The Smiley Smile Message Board

They made the best music for the soul.

Some similarities too...

Lead falsetto.. Brian Wilson & Eddie Kendricks
Bass Vocalists.. Mike Love & Melvin Franklin
Rebels.. Dennis Wilson & David Ruffin
The Glue.. Carl Wilson & Otis Williams

Both groups were a "family", the tempts to a lesser degree, parents were involved in the beginning of there "story". Both groups had enormous success (4 US #1's each) and also heartbreaking tragedy. 

Their harmony blend is killer particularly on "just my imagination", can listen to that one over and over again..

The Temptations have been called the best vocal group of all-time before, as have The Beach Boys.

Another similarity between both groups is that the only original member left in the current line-up of the Tempts is Otis Williams, similar to how Mike and Bruce are the only real members of the touring Beach Boys. For the Tempts, it's because every other member of the classic '60s line-up is dead (David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams and Melvin Franklin) whereas there still are other original Beach Boys out there, not in the M&B band.

Another interesting thing both groups have in common is that during the early to mid-'70s, their music began to more politically and socially conscious and quite a bit different to their classic early to mid-'60s hits. The beach Boys had songs like 'Student Demonstration Time', 'Don't Go Near The Water', etc., while the Temptations had songs like 'Ball of Confusion' and 'Shaky Ground'.

For me, both groups have released what I consider among the top 10 best singles of all-time - 'Good Vibrations' and 'My Girl'.

Both The Beach Boys and The Temptations have a warm and welcome place in my music collection and in my heart. Love 'em both (especially the BBs.)

The tempts are in my top 10 favorites if not squeezed in my top 5.

Guy that tours without any other originals: Mike and Otis.


However, every other original Temptation is long dead, sadly. Although getting together with Dennis Edwards wouldn't be horrible, as even though he's not an original, he was part of a very classic era.

Also, Otis has actually had the guts to keep on making Temptations albums, further cluttering up the market of Temptations albums. Which is crazy. Because the group out there called The Temptations has basically nothing to do with the old group besides Otis. Who, one should remember, basically NEVER sang a lead vocal. So it makes Mike's Beach Boys group look legit, what with the lead singer and longtime bassist/keyboardist with him.

In my eyes, David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks were the Temptations.  Not to say the other guys weren't great singers as well but it's those two who had the great distinctive voices that made the Temptations the Temptations.