Best From Artist 31 - Diana Ross

**paul** · November 24th, 2002, 11:21 PM

Like last week's artist, this woman's career spanned pre to post disco. Miss Ross, Diana Ross that is, had many songs I liked before her disco ventures. "I Hear A Symphony" and "Love Child" are just a few. I guess I better credit the other two "Supremes" as well :D
Anyway, this is "DiscoMusic.com" so I'll focus on those related songs.
"Love Hangover" is a very close second but I'll always get my groove on with "The Boss."

**markydefad** · November 25th, 2002, 03:45 PM

Geez, is Miss Ross viewed with such disdain at this site that NOONE has bothered to add a fave disco song?????!!!!!

Well, I AM a FAN!!! (It's become love/hate over the years, but the woman had a fantastic career before she self-destructed).

Miss Ross (the Disco years):

1) "Love Hangover" (one of her finest vocals--loose and funky and sexy and supposedly a little drunk via the producer plying her with couvoisier).

2) "The Boss" (another club #1--people were amazed she was actually singing that high scatting vocal).

3) "Upside Down" (Miss Ross meets Chic--some think it's too simplistic--I never tire of this track. I just wish they'd remixed and extended it.)

4) "I'm Coming Out" (More Chic with that great drumming and a trombone solo!)

5) "It's My House" (Ashford & Simpson morning music classic. This took some time to grow on me; now I love it.)

6) "Chain Reaction" (Barry Gibb crafts a very catchy Supremes type track that was a smash around the world but didn't make it in the U.S.)

7) "Livin, Lovin' & Givin'" (People hate this one too...I kvelled when I heard the Giorgio Moroderesque remix with the synths...never caught on but I was delighted Miss Ross was going the Donna Summer route).

OK, I used most of the best ones. These are left: "Your Love Is So Good For Me", "What You Gave Me", "Swept Away", "Eaten Alive", "Mirrior, Mirror", "I Ain't Been Licked", "Pieces Of Ice" and maybe a few more. Her worst: "Work That Body" (yuck!!!)

**BrunoRepublic** · November 25th, 2002, 04:02 PM

My picks would be:

"Touch Me In The Morning" (the entire album of which is a guilty pleasure of mine) and "Theme From Mahogany".

**paul** · November 25th, 2002, 04:09 PM

Hey Marky. You were the first person I thought of when I did Miss Thang...
:D
I can see you racing out to that dance floor as soon as they mix in "Love Hang...overrrrrrrrr"

**markydefad** · November 25th, 2002, 04:49 PM

Yeah, Paul....

The first part of "Love Hangover" was problematic for DJs since the opening is at a sleaze/ ballad tempo and then it switches to the disco tempo with the "ooooveeeerrrrr"; now I thought it was a cheat to mix in at that point...but the mix-conscious DJs always did. :roll:

A song that mixed into the slow tempo of "Love Hangover" was David Bowie's "Young Americans"; they used to line-dance to this at Buzzby's in SF (think the line-dances in "Hairspray"--just a little less intricate). I always envied the line dancers; they were the in-crowd who knew all the moves; I wondered where they got together to practice!!! I felt like an outsider/ loser with my nose pressed to the window pane as they took over the floor and clapped and turned and tossed their heads in unison. I once asked a former in-crowd dancer about this a few years later and he had no recollection of "Young Americans" or ever line dancing!!!! I guess it just came naturally to him.

**Outsider** · November 25th, 2002, 05:38 PM

"I'm Coming Out", "Love Hangover", and "Upside Down". :evil:

**paul** · November 25th, 2002, 07:32 PM

Hey Marky. I wasn't a line dancer either. Like you, sometimes I got that outsider sense too but then again I conciously chose not to be a "line dancer." I guess I just like being different. :)

**Robbie** · November 26th, 2002, 12:32 AM

As for Disco Diana, I would say two stand out the most for me: "It's My House" and "The Boss". I think Ashford and Simpson did a great job working with Diana on these songs, for I think their style suited her voice perfectly. I also like the front cover of "The Boss" LP, which I remember a poster of that album cover hanging on a one of the pillars at Record Explosion in NYC back when it was on 5th Ave (early 90's).

**sirius** · November 26th, 2002, 05:23 AM

Dear Friends!
These are my favorites from DIANA ROSS:

1)The Boss
2)Lovin´,Livin´& Givin´
3)Upside Down(still a massive anthem!)
4)I´m Coming Out(nowadays a gay-anthem!)
5)It´s My House
6)My Old Piano
7)Love Hangover
8)Give Up(sounds more chicesque than Ms.Ross)
9)What You Gave Me
10)Mirror Mirror

For me, she´s not a real Disco-Queen, but she´d done a lot
of nice and important DiscoTrax. But for sure she is a real
DIVA!!!
Cosmic Love & Kisses From SIRIUS & DARKTUNES

**NickNack** · November 26th, 2002, 08:54 PM

Well, if we must :cry:

I'd stick with Love Hangover for Disco Ross' best. Masterpiece arrangement and she carries it off pretty well.

