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OTHER ALBUM WEBSITE REVIEWS: Wilson and Alroy's Record Reviews
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As if rehearsing for 'Lady Sings the Blues,' Diana Ross swept through her role in "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" with all the drama and majesty befitting the queen of Motown. Just months earlier, Motown's king, Berry Gordy, had put his most skilled artisans to work. "Berry thought we would be the most innovative with her solo album," explains Nick Ashford, who wrote and produced it with partner Valerie Simpson. "We were trying to think of directions to take her. At that time, lengthy records were starting to come out: six, seven minutes. "We didn't have any songs like that, but we wanted Diana to feel she was into new things. We thought to stretch 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough,' and we thought how sexy and silky her voice was..." Simpson interrupts: "You thought about how sexy her voice was..." Berry Gordy's trust in the couple was well-placed. The New Yorkers had crafted urban pop ballads to perfection for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell...and since they met through a Harlem church choir, it was no surprise to hear that background in their work. Despite Gordy's wide-screen ambitions for Diana Ross after she left the Supremes, he gave Simpson and Ashford relative independence in the recording sessions. "I must say from the time we started producing, you had total control," Simpson states. "They restricted you in terms of how long you had (to record), but as long as you stayed within those guidelines, they let you do what you wanted to do." Ashford does remember Ross questioning the choice of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," which had been a hit three years earlier. "She just kind of raised her eyebrows, and said, 'Marvin and Tammi already did that.' We said, This is especially for you.' She said, 'OK,' and just gave it all she had." Arranger Paul Riser framed the record like a three-act play, with the singer occasionally offstage. "We cut the rhythm track in Detroit," says Riser. "The strings and horns were a little too sophisticated for the players there, so we went to New York to do it, to get the best possible performance." Simpson played piano; she and Ashford also handled backing vocals, joined by their earlier songwriting partner, Jo Armstead. Breaking the rules of hook-conscious Motown, the finished production of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was inverted--the climactic chorus consumed the last two minutes of its six-minute, running time. "When we took it to Berry," recalls Ashford, "he says, 'I think it sounds good, but you're gonna have to take the back and put it up in the front.'" Ashford and Simpson were not pleased. "Berry wouldn't release that song (as a single)," Ashford contends. "We refused to change it, and he refused to release it. He didn't release it--the disc jockeys did. They picked it up all over the country."
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ALL THE GREAT HITS
Producer(s): Various products
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Excerpts.... Every decade has its musical phenomenon it seems, and the 60's had Motown and Motown had The Supremes. Both have since become enduring institutions. The three little girls from Detroit burst into the national consciousness and became the darlings of an era. Diana Ross and The Supremes were the most sought after performers of that time in addition to their overwhelming record sales...12 number 1 chart singles, over 50 million records. Never before had a black singing group so completely transcended all cultural barriers. Suddenly The Supremes were everywhere...the top supper clubs, Las Vegas, national television, royal command performances abroad, their talents appreciated by all factions of the population.....Heading into the middle Sixties, with all the culture shock attendant thereto, the girls somehow made a mark on all sides of the various "generation gaps." A perfect balance of sweetness and energy projected their sexy-vulnerable image through the tinniest of transistor radios. The demand for "the Motown sound" increased in direct relation to The Supremes' hits, becoming a potent AM-radio force...and paving the way for many others. Quite unfairly, The Supremes were occasionally branded as having an "overly pop sound." This may have been because they were the first to crack the "white market" in a big way; or perhaps, because the lushness of their sound made no apologies for its flirtation with "pop.".......The Supremes certainly lived up the their name, and the music presented here proves how much. They were, and always will be...Supreme.
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Producer(s): none listed
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
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BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
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Hugh Gregory, Soul Music: A-Z Revisited A reformed Supremes, Jean, Cindy & Scherrie, recorded this stormy song. Why it failed to emerge as a hit single remains a mystery
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Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits by Adam White and Fred Bronson Just five records transformed Motown between August 1964 and June 1965. Each one - "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love" "Come See About Me," Stop! In the Name of Love," and "Back in My Arms Again - bore the same machine-stamped name from the Motor City: the Supremes. Five consecutive Number One hits. The music industry knew that Berry Gordy's company already had some pop chart credentials. It recognized that the Supremes' records were an innovative, intoxicating blend of rhythm & blues and pop. And it realized that the group's sound--and look--represented a strikingly new level of sophistication for black female singers. But what really blew the industry off its feet, and what really sprinkled the magic dust over Gordy's two-story bungalow at 2648 West Grand Boulevard was the sheer audacity of that achievement: five consecutive Number One hits. "You have to remember that we did not know what we were doing," declares Lamont Dozier, one of the alchemists responsible for Motown's explosive development. "We were just going on pure instinct and feeling. There were really no rule books." "Back In My Arms Again" was the fifth spell cast by Dozier and the Holland brothers, Eddie and Brian, for the Supremes. Eddie wrote the song's central theme of romance repossessed, but Dozier claims credit for the girl-talk touch where lead vocalist Diana Ross discusses the advice dispensed by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. "That was my line," he says, "and Eddie surrounded the rest of the story with his lyrics." The Supremes laid down their vocals in Detroit on the first day of December 1964. The instrumental track was propelled by James Jamerson's thunderous bass, Mike Terry's guttural saxophone, and James Gitten's ringing vibes. The studio was disarmingly small. "We did a lot of tracking, mainly because there wasn't enough space," said Earl Van Dyke, the late Motown bandleader. For one Holland/Dozier/Holland session, the room was jammed with musicians. 'They had to put the strings on a platform, up against the wall. That day, Berry father's told him he needed a larger studio." Holland/Dozier/Holland's creative authority with the Supremes was in sharp contrast to the group's early, hitless years. Back in those days, the recording process brought the assorted singers and musicians together in the Motown studio. "By '63 and early '64, we were pretty much doing it to tracks," says Mary Wilson. "Sometimes it would be just a piano, it wouldn't be a full track. They had just started over-dubbing at that time, just come out of recording with the full band." That was significant change, which vested more power with the producers - especially Holland/Dozier Holland - and helped advance Motown towards the big breakthrough. In 1964 and 1965, however, Berry Gordy's original family spirit still shone through. "It was such a small community," explains Wilson, "that when a song was finished and the producers felt really great about it, they'd run around and call everybody in the studio. You'd have the Temps and Marvin Gaye and the Supremes and the Marvelettes all in the studio listening to it, and we'd take the records home and pass them out around the projects."
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BEST OF THE SUPREMES AND FOUR TOPS (1991)
CARL FEUBERBACHER The late sixties saw Diana Ross and the Supremes being teamed with the Temptations on record and on television. In the 70's, after Diana left the Supremes, Motown gave the new grouping - Mary Wilson, Jean Terrell and Cindy Birdsong - the opportunity to join the Four Tops - Levi Stubbs, Duke Fakir, Obie Benson and Lawrence Payton for three album projects. Miss Terrell, who replaced Diana Ross, was a marvelous singer whose voice perfectly complimented that of Four Tops' leader Levi Stubbs. While her sound was sensitive and delicate, his was bold and powerful. Combined with the terrific background vocals, the result was a perfect, harmonic blend. Though the original material the two groups recorded was always exciting to listen to, their unique renditions of pop and soul standards were also lots of fun. They brought new meaning and intimacy to a number of songs we had heard before, including Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep-Mountain High." Enjoy listening to the magnificent seven...together, they made such sweet music.
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BILLBOARD MAGAZINE With Diana Ross currently promoting a new album, "Every Day Is A New Day", Motown is finally re-releasing two pivotal albums from the singer's disco days. now, while many dance-infused albums from disco's heyday are barely able to stand 20 years on, both 1979's "The Boss" and 1980's "Diana" not only stand tall and proud but actually sounds better than many records released this year. Even their flaws-like "Give Up" from "Diana"-sound completely flawless. Credit this deft musicianship of Ashford and Simpson and Edwards and Rogers, the production team responsible for "The Boss", and "Diana", respectively. The gold certified "The Boss" includes such dance classics as "No one Gets the Prize", "I Ain't Been Licked", the title track, and "It's My House". The latter two appear in their original versions, as well as their extended disco-remixes. The only thing missing is the hard-to-find, promo-only remix of "No One Gets the Prize". That said, absolutely nothing is missing from the Chic-inspired and platinum-certified "Diana", which features gems like "Friend to Friend," "I'm Coming Out", and "Upside Down", which hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. Essential.
