100 7 U.S. Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles 1 References
- ^ allmusic
- ^ Temptations, The Biography
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 572.
Preceded by
"Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" by Gladys Knight & the PipsBillboard's Best Selling Soul Singles number one single
April 14, 1973 – April 21, 1973Succeeded by
"Pillow Talk" by SylviaThe Temptations Joe Herndon · Ron Tyson · Terry Weeks · Otis Williams · Bruce Williamson
Elbridge Bryant · G. C. Cameron · Ray Davis · Dennis Edwards · Melvin Franklin · Damon Harris · Barrington "Bo" Henderson · Eddie Kendricks · Glenn Leonard · Harry McGilberry · Ricky Owens · Theo Peoples · Louis Price · David Ruffin · Richard Street · Paul Williams · Ali-Ollie Woodson
Pre-Temptations: Kel Osbourne · Wiley Waller · James "Pee-Wee" Crawford · Vernon Plain · Arthur Walton · Albert "Mooch" HarrellProduction Studio albums Meet the Temptations · The Temptations Sing Smokey · The Temptin' Temptations · Gettin' Ready · The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul · The Temptations Wish It Would Rain · Cloud Nine · Puzzle People · Psychedelic Shack · Sky's the Limit · Solid Rock · All Directions · Masterpiece · 1990 · A Song for You · House Party · Wings of Love · The Temptations Do the Temptations · Bare Back · Hear to Tempt You · Power · The Temptations · Reunion · Surface Thrills · Back to Basics · Truly for You · Touch Me · To Be Continued... · Together Again · Special · Milestone · Phoenix Rising · Ear-Resistible · Awesome · Legacy · Still HereCover albums Live albums Other albums Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations · TCB · The Temptations Show · Together · On Broadway · The Temptations Christmas Card · Give Love at Christmas · Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968)Compilations Greatest Hits · Greatest Hits II · Anthology · Emperors of Soul · The Ultimate Collection · My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations · Psychedelic SoulSingles
(US/UK Top 10)"My Girl" · "Get Ready" · "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" · "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" · "(I Know) I'm Losing You" · "All I Need" · "You're My Everything" · "I Wish It Would Rain" · "When You're Young and in Love" · "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" · "Cloud Nine" · "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" · "Run Away Child, Running Wild" · "I Can't Get Next to You" · "Psychedelic Shack" · "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" · "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" · "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" · "Masterpiece" · "Let Your Hair Down" · "Happy People" · "Shakey Ground" · "The Motown Song" · "My Girl" (reissue)Filmography Videography The Temptations: Live in Concert · 20th Century Masters: The Best of the Temptations · Get Ready: The Definitive Live Performances - 1965-1972 · The Temptations: Live in LondonDiscography Albums · SongsRelated persons See also 
Book:The Temptations · 
Category:The Temptations · 
Portal:R&B and Soul Music1960s "Oh Mother of Mine" (1961) · "Check Yourself" (1961) · "(You're My) Dream Come True" (1962) · "Mind Over Matter (I'm Gonna Make You Mine)" (1962) · "Paradise" (1962) · "I Want a Love I Can See" (1963) · "Farewell My Love" (1963) · "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (1964) · "I'll Be in Trouble" (1964) / "The Girl's Alright with Me" (1964) · "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" (1964) · "My Girl" (1964) · "It's Growing" (1965) · "Since I Lost My Baby" (1965) / "You've Got to Earn It" (1965) · "My Baby" (1965) / "Don't Look Back" (1965) · "Get Ready" (1966) · "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (1966) · "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" (1966) · "(I Know) I'm Losing You" (1966) · "All I Need" (1967) · "You're My Everything" (1967) / "I've Been Good To You" (1967) · "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" (1967) · "I Wish It Would Rain" (1968) / "I Truly, Truly Believe" (1968) · "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" (1968) · "Please Return Your Love to Me" (1968) · "Cloud Nine" (1968) · "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1968) / "Silent Night" (1968) · "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" (1969) · "Runaway Child, Running Wild" (1969) · "I'll Try Something New" (1969) · "Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down" (1969) · "I Second That Emotion" (1969) · "I Can't Get Next to You" (1969) · "The Weight" (1969)1970s "Psychedelic Shack" (1970) · "Why (Must We Fall in Love)" (1970) · "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" (1970) · "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)" (1970) / "Hum Along and Dance" (1970) · "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" (1971) · "It's Summer" (1971) · "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (1971) · "Take a Look Around" (1972) · "Mother Nature" (1972) / "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" (1972) · "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972) · "Masterpiece" (1973) · "Plastic Man" (1973) · "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" (1973) · "Law of the Land" (1973) · "Let Your Hair Down" (1973) · "Heavenly" (1974) · "You've Got My Soul on Fire" (1974) · "Happy People" (1974) · "Shakey Ground" (1975) · "Glasshouse" (1975) · "Keep Holdin' On" (1976) · "Up the Creek (Without a Paddle)" (1976) · "Who are You (and What are You Doing the Rest of Your Life)" (1976) · "In a Lifetime" (1977) · "Think for Yourself" (1977) · "Bare Back" (1978) · "Ever Ready Love" (1978)1980s "Power" (1980) · "Struck by Lightning Twice" (1980) · "Aiming at Your Heart" (1981) · "Oh What a Night" (1981) · "Standing on the Top - Pt. 1" (1982) · "More on the Inside" (1982) · "Love on My Mind Tonight" (1983) · "Miss Busy Body (Get Your Body Busy)" (1983) · "Sail Away" (1983) · "Treat Her Like a Lady" (1984) · "My Love is True (Truly for You)" (1985) · "How Can You Say That It's Over" (1985) · "Do You Really Love Your Baby" (1985) · "Touch Me" (1986) · "A Fine Mess" (1986) · "My Girl" (re-issue) (1986) · "I'm Fascinated" (1986) · "Lady Soul" (1986) · "To be Continued..." (1986) · "Someone" (1987) · "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now" (1987) · "Papa was a Rollin' Stone" (re-issue) (1987) · "Look What You Started" (1987) · "Do You Wanna Go with Me" (1988) · "All I Want from You" (1989) · "Special" (1989)1990s "Soul to Soul" (1990) · "The Motown Song" (1991) · "The Jones" (1991) · "My Girl" (re-issue) (1992) · "Hoops of Fire" (1992) · "Error of Our Ways" (1994) · "Silent Night" (1995) · "Stay" (1998) · "This is My Promise" (1998) · "How Could He Hurt You" (1999)2000s "I'm Here" (2000)Categories:- 1973 singles
- Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one singles
- The Temptations songs
- Songs written by Norman Whitfield
- 1970s single stubs
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