The Boss --- I can't stand her scatting (sorry, Marky :( ). And I know, that's a favorite part for most. Her tone was just so flat, like fingernails on a blackboard. :x

As I said once before, because I love all the overblown production she used to get, my two favorite pieces from her solo career are Ain't No Mountain High Enough (a 12 West fave via Jim Burgess) and Reach Out, I'll Be There.

**nrgbeat** · November 26th, 2002, 09:27 PM

When Jim Burgess played "Ain't No Mountain" at 12 West did he mix in at the slow intro or did he bring it in later in the song?

**markydefad** · November 26th, 2002, 09:45 PM

I always hear how NY DJs (Robbie Leslie, Jim Burgess) used "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Miss Ross in their morning sets. My question would be: did they add a stronger beat to it--cause it doesn't seem like it was crafted for dancing. Just my opinion. I never heard it played in a club--BUT I never danced in the NYC clubs, either.

Hearing the lavish production on this record through a club's fab sound system would have been a mind-blower, however.

**HustleBaby** · November 26th, 2002, 11:30 PM

Hey Paul,

I could be mistaken but I could have sworn that you've did a Diana Ross "Best Artist" poll months ago. :-? . Whether you did or not, I'll list my faves from Diana and there are:

LOVE HANGOVER :P
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING :D
THEME FROM MAHOGANY :P

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**paul** · November 27th, 2002, 12:54 AM

Originally Written by HustleBaby

Hey Paul,

I could be mistaken but I could have sworn that you've did a Diana Ross "Best Artist" poll months ago. :-? . Whether you did or not, I'll list my faves from Diana and there are:

LOVE HANGOVER :P
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING :D
THEME FROM MAHOGANY :P

*DISCO DELIGHT*

Delight...you're right. Oh my god. I gotta stop posting these at the midnight hour. I looked at my sheet with the list of artist too and I didn't even notice :oops: Perhaps I really love this Diva and I'm turning into Marky :lol:
Oh well hun, I like it when a woman stays on top of me

I'll be more careful the next time.

**markydefad** · November 27th, 2002, 01:01 AM

Yeah, I thought it was deja vu time too!!! :lol:

But, ya know any excuse to extoll the virtues of Miss Ross and I'm there.

I shoulda just done a "cut & paste". :roll:

**NickNack** · November 27th, 2002, 10:26 AM

Originally Written by nrgbeat

When Jim Burgess played "Ain't No Mountain" at 12 West did he mix in at the slow intro or did he bring it in later in the song?

He mixed it from the very beginning. We all did.

**NickNack** · November 27th, 2002, 10:36 AM

Originally Written by markydefad

I always hear how NY DJs (Robbie Leslie, Jim Burgess) used "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Miss Ross in their morning sets. My question would be: did they add a stronger beat to it--cause it doesn't seem like it was crafted for dancing. Just my opinion. I never heard it played in a club--BUT I never danced in the NYC clubs, either.

Hearing the lavish production on this record through a club's fab sound system would have been a mind-blower, however.

"Yes", to the first part --- it was a morning set piece and, "No", to the second --- no need for enhancement. Songs like this were perfect for so many reasons:

1) Memory Trip - we all were around when she did it.
2) Drama - the production and, I'll give it to you, the artist, are just perfect for a gay crowd.
3) Chill Time - you swayed more than danced but the music is uplifting so it doesn't take your head down.
4) Mood Change - just playing it and the crowd knew you were headed somewhere else. Now they're more than ready to find out. You can either mix out (the sleaze tempo is there) or fade it as it's not truly a club song. (Most of us liked to mix out --- you know, that head-trip thing. :) )

A couple of other songs I liked to use like this were, of course, Diana's Reach Out... and also Barry White's Standing In the Shadows of Love. DRAMA, Drama, drama...

**PierreConstantin** · October 28th, 2008, 12:29 PM

Originally Written by markydefad

Yeah, Paul....

The first part of "Love Hangover" was problematic for DJs since the opening is at a sleaze/ ballad tempo and then it switches to the disco tempo with the "ooooveeeerrrrr"; now I thought it was a cheat to mix in at that point...but the mix-conscious DJs always did. :roll:

A song that mixed into the slow tempo of "Love Hangover" was David Bowie's "Young Americans"

True.
Ross' «Muscles» mixes well with «Love hangover» slow part, specially after the «golden fingers» part in the middle of «Muscles»' 12" remix. But «Muscles» is not really a song for dancing. Can't remember if d.j's actually played «Muscles» in 1982 :icon_question: .

**Dayna** · October 30th, 2008, 08:22 AM

I LOVE everything from Diana~!!
I have listed my fav's on this forum I believe 2 or 3 times..
But ALL Ross threads are GOOD threads..
Baby It's Me -fav Ross lp
Diana'Deluxe edition " simply Delicious
tracks like
Sweet Summertime Livin
Fire dont Burn
You Were The One plus the staples..
To Love Again-The best Diana slow Jam Comp IMHO
OMG.. There are just TOO many to list..
But I will list a couple more
Iv'e been waiting
friend to friend
I thought it Took a Little Time"today I fell in love"
One Love in my Lifetime
I might have an aneurism:icon_eek: