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The Supremes Anthology
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DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES
ANTHOLOGY
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WITHOUT DOUBT. THE SUPREMES' PLACE IN THE HISTORY of contemporary popular music has been permanently assured by virtue of an eight-year period-1964- 1972-when the group's name was rarely out of the U.S. Top 20. Indelibly etched in the consciousness of those who grew up in the '60s and early '70s, the unalterable image of the glamorous girl group-sweet, sexy, coy, sometimes strident-was initially created by Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, and the mighty Motown machine. Not that other Motown female teams like Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and The Marvelettes lacked any vocal prowess or popularity; it was simply that The Supremes were just that: supremely successful.
Over the sixteen years that various combinations of The Supremes recorded for Motown, volumes have been written telling and re-telling the group's history. Through the mists of time, memories have become faulty, recollections scant and although some basic facts remain undeniable, any attempt to accurately recreate the group's history seems futile. As author Nelson George pointed out so accurately in Where Did Our Love Go?, his 1986 Motown tome, ..... each of the principles has told differing versions [of the history of The Supremes], as have people who knew them .....
So, rather than try to set the historical record straight through the pages of these liner notes, an appreciation of the group's musical accomplishments as reflected in this stellar collection seems in order. Some basic facts about the formation and creation of The Supremes remain undeniable: the original idea for the group began with Florence Ballard in Detroit's Brewster-Douglass housing project after she'd begun singing in the Motor City with an up-and-coming male group known as The Primes (the precursor to The Temptations, featuring Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams).
The original line-up apparently consisted of Florence, Mississippi-born Mary Wilson, Barbara Martin, and Betty Travis, whose stay with the quartet was short-lived; Kendricks recommended Diane Ross (who officially became Diana in the summer of '64), another Brewster-Douglass project resident, to replace Travis, and The Primettes – as they became known-were soon singing at every opportunity in and around Detroit. So the story goes, Diana was the one who got the group an audition at the fledgling Motown label with company founder Berry Gordy through neighbor William "Smokey" Robinson who was to play a role in the group's eventual arrival at the ever-growing music company.
Now the stuff of pop music lore ... Gordy supposedly told the quartet to come back after they got more experience performing and had finished school. Only temporarily discouraged, The Primettes signed with another local R&B label, Lupine Records, in 1960 but without any success. Their determination to be with Motown remained undaunted and, after hanging out repeatedly at the company's Hitsville Studios on West Grand Boulevard, Gordy relented. Following in the footsteps of The Primes, The Primettes signed to Motown, with a name change instigated by Gordy. Florence picked "The Supremes" and by the spring of 1961, the four teenagers had recorded their first single for Motown.
Released on the Tamla label, "I Want A Guy," which featured Diana's lead vocals, was produced by Gordy and co-written by him with Brian Holland and Freddie Gorman (member of The Originals). Apparently, Barbara Martin left the group at this juncture. A few months later – specifically in July of '61 – The Supremes tried for a second chart shot with "Buttered Popcorn," a ditty penned by Gordy and Motown sales executive Barney Ales, with Florence on lead vocals. Legend has it that the song was originally the "B" side to "Who's Lovin' You," a Smokey Robinson tune (also recorded by The Miracles and later Brenda Holloway) that eventually became closely associated with The Jackson 5. When Detroit radio stations began playing "Popcorn," Motown flipped it to side "A," but alas, it still gained no national attention and faded into oblivion.
Smokey – at this point entrenched at Motown as a resident songwriter, producer, and executive (while still functioning as leader of The Miracles) – provided The Supremes with their next single, a cute tune with some great harmony parts entitled "Your Heart Belongs To Me." Released in May 1962, this single marked the group's switch from the Tamla label to Motown proper. Charming it may have been, but the public still showed no interest. So it was left to the girls' fourth single, the Gordy-penned and produced "Let Me Go The Right Way," to break the spell. Released in November of 1962, the record made it to both the pop and R&B charts even though it could hardly be considered an out-and-out smash. Along with "I Want A Guy," "Buttered Popcorn,' and other songs from the group's earliest Motown sessions, "Right Way" was included in Meet The Supremes, their 1963 debut album.
Still, life was hardly boring for the teen trio: Motown had them out on the road, performing at every available opportunity, trying to gain a name for themselves within the heavily competitive Motown ranks. Even though artists like Mary Wells, The Miracles and The Marvelettes were the heavy hitters, The Supremes weren't about to give up on their dream. No matter that the two singles that followed their first chartmaking 45-"My Heart Can't Take It No More" and Smokey's "A Breath Taking Guy" – disappeared without a trace, the group rebounded as 1963 turned into 1964, a pivotal year that would become a turning point in the history of The Supremes.
Berry Gordy sensed that a change was needed in order to have The Supremes – rapidly becoming his pet Motown act, thanks no doubt to the obvious drive that Diana in particular was showing in pushing the group to the forefront – receive the same hit status that other Motown artists had already achieved. He decided that the production team of Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier with writing collaborator Eddie Holland (who had had his own share of hits as an artist) should been given a shot. The duo had already struck chart gold with Martha & The Vandellas in 1963 with a string of back-to-back hits ("Come And Get These Memories:' "(Love Is Like A) Heatwave" and "Quicksand") and had lent their more-than-considerable talents to The Miracles in a rare move by providing the group with its only early non-Smokey chart single, "Mickey's Monkey."
The Supremes headed into Studio "A" in the summer of '63 for their first session with Dozier and the Holland brothers to record the song that began their chart breakthrough. The infectious "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" was in fact the first of eighteen consecutive hits produced by the team with The Supremes. Of all the other '60s musical pairings, only the combination of singer Dionne Warwick with producer/writers Burt Bacharach and Hal David came close to equaling the success rate of The Supremes and Holland-Dozier-Holland by also scoring an eighteen-song-string ofhits between 1963 and 1968.
Further recording dates with H-D-H yielded mixed results: the outfit missed out with "Run, Run, Run," the all-important follow-up to "Lovelight" and "Send Me No Flowers" a leftover from those first few sessions (only issued on the 1986 package, 25th Anniversary). This was an indication that no clear musical direction had yet been created by the union of The Supremes with H-D-H.
But The Supremes' ninth single was the charmer which catapulted them to mainstream success internationally. Instantly recognizable and now a pop classic, "Where Did Our Love Go" spent over three months on the nation's charts and became a Top 5 hit in the U.K. Although it was Diana who ended up as lead vocalist on the tune, author Nelson George notes that Mary Wilson almost ended up performing that function. In his book named after The Supremes' hit, George quotes Eddie Holland as saying, " ... I wanted Mary because at the time Mary had a softer sound and I knew the song required a soft sound. And I had never heard Diana sing soft before. So my natural instinct was to try Mary on it..." Put to a vote between the Holland brothers and Lamont Dozier, Eddie lost out: the song was recorded in a lower key and it was Ross' voice that could be heard booming out of radios across the country in the summer of '64.
As noted in autobiographical books by both Ross and Gordy, the record's success grew as the group toured the country with famous D.J. Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars." On tour with fellow Motowner Brenda Holloway, The Shirelles and Gene Pitney, The Supremes started out as virtually the opening act: by the time the 'caravan' had traversed the country, The Supremes had earned the top spot on the show.
That initial success was cemented with "Baby Love" the second of five consecutive pop chart-toppers. Florence, Mary, and Diana had 'arrived' and after years of waiting in the wings, the group's perseverance paid off. Their second LP, Where Did Our Love Go – released in September 1964 – was hit-laden: “Come See About Me” was an obvious follow up to “Baby Love.” While “Come See About Me” didn’t climb to the top slot on the R&B chart (as had its two predecessors), it landed fairly and squarely at No. 1 on the pop listings. This was a reaffirmation that The Supremes’ appeal indeed crossed all boundaries.
Also included here from that second album is “Long Gone Lover,” a Smokey Robinson tune recorded in September of ’63 that was produced by him too, although Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier were credited as the producers on the LP’s jacket. The team were also responsible for the perky “Too Hurt To Cry, Too Much In Love To Say Goodbye,” reminiscent of the sound producer Phil Spector had created for New York groups like the Ronettes. That track was recorded towards the end of February 1965 just weeks after the release of The Supremes’ fifth straight pop chartopper, “Stop! In The Name Of Love.”
The group had evidently spent a good deal of time at Hitsville during 1964: following the Where Did Our Love Go LP, Motown had released no less than three ‘concept’ – related albums – A Bit Of Liverpool (a collection of covers of English pop songs), The Supremes Sing Country, Western & Pop (likely modeled after R&B giant Ray Charles’ successful foray into the genre), and We Remember Sam Cooke, a tribute to the late, great soul man who had passed away in December 1964.