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Jamiroquai - Brit Awards - February 1997 Click here to see the rest of the Review On Monday 24 February 1997, Earls Court in west London played host to the Brit Awards show, featuring all that's best in British music. Jamiroquai were nominated for two awards, and also highlighted the show with a duet of Upside Down featuring Jay Kay and Diana Ross! Upside Down (now known an 'anthem') was one of the most popular releases from Ross' album Diana which was released in 1980, 36 years after her birth. Diana Ross is a true superstar, with 18 number one singles to her name. Diana Ross said: "I did a show in Rome and Jay Kay was on and we got chatting. I was being like his mom and checking he was okay and eating properly and that sort of thing. He obviously liked me because it was his idea to do the duet, Upside Down. They called me up in New York and asked me to do it. My first response was I didn't have a babysitter but I got one sorted fairly quickly and flew over to be with Jay and the rest of the band on the night."
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Christmas In Vienna
Hit #2 in sales on Billboards Top Classical Albums (#153 on Pop Top 200)
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diana
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE With Diana Ross currently promoting a new album, "Every Day Is A New Day", Motown is finally re-releasing two pivotal albums from the singer's disco days. now, while many dance-infused albums from disco's heyday are barely able to stand 20 years on, both 1979's "The Boss" and 1980's "Diana" not only stand tall and proud but actually sounds better than many records released this year. Even their flaws-like "Give Up" from "Diana"-sound completely flawless. Credit this deft musicianship of Ashford and Simpson and Edwards and Rogers, the production team responsible for "The Boss", and "Diana", respectively. The gold certified "The Boss" includes such dance classics as "No one Gets the Prize", "I Ain't Been Licked", the title track, and "It's My House". The latter two appear in their original versions, as well as their extended disco-remixes. The only thing missing is the hard-to-find, promo-only remix of "No One Gets the Prize". That said, absolutely nothing is missing from the Chic-inspired and platinum-certified "Diana", which features gems like "Friend to Friend," "I'm Coming Out", and "Upside Down", which hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. Essential.
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DIANA ROSS
Producer(s): none listed
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THE DETROIT GIRL GROUPS (Relic Records, #7017)
Features various songs from Girl Groups who sang on the LuPine record company during the 50's and 60's. Among them were the Primettes, who would later go on to become the biggest girl group of all time. The following is an excerpt from the liner notes. ". . . They sung at local talent shows and, according to LuPine's files, were discovered by Richard Morris who was working as a musical director and part-time a&r man for West. Their first and only LuPine release "Tears of Sorrow" featured Diana on lead, while Mary Wilson took the honors on "Pretty Baby". It was issued as LuPine #120 in 1960 and unfortunately for Bob West, went nowhere fast. The group obviously needed the right material and further training to achieve chart success and it took several tries with Berry Gordy to do just that."
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DIANA AND MARVIN
THE STARS AND SUPERSTARS OF BLACK MUSIC (1977 - By Jeremy Pascall and Rob Burt) After 'Let's Get It On'. Marvin then released a pleasant - but nonetheless comparatively slight - duet with Diana Ross. Despite the quality of this pairing, it somehow compares unfavorably with the amazing rapport of vocal chords that he had shared with the late Tammi Terrell. In fact, the 'Diana and Marvin' set has a certain disquieting air of no-nonsense Tamla commerciality about it, and while it's no sweat to listen to such outpourings by two masters of the art, the album seems to lack the same ring of inner honesty that had characterized Marvin's two previous albums, 'What's Going On' and 'Let's Get It On'.
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE "At first, it was wonderful working with Marvin. He was such a mysterious person - loving, very sensitive for a man. But I found it hard to work with him in the studio, so we started singing separately. We did the first couple of things together and then...I'll tell you...because he used to smoke grass in the studio, and I didn't want to be in there. At one time, I was pregnant, I remember saying distinctly, "If you want to do this, do it outside."
