Studio Album · No. 8

Sky's the Limit Songwriting Credits by The Temptations

1971 Gordy Records 8 tracks 43 min

Produced by Norman Whitfield

Gordy Records SoulPsychedelic SoulMotown
0%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 0 of 8 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 0 / 8 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 8 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Temptations carries a lyricist or composer credit.

0%
0 trackswritten by The Temptations 8 tracksoutside writers
The Temptations's roles on this album

Share of the 8 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist0%
Composer0%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

8
Tracks
3
Lyricists
1
Producers
1
No.1 Single
1971
Released
Data Insight

The authorship of Sky's the Limit sits entirely with the Motown production team, not the Temptations. Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong wrote the hit 'Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)' and every other song except 'Throw a Farewell Kiss,' which Whitfield co-wrote with Edward Holland Jr. Whitfield also produced the whole record. The Temptations are the interpreters here: Eddie Kendricks and the group supply the voices, backed by Motown's Funk Brothers, while the writing credits belong to Whitfield and Strong. That split is the standard Motown model, where a house team writes and produces and the act performs.

Sky's the Limit is a 1971 studio album by the Temptations, released on Gordy Records and produced by Norman Whitfield. It is the group's psychedelic soul period at full stretch, moving between the tight three-minute single 'Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)' and long, expansive album cuts like the 12-minute 'Smiling Faces Sometimes' and the nine-minute 'Love Can Be Anything (Can't Nothing Be Love But Love).' The record marked the end of an era for the group, since it was Eddie Kendricks' last studio album as a member before he left for a solo career, and his high tenor carries the album's biggest hit. Every song was written by Whitfield with Barrett Strong, apart from 'Throw a Farewell Kiss,' which Whitfield wrote with Edward Holland Jr. The album reached number 16 on the Billboard 200 and is one of the last statements of the classic Kendricks-era Temptations.

Track Listing & Credits 8 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Gonna Keep on Tryin' (Till I Win Your Love)
Norman WhitfieldBarrett Strong Norman Jesse WhitfieldBarrett Strong Jr. Norman Whitfield Eddie Kendricks (Lead Vocals)Paul Williams (Backing Vocals)Otis Williams (Backing Vocals)Melvin Franklin (Backing Vocals)Dennis Edwards (Backing Vocals)The Funk Brothers (Instrumentation)
2
Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) #1
Norman WhitfieldBarrett Strong Norman Jesse WhitfieldBarrett Strong Jr. Norman Whitfield Eddie Kendricks (Lead Vocals)Paul Williams (Lead Vocals)Otis Williams (Backing Vocals)Melvin Franklin (Backing Vocals)Dennis Edwards (Backing Vocals)The Funk Brothers (Instrumentation)
3
I'm the Exception to the Rule
Norman WhitfieldBarrett Strong Norman Jesse WhitfieldBarrett Strong Jr. Norman Whitfield Eddie Kendricks (Lead Vocals)Dennis Edwards (Lead Vocals)Paul Williams (Backing Vocals)Otis Williams (Backing Vocals)Melvin Franklin (Backing Vocals)The Funk Brothers (Instrumentation)
4
Smiling Faces Sometimes
Norman WhitfieldBarrett Strong Norman Jesse WhitfieldBarrett Strong Jr. Norman Whitfield Eddie Kendricks (Lead Vocals)Dennis Edwards (Lead Vocals)Paul Williams (Backing Vocals)Otis Williams (Backing Vocals)Melvin Franklin (Backing Vocals)The Funk Brothers (Instrumentation)
5
Man
Norman WhitfieldBarrett Strong Norman Jesse WhitfieldBarrett Strong Jr. Norman Whitfield Eddie Kendricks (Lead Vocals)Paul Williams (Backing Vocals)Otis Williams (Backing Vocals)Melvin Franklin (Backing Vocals)Dennis Edwards (Backing Vocals)The Funk Brothers (Instrumentation)
6
Throw a Farewell Kiss
Norman WhitfieldEddie Holland Norman Jesse WhitfieldEdward Holland Jr. Norman Whitfield Dennis Edwards (Lead Vocals)Eddie Kendricks (Backing Vocals)Paul Williams (Backing Vocals)Otis Williams (Backing Vocals)Melvin Franklin (Backing Vocals)The Funk Brothers (Instrumentation)
7
Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World) #33
Norman WhitfieldBarrett Strong Norman Jesse WhitfieldBarrett Strong Jr. Norman Whitfield Dennis Edwards (Lead Vocals)Melvin Franklin (Lead Vocals)Eddie Kendricks (Backing Vocals)Paul Williams (Backing Vocals)Otis Williams (Backing Vocals)The Funk Brothers (Instrumentation)
8
Love Can Be Anything (Can't Nothing Be Love But Love)
Norman WhitfieldBarrett Strong Norman Jesse WhitfieldBarrett Strong Jr. Norman Whitfield Dennis Edwards (Lead Vocals)Eddie Kendricks (Lead Vocals)Melvin Franklin (Lead Vocals)Paul Williams (Backing Vocals)Otis Williams (Backing Vocals)The Funk Brothers (Instrumentation)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 12 contributors

More from The Temptations

Frequently Asked Questions Sky's the Limit

Who wrote 'Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)'?
It was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Norman Whitfield. The Temptations performed it, with Eddie Kendricks on lead vocals, but they did not write it.
Who wrote the songs on Sky's the Limit?
Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong wrote every track except 'Throw a Farewell Kiss,' which Whitfield wrote with Edward Holland Jr. Norman Whitfield produced the whole album.
Why is Sky's the Limit important in the Temptations' history?
It was Eddie Kendricks' last studio album as a member of the group before he left for a solo career, and his lead on 'Just My Imagination' was the group's last number one with him.
Did 'Just My Imagination' reach number one?
Yes. It hit number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard R&B chart in 1971.
What was the other single from the album?
'Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)' was released ahead of the album and peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 on the R&B chart.
Who sang lead on Just My Imagination?
Eddie Kendricks sang the lead, with Paul Williams featured, making it one of the last showcases for Kendricks' tenor with the group.
How did the album chart?
Sky's the Limit reached number 16 on the Billboard 200 and number 73 on the Canadian RPM albums chart.

Sources