Masterpiece (The Temptations album)

Masterpiece
Masterpiece
Studio album by The Temptations
Released	February 21, 1973
Recorded	1972–73
Studio	Hitsville USA, Detroit
Genre	Soul, funk, psychedelic soul
Length	42:08
Label	Gordy; GS 965
Producer	Norman Whitfield
The Temptations chronology
Alternative covers
	An alternative re-edition cover

Masterpiece is a 1973 album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label, produced and written by Norman Whitfield.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+^[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[3]

Track listing

All selections written and produced by Norman Whitfield.

Side one

"Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" – 4:36 (lead singer: Richard Street)
"Masterpiece" – 13:49 (lead singers: Dennis Edwards, Otis Williams, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Melvin Franklin)

Side two

"Ma" – 4:46 (lead singers: Richard Street, Damon Harris, Melvin Franklin)
"Law of the Land" – 5:08 (lead singers: Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris, Richard Street)
"Plastic Man" – 5:53 (lead singers: Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris, Melvin Franklin, Richard Street)
"Hurry Tomorrow" – 8:06 (lead singer: Damon Harris)

Personnel

Dennis Edwards - vocals (tenor/baritone)
Damon Harris - vocals (first tenor/falsetto)
Richard Street - vocals (second tenor/baritone)
Melvin Franklin - vocals (bass)
Otis Williams - vocals (second tenor/baritone)
Norman Whitfield - producer, composer
Paul Riser - arranger
Orson Lewis - engineer
Asari Ghraham - creative assistant to Norman Whitfield
Des Strobel - design
Parvis Sadighian - sculpture (for album cover image)
Jim Britt - liner photo

Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers:
- Earl Van Dyke - piano, organ
- Johnny Griffith - organ
- Robert Ward - guitar
- Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin - guitar
- Joe Messina - guitar
- Paul Warren - guitar
- Robert White - guitar
- Eddie Willis - guitar
- Aaron Smith - drums
- Richard "Pistol" Allen - drums
- Uriel Jones - drums
- Andrew Smith - drums
- Leroy Taylor - bass guitar
- Bob Babbitt - bass guitar
- Eddie Watkins Jr. - bass guitar
- Eddie "Bongo" Brown - bongos, congas
- Jack Ashford - tambourine, maracas, sticks
- Jack Brokensha - timpani, vibes, bells, gourd
- Maurice Davis - trumpet
- Ted Lucas - harmonica

Singles history

"Masterpiece" (Vocal)
- Gordy single 7126, February 1, 1973; *B-side: "Masterpiece" (Instrumental)
"Plastic Man"
- Gordy single 7129, May 10, 1973; B-side: "Hurry Tomorrow"
"Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)"
- Gordy single 7131, July 24, 1973; B-side: "Ma"
"Law of the Land"
- Tamla-Motown single TMG-866, 1973 (UK only); B-side: "Run Charlie Run" (from All Directions)

Charts

Album

Chart (1973)	Peak position
French Albums (SNEP)^[4]	6
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[5]	17
Spanish Albums (AFE)^[6]	13
UK Albums (OCC)^[7]	28
US Billboard 200^[8]	7
US Top R&B Albums^[9]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1973)	Peak position
French Albums (SNEP)^[10]	51
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[11]	47
US Top R&B Albums^[12]	15
US Billboard 200^[13]	56

Singles

Year	Name	US	US R&B	UK
1973	Masterpiece (Vocal)	7	1	-
	Plastic Man	40	8	-
	Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)	35	2	-
	Law of the Land	-	-	41

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)^[14]	Gold	100,000^*
United States (RIAA)^[15]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r19822
^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: T". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 15, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743201698.
^ "Tous les Albums de l'Artiste choisi". InfoDisc. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Temptations – Masterpiece" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "The Temptations Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
^ "The Temptations US Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
^ "The Temptations". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
^ "InfoDisc : Les Albums (CD) de 1973 par InfoDisc". 2016-01-10. Archived from the original on 2016-01-10. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1973. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Year-End". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
^ "Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
^ "French album certifications – The Temptations – Masterpiece" (in French). InfoDisc. Select THE TEMPTATIONS and click OK.
^ "American album certifications – The Temptations – Masterpiece". Recording Industry Association of America.

This 1970s R&B/soul album-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] ttps://www.allmusic.com/album/r19822

[CG-2] Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: T". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 15, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.

[3] Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743201698.

[4] "Tous les Albums de l'Artiste choisi". InfoDisc. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

[ac_Germany4_The_Temptations-5] "Offiziellecharts.de – The Temptations – Masterpiece" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

[6] Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.

[7] "The Temptations Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

[VPb-8] "The Temptations US Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

[9] "The Temptations". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-09-10.

[10] "InfoDisc : Les Albums (CD) de 1973 par InfoDisc". 2016-01-10. Archived from the original on 2016-01-10. Retrieved 2021-09-10.

[11] "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1973. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.

[12] "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Year-End". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-09-10.

[13] "Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-09-10.

[FranceThe_TemptationsMasterpiecealbumCertRef-14] "French album certifications – The Temptations – Masterpiece" (in French). InfoDisc. Select THE TEMPTATIONS and click OK.

[United_StatesThe_TemptationsMasterpiecealbumCertRef-15] "American album certifications – The Temptations – Masterpiece". Recording Industry Association of America.

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