RECORD COLLECTOR 1973 also witnessed the first product of a fruitful collaboration with Marvin Gaye, the 'Diana & Marvin' album, which provided several hit singles. In most territories, except Britain, these 45s sometimes differed from the album versions. The most striking was the up-tempo "Don't Knock My Love", which was dominated by an organ passage absent on the original. As the total running time of the album was just under 32 minutes, many speculated that tracks had been held back for a follow-up. It never happened, but one song, "I'll Keep My Light In My Window", appeared on the "Pops, We Love You" LP six years later. I have also heard another Ross/Gaye track, "Alone", which was certainly good enough to have been included.
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DIANA EXTENDED/THE REMIXES
#67 on Billboards Top R&B Albums
Diana Ross Diana Extended/The Remixes (Motown) Before its U.S. release, globe- trotting DJs tested early versions of this mini-album's tracks on
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(1968)
Ed Sullivan It has always been a pleasure to me to bring little known but talented artists and our TV audiences together. Never was there a better opportunity for this than when I first introduced Diana Ross and The Supremes and The Temptations to the U.S. and Canadian viewers of our show. Both The Supremes and The Temptations had already established their styles and in each instance, they electrified our millions of viewers in a world highlighted by literally hundreds of "groups" they stand alone. In this album, Diana Ross and The Supremes and The Temptations complement each other beautifully. The Supremes--three lovely girls--and The Temptations, five talented young men, somehow belong in the same album. The idea of combining them was a happy inspiration. The Supremes have a fantastic history of putting five consecutive records on the No. 1 best-selling charts. In less than two years they racked up seven gold records, including "Where Did Our Love Go," Back In My Arms Again," "I Hear A Symphony" and "You Can't Hurry Love." The Temptations represent a combination of superb natural singing voices polished by arduous and intelligent practice. They delight the eye as well as the ear. Their singing arrangements are subtle and vibrant, and their harmonies go back to the headwaters of religious music. They've sold millions of records, but they've never been afflicted with hardening of the musical arteries. They retain their style while bringing a freshness and new luster to everything they touch musically. Introducing them together on this album has been as great a thrill to me as bringing them together for the first time on our television show.
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Diana Ross from BBC October 14, 1999 ...She also spoke about working with Brandy on a film called ‘Double Platinum’. She plays a superstar mum driven to abandon her only child, played by Brandy, for the sake of her career. Diana says Brandy was spookily very similar to her own daughter: "She would ask me a lot of things. She would watch me a lot - how I sat…it was really very sweet. She would just look at me all the time. If I was sitting with my legs crossed, she would cross her legs too. She was really like a child of mine and that’s how she played in the film. She’s a really good actress". So are there any plans to release any of the songs they did together?: "I wanted that. I would have loved it. Her record company really did not want it. It’s too bad because they’re really good". Diana says she’s also working on an untitled project : "It’s a younger man, older woman love story. I think that’s gonna be fun! It’s a nice idea". "Material is the key," the pop idol advises the up-and-comer in this TV movie. "You can be the greatest singer in the world, but if you don't have the right song, [it] can't happen." By the same token, even the audience-grabbing combination of Diana Ross and Brandy as dueling mother- and- daughter divas can be sabotaged by a hack script. And it's not as if they're the greatest actresses in the world. Eighteen years ago, Olivia (Ross) abandoned unsupportive husband Adam (Brian Stokes Mitchell) and darling baby Kayla to set off in pursuit of stardom. Now world-famous Olivia wants back into her daughter's life, but aspiring vocalist Kayla (Brandy) bitterly rejects her. So Olivia offers to open music- industry doors for Kayla, hoping to gain her affection in the bargain. Quicker than you can say A Star Is Born, Kayla is red-hot and Olivia is turning a little green. The stars get all the emotional scenes they could ask for. Take a good look at Brandy's face and you can't miss the tracks of her phony tears. But the whole drama is done by the numbers, including the obligatory closing duet. Bottom Line: Everything's off-key but the songs -- TERRY KELLEHER