While none of those albums were considered commercial successes – designed no doubt to broaden the groups appeal to a wider-audience – The Supremes were still on a singles’ chart roll. By the time Diana, Mary and Florence were on their way back from their first European trip in the spring of 1965, they’d racked up another smash with the May release “Back In My Arms Again,” followed three months later with “Nothing But Heartaches,” the group’s first non-Top 10 pop hit in a year. Both singles were included in their sixth album, the aptly-named More Hits By The Supremes, and taken from that LP is “Mother Dear,” another in the over fifty Holland-Dozier-Holland compositions recorded by the group in what would be a three-year period.
By the end of 1965, Berry Gordy’s vision of having the Supremes become the No. 1 female group in the country, cutting across all barriers (most notably race and age) had become a reality. After their first appearance on the all-important “Ed Sullivan Show” on December 24, 1964, the group had become firm fixtures on national t.v. performing on “The Tonight Show,” “Hullabaloo” and “The Dean Martin Show.” Four days after the release of “I Hear A Symphony,” the group’s eighth No. 1 single in November 1965. The Supremes were guests on the Sullivan show again. Their first ‘live’ album recorded in New York’s prestigious supper club The Copa hit the national charts just three days later.
The group was undeniably on a roll: in January '66, "My World Is Empty Without You" jumped out from the Top 10 album, I Hear A Symphony, which contained covers of tunes like The Toys' "A Lover's Concerto" and The Beatles' "Yesterday," alongside original material like "Everything's Good About You," and "He's All I Got." "He's All I Got" was also used as the flipside for The Supremes' next hit, the spring Top 5 single, "Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart."
Rounding out 1966 were the hits "You Can't Hurry Love" (taken from The Supremes A Go Go album) and "You Keep Me Hangin' On." Not since "Back In My Arms Again" had the team enjoyed two simultaneous pop/R8B chart-toppers in a row, and with the February '67 single, "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone" (from The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland LP), the group made it a hatrick. Included here is another track from that same album, the haunting "Remove This Doubt," which had been used as the flipside to "Hangin' On."
A 1966 Public Service Announcement (written and produced by Phil Spector) for the Equal Employment Opportunity Campaign entitled "Things Are Changing" – available commercially for the first time ever on this collection – was a harbinger of bad things to come: 1967 was indeed a year of major change for the group.
"The Happening," the frothy title track for an easily-forgotten movie marked the last hit from the original team. Shortly after its release in April, Florence Ballard's departure from The Supremes was being discussed by Motown executives and members of the group itself. Much has been said and written about the reasons behind the change, but suffice it to say that Cindy Birdsong, formerly a member of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles, took over from Florence during an engagement in July at The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.
With the release of the atmospheric "Reflections" – Top 5 pop and R&B hit-the group also underwent a significant name change, billed now as "Diana Ross & The Supremes." Under their new handle, Diana, Mary and Cindy racked up a total of eight hit singles between August of 1967 and November of 1969. But the spell of automatic chart success had been definitively broken.
Significantly, the team of Holland, Dozier and Holland were also on their way out of the door at Motown: The Supremes' last two hit singles with their former hitmaking partners were "In And Out Of Love" (November '67) and "Forever Came Today" (March '68). both taken from the Reflections album. Also from that LP are ''I'm Gonna Make It," and "Then," a song penned by three members of The Miracles and produced by Smokey.
In search of new producers to work with The Supremes, Motown executives initially opted for the team of Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson, producer/writers who had given duet partners Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (initially in the capacity of songwriters) a string of hits starting in June of 1967 with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," a song they were to re-record with a solo Diana Ross in 1970.
Only one hit emerged from the group's recording dates with Nick and Val: released in June of '68, "Some Things You Never Get Used To" inched its way into the Top 30 and became the group's first non-Top 20 R&B hit since 1964's "Run, Run, Run." Also taken from the group's brief union with Ashford & Simpson, "Keep An Eye," was another tune later revisited by Nick and Valerie when they were given the task of producing Diana Ross' solo debut album just two years later.
In light of H-D-H's departure, Motown tried a number of different approaches: "Sweet Thing" was produced by Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore and Terry Johnson, the team who would strike gold with The Miracles' "Baby, Baby Don't Cry." Released in October 1968, "Love Child" was the result of a collaboration between a number of Motown's top creative minds: working together, Berry Gordy, Frank Wilson, Henry Cosby, Deke Richards, and R. Dean Taylor took The Supremes back to chart favor. The song marked a lyrical departure from anything the group had ever tackled before – it was a ballad with a message about the social stigma attached to being born as an illegitmate child. The record-buying public responded, giving The Supremes what would be the last of two No.1 pop hits and propelling the Love Child album into the nation's Top 20. Back in favor, the group rebounded with another social commentary: ''I'm Livin' In Shame," produced by the same team responsible for "Love Child," became a Top 10 hit in February of 1969.
In a masterful stroke, Berry Gordy decided to put two of Motown's supergroups together, culminating in the album Diana Ross & The Supremes Join The Temptations and the television specials "TCB" and "On Broadway." The winning combination proved instantly successful: "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," a song co-written by Philadelphia hitmaker Kenny Gamble, which had been a Top 20 R&B hit for Dionne Warwick's younger sister Dee Dee, was a Top 5 pop smash at the beginning of 1969 and was followed a couple of months later by a reworking of the Miracles' 1962 hit 'Til Try Something New."
While Motown got a good deal of mileage out of teaming The Supremes and The Temps, the label was unable to take the group back to chart heights with the next two singles released in 1969. Neither "The Composer," a ditty written and produced by Smokey, nor "No Matter What Sign You Are," a reference to the late '60s popularity and interest in astrology, made it to the nation's Top 20, an indication that even though the group was popular both at home and abroad, their love affair with the record-buying public was clearly on the decline.
"Discover Me (And You'll Discover Love)," taken from the group's Let The Sunshine In album (as were the two previously mentioned singles), brought The Supremes together with producer Johnny Bristol who was to play a significant but fleeting role in the group's recording career. Bristol had begun his musical career as a recording artist at a small Detroit label in the early '60s and gone on to work with the likes of Junior Walker, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, and Edwin Starr. He was also responsible for producing and co-writing the last record that bore the name, "Diana Ross & The Supremes."
Making its chart debut in October 1969, "Someday We'll Be Together" was indeed Diana Ross' swansong as a member of The Supremes. Originally written in 1961 by Bristol, then-singing partner Jackie Beavers, and Harvey Fuqua, the song was an appropriate way to end an era. Significantly, however, Diana Ross recalled in a 1994 interview with Blues & Soul that she was in fact the only member of the group on the recording session. Bristol also commented on the melancholy nature of the session, "It was not The Supremes in the background ... It was a very difficult time for all of us ...."
Whether for nostalgic reasons or because there was a genuine love for the song itself, "Someday" became a No.1 pop and R&B hit as Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong bid farewell to each other on January 14, 1970 at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. That same night, the public was introduced to Jean Terrell, sister of boxer Ernie Terrell and a soulful singer who had the task of filling Ross' shoes as lead singer for The Supremes.
Produced by Frank Wilson (whose credits included hits on The Temptations, Brenda Holloway, and Marvin Gaye), the new line-up scored immediate success with "Up The Ladder To The Roof," a top 10 single released in March 1970. This was followed three months later by "Everybody's Got The Right To Love" (taken along with "Up The Ladder" from the album Right On) and by "Stoned Love," an R&B chart-topper in November of that same year and the one single lifted from the trio's second LP together, New Ways But Love Stays.
Attempting to rekindle the kind of success The Supremes had enjoyed with The Temptations two years earlier, Motown teamed the group with The Four Tops who had also been working with producer Wilson. While the initial album, The Magnificent Seven, only did marginally well, the new group did manage to take "River Deep, Mountain High," a song originally recorded in 1966 by Ike & Tina Turner and produced by Phil Spector (only a U.K. hit initially), into the U.S. Top 10.
Five months later, The Supremes were back on the charts with the perky "Nathan Jones" taken from the album Touch, but still the group had to confront the fact that Motown seemed to have other priorities. Now firmly established on the West Coast (a move the company had effectively made as the '60s became the '70s), the label was concentrating its promotional activities on artists like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder who had both begun to chart new creative courses.
By the time Motown released "Floy Joy," a Smokey Robinson-penned and produced tune in January 1972, The Supremes had undergone yet another change in line-up. A pregnant Cindy Birdsong had decided to take time off, replaced by Lynda Lawrence who had been singing with Stevie Wonder's back-up group Wonderlove. "Floy Joy" turned out to be the group's last Top 20 hit; two more singles – "Automatically Sunshine" and "Your Wonderful Sweet, Sweet Love" – were also lifted from the album of the same name during 1972. But by this time it was clear that, with all the personnel changes, The Supremes were struggling to maintain their hitmaking prowess.
