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Today's Artists were an American female singing group and the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and are, to date, America's most successful vocal group with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity. ...... N Joy
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The most successful black performers of the '60s, the Supremes for a time rivaled even the Beatles in terms of red-hot commercial appeal, reeling off five number one singles in a row at one point. Critical revisionism has tended to undervalue the Supremes' accomplishments, categorizing their work as more lightweight than the best soul stars' (or even the best Motown stars'), and viewing them as a tool for Berry Gordy's crossover aspirations. There's no question that there was about as much pop as soul in the Supremes' hits, that even some of their biggest hits could sound formulaic, and that they were probably the black performers who were most successful at infiltrating the tastes and televisions of middle America. This shouldn't diminish either their extraordinary achievements or their fine music, the best of which renders the pop vs. soul question moot with its excellence.
The Supremes were not an overnight success story, although it might have seemed that way when they began topping the charts with sure-fire regularity. The trio that would become famous as the Supremes -- Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard -- met in the late '50s in Detroit's Brewster housing project. Originally known as the Primettes, they were a quartet (Barbara Martin was the fourth member) when they made their first single for the Lupine label in 1960. By the time they debuted for Motown in 1961, they had been renamed the Supremes; Barbara Martin reduced them to a trio when she left after their first single.
The Supremes' first Motown recordings were much more girl-group-oriented than their later hits. Additionally, not all of them featured Diana Ross on lead vocals; Flo Ballard, considered to have as good or better a voice, also sang lead. Through a lengthy series of flops, Berry Gordy remained confident that the group would eventually prove to be one of Motown's biggest. By the time they finally did get their first Top 40 hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" in late 1963, Ross had taken over the lead singing for good.
Ross was not the most talented female singer at Motown; Martha Reeves and Gladys Knight in particular had superior talents. What she did have, however, was the most purely pop appeal. Gordy's patience and attention paid off in mid-1964 when "Where Did Our Love Go" went to number one. Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, it established the prototype for their run of five consecutive number one hits in 1964-1965 (also including "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Come See About Me," and "Back in My Arms Again"). Ross' cooing vocals would front the Supremes' decorative backup vocals, put over on television and live performance with highly stylized choreography and visual style. Holland-Dozier-Holland would write and produce all of the Supremes' hits through the end of 1967.
Not all of the Supremes' singles went to number one after 1965, but they usually did awfully well, and were written and produced with enough variety (but enough of a characteristic sound) to ensure continual interest. The chart-topping (and uncharacteristically tough) "You Keep Me Hangin' On" was the best of their mid-period hits. Behind the scenes, there were some problems brewing, although these only came to light long after the event. Other Motown stars (most notably Martha Reeves) resented what they perceived as the inordinate attention lavished upon Ross by Gordy, at the expense of other artists on the label. The other Supremes themselves felt increasingly pushed to the background. In mid-1967, as a result of what was deemed increasingly unprofessional behavior, Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong (from Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles). Ballard become one of rock's greatest tragedies, eventually ending up on welfare and dying in 1976.
After Ballard's exit, the group was billed as Diana Ross & the Supremes, fueling speculation that Ross was being groomed for a solo career. The Supremes had a big year in 1967, even incorporating some mild psychedelic influences into "Reflections." Holland-Dozier-Holland, however, left Motown around this time, and the quality of the Supremes' records suffered accordingly (as did the Motown organization as a whole). The Supremes were still superstars, but as a unit, they were disintegrating; it's been reported that Wilson and Birdsong didn't even sing on their final hits, a couple of which ("Love Child" and "Someday We'll Be Together") were among their best.
In November 1969, Ross' imminent departure for a solo career was announced, although she played a few more dates with them, the last in Las Vegas in January 1970. Jean Terrell replaced Ross, and the group continued through 1977, with some more personnel changes (although Mary Wilson was always involved). Some of the early Ross-less singles were fine records, particularly "Stoned Love," "Nathan Jones," and the Supremes/Four Tops duet "River Deep -- Mountain High." Few groups have been able to rise to the occasion after the loss of their figurehead, though, and the Supremes proved no exception, rarely making the charts after 1972. It is the Diana Ross-led era of the '60s for which they'll be remembered.
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Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland were one of the most successful songwriting and production teams of the '60s and '70s; they were staff songwriters at Motown Records who also worked with acts in the studio, and were the brains behind some of the label's biggest hits, including classics by the Temptations, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, the Miracles, and Martha & the Vandellas. Diana Ross & the Supremes were not only one of Motown's biggest acts of the '60s, they were personal favorites of label chief Berry Gordy, so it's no surprise that Holland-Dozier-Holland were often recruited to write and produce material for Motown's flagship act, and just as the title says, The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland features the label's biggest female artists singing a dozen tunes written and produced by their best behind-the-scenes talent. However, this wasn't a "best-of" collection, but a 1967 set dominated by fresh recordings, which means some of the Supremes' most popular recordings of H-D-H compositions don't make the cut, including "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Where Did Our Love Go," and "My World Is Empty Without You." The album also features the Supremes putting their stamp on H-D-H tunes that were hits for the Four Tops ("It's the Same Old Song") and Martha & the Vandellas ("Love Is Like a Heat Wave"), and while there's nothing wrong with these recordings, they don't quite have the same fire as the originals (Ross' relatively cool approach was always part of her calling card). With a dozen great songs performed by a fine vocal group backed by an outstanding studio band, there's no way The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland could not be a good album, but it isn't quite as great as it could have been, despite a handful of excellent tracks.
The Supremes - Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland (flac 200mb)
01 You Keep Me Hangin' On 2:57
02 You're Gone 2:35
03 Love Is Here And Now You're Gone 2:47
04 Mother You, Smother You 2:34
05 I Guess I'll Always Love You 2:38
06 I'll Turn To Stone 2:23
07 It's The Same Old Song 2:30
08 Going Down For The Third Time 2:34
09 Love Is In Our Hearts 2:07
10 Remove This Doubt 2:51
11 There's No Stopping Us Now 2:57
12 Love Is Like A Heat Wave 2:38
(ogg mb)
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Their last album with Holland-Doizer-Holland at the creative helm, it was apparent that both parties were battling creative fatigue and were exhibiting the appropriate scars at the time. Reflection only leads to regret for Ross, as she dwells on the happiness she once had, the hurt that followed, and “the love you took from me”. Her lonely introspection is scored by sweeping screes of synthesised noise – the work of engineer Russ Terrana, abusing a signal generator used to test electronic equipment – as producers Holland/Dozier/Holland doffed their caps toward the psychedelic rock scene. But the track’s true magic lies in more traditional tools – James Jamerson’s restless bassline, the brooding keyboards, the relentless tambourine rattle and insurgent snare drum through the chorus, not to mention a delicious call-and-response middle eight, in which Ballard and Mary Wilson got to share the spotlight for a few seconds. This moment of harmony was deceptive, however: Reflections saw the Supremes rechristened Diana Ross & the Supremes, and, by the time of its release, former leader Ballard had been fired following a drunken performance at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, and replaced by Cindy Birdsong. But aside from the then-innovative title song and the jazzy "In and Out of Love," there's nothing much to get excited about.
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Reflections (flac 284mb)
01 Reflections 2:49
02 I'm Gonna Make It (I Will Wait For You) 2:47
03 Forever Came Today 2:59
04 I Can't Make It Alone 2:57
05 In And Out Of Love 2:39
06 Bah-Bah-Bah 2:58
07 What The World Needs Now Is Love 2:50
08 Up, Up And Away 2:30
09 Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things) 2:51
10 Then 2:08
11 Misery Makes Its Home In My Heart 2:52
12 Ode To Billie Joe 4:30
13 Stay In My Lonely Arms 3:18
14 All I Know About You 1:57
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Reflections (ogg 101mb)
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What more could you want, two great groups, 11 great songs, and classic Motown productions. Contains the super groups' big hit "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" and the equally effervescent "I'll Try Something New." But the goodies don't stop there: Check "Try It Baby," a remake of Marvin Gaye's hit, done this time with bass Melvin Franklin groaning lead lines to Diana Ross' soprano; Diana and Dennis Edwards recreate Marvin and Tammi on a rousing version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"; smooth tenor-singing Otis Williams does a silky rendition of "This Guy's in Love With You"; and Paul Williams is forever Paul as the prominent voice on "Then," an old Four Tops album cut. Originally released in 1969, this is a CD every Temptations, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and Motown fan should have. A Holland import combines this and a following album by both groups on one CD -- 21 tracks of these delicacies.