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Duet w/LIONEL RICHIE (1981)
Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits by Adam White and Fred Bronson Long after people have forgotten the film 'Endless Love,' starring Brooke Shields - a point that perhaps has already been reached - they will still recall the romantic ballad from the film, which paired up two of Motown's most popular artists in one of the most successful duets ever recorded. Actually, Diana Ross was no longer a Motown artist when she recorded "Endless Love" with LIONEL RICHIE. She had already split from Berry Gordy's label when film director Franco Zeffirelli suggested that Richie record his title song with a female artist, namely Diana. The former lead singer of the Supremes had signed with RCA Records for North America and hadn't recorded any material for her new bosses, but they graciously consented to let her record one last time for her former label. Richie had not yet departed the Commodores for a solo career when he was asked to meet with Zeffirelli and producer Jon Peters. They asked the Motown star if he would compose an instrumental theme for Endless Love, something on the order of Francis Lai's music for 'Love Story.' Lionel played them some music that hadn't yet been recorded by the Commodores. Then the director changed his mind and decided he wanted a title theme with lyrics. Lionel agreed to write some, and then Zeffirelli mad the request for Lionel to team up with Diana Ross. Two busy stars with too busy schedules - it didn't look like Richie and Ross would ever be together in the same room to record the song. Lionel was occupied recording the next Commodores album and producing Kenny Rogers in Los Angeles and Diana's schedule didn't bring her near Southern California. A compromise was reached when Diana was booked to appear in a hotel located on the California/Nevada border in Lake Tahoe. Richie agreed to meet her in Reno, about an hour away by car. Time was booked at a recording studio at three in the morning, giving Diana time to drive there after her late show at 1:00 a.m. and Lionel time to get there after a recording session. Diana was given the melody prior to the recording session, but not the lyrics. Lionel said he would bring them with him. Recording commenced at 3:30 in the morning, and by 5:00 a.m. "Endless Love" was committed to tape. The superstar duet gave Motown one of the biggest hits in the company's history. "Endless Love" was Number One for seven weeks, matching "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by MARVIN GAYE. At the time of "Endless Love," only "I Can't Help Myself" by the FOUR TOPS (nine weeks) and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by THE TEMPTATIONS (eight weeks) had been Number One longer. Diana and Lionel never had a follow-up to "Endless Love," although the soundtrack featured another duet by the two artists. "Dreaming' of You" was a more upbeat song and remains available only on the soundtrack album.
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BUSINESS WIRE (APRIL-1999) Legendary Motown recording songstress, DIANA ROSS, is slated to release EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY on Tuesday, May 4, her first CD since 1994's critically-acclaimed "Take Me Higher." EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY was executive produced by Diana Ross and indeed her signature soulful style is etched into every groove. Working with Diana on this exuberant CD are a veritable who's who of songwriters and producers, among them Eric Carmen, Denise Rich, Ric Wake, Diane Warren, Malik Pendelton, Daryl Simmons, Chuckii Booker, and Arif Marden. From the soaring South African rhythms of "He Lives In You," to the hopeful, heartfelt anthem "Until We Meet Again," to the playful cat and mouse of "Sugar Free," EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY is Diana Ross at her artistic peak. On this groundbreaking album, she delivers gorgeous songs that are compassionate, conscious, and musically expansive. Along with the aforementioned tracks, which Diana considers "some of the best material I've had the chance to sing in a long time," EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY features four songs that also appear in the TV movie "Double Platinum," which airs Sunday, May 16. The movie, which Diana also executive produced, marks her first TV-movie star turn since her critically acclaimed dramatic television debut, "Out of Darkness" (1994). "Double Platinum," which was produced by the team behind 1998's successful "Roger and Hammerstein's Cinderella," pairs the Oscar nominated Diana Ross with singer/actress Brandy in a compelling saga of mother/daughter relationships set against a backdrop of the music industry. It’s been a long time since we’ve heard from Diana Ross. Her last studio outing