Special was released in 1989 as the second album by The Temptations after their return to Motown. The album continued the collaboration with producers such as Dennis Lambert and Narada Michael Walden, and sought to consolidate the group's contemporary sound, though it did not achieve major commercial impact.
The lead single, 'Special', had modest reception on the R&B charts, and the album did not produce significant crossover hits. The production was characterized by smooth ballads and late-80s R&B arrangements, with influences of new jack swing.
The album is considered one of the group's lesser-known works from their late Motown period. The lineup included Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Richard Street, Ron Tyson, and Otis Williams, though Edwards would leave the group shortly after.