David Ruffin: My Whole World Ended/Feelin' Good (Real Gone Music)

JUST ONE look at the tune-stack on My Whole World Ended and there's a real temptation to draw a plumb line between the disconsolate titles and what we know of the man who breathed life into their words and melodies. Phrases like 'Somebody Stole My Dream', 'World of Darkness', 'I've Lost Everything I've Ever Loved' and 'Pieces of a Man' sure sound like they describe the gifted "voice of the Temptations," the soulful presence on so many unforgettable records, the singer who inspired (and probably provoked envy among) vocalists as diverse as Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart, Daryl Hall and Mick Jagger.