was way back in 1994 and since then she’s kept a relatively low profile musically, at least. The news is that she’s back with a remarkably good set that proves that pretenders can come and go but none of them can outshine her. Soul fans sadly tend to write her off and dismiss her solo work as lightweight, cabaret or over the top schmaltz. Well, yes, she has been known to steer that middle road and at times this album strays into that territory too, but amongst the 12 tunes here there are some stunners. First off, forget the opening and the ending. The first track is quite dreadful. It’s a song taken from “The Lion King” musical and the least we say about it the better. The three closing tracks are disappointing too. “Hope Is An Open Window” is clearly designed to end Ms. Ross’ live shows you can see the swaying and the hands in the air now. “Carry On” is gospel-esque dancer , while “Not Over You Yet” is a frantic-remix of a good song included earlier. As dance music neither of these cuts is quite convincing. Sandwiched in between, however, you can enjoy a run of nine outstanding tunes. The pace of the nine is much the same never rising above polite mid-tempo but they’re all well-crafted songs and the lady delivers them with real compassion and feeling . . . I almost said soul. There are lush ballads a-plenty including “Love Is All That Matters”, “Until We Meet Again”, and “Someone That You Loved Before”. Harsh critics might say they’re a little heavy on the syrup but the lady’s voice is so fragile, innocent and plaintive that the sentiments are believable. Note particularly the way she brings out the inherent pathos in the last of that trio. The song recounts the numbing pain of living with someone who you know doesn’t want to live with you. The icy touches, the cold exchanges its all in there. In its own way it’s chilling, especially if you’ve been there. To lighten things up a little there’s a couple of mid-tempo items which might surprise you, while “Sugarfree”, written and produced by the ever dependable Chucki Booker, is a real winner. As you can imagine, the album’s been put together by some big names we’ve already mentioned Chucki Booker, but Arif Mardin, Diane Warren, Eric Carmen, Daryl Simmons and Malik Pendleton all lend a hand too. The final product, though, is all Diana’s. Her legions of old fans will lap up this album but people who’ve written her off could do worse than check it out. It’s the work of a consummate performer at the peak of her art. Welcome back. (Rating: 8) (BB)
Unknown Source
Terrell Floyd, Terrell 17013@yahoo.com
'Every Day Is A New Day' in it's first week on Billboards Top 200 Pop
Albums Chart hit #175 pulling in 10,000 sales. Week two, the album
took a huge sales leap to #126 earning Billboards Pace Setter Award. Week three, the album peaked (with another sales jump) at #107. Week
four, the sales dropped and the album was at #186. The album is still
selling (it's just not selling enough to re-enter the album charts),
and around August of 1999 album sales went up in R&B market, when
radio (Urban AC radio) started playing "Sugar Free" (WKRS, WDAS, to
name a few). The track hit #24 on Billboards Hot R&B Bubbling Under
Chart. "Until We Meet Again" hit #73 on the R&B charts off of airplay
alone and also hit #2 on Billboards Dance Chart. On Amazon.com the CD
is selling and took a big leap in sales since the re-airing
of 'Double Platinum' on VH-1. In the UK the album hit #71 on
Billboard Album Charts and the single "Not Over You Yet" hit #10. In
Japan, 'Every Day Is A New Day' sold over 30,000. |
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Vince Aletti, Rolling Stone Magazine For this new Supremes album, producer Smokey Robinson has not only adapted himself to the group's established lighter-than-air style but perfected it, whipping up a batch of songs that you can tumble into like a cloud of cotton candy: pastel fluff, pure sugar, yet rarely sticky. Like Bacharach-David's recent work with Dionne Warwick -- and Dionne and Floy Joy are much alike -- there is little "substance" here, but who expects cotton candy to be anything but sweet? Smokey has captured the essence of the Supremes' sweetness, zeroed in on it and cut out everything else. Those sexy, whispery voices (Marilyn Monroe sang that way) are given a depth that is at times dizzying. People don't sound like that in real life, but then the Supremes are pop mythic figures and Smokey has created perhaps the ultimate expression of that myth through the sort of distillation and perfection of their style that would have been impossible while that style was still developing. He has summed the group up in an album that is neither as great nor as dismal as they've ever been, but catches them at some irresistible dead center only Smokey could have sustained for two whole sides. The material, all of it by