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Join The Temptations (flac 211mb)
01 Try It Baby 3:41
02 I Second That Emotion 2:28
03 Ain't No Mountain High Enough 2:16
04 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me 3:05
05 This Guys In Love With You 3:46
06 Funky Broadway 2:32
07 I'll Try Something New 2:18
08 A Place In The Sun 3:28
09 Sweet Inspiration 2:54
10 Then 2:15
11The Impossible Dream 4:45
(ogg mb)
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Through 1964 to 1967 the Supremes were Motown's biggest act. Singles like "Where Did Our Love Go," "Back in My Arms Again," and "You Keep Me Hanging On" defined the label's pop prowess and the quirky appeal of talented lead singer Diana Ross. By 1968, the group not only lost member Florence Ballard, but also Holland-Dozier-Holland who had written and produced all of their big singles. Cindy Birdsong joins Mary Wilson and Ross for this 1968 effort and the group name was officially changed. Although it's always fun to hear Ross and the Supremes, the most interesting thing about this effort is its production. With a lack of consistently great songs, Love Child had to rely on hooks, choruses, and production values rather than magical songs. The well-produced and controversial title track proved how good Ross is with melodrama. "How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone" has a great bassline from James Jamerson and Ross oddly having a lot of fun with her supposedly dire romantic prospects. The warm cover of Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers' classic "Does Your Mamma Know About Me" sticks close to the original with good results. Ashford and Simpson offer two of their early tracks, the album's first single "Some Things You Never Get Used To," and the graceful "You Ain't Livin' Until You're Lovin'." For the most part, Love Child's tracks seem to run together but this offers the late-'60s Motown sound without gimmicks and is more than recommended.
Diana Ross And The Supremes - Love Child (flac 215mb)
01 Love Child 2:55
02 Keep An Eye 3:07
03 How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone 2:46
04 Does Your Mama Know About Me 2:51
05 Honey Bee (Keep On Stinging Me) 2:20
06 Some Things You Never Get Used To 2:24
07 He's My Sunny Boy 2:20
08 You've Been So Wonderful To Me 2:31
09 (Don't Break These) Chains Of Love 2:23
10 You Ain't Livin' Till You're Lovin' 2:41
11 I'll Set You Free 2:37
12 Can't Shake It Loose 2:07
(ogg mb)
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Let the Sunshine In appeared deceptively late, given some of its content in the history of Diana Ross & the Supremes. Released in the spring of 1969, by which time the Supremes were already seeming a bit old-hat, it generated relatively little excitement, and its late placement in their discography still makes it suspect, at first glance, to historically minded listeners. The fact that it's also from the group's post-Holland/Dozier/Holland period also makes it automatically less interesting in a musical/historical context. Actually, it's a pretty strong pop-soul effort -- Diana Ross is the obvious focus, and given the chaotic circumstances surrounding the group during this period, it's difficult to say at all times who is singing with her (Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong are obviously present somewhere, and the Andantes are, no doubt, backing Ross up at some points); but it does contain one track, the hauntingly beautiful "Let The Music Play," dating all the way back to 1967 and including founding member Florence Ballard. The album is still solid listening 40-plus years later, and it's not easy to explain why it performed poorly on the pop charts, especially with three hit singles present to help drive sales; "I'm Livin' in Shame" had been a Top Ten single and was making its LP bow, and "The Composer" (authored by Smokey Robinson) easily made the Top 30. The one weak link in the AM radio department was "No Matter What Sign You Are," a Berry Gordy composition that was more a catchy inventory of trends -- including a sitar in the arrangement that was dated by 1969 -- than a new horizon in pop music. The album does embrace more of a soul sound than early Supremes efforts, and audiences (and radio stations) were perhaps picking that up more succinctly here; thus, it got to number seven on the R&B charts but only a paltry number 24 as a pop album. Ross is in excellent form throughout, and the arrangements reach for the lush side of soul, which would become her trademark as a solo artist. Ironically, the weakest link is the title track, Ross' cover of the Hair medley "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" -- Ross just doesn't do well (or much) with the songs. Fortunately, it is followed by "Let the Music Play," which more than makes up for the lost opportunity, as well as offering a poignant look back at the original trio.
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Let The Sunshine In (flac 249mb)
01 The Composer 2:55
02 Everyday People 2:59
03 No Matter What Sign You Are 2:56
04 Hey Western Union Man 2:53
05 What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted 2:52
06 I'm Livin' In Shame 2:57
07 Medley: Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In (The Flesh Failures) 2:59
08 Let The Music Play 2:39
09 With A Child's Heart 2:59
10 Discover Me (And You'll Discover Love) 2:24
11 Will This Be The Day 2:56
12 I'm So Glad I Got Somebody (Like You Around) 3:31
(ogg mb)
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Today's Artists were an American female singing group and the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and are, to date, America's most successful vocal group with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity. ...... N Joy
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
The most successful black performers of the '60s, the Supremes for a time rivaled even the Beatles in terms of red-hot commercial appeal, reeling off five number one singles in a row at one point. Critical revisionism has tended to undervalue the Supremes' accomplishments, categorizing their work as more lightweight than the best soul stars' (or even the best Motown stars'), and viewing them as a tool for Berry Gordy's crossover aspirations. There's no question that there was about as much pop as soul in the Supremes' hits, that even some of their biggest hits could sound formulaic, and that they were probably the black performers who were most successful at infiltrating the tastes and televisions of middle America. This shouldn't diminish either their extraordinary achievements or their fine music, the best of which renders the pop vs. soul question moot with its excellence.
The Supremes were not an overnight success story, although it might have seemed that way when they began topping the charts with sure-fire regularity. The trio that would become famous as the Supremes -- Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard -- met in the late '50s in Detroit's Brewster housing project. Originally known as the Primettes, they were a quartet (Barbara Martin was the fourth member) when they made their first single for the Lupine label in 1960. By the time they debuted for Motown in 1961, they had been renamed the Supremes; Barbara Martin reduced them to a trio when she left after their first single.
The Supremes' first Motown recordings were much more girl-group-oriented than their later hits. Additionally, not all of them featured Diana Ross on lead vocals; Flo Ballard, considered to have as good or better a voice, also sang lead. Through a lengthy series of flops, Berry Gordy remained confident that the group would eventually prove to be one of Motown's biggest. By the time they finally did get their first Top 40 hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" in late 1963, Ross had taken over the lead singing for good.
Ross was not the most talented female singer at Motown; Martha Reeves and Gladys Knight in particular had superior talents. What she did have, however, was the most purely pop appeal. Gordy's patience and attention paid off in mid-1964 when "Where Did Our Love Go" went to number one. Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, it established the prototype for their run of five consecutive number one hits in 1964-1965 (also including "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Come See About Me," and "Back in My Arms Again"). Ross' cooing vocals would front the Supremes' decorative backup vocals, put over on television and live performance with highly stylized choreography and visual style. Holland-Dozier-Holland would write and produce all of the Supremes' hits through the end of 1967.
Not all of the Supremes' singles went to number one after 1965, but they usually did awfully well, and were written and produced with enough variety (but enough of a characteristic sound) to ensure continual interest. The chart-topping (and uncharacteristically tough) "You Keep Me Hangin' On" was the best of their mid-period hits. Behind the scenes, there were some problems brewing, although these only came to light long after the event. Other Motown stars (most notably Martha Reeves) resented what they perceived as the inordinate attention lavished upon Ross by Gordy, at the expense of other artists on the label. The other Supremes themselves felt increasingly pushed to the background. In mid-1967, as a result of what was deemed increasingly unprofessional behavior, Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong (from Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles). Ballard become one of rock's greatest tragedies, eventually ending up on welfare and dying in 1976.
After Ballard's exit, the group was billed as Diana Ross & the Supremes, fueling speculation that Ross was being groomed for a solo career. The Supremes had a big year in 1967, even incorporating some mild psychedelic influences into "Reflections." Holland-Dozier-Holland, however, left Motown around this time, and the quality of the Supremes' records suffered accordingly (as did the Motown organization as a whole). The Supremes were still superstars, but as a unit, they were disintegrating; it's been reported that Wilson and Birdsong didn't even sing on their final hits, a couple of which ("Love Child" and "Someday We'll Be Together") were among their best.
In November 1969, Ross' imminent departure for a solo career was announced, although she played a few more dates with them, the last in Las Vegas in January 1970. Jean Terrell replaced Ross, and the group continued through 1977, with some more personnel changes (although Mary Wilson was always involved). Some of the early Ross-less singles were fine records, particularly "Stoned Love," "Nathan Jones," and the Supremes/Four Tops duet "River Deep -- Mountain High." Few groups have been able to rise to the occasion after the loss of their figurehead, though, and the Supremes proved no exception, rarely making the charts after 1972. It is the Diana Ross-led era of the '60s for which they'll be remembered.
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland were one of the most successful songwriting and production teams of the '60s and '70s; they were staff songwriters at Motown Records who also worked with acts in the studio, and were the brains behind some of the label's biggest hits, including classics by the Temptations, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, the Miracles, and Martha & the Vandellas. Diana Ross & the Supremes were not only one of Motown's biggest acts of the '60s, they were personal favorites of label chief Berry Gordy, so it's no surprise that Holland-Dozier-Holland were often recruited to write and produce material for Motown's flagship act, and just as the title says, The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland features the label's biggest female artists singing a dozen tunes written and produced by their best behind-the-scenes talent. However, this wasn't a "best-of" collection, but a 1967 set dominated by fresh recordings, which means some of the Supremes' most popular recordings of H-D-H compositions don't make the cut, including "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Where Did Our Love Go," and "My World Is Empty Without You." The album also features the Supremes putting their stamp on H-D-H tunes that were hits for the Four Tops ("It's the Same Old Song") and Martha & the Vandellas ("Love Is Like a Heat Wave"), and while there's nothing wrong with these recordings, they don't quite have the same fire as the originals (Ross' relatively cool approach was always part of her calling card). With a dozen great songs performed by a fine vocal group backed by an outstanding studio band, there's no way The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland could not be a good album, but it isn't quite as great as it could have been, despite a handful of excellent tracks.
The Supremes - Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland (flac 200mb)
01 You Keep Me Hangin' On 2:57
02 You're Gone 2:35
03 Love Is Here And Now You're Gone 2:47
04 Mother You, Smother You 2:34
05 I Guess I'll Always Love You 2:38
06 I'll Turn To Stone 2:23
07 It's The Same Old Song 2:30
08 Going Down For The Third Time 2:34
09 Love Is In Our Hearts 2:07
10 Remove This Doubt 2:51
11 There's No Stopping Us Now 2:57
12 Love Is Like A Heat Wave 2:38
(ogg mb)
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Their last album with Holland-Doizer-Holland at the creative helm, it was apparent that both parties were battling creative fatigue and were exhibiting the appropriate scars at the time. Reflection only leads to regret for Ross, as she dwells on the happiness she once had, the hurt that followed, and “the love you took from me”. Her lonely introspection is scored by sweeping screes of synthesised noise – the work of engineer Russ Terrana, abusing a signal generator used to test electronic equipment – as producers Holland/Dozier/Holland doffed their caps toward the psychedelic rock scene. But the track’s true magic lies in more traditional tools – James Jamerson’s restless bassline, the brooding keyboards, the relentless tambourine rattle and insurgent snare drum through the chorus, not to mention a delicious call-and-response middle eight, in which Ballard and Mary Wilson got to share the spotlight for a few seconds. This moment of harmony was deceptive, however: Reflections saw the Supremes rechristened Diana Ross & the Supremes, and, by the time of its release, former leader Ballard had been fired following a drunken performance at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, and replaced by Cindy Birdsong. But aside from the then-innovative title song and the jazzy "In and Out of Love," there's nothing much to get excited about.
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Reflections (flac 284mb)
01 Reflections 2:49
02 I'm Gonna Make It (I Will Wait For You) 2:47
03 Forever Came Today 2:59
04 I Can't Make It Alone 2:57
05 In And Out Of Love 2:39
06 Bah-Bah-Bah 2:58
07 What The World Needs Now Is Love 2:50
08 Up, Up And Away 2:30
09 Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things) 2:51
10 Then 2:08
11 Misery Makes Its Home In My Heart 2:52
12 Ode To Billie Joe 4:30
13 Stay In My Lonely Arms 3:18
14 All I Know About You 1:57
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Reflections (ogg 101mb)
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What more could you want, two great groups, 11 great songs, and classic Motown productions. Contains the super groups' big hit "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" and the equally effervescent "I'll Try Something New." But the goodies don't stop there: Check "Try It Baby," a remake of Marvin Gaye's hit, done this time with bass Melvin Franklin groaning lead lines to Diana Ross' soprano; Diana and Dennis Edwards recreate Marvin and Tammi on a rousing version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"; smooth tenor-singing Otis Williams does a silky rendition of "This Guy's in Love With You"; and Paul Williams is forever Paul as the prominent voice on "Then," an old Four Tops album cut. Originally released in 1969, this is a CD every Temptations, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and Motown fan should have. A Holland import combines this and a following album by both groups on one CD -- 21 tracks of these delicacies.