Trying to find new musical direction, the group tried working with a non-Motown producer for the first time, choosing Jim Webb, a prolific writer and producer whose catalog included pop standards like "Up, Up And Away," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "Wichita Lineman." The results were less-than-satisfying: the album (featuring Wilson, Terrell and Birdsong) barely made the Top 200 LP chart and yielded just one single, "I Guess I'll Miss The Man" the first Supremes' 45 to fail to chart in a decade. Included in this collection is "Paradise" from the Webb project.
By 1976, the group had undergone further changes, leaving Mary Wilson, Susaye Green (a former member of Ray Charles' Raelettes and later, Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove group) and Scherrie Payne (sister of Freda) to record High Energy, the group's final charted album. The uptempo, dance-flavored "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" produced by Brian Holland, was The Supremes' final Top 40 hit, essentially ending a 16-year chart run.
While no collection can ever hope to fully document such a lengthy time period, this anthology demonstrates that, beyond the obvious classic hits, The Supremes created a truly dazzling recording legacy at Motown unequalled by any other female group in popular music history.
- David Nathan July 1995
David Nathan, a/k/a "British Ambassador Of Soul," is the U.S. Editor of Blues & Soul and a contributing writer to Billboard.
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DISC ONE
1. I WANT A GUY
(BERRY GORDY, BRIAN HOLLAND & FREDDIE GORMAN) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Berry Gordy.
Tamla 54038, March 9, 1961.
From MEET THE SUPREMES.
2. BUTTERED POPCORN
(BERRY GORDY & BARNEY ALES) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Berry Gordy.
LEAD: Florence.
Tamla 54045, July 21,1961.
From MEET THE SUPREMES.
3. YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
Motown 1027, May 8,1962.
From MEET THE SUPREMES.
4. LET ME GO THE RIGHT WAY
(BERRY GORDY) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Berry Gordy.
Motown 1034, Nov. 5, 1962: R&B #26 Pop #90.
From MEET THE SUPREMES.
5. A BREATH TAKING GUY
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
Motown 1044, June 12, 1963.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
6. LONG GONE LOVER
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
7. WHEN THE LOVELIGHT STARTS SHINING THROUGH HIS EYES
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1051, Oct. 31, 1963: Pop #23.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
8. SEND ME NO FLOWERS
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Recorded May 4,1964.
Issued on 25TH ANNIVERSARY.
9. WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1060, June 17, 1964: Pop #1.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
10. BABY LOVE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1066, Sept. 17, 1964: Pop #1.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
11. COME SEE ABOUT ME
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1068, Oct. 27, 1964: Pop #1 R&B #3.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
12. STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1074, Feb. 8, 1965: Pop #1 R&B #2.
From MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES.
13. BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1075, April 15, 1965: R&B #1 Pop #1.
From MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES.
14. NOTHING BUT HEARTACHES
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1080 {p/s}, July 19, 1965: R&B #6 Pop #11.
From MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES.
15. MOTHER DEAR
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
From MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES.
Slated for issue on Motown 1080 (canceled),
16. TOO HURT TO CRY, TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO SAY GOODBYE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Recorded Feb. 24 & 26, 1965.
Issued on NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED MASTERS.
17. I HEAR A SYMPHONY
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1083, Oct. 6,1965: Pop #1 R&B #2.
From I HEAR A SYMPHONY.
18. HE'S ALL I GOT
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, EDWARD HOLLAND, JR. & JAMES DEAN) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
B-side "Love Is like An Itching In My Heart."
From I HEAR A SYMPHONY.
19. MY WORLD IS EMPTY WITHOUT YOU
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1089, Dec. 29, 1965: Pop #5 R&B #10.
From I HEAR A SYMPHONY.
20. LOVE IS LIKE AN ITCHING IN MY HEART
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1094, April 8, 1966: R&B #7 Pop #9.
From THE SUPREMES A GO-GO.
21. YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1097, July 25, 1966: R&B #1 Pop #1.
From THE SUPREMES A GO-GO.
22. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1101, Dct. 12, 1966: R&B #1 Pop #1.
From THE SUPREMES SING HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND.
23. REMOVE THIS DOUBT
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
B-side of "You Keep Me Hangin' On."
From THE SUPREMES SING HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND.
24. LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1103, Jan. 11, 1967: R&B #1 Pop #1.
From THE SUPREMES SING HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND.
25. THE HAPPENING
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, EDWARD HOLLAND, JR. & FRANK DEVOL) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1107, March 20.1967: Pop #1 R&B #12.
Title song of the motion picture THE HAPPENING.
Issued on THE SUPREMES GREATEST HITS.
26. THINGS ARE CHANGING
(PHIL SPECTOR) Mother Bertha Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Phil Spector.
Radio-only public service 7" single. Issued by the Advertising Council for the Equal Employment Opportunities Campaign.
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DISC TWO
1. REFLECTIONS
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1111, July 24, 1967: Pop #2 R&B #4.
From REFLECTIONS.
2. IN AND OUT OF LOVE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music(BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1116, Oct. 25,1967: Pop #9 R&B #16.
From REFLECTIONS.
3. I'M GONNA MAKE IT (I WILL WAIT FOR YOU)
(DENNIS LUSSIER & JAMES KUROKI) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Dennis Lussier.
From REFLECTIONS.
4. THEN
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON, ROBERT ROGERS & WARREN MOORE) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
From REFLECTIONS.
5. FOREVER CAME TODAY
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1122, Feb. 29,1968: R&B #17 Pop #28.
From REFLECTIONS.
6. SWEET THING
(WILLIAM "MICKEY" STEVENSON & IVY JO HUNTER) Stone Agate Music (BMI) PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore & Terry Johnson.
Issued on NEVER- BEFORE-RELEASED MASTERS.
7. SOME THINGS YOU NEVER GET USED TO
(NICKOLAS ASHFORD & VALERIE SIMPSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP) PRODUCED BY Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson.
Motown 1126, May 21, 1968: Pop #30 R&B #43.
From LOVE CHILD.
8. LOVE CHILD
(PAMELA SAWYER, R. DEAN TAYLOR, FRANK WILSON & DEKE RICHARDS) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY The Clan.
ARRANGED BY Paul Riser.
Motown 1135. Sept. 30,1968: Pop #1 R&B #2.
From LOVE CHILD.
9. KEEP AN EYE
(NICKOLAS ASHFORD & VALERIE SIMPSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP) PRODUCED BY Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson.
From LOVE CHILD.
10. I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS
(KENNETH GAMBLE, LEON HUFF & JERRY ROSS) Unichappel Music Inc./Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
LEAD: Eddie & Diana (spoken segment by Otis).
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson & Nickolas Ashford.
Motown 1137, Nov. 21, 1968: R&B #2 Pop #2.
From DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES JOIN THE TEMPTATIONS.
11. I'M LIVIN' IN SHAME
(PAMELA SAWYER, HENRY COSBY, BERRY GORDY, FRANK WILSON & R. DEAN TAYLOR) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY The Clan
Motown 1139, Jan. 6,1969: R&B #8 Pop #10.
From LET THE SUNSHINE IN.
12. I'LL TRY SOMETHING NEW
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson & Deke Richards
LEAD: Eddie & Diana
Motown 1142, Feb. 20,1969: R&B #8 Pop #25
From DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES JOIN THE TEMPTATIONS.
13. THE COMPOSER
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson
Motown 1146, March 27, 1969: R&B #21 Pop #27
From LET THE SUNSHINE IN.
14. DISCOVER ME (AND YOU'LL DISCOVER LOVE)
(BEATRICE VERDI, JOHNNY BRISTOL & DORIS MCNEIL) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Johnny Bristol
From LET THE SUNSHINE IN.
15. NO MATTER WHAT SIGN YOU ARE
(BERRY GORDY & HENRY COSBY) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Berry Gordy & Henry Cosby
Motown 1148, May 9,1969: R&B #17 Pop #31
From LET THE SUNSHINE IN.
16. SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER
(JACKEY BEAVERS, JOHNNY BRISTOL & HARVEY FUQUA) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Johnny Bristol
ARRANGED BY Wade Marcus
Motown 1156, Oct. 14, 1969: R&B #1 Pop #1
From CREAM OF THE CROP.
17. UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF
(VINCENT DIMIRCO & FRANK WILSON) Stone Agate Music(BMI)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson.
ARRANGED BY David Van dePitte.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1162, Feb. 16, 1970: R&B #5 Pop #10
From RIGHT ON.