Robinson, is very like the song he wrote for the Supremes back in 1963, "Breathtaking Guy" (the chorus: "Are you just a breathtaking/earth-,side-, soul - shaking/ one night love-making/next day heart-breaking - guy?") Light - weight, clever, unashamedly pop. Only now, inevitably, everyone's a little more self-conscious and, the old, unpretentious "Breathtaking Guy" has become a forced, too-cute "Floy Joy". "Floy Joy" is the only really dull song here, but I sing it to myself on the street, so it's gotten to me in spite of my critical self. The Supremes have always managed to bypass my Better Judgment and I love them for it -- don't the best pop groups shoot right through critical barriers and intellectual defenses? That still doesn't make "Floy Joy" a good song, only a catchy, enjoyable one and since everything here is to one degree or another catchy and enjoyable, "Floy Joy" can be discarded for the moment in favor of the other, better cuts. "A Heart Like Mine" in spite of the electronic jiggles in the present production, sounds like classic Motown or at least classic Smokey Robinson: mournful but sweet, uncomplicated and full of girls going oooo-oooo in the background. In fact, the song was included on the Miracles first album (Hi! We're the Miracles) and even in this stylish version probably wouldn't have been out of place on the Supremes debut LP. "Precious Little Things" also has a timeless feel and a sound reminiscent of the Shirelles as well as the early Supremes. Jean Terrell sings with a dreamy sort of beauty and Cindy Birdsong and Mary Wilson echo her in voices so soft and tender, they're like a breeze blowing between Jean and the musicians whose work is just as lovely. The production throughout is luscious but not syrupy and some of the finest work Robinson has done recently. It's a nice, satisfying combination, Smokey and the Supremes, but writing about it is like criticizing a hot fudge sundae. This is one of the best I've ever had. A social note:" Cindy Birdsong has left the Supremes to have a child and although I assume she performed on Floy Joy, her replacement, Lynda Lawrence, formerly with Stevie Wonder, has already usurped Cindy's place on the cover. Sic transit, etc.
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Submitted by Terrell 17013@yahoo.com 'The Force Behind The Power' was Diana's highest charting album since returning to Motown Records in February 1989, almost hitting the
upper half of Billboards Top 200 Pop Albums Charts, peaking at #102 in sales (3 weeks), in September 1991 (#66 in sales on Billboards Top
R&B Albums Chart). 3 singles made the US Billboard Charts of of this album: "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" hit #37 on
Billboards Hot 100 R&B Singles Chart and #26 on Billboards Adult Contemporary Top 40, "You're Gonna Love It" (Maxi-Single) hit
#25 on Billboards Dance Sales Chart and "If We Hold On Together" hit #23 on Billboards Adult
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Submitted by Terrell 17013@yahoo.com In October 1993, Motown released to coincide with the autobiography 'Secrets Of A Sparrow', the 4 CD boxed set, 'Forever Diana'. Motown (or Diana Ross) seem to have push this release. In Diana's book there was a promotional card for 'Forever Diana', Diana Ross promoted the book on Oprah, Regis and Kathie Lee, and Billboard Magazine, which honored her with an issue dedicated to her 40 years in music. BET (Black Entertainment Network) had commercials advertising 'Forever Diana.' They also played the videos of "The Best Years Of My Life" and "Your Love" (On BETS Midnight Love).
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GEORGE SOLOMON When Diana Ross left the Supremes in 1970, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong continued with versatile Jean Terrell in the lead spot. The group was off to a supreme start with their first four lp's producing gold singles. Their top hits are included here as well as selections from their critically acclaimed, Jimmy Webb-produced lp. This was to be Miss Terrell's final and favorite album with the group before recording "I Had To Fall In Love" as a soloist for A&M records. Dynamic Scherrie Payne, took over lead vocals and the group continued topping the national dance charts with each release. Short term members included Lynda Lawrence and Susaye Greene who both subbed for Miss Birdsong before the group disbanded in 1977.
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I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE STILL IN LOVE (1997)
Mark Portmann, talking about his Diana productions.
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Nile Rodgers, Billboard Magazine, January 2000
What about Diana Ross? She was already a superstar with a very specific
sound before you worked with her.
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