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Join The Temptations (flac 211mb)
01 Try It Baby 3:41
02 I Second That Emotion 2:28
03 Ain't No Mountain High Enough 2:16
04 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me 3:05
05 This Guys In Love With You 3:46
06 Funky Broadway 2:32
07 I'll Try Something New 2:18
08 A Place In The Sun 3:28
09 Sweet Inspiration 2:54
10 Then 2:15
11The Impossible Dream 4:45
(ogg mb)
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Through 1964 to 1967 the Supremes were Motown's biggest act. Singles like "Where Did Our Love Go," "Back in My Arms Again," and "You Keep Me Hanging On" defined the label's pop prowess and the quirky appeal of talented lead singer Diana Ross. By 1968, the group not only lost member Florence Ballard, but also Holland-Dozier-Holland who had written and produced all of their big singles. Cindy Birdsong joins Mary Wilson and Ross for this 1968 effort and the group name was officially changed. Although it's always fun to hear Ross and the Supremes, the most interesting thing about this effort is its production. With a lack of consistently great songs, Love Child had to rely on hooks, choruses, and production values rather than magical songs. The well-produced and controversial title track proved how good Ross is with melodrama. "How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone" has a great bassline from James Jamerson and Ross oddly having a lot of fun with her supposedly dire romantic prospects. The warm cover of Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers' classic "Does Your Mamma Know About Me" sticks close to the original with good results. Ashford and Simpson offer two of their early tracks, the album's first single "Some Things You Never Get Used To," and the graceful "You Ain't Livin' Until You're Lovin'." For the most part, Love Child's tracks seem to run together but this offers the late-'60s Motown sound without gimmicks and is more than recommended.
Diana Ross And The Supremes - Love Child (flac 215mb)
01 Love Child 2:55
02 Keep An Eye 3:07
03 How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone 2:46
04 Does Your Mama Know About Me 2:51
05 Honey Bee (Keep On Stinging Me) 2:20
06 Some Things You Never Get Used To 2:24
07 He's My Sunny Boy 2:20
08 You've Been So Wonderful To Me 2:31
09 (Don't Break These) Chains Of Love 2:23
10 You Ain't Livin' Till You're Lovin' 2:41
11 I'll Set You Free 2:37
12 Can't Shake It Loose 2:07
(ogg mb)
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Let the Sunshine In appeared deceptively late, given some of its content in the history of Diana Ross & the Supremes. Released in the spring of 1969, by which time the Supremes were already seeming a bit old-hat, it generated relatively little excitement, and its late placement in their discography still makes it suspect, at first glance, to historically minded listeners. The fact that it's also from the group's post-Holland/Dozier/Holland period also makes it automatically less interesting in a musical/historical context. Actually, it's a pretty strong pop-soul effort -- Diana Ross is the obvious focus, and given the chaotic circumstances surrounding the group during this period, it's difficult to say at all times who is singing with her (Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong are obviously present somewhere, and the Andantes are, no doubt, backing Ross up at some points); but it does contain one track, the hauntingly beautiful "Let The Music Play," dating all the way back to 1967 and including founding member Florence Ballard. The album is still solid listening 40-plus years later, and it's not easy to explain why it performed poorly on the pop charts, especially with three hit singles present to help drive sales; "I'm Livin' in Shame" had been a Top Ten single and was making its LP bow, and "The Composer" (authored by Smokey Robinson) easily made the Top 30. The one weak link in the AM radio department was "No Matter What Sign You Are," a Berry Gordy composition that was more a catchy inventory of trends -- including a sitar in the arrangement that was dated by 1969 -- than a new horizon in pop music. The album does embrace more of a soul sound than early Supremes efforts, and audiences (and radio stations) were perhaps picking that up more succinctly here; thus, it got to number seven on the R&B charts but only a paltry number 24 as a pop album. Ross is in excellent form throughout, and the arrangements reach for the lush side of soul, which would become her trademark as a solo artist. Ironically, the weakest link is the title track, Ross' cover of the Hair medley "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" -- Ross just doesn't do well (or much) with the songs. Fortunately, it is followed by "Let the Music Play," which more than makes up for the lost opportunity, as well as offering a poignant look back at the original trio.
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Let The Sunshine In (flac 249mb)
01 The Composer 2:55
02 Everyday People 2:59
03 No Matter What Sign You Are 2:56
04 Hey Western Union Man 2:53
05 What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted 2:52
06 I'm Livin' In Shame 2:57
07 Medley: Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In (The Flesh Failures) 2:59
08 Let The Music Play 2:39
09 With A Child's Heart 2:59
10 Discover Me (And You'll Discover Love) 2:24
11 Will This Be The Day 2:56
12 I'm So Glad I Got Somebody (Like You Around) 3:31
(ogg mb)
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