18. EVERYBODY'S GOT THE RIGHT TO LOVE
(LOU STALLMAN) Stallman Records (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson.
ARRANGED BY David Van dePitte.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1167, June 25, 1970: R&B #11 Pop #21
From RIGHT ON.
19. STONED LOVE
(FRANK WILSON & YENNEK SAMOHT) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson.
ARRANGED BY David Van dePitte.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1172, Oct. 15, 1970: R&B #1 Pop #7
From NEW WAYS BUT LOVE STAYS.
20. RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH
THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS
(PHIL SPECTOR, JEFF BARRY & ELEANOR GREENWICH) Mother Bertha Music, Inc./Trio Music Co./ABKCO Music, Inc. (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson.
ARRANGED BY Paul Riser
LEAD: Jean & Levi
Motown 1173, Nov. 5, 1970: R&B #7 Pop #14.
From THE MAGNIFICENT 7.
21. NATHAN JONES
(KATHY WAKEFIELD & LEONARD CASTON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson.
ARRANGED BY Jerry Long & David Van dePitte.
LEAD: Jean.
Motown 1182, April 15, 1971: R&B #8 Pop #16
From TOUCH.
22. FLOY JOY
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED & ARRANGED BY Smokey Robinson.
LEAD: Jean.
Motown 1195, Dec. 1971: R&B #5 Pop #16
From FLOY JOY.
23. AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
ARRANGED BY Paul Riser.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1200, April 11, 1972: R&B #21 Pop #37
From FLOY JOY.
24. YOUR WONDERFUL, SWEET SWEET LOVE
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Berry Gordy.
ARRANGED BY Paul Riser.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1206, July 11,1972: R&B #22 Pop #59
From FLOY JOY.
25. PARADISE
(HARRY NILSSON) Beachwood Music (BMI)
PRODUCED & ARRANGED BY Jimmy Webb.
LEAD: Jean
From THE SUPREMES - PRODUCED & ARRANGED BY JIMMY WEBB.
28. I'M GONNA LET MY HEART DO THE WALKING
(HAROLD BEATTY, LAMONT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Gold Forever Music (ASCAP)/Stone Diamond Music Corporation (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland for Holland/Dozier/Holland Productions, Inc.
LEAD: Scherrie
Motown 1391, May 6,1976: R&B #25 Pop #40
From HIGH ENERGY
_________________________________________________
THE ALBUMS
[All records credited as The Supremes unless otherwise noted; albums with asterisks (*) credited as Diana Ross & The Supremes.]
MEET THE SUPREMES, Motown 606, 12/9/63.
THE SUPREMES SING BALLADS & BLUES, Motown 610 (canceled).
WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO, Motown 621, 8/31/64: R&B #1 Pop #2.
A BIT OF LIVERPOOL, Motown 623, 10/16/64: R&B #5 Pop #21.
THE SUPREMES SING COUNTRY, WESTERN & POP, Motown 625, 2/22/65: Pop #79.
LIVE LIVE LIVE, Motown 626 (canceled).
MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES, Motown 627, 7/23/65: R&B #2 Pop #6.
THERE'S A PLACE FOR US, Motown 628 (canceled).
WE REMEMBER SAM COOKE, Motown 629, 4/12/65: R&B #5 Pop #75.
THE SUPREMES AT THE COPA, Motown 636, 11/1/65: R&B #2 Pop #11.
TRIBUTE TO THE GIRLS, Motown 637 (canceled).
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Motown 638, 11/1/65.
LIVE AT LAKE TAHOE, Motown 640 (canceled).
I HEAR A SYMPHONY, Motown 643, 2/18/66: R&B#1 Pop #8.
PURE GOLD, Motown 648 (canceled).
THE SUPREMES A GO GO, Motown 649, 8/25/66: R&B #1 Pop #1.
THE SUPREMES SING HOLLAND·DOZIER-HOLLAND, Motown 650, 1/23/67: R&B # 1 Pop #6.
THE SUPREMES & THE MOTOWN SOUND, Motown 656 (canceled).
THE SUPREMES SING RODGERS & HART, Motown 659, 5/22/67: R&B #3 Pop #20.
REFLECTIONS*, Motown 665, 3/25/68: R&B #3 Pop #18.
LOVE CHILD*, Motown 670, 11/13/68: R&B #3 Pop # 14.
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES SING AND PERFORM FUNNY GIRL*, Motown 672,8/26/68: R&B #45 Pop #150.
LIVE AT LONDON'S TALK OF THE TOWN*, Motown 676, 8/26/68: R&B #22 Pop #57.
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES JOIN THE TEMPTATIONS (DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS), Motown 679, 11/8/68: R&B #1 Pop #2.
T.C.B. (DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATlONS), Motown 682, 12/2/68: R&B # 1 Pop #1.
LET THE SUNSHINE IN*, Motown 689, 5/26/69: R&B #7 Pop #24.
TOGETHER (DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS), Motown 692,9/23/69: R&B #6 Pop #28.
CREAM OF THE CROP*, Motown 694, 11/3/69: R&B #3 Pop #33.
ON BROADWAY (DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS), Motown 699,11/7/69: R&B #4 Pop #38.
RIGHT ON, Motown 705, 5/5/70: R&B #4 Pop #25.
FAREWELL*, Motown 708, 4/13/70: R&B #31 Pop #46.
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS), Motown 717, 9/18/70: R&B #18 Pop # 113.
NEW WAYS BUT LOVE STAYS, Motown 720, 9/18/70: R&B #12 Pop #68.
THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS), Motown 736, 5/28/71: R&B #18 Pop #154.
TOUCH, Motown 737, 5/28/71: R&B #6 Pop #85.
DYNAMITE (THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS), Motown 745, 12/20/71: R&B #21 Pop #160.
PROMISES KEPT, Motown 746 (canceled).
FLOY JOY, Motown 751,5/8/72: R&B #12 Pop #54.
THE SUPREMES PRODUCED & ARRANGED BY JIMMY WEBB, Motown 756, 10/27/72: R&B #27 Pop #129.
THE SUPREMES, Motown 828, 5/15/75: R&B #25 Pop #152.
HIGH ENERGY, Motown 863, 4/8/76: R&B #24 Pop #42.
MARY, SCHERRIE & SUSAVE, Motown 873, 10/26/76.
25TH ANNIVERSARY*, Motown 6193, 10/14/86: R&B #61 Pop #112.
THE NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED MASTERS*, Motown 9075, 7/31/87.
__________________________________________________
CREDITS
COMPILATION PRODUCED BY Bill Inglot
COMPILED BY Bill Inglot & Ken Barnes
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Candace Bond & Amy Herot
DIGITALLY MASTERED BY Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch at DigiPrep, Los Angeles, CA
TAPE ARCHIVE MANAGER: Georgia Ward
TAPE LIBRARIAN: David Moss
PROJECT COORDINATOR: Dana Smart
ESSAY BY David Nathan
ART DIRECTION: Geoff Gans
DESIGN: Flambe Design
BILLBOARD chart positions courtesy of Joel Whitburn's Record Research publications. For more information please write to Record Research, P.O. Box 200, Menomonee Falls, WI 53052-0200.
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO: A Special Thank You to Clarence Avant, Jheryl Busby, Susan Abbott, Ramon Aninag, Joey Connors, Disc Graphics, Kevin Donan, Gordon Frewin, Graphics Plus, Paul Harrigan, HTM, Troy Kluess, Karen Kwak, Ben Lee, Denise Maurin, Steve McKeever, John Oliver, Joan Perri, Michael Poss, Tricia Rivera, Bruce Rucker, Warren Salyer, Len Scherer, Monique Smith, Lisa Smith-Craig, Eric Thomas, Susan Unger and, as always, a very special thank you to Berry Gordy.
© 1995 MOTOWN RECORD COMPANY, L.P. ® 1995,1987,1986,1976,1972 MOTOWN RECORD COMPANY, L.P.
AN ORIGINAL SOUND RECORDING MADE BY MOTOWN RECORD COMPANY, L.P., 5750 WILSHIRE BLVD., LOS ANGELES, CA 90036-USA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION IS A VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE LAWS. 31453-0511-2.
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES
ANTHOLOGY
____________________________________________
WITHOUT DOUBT. THE SUPREMES' PLACE IN THE HISTORY of contemporary popular music has been permanently assured by virtue of an eight-year period-1964- 1972-when the group's name was rarely out of the U.S. Top 20. Indelibly etched in the consciousness of those who grew up in the '60s and early '70s, the unalterable image of the glamorous girl group-sweet, sexy, coy, sometimes strident-was initially created by Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, and the mighty Motown machine. Not that other Motown female teams like Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and The Marvelettes lacked any vocal prowess or popularity; it was simply that The Supremes were just that: supremely successful.
