Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedCloud Nine
See all The Temptations in the catalogue →
Soul1960s118BPM
D majKey
More around 120 BPM → · More in D major →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Whitfield & Strong), no formal dispute found — the drug-lyric interpretation is presented as an honest, unresolved disagreement (Otis Williams denies it), not settled either way.
Quick Facts
Released1968
AlbumCloud Nine
GenreSoul, Funk, Psychedelic Soul
LabelGordy / Motown Records
ProducerNorman Whitfield
Recorded atDetroit
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Motown/Gordy; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A landmark of psychedelic soul (Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Motown Songs”); it launched Whitfield’s Funk Brothers / Dennis Coffey era in this catalogue.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no rights dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Sly’s “Dance to the Music” directly inspired this song; Sly is represented here by this entry (already in this catalogue)
Launched Whitfield’s use of Coffey’s wah-wah guitar (already in this catalogue)
Same group and songwriters (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong
An honest, unresolved interpretation disputeMany have read the lyrics as being about drug use, specifically heroin — but Otis Williams has directly and repeatedly denied this, insisting neither Whitfield nor Strong used drugs and that “cloud nine” long predates the song as a phrase for a euphoric feeling. Presented here as a real, honest disagreement about meaning, NOT resolved either way.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Directly inspired by Sly and the Family Stone
Otis Williams has described discovering Sly and the Family Stone’s “Dance to the Music” on the radio in New York, being struck by its fresh sound, and bringing it back to Detroit to introduce Whitfield to it — directly inspiring this new psychedelic-soul direction. (Sly is extensively in this catalogue via “Sing a Simple Song,” “Family Affair” and “Loose Booty.”) No lyrics reproduced.
uDiscover Music · read it →
The Funk Brothers thread
Recorded with a reconfigured Funk Brothers lineup featuring Dennis Coffey’s wah-wah guitar — connected in this catalogue via “Scorpio,” “Psychedelic Shack” and “War.”
Grokipedia · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
The Temptations’ (and Motown’s) first Grammy win
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
CN
Whitfield & Strong / Motown
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
Was this page helpful?
Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 15)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass