This is going back a ways in the history of Smiling Faces Sometimes. This is the early Undisputed Truth.

In the History of Rock and Roll, The Temptations get a few pages. Quite the history. They were first to record Smiling Faces Sometimes on "Sky's The Limit". The connection of course with The Undisputed Truth and The Temptations is the label "Gordy". However also a factor is Norman Whitfield. Norman produced this Undisputed Truth album going as far as cover concept. It was a collaboration with Barret Strong.

Smiling Faces Sometimes is a great song and I remember The Undisputed Truth being on television with this tune. It was many moons ago, it had to have been American Bandstand. Their one hit wonder of a b-side song. They also recorded on this album "Ball of Confusion". I'll have to go shopping as I haven't heard the Temptations version. But I think Whitfield was experimenting with Undisputed Truth, trying out new concepts. The album pictured above, if you can find it, you have found something. It is really, really good.

An interesting footnote and also worth investigating is Smiling Faces Sometimes is 3 minutes here. The Temptations version is12 minutes! The previously mentioned Ball of Confusion was also recorded by The Temptations and would have made a cut into Sky's The Limit, but didn't. It is in "Temptations Greatest Hits II which came out in '70. Ball of Confusion is an angry 10 minutes. In The Undisputed Truth's version, Joe Harris supplied the edge. Brenda Joyce Evans and Billie Rae Calvin softened it with their harmony.
 

An excerpt of Ball Of Confusion Eve of destruction, tax deduction,    city inspectors, bill collectors Mod clothes in demand, population out of hand,    suicide, too many bills Hippies moving to the hills (or Canada as it was) People all over the world are shouting, "End the war!" And the band played on Of course the war being Vietnam.

Edwin Starr recorded "WAR" and many have since. But the song was originally slated for the Tempts, but Gordy and company thought it too controversial for them. But that was early. Ball of Confusion hits the mark just as well. And just as poignant now.

An interesting addition to the later days of Undisputed Truth is the addition of Taka Boom. Chaka Khan's sister. At this point, heading towards the influence of Sly (and the family) Stone.

Also, get this, The Temptations toured with The Four Tops for three years, including a gig on Broadway. That would have been something to see.

links:

http://www.superseventies.com/sw_ballofconfusion.html
http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Motown.html great pics here

My interest in who did what in the music world started one day when listening to the radio. I heard a cover of an Otis Redding song and thought....

1. Journey has a new lead singer?

2. Why is Journey doing a cover?

3. Why do I think it's Journey?   

Well come to find out that it was Michael Bolton and not Journey at all, but why? Well I had to find out so I bought the cassette. Here's the connection, Neil Schon lead guitarist and only lasting member of Journey was doing the lead work on this track.

Also one day when viewing the Woodstock film I saw a familiar face, Greg Rolie. No connection with Kevin Bacon but you'll get the idea.

Greg Rolie was a founder of Journey with Neil. Greg and Neil met up as they were recording Abraxas with Santana. Neil came into this scene at 16 years of age. I have seen footage of Black Magic Woman with Greg and Neil together. I've listened to Abraxas many times listening for that Schon influence. But this may have been too early in his career to establish a signature sound.  But that sound was so apparent in Bolton's recording. Maybe Neil borrowed a rif from himself.

In closing, The Undisputed Truth, The Temptations, et all. You can't beat the old vinyl masters.
 

Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies and I got proof.