Over the sixteen years that various combinations of The Supremes recorded for Motown, volumes have been written telling and re-telling the group's history. Through the mists of time, memories have become faulty, recollections scant and although some basic facts remain undeniable, any attempt to accurately recreate the group's history seems futile. As author Nelson George pointed out so accurately in Where Did Our Love Go?, his 1986 Motown tome, ..... each of the principles has told differing versions [of the history of The Supremes], as have people who knew them .....
So, rather than try to set the historical record straight through the pages of these liner notes, an appreciation of the group's musical accomplishments as reflected in this stellar collection seems in order. Some basic facts about the formation and creation of The Supremes remain undeniable: the original idea for the group began with Florence Ballard in Detroit's Brewster-Douglass housing project after she'd begun singing in the Motor City with an up-and-coming male group known as The Primes (the precursor to The Temptations, featuring Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams).
The original line-up apparently consisted of Florence, Mississippi-born Mary Wilson, Barbara Martin, and Betty Travis, whose stay with the quartet was short-lived; Kendricks recommended Diane Ross (who officially became Diana in the summer of '64), another Brewster-Douglass project resident, to replace Travis, and The Primettes – as they became known-were soon singing at every opportunity in and around Detroit. So the story goes, Diana was the one who got the group an audition at the fledgling Motown label with company founder Berry Gordy through neighbor William "Smokey" Robinson who was to play a role in the group's eventual arrival at the ever-growing music company.
Now the stuff of pop music lore ... Gordy supposedly told the quartet to come back after they got more experience performing and had finished school. Only temporarily discouraged, The Primettes signed with another local R&B label, Lupine Records, in 1960 but without any success. Their determination to be with Motown remained undaunted and, after hanging out repeatedly at the company's Hitsville Studios on West Grand Boulevard, Gordy relented. Following in the footsteps of The Primes, The Primettes signed to Motown, with a name change instigated by Gordy. Florence picked "The Supremes" and by the spring of 1961, the four teenagers had recorded their first single for Motown.
Released on the Tamla label, "I Want A Guy," which featured Diana's lead vocals, was produced by Gordy and co-written by him with Brian Holland and Freddie Gorman (member of The Originals). Apparently, Barbara Martin left the group at this juncture. A few months later – specifically in July of '61 – The Supremes tried for a second chart shot with "Buttered Popcorn," a ditty penned by Gordy and Motown sales executive Barney Ales, with Florence on lead vocals. Legend has it that the song was originally the "B" side to "Who's Lovin' You," a Smokey Robinson tune (also recorded by The Miracles and later Brenda Holloway) that eventually became closely associated with The Jackson 5. When Detroit radio stations began playing "Popcorn," Motown flipped it to side "A," but alas, it still gained no national attention and faded into oblivion.
Smokey – at this point entrenched at Motown as a resident songwriter, producer, and executive (while still functioning as leader of The Miracles) – provided The Supremes with their next single, a cute tune with some great harmony parts entitled "Your Heart Belongs To Me." Released in May 1962, this single marked the group's switch from the Tamla label to Motown proper. Charming it may have been, but the public still showed no interest. So it was left to the girls' fourth single, the Gordy-penned and produced "Let Me Go The Right Way," to break the spell. Released in November of 1962, the record made it to both the pop and R&B charts even though it could hardly be considered an out-and-out smash. Along with "I Want A Guy," "Buttered Popcorn,' and other songs from the group's earliest Motown sessions, "Right Way" was included in Meet The Supremes, their 1963 debut album.
Still, life was hardly boring for the teen trio: Motown had them out on the road, performing at every available opportunity, trying to gain a name for themselves within the heavily competitive Motown ranks. Even though artists like Mary Wells, The Miracles and The Marvelettes were the heavy hitters, The Supremes weren't about to give up on their dream. No matter that the two singles that followed their first chartmaking 45-"My Heart Can't Take It No More" and Smokey's "A Breath Taking Guy" – disappeared without a trace, the group rebounded as 1963 turned into 1964, a pivotal year that would become a turning point in the history of The Supremes.
Berry Gordy sensed that a change was needed in order to have The Supremes – rapidly becoming his pet Motown act, thanks no doubt to the obvious drive that Diana in particular was showing in pushing the group to the forefront – receive the same hit status that other Motown artists had already achieved. He decided that the production team of Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier with writing collaborator Eddie Holland (who had had his own share of hits as an artist) should been given a shot. The duo had already struck chart gold with Martha & The Vandellas in 1963 with a string of back-to-back hits ("Come And Get These Memories:' "(Love Is Like A) Heatwave" and "Quicksand") and had lent their more-than-considerable talents to The Miracles in a rare move by providing the group with its only early non-Smokey chart single, "Mickey's Monkey."
The Supremes headed into Studio "A" in the summer of '63 for their first session with Dozier and the Holland brothers to record the song that began their chart breakthrough. The infectious "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" was in fact the first of eighteen consecutive hits produced by the team with The Supremes. Of all the other '60s musical pairings, only the combination of singer Dionne Warwick with producer/writers Burt Bacharach and Hal David came close to equaling the success rate of The Supremes and Holland-Dozier-Holland by also scoring an eighteen-song-string ofhits between 1963 and 1968.
Further recording dates with H-D-H yielded mixed results: the outfit missed out with "Run, Run, Run," the all-important follow-up to "Lovelight" and "Send Me No Flowers" a leftover from those first few sessions (only issued on the 1986 package, 25th Anniversary). This was an indication that no clear musical direction had yet been created by the union of The Supremes with H-D-H.
But The Supremes' ninth single was the charmer which catapulted them to mainstream success internationally. Instantly recognizable and now a pop classic, "Where Did Our Love Go" spent over three months on the nation's charts and became a Top 5 hit in the U.K. Although it was Diana who ended up as lead vocalist on the tune, author Nelson George notes that Mary Wilson almost ended up performing that function. In his book named after The Supremes' hit, George quotes Eddie Holland as saying, " ... I wanted Mary because at the time Mary had a softer sound and I knew the song required a soft sound. And I had never heard Diana sing soft before. So my natural instinct was to try Mary on it..." Put to a vote between the Holland brothers and Lamont Dozier, Eddie lost out: the song was recorded in a lower key and it was Ross' voice that could be heard booming out of radios across the country in the summer of '64.
As noted in autobiographical books by both Ross and Gordy, the record's success grew as the group toured the country with famous D.J. Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars." On tour with fellow Motowner Brenda Holloway, The Shirelles and Gene Pitney, The Supremes started out as virtually the opening act: by the time the 'caravan' had traversed the country, The Supremes had earned the top spot on the show.
That initial success was cemented with "Baby Love" the second of five consecutive pop chart-toppers. Florence, Mary, and Diana had 'arrived' and after years of waiting in the wings, the group's perseverance paid off. Their second LP, Where Did Our Love Go – released in September 1964 – was hit-laden: “Come See About Me” was an obvious follow up to “Baby Love.” While “Come See About Me” didn’t climb to the top slot on the R&B chart (as had its two predecessors), it landed fairly and squarely at No. 1 on the pop listings. This was a reaffirmation that The Supremes’ appeal indeed crossed all boundaries.
Also included here from that second album is “Long Gone Lover,” a Smokey Robinson tune recorded in September of ’63 that was produced by him too, although Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier were credited as the producers on the LP’s jacket. The team were also responsible for the perky “Too Hurt To Cry, Too Much In Love To Say Goodbye,” reminiscent of the sound producer Phil Spector had created for New York groups like the Ronettes. That track was recorded towards the end of February 1965 just weeks after the release of The Supremes’ fifth straight pop chartopper, “Stop! In The Name Of Love.”
The group had evidently spent a good deal of time at Hitsville during 1964: following the Where Did Our Love Go LP, Motown had released no less than three ‘concept’ – related albums – A Bit Of Liverpool (a collection of covers of English pop songs), The Supremes Sing Country, Western & Pop (likely modeled after R&B giant Ray Charles’ successful foray into the genre), and We Remember Sam Cooke, a tribute to the late, great soul man who had passed away in December 1964.
While none of those albums were considered commercial successes – designed no doubt to broaden the groups appeal to a wider-audience – The Supremes were still on a singles’ chart roll. By the time Diana, Mary and Florence were on their way back from their first European trip in the spring of 1965, they’d racked up another smash with the May release “Back In My Arms Again,” followed three months later with “Nothing But Heartaches,” the group’s first non-Top 10 pop hit in a year. Both singles were included in their sixth album, the aptly-named More Hits By The Supremes, and taken from that LP is “Mother Dear,” another in the over fifty Holland-Dozier-Holland compositions recorded by the group in what would be a three-year period.
By the end of 1965, Berry Gordy’s vision of having the Supremes become the No. 1 female group in the country, cutting across all barriers (most notably race and age) had become a reality. After their first appearance on the all-important “Ed Sullivan Show” on December 24, 1964, the group had become firm fixtures on national t.v. performing on “The Tonight Show,” “Hullabaloo” and “The Dean Martin Show.” Four days after the release of “I Hear A Symphony,” the group’s eighth No. 1 single in November 1965. The Supremes were guests on the Sullivan show again. Their first ‘live’ album recorded in New York’s prestigious supper club The Copa hit the national charts just three days later.
The group was undeniably on a roll: in January '66, "My World Is Empty Without You" jumped out from the Top 10 album, I Hear A Symphony, which contained covers of tunes like The Toys' "A Lover's Concerto" and The Beatles' "Yesterday," alongside original material like "Everything's Good About You," and "He's All I Got." "He's All I Got" was also used as the flipside for The Supremes' next hit, the spring Top 5 single, "Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart."
Rounding out 1966 were the hits "You Can't Hurry Love" (taken from The Supremes A Go Go album) and "You Keep Me Hangin' On." Not since "Back In My Arms Again" had the team enjoyed two simultaneous pop/R8B chart-toppers in a row, and with the February '67 single, "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone" (from The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland LP), the group made it a hatrick. Included here is another track from that same album, the haunting "Remove This Doubt," which had been used as the flipside to "Hangin' On."
A 1966 Public Service Announcement (written and produced by Phil Spector) for the Equal Employment Opportunity Campaign entitled "Things Are Changing" – available commercially for the first time ever on this collection – was a harbinger of bad things to come: 1967 was indeed a year of major change for the group.
"The Happening," the frothy title track for an easily-forgotten movie marked the last hit from the original team. Shortly after its release in April, Florence Ballard's departure from The Supremes was being discussed by Motown executives and members of the group itself. Much has been said and written about the reasons behind the change, but suffice it to say that Cindy Birdsong, formerly a member of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles, took over from Florence during an engagement in July at The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.
With the release of the atmospheric "Reflections" – Top 5 pop and R&B hit-the group also underwent a significant name change, billed now as "Diana Ross & The Supremes." Under their new handle, Diana, Mary and Cindy racked up a total of eight hit singles between August of 1967 and November of 1969. But the spell of automatic chart success had been definitively broken.
Significantly, the team of Holland, Dozier and Holland were also on their way out of the door at Motown: The Supremes' last two hit singles with their former hitmaking partners were "In And Out Of Love" (November '67) and "Forever Came Today" (March '68). both taken from the Reflections album. Also from that LP are ''I'm Gonna Make It," and "Then," a song penned by three members of The Miracles and produced by Smokey.
In search of new producers to work with The Supremes, Motown executives initially opted for the team of Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson, producer/writers who had given duet partners Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (initially in the capacity of songwriters) a string of hits starting in June of 1967 with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," a song they were to re-record with a solo Diana Ross in 1970.
Only one hit emerged from the group's recording dates with Nick and Val: released in June of '68, "Some Things You Never Get Used To" inched its way into the Top 30 and became the group's first non-Top 20 R&B hit since 1964's "Run, Run, Run." Also taken from the group's brief union with Ashford & Simpson, "Keep An Eye," was another tune later revisited by Nick and Valerie when they were given the task of producing Diana Ross' solo debut album just two years later.
In light of H-D-H's departure, Motown tried a number of different approaches: "Sweet Thing" was produced by Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore and Terry Johnson, the team who would strike gold with The Miracles' "Baby, Baby Don't Cry." Released in October 1968, "Love Child" was the result of a collaboration between a number of Motown's top creative minds: working together, Berry Gordy, Frank Wilson, Henry Cosby, Deke Richards, and R. Dean Taylor took The Supremes back to chart favor. The song marked a lyrical departure from anything the group had ever tackled before – it was a ballad with a message about the social stigma attached to being born as an illegitmate child. The record-buying public responded, giving The Supremes what would be the last of two No.1 pop hits and propelling the Love Child album into the nation's Top 20. Back in favor, the group rebounded with another social commentary: ''I'm Livin' In Shame," produced by the same team responsible for "Love Child," became a Top 10 hit in February of 1969.
In a masterful stroke, Berry Gordy decided to put two of Motown's supergroups together, culminating in the album Diana Ross & The Supremes Join The Temptations and the television specials "TCB" and "On Broadway." The winning combination proved instantly successful: "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," a song co-written by Philadelphia hitmaker Kenny Gamble, which had been a Top 20 R&B hit for Dionne Warwick's younger sister Dee Dee, was a Top 5 pop smash at the beginning of 1969 and was followed a couple of months later by a reworking of the Miracles' 1962 hit 'Til Try Something New."
While Motown got a good deal of mileage out of teaming The Supremes and The Temps, the label was unable to take the group back to chart heights with the next two singles released in 1969. Neither "The Composer," a ditty written and produced by Smokey, nor "No Matter What Sign You Are," a reference to the late '60s popularity and interest in astrology, made it to the nation's Top 20, an indication that even though the group was popular both at home and abroad, their love affair with the record-buying public was clearly on the decline.
"Discover Me (And You'll Discover Love)," taken from the group's Let The Sunshine In album (as were the two previously mentioned singles), brought The Supremes together with producer Johnny Bristol who was to play a significant but fleeting role in the group's recording career. Bristol had begun his musical career as a recording artist at a small Detroit label in the early '60s and gone on to work with the likes of Junior Walker, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, and Edwin Starr. He was also responsible for producing and co-writing the last record that bore the name, "Diana Ross & The Supremes."
Making its chart debut in October 1969, "Someday We'll Be Together" was indeed Diana Ross' swansong as a member of The Supremes. Originally written in 1961 by Bristol, then-singing partner Jackie Beavers, and Harvey Fuqua, the song was an appropriate way to end an era. Significantly, however, Diana Ross recalled in a 1994 interview with Blues & Soul that she was in fact the only member of the group on the recording session. Bristol also commented on the melancholy nature of the session, "It was not The Supremes in the background ... It was a very difficult time for all of us ...."
Whether for nostalgic reasons or because there was a genuine love for the song itself, "Someday" became a No.1 pop and R&B hit as Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong bid farewell to each other on January 14, 1970 at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. That same night, the public was introduced to Jean Terrell, sister of boxer Ernie Terrell and a soulful singer who had the task of filling Ross' shoes as lead singer for The Supremes.
Produced by Frank Wilson (whose credits included hits on The Temptations, Brenda Holloway, and Marvin Gaye), the new line-up scored immediate success with "Up The Ladder To The Roof," a top 10 single released in March 1970. This was followed three months later by "Everybody's Got The Right To Love" (taken along with "Up The Ladder" from the album Right On) and by "Stoned Love," an R&B chart-topper in November of that same year and the one single lifted from the trio's second LP together, New Ways But Love Stays.
Attempting to rekindle the kind of success The Supremes had enjoyed with The Temptations two years earlier, Motown teamed the group with The Four Tops who had also been working with producer Wilson. While the initial album, The Magnificent Seven, only did marginally well, the new group did manage to take "River Deep, Mountain High," a song originally recorded in 1966 by Ike & Tina Turner and produced by Phil Spector (only a U.K. hit initially), into the U.S. Top 10.
Five months later, The Supremes were back on the charts with the perky "Nathan Jones" taken from the album Touch, but still the group had to confront the fact that Motown seemed to have other priorities. Now firmly established on the West Coast (a move the company had effectively made as the '60s became the '70s), the label was concentrating its promotional activities on artists like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder who had both begun to chart new creative courses.
By the time Motown released "Floy Joy," a Smokey Robinson-penned and produced tune in January 1972, The Supremes had undergone yet another change in line-up. A pregnant Cindy Birdsong had decided to take time off, replaced by Lynda Lawrence who had been singing with Stevie Wonder's back-up group Wonderlove. "Floy Joy" turned out to be the group's last Top 20 hit; two more singles – "Automatically Sunshine" and "Your Wonderful Sweet, Sweet Love" – were also lifted from the album of the same name during 1972. But by this time it was clear that, with all the personnel changes, The Supremes were struggling to maintain their hitmaking prowess.
Trying to find new musical direction, the group tried working with a non-Motown producer for the first time, choosing Jim Webb, a prolific writer and producer whose catalog included pop standards like "Up, Up And Away," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "Wichita Lineman." The results were less-than-satisfying: the album (featuring Wilson, Terrell and Birdsong) barely made the Top 200 LP chart and yielded just one single, "I Guess I'll Miss The Man" the first Supremes' 45 to fail to chart in a decade. Included in this collection is "Paradise" from the Webb project.
By 1976, the group had undergone further changes, leaving Mary Wilson, Susaye Green (a former member of Ray Charles' Raelettes and later, Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove group) and Scherrie Payne (sister of Freda) to record High Energy, the group's final charted album. The uptempo, dance-flavored "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" produced by Brian Holland, was The Supremes' final Top 40 hit, essentially ending a 16-year chart run.
While no collection can ever hope to fully document such a lengthy time period, this anthology demonstrates that, beyond the obvious classic hits, The Supremes created a truly dazzling recording legacy at Motown unequalled by any other female group in popular music history.
- David Nathan July 1995
David Nathan, a/k/a "British Ambassador Of Soul," is the U.S. Editor of Blues & Soul and a contributing writer to Billboard.
_________________________________________________
THE SUPREMES
DIANA ROSS (1960-1970)
MARY WILSON (1960-1977)
FLORENCE BALLARD (1960-1967)
BETTY TRAVIS (1960)
BARBARA MARTIN (1960-1962)
CINDY BIRDSONG (1967-197211974-1976)
JEAN TERRELL (1970-1976)
LYNDA LAWRENCE (1972-1973)
SCHERRIE PAYNE (1974-1977)
SUSAYE GREEN (1976-1977)
_________________________________________________MARY WILSON (1960-1977)
FLORENCE BALLARD (1960-1967)
BETTY TRAVIS (1960)
BARBARA MARTIN (1960-1962)
CINDY BIRDSONG (1967-197211974-1976)
JEAN TERRELL (1970-1976)
LYNDA LAWRENCE (1972-1973)
SCHERRIE PAYNE (1974-1977)
SUSAYE GREEN (1976-1977)
DISC ONE
1. I WANT A GUY
(BERRY GORDY, BRIAN HOLLAND & FREDDIE GORMAN) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Berry Gordy.
Tamla 54038, March 9, 1961.
From MEET THE SUPREMES.
2. BUTTERED POPCORN
(BERRY GORDY & BARNEY ALES) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Berry Gordy.
LEAD: Florence.
Tamla 54045, July 21,1961.
From MEET THE SUPREMES.
3. YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
Motown 1027, May 8,1962.
From MEET THE SUPREMES.
4. LET ME GO THE RIGHT WAY
(BERRY GORDY) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Berry Gordy.
Motown 1034, Nov. 5, 1962: R&B #26 Pop #90.
From MEET THE SUPREMES.
5. A BREATH TAKING GUY
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
Motown 1044, June 12, 1963.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
6. LONG GONE LOVER
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
7. WHEN THE LOVELIGHT STARTS SHINING THROUGH HIS EYES
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1051, Oct. 31, 1963: Pop #23.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
8. SEND ME NO FLOWERS
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Recorded May 4,1964.
Issued on 25TH ANNIVERSARY.
9. WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1060, June 17, 1964: Pop #1.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
10. BABY LOVE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1066, Sept. 17, 1964: Pop #1.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
11. COME SEE ABOUT ME
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1068, Oct. 27, 1964: Pop #1 R&B #3.
From WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.
12. STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1074, Feb. 8, 1965: Pop #1 R&B #2.
From MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES.
13. BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1075, April 15, 1965: R&B #1 Pop #1.
From MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES.
14. NOTHING BUT HEARTACHES
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1080 {p/s}, July 19, 1965: R&B #6 Pop #11.
From MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES.
15. MOTHER DEAR
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
From MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES.
Slated for issue on Motown 1080 (canceled),
16. TOO HURT TO CRY, TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO SAY GOODBYE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Recorded Feb. 24 & 26, 1965.
Issued on NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED MASTERS.
17. I HEAR A SYMPHONY
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1083, Oct. 6,1965: Pop #1 R&B #2.
From I HEAR A SYMPHONY.
18. HE'S ALL I GOT
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, EDWARD HOLLAND, JR. & JAMES DEAN) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
B-side "Love Is like An Itching In My Heart."
From I HEAR A SYMPHONY.
19. MY WORLD IS EMPTY WITHOUT YOU
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1089, Dec. 29, 1965: Pop #5 R&B #10.
From I HEAR A SYMPHONY.
20. LOVE IS LIKE AN ITCHING IN MY HEART
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1094, April 8, 1966: R&B #7 Pop #9.
From THE SUPREMES A GO-GO.
21. YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1097, July 25, 1966: R&B #1 Pop #1.
From THE SUPREMES A GO-GO.
22. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1101, Dct. 12, 1966: R&B #1 Pop #1.
From THE SUPREMES SING HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND.
23. REMOVE THIS DOUBT
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
B-side of "You Keep Me Hangin' On."
From THE SUPREMES SING HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND.
24. LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1103, Jan. 11, 1967: R&B #1 Pop #1.
From THE SUPREMES SING HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND.
25. THE HAPPENING
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, EDWARD HOLLAND, JR. & FRANK DEVOL) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1107, March 20.1967: Pop #1 R&B #12.
Title song of the motion picture THE HAPPENING.
Issued on THE SUPREMES GREATEST HITS.
26. THINGS ARE CHANGING
(PHIL SPECTOR) Mother Bertha Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Phil Spector.
Radio-only public service 7" single. Issued by the Advertising Council for the Equal Employment Opportunities Campaign.
__________________________________________________
DISC TWO
1. REFLECTIONS
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1111, July 24, 1967: Pop #2 R&B #4.
From REFLECTIONS.
2. IN AND OUT OF LOVE
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music(BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1116, Oct. 25,1967: Pop #9 R&B #16.
From REFLECTIONS.
3. I'M GONNA MAKE IT (I WILL WAIT FOR YOU)
(DENNIS LUSSIER & JAMES KUROKI) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Dennis Lussier.
From REFLECTIONS.
4. THEN
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON, ROBERT ROGERS & WARREN MOORE) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
From REFLECTIONS.
5. FOREVER CAME TODAY
(BRIAN HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier.
Motown 1122, Feb. 29,1968: R&B #17 Pop #28.
From REFLECTIONS.
6. SWEET THING
(WILLIAM "MICKEY" STEVENSON & IVY JO HUNTER) Stone Agate Music (BMI) PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore & Terry Johnson.
Issued on NEVER- BEFORE-RELEASED MASTERS.
7. SOME THINGS YOU NEVER GET USED TO
(NICKOLAS ASHFORD & VALERIE SIMPSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP) PRODUCED BY Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson.
Motown 1126, May 21, 1968: Pop #30 R&B #43.
From LOVE CHILD.
8. LOVE CHILD
(PAMELA SAWYER, R. DEAN TAYLOR, FRANK WILSON & DEKE RICHARDS) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY The Clan.
ARRANGED BY Paul Riser.
Motown 1135. Sept. 30,1968: Pop #1 R&B #2.
From LOVE CHILD.
9. KEEP AN EYE
(NICKOLAS ASHFORD & VALERIE SIMPSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP) PRODUCED BY Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson.
From LOVE CHILD.
10. I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS
(KENNETH GAMBLE, LEON HUFF & JERRY ROSS) Unichappel Music Inc./Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
LEAD: Eddie & Diana (spoken segment by Otis).
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson & Nickolas Ashford.
Motown 1137, Nov. 21, 1968: R&B #2 Pop #2.
From DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES JOIN THE TEMPTATIONS.
11. I'M LIVIN' IN SHAME
(PAMELA SAWYER, HENRY COSBY, BERRY GORDY, FRANK WILSON & R. DEAN TAYLOR) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY The Clan
Motown 1139, Jan. 6,1969: R&B #8 Pop #10.
From LET THE SUNSHINE IN.
12. I'LL TRY SOMETHING NEW
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson & Deke Richards
LEAD: Eddie & Diana
Motown 1142, Feb. 20,1969: R&B #8 Pop #25
From DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES JOIN THE TEMPTATIONS.
13. THE COMPOSER
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson
Motown 1146, March 27, 1969: R&B #21 Pop #27
From LET THE SUNSHINE IN.
14. DISCOVER ME (AND YOU'LL DISCOVER LOVE)
(BEATRICE VERDI, JOHNNY BRISTOL & DORIS MCNEIL) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Johnny Bristol
From LET THE SUNSHINE IN.
15. NO MATTER WHAT SIGN YOU ARE
(BERRY GORDY & HENRY COSBY) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Berry Gordy & Henry Cosby
Motown 1148, May 9,1969: R&B #17 Pop #31
From LET THE SUNSHINE IN.
16. SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER
(JACKEY BEAVERS, JOHNNY BRISTOL & HARVEY FUQUA) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Johnny Bristol
ARRANGED BY Wade Marcus
Motown 1156, Oct. 14, 1969: R&B #1 Pop #1
From CREAM OF THE CROP.
17. UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF
(VINCENT DIMIRCO & FRANK WILSON) Stone Agate Music(BMI)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson.
ARRANGED BY David Van dePitte.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1162, Feb. 16, 1970: R&B #5 Pop #10
From RIGHT ON.
18. EVERYBODY'S GOT THE RIGHT TO LOVE
(LOU STALLMAN) Stallman Records (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson.
ARRANGED BY David Van dePitte.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1167, June 25, 1970: R&B #11 Pop #21
From RIGHT ON.
19. STONED LOVE
(FRANK WILSON & YENNEK SAMOHT) Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson.
ARRANGED BY David Van dePitte.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1172, Oct. 15, 1970: R&B #1 Pop #7
From NEW WAYS BUT LOVE STAYS.
20. RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH
THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS
(PHIL SPECTOR, JEFF BARRY & ELEANOR GREENWICH) Mother Bertha Music, Inc./Trio Music Co./ABKCO Music, Inc. (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson.
ARRANGED BY Paul Riser
LEAD: Jean & Levi
Motown 1173, Nov. 5, 1970: R&B #7 Pop #14.
From THE MAGNIFICENT 7.
21. NATHAN JONES
(KATHY WAKEFIELD & LEONARD CASTON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)/Stone Agate Music (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Frank Wilson.
ARRANGED BY Jerry Long & David Van dePitte.
LEAD: Jean.
Motown 1182, April 15, 1971: R&B #8 Pop #16
From TOUCH.
22. FLOY JOY
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED & ARRANGED BY Smokey Robinson.
LEAD: Jean.
Motown 1195, Dec. 1971: R&B #5 Pop #16
From FLOY JOY.
23. AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
ARRANGED BY Paul Riser.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1200, April 11, 1972: R&B #21 Pop #37
From FLOY JOY.
24. YOUR WONDERFUL, SWEET SWEET LOVE
(WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCED BY Smokey Robinson.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Berry Gordy.
ARRANGED BY Paul Riser.
LEAD: Jean
Motown 1206, July 11,1972: R&B #22 Pop #59
From FLOY JOY.
25. PARADISE
(HARRY NILSSON) Beachwood Music (BMI)
PRODUCED & ARRANGED BY Jimmy Webb.
LEAD: Jean
From THE SUPREMES - PRODUCED & ARRANGED BY JIMMY WEBB.
28. I'M GONNA LET MY HEART DO THE WALKING
(HAROLD BEATTY, LAMONT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND & EDWARD HOLLAND, JR.) Gold Forever Music (ASCAP)/Stone Diamond Music Corporation (BMI)
PRODUCED BY Brian Holland for Holland/Dozier/Holland Productions, Inc.
LEAD: Scherrie
Motown 1391, May 6,1976: R&B #25 Pop #40
From HIGH ENERGY
_________________________________________________
THE ALBUMS
[All records credited as The Supremes unless otherwise noted; albums with asterisks (*) credited as Diana Ross & The Supremes.]
MEET THE SUPREMES, Motown 606, 12/9/63.
THE SUPREMES SING BALLADS & BLUES, Motown 610 (canceled).
WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO, Motown 621, 8/31/64: R&B #1 Pop #2.
A BIT OF LIVERPOOL, Motown 623, 10/16/64: R&B #5 Pop #21.
THE SUPREMES SING COUNTRY, WESTERN & POP, Motown 625, 2/22/65: Pop #79.
LIVE LIVE LIVE, Motown 626 (canceled).
MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES, Motown 627, 7/23/65: R&B #2 Pop #6.
THERE'S A PLACE FOR US, Motown 628 (canceled).
WE REMEMBER SAM COOKE, Motown 629, 4/12/65: R&B #5 Pop #75.
THE SUPREMES AT THE COPA, Motown 636, 11/1/65: R&B #2 Pop #11.
TRIBUTE TO THE GIRLS, Motown 637 (canceled).
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Motown 638, 11/1/65.
LIVE AT LAKE TAHOE, Motown 640 (canceled).
I HEAR A SYMPHONY, Motown 643, 2/18/66: R&B#1 Pop #8.
PURE GOLD, Motown 648 (canceled).
THE SUPREMES A GO GO, Motown 649, 8/25/66: R&B #1 Pop #1.
THE SUPREMES SING HOLLAND·DOZIER-HOLLAND, Motown 650, 1/23/67: R&B # 1 Pop #6.
THE SUPREMES & THE MOTOWN SOUND, Motown 656 (canceled).
THE SUPREMES SING RODGERS & HART, Motown 659, 5/22/67: R&B #3 Pop #20.
REFLECTIONS*, Motown 665, 3/25/68: R&B #3 Pop #18.
LOVE CHILD*, Motown 670, 11/13/68: R&B #3 Pop # 14.
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES SING AND PERFORM FUNNY GIRL*, Motown 672,8/26/68: R&B #45 Pop #150.
LIVE AT LONDON'S TALK OF THE TOWN*, Motown 676, 8/26/68: R&B #22 Pop #57.
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES JOIN THE TEMPTATIONS (DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS), Motown 679, 11/8/68: R&B #1 Pop #2.
T.C.B. (DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATlONS), Motown 682, 12/2/68: R&B # 1 Pop #1.
LET THE SUNSHINE IN*, Motown 689, 5/26/69: R&B #7 Pop #24.
TOGETHER (DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS), Motown 692,9/23/69: R&B #6 Pop #28.
CREAM OF THE CROP*, Motown 694, 11/3/69: R&B #3 Pop #33.
ON BROADWAY (DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS), Motown 699,11/7/69: R&B #4 Pop #38.
RIGHT ON, Motown 705, 5/5/70: R&B #4 Pop #25.
FAREWELL*, Motown 708, 4/13/70: R&B #31 Pop #46.
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS), Motown 717, 9/18/70: R&B #18 Pop # 113.
NEW WAYS BUT LOVE STAYS, Motown 720, 9/18/70: R&B #12 Pop #68.
THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS), Motown 736, 5/28/71: R&B #18 Pop #154.
TOUCH, Motown 737, 5/28/71: R&B #6 Pop #85.
DYNAMITE (THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS), Motown 745, 12/20/71: R&B #21 Pop #160.
PROMISES KEPT, Motown 746 (canceled).
FLOY JOY, Motown 751,5/8/72: R&B #12 Pop #54.
THE SUPREMES PRODUCED & ARRANGED BY JIMMY WEBB, Motown 756, 10/27/72: R&B #27 Pop #129.
THE SUPREMES, Motown 828, 5/15/75: R&B #25 Pop #152.
HIGH ENERGY, Motown 863, 4/8/76: R&B #24 Pop #42.
MARY, SCHERRIE & SUSAVE, Motown 873, 10/26/76.
25TH ANNIVERSARY*, Motown 6193, 10/14/86: R&B #61 Pop #112.
THE NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED MASTERS*, Motown 9075, 7/31/87.
__________________________________________________
CREDITS
COMPILATION PRODUCED BY Bill Inglot
COMPILED BY Bill Inglot & Ken Barnes
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Candace Bond & Amy Herot
DIGITALLY MASTERED BY Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch at DigiPrep, Los Angeles, CA
TAPE ARCHIVE MANAGER: Georgia Ward
TAPE LIBRARIAN: David Moss
PROJECT COORDINATOR: Dana Smart
ESSAY BY David Nathan
ART DIRECTION: Geoff Gans
DESIGN: Flambe Design
BILLBOARD chart positions courtesy of Joel Whitburn's Record Research publications. For more information please write to Record Research, P.O. Box 200, Menomonee Falls, WI 53052-0200.
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO: A Special Thank You to Clarence Avant, Jheryl Busby, Susan Abbott, Ramon Aninag, Joey Connors, Disc Graphics, Kevin Donan, Gordon Frewin, Graphics Plus, Paul Harrigan, HTM, Troy Kluess, Karen Kwak, Ben Lee, Denise Maurin, Steve McKeever, John Oliver, Joan Perri, Michael Poss, Tricia Rivera, Bruce Rucker, Warren Salyer, Len Scherer, Monique Smith, Lisa Smith-Craig, Eric Thomas, Susan Unger and, as always, a very special thank you to Berry Gordy.
© 1995 MOTOWN RECORD COMPANY, L.P. ® 1995,1987,1986,1976,1972 MOTOWN RECORD COMPANY, L.P.
AN ORIGINAL SOUND RECORDING MADE BY MOTOWN RECORD COMPANY, L.P., 5750 WILSHIRE BLVD., LOS ANGELES, CA 90036-USA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION IS A VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE LAWS. 31453-0511-2.
