Let yourself Go,The Supremes..Post Diana perfection

[Dayna]

This is my favorite post Diana "Supremes'" track..1977..and for ME to admit that I LOVE a post Diana recording..It has to be good..IMHO
It's a Garage classic..Produced by Brian Holland..
It has all the elements needed for a delightful Disco Song
any other lovers of this song?

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

ABSOLUTELY!!!:icon_biggrin:

From the LP: "The Supremes / Mary, Scherrie & Susaye" (October '76). It also contained the hits "You're My Driving Wheel" and "Love, I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good".<----(also a brilliant, Hi-NRG track)

Scherrie Payne's lead vocals on this and the previous LP, "High Energy" (April '76), with "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walkin'", are spectacular.

In her 2nd book ("Supreme Faith") Mary makes no apologies for her dislike of Disco (understandable, from a 60's soul-star's perspective) and how equally uncomfortable she was with recording it. By this LP's release, they were performing in Holiday Inn lounges, with rollout stages. (On one occassion, Scherrie even fell off the front of the stage.) For Mary, it had become a far cry from the Cesar's Palace days...

Unfortunately, 1976 was the last year for The Supremes. Thankfully, this LP made it to the shelves before it was all over.

[Cdnbob]

Wow, what a great track. I'd never heard this before and I instantly liked it. I've always thought that it was too bad that after Diana left that the group was basically written off as has been. Such a shame cause I'm sure they did some great stuff after La Ross left that was just as good or better than in the 60's.

[markydefad]

That was great fun to watch!!! I'd never seen that clip before...all the synchronized dancing and the special effects!!! FAB-UUUUUUUUUUUUU-LOUS!!!! Is that too gay??? :icon_twisted::icon_exclaim:

[we're being watched for signs of overt ...gayness...I've read memos!! shhhhhhhhhhh...you can tell yourself, it's only disco, it's not Nascar...but the straights want the disco back. they wanna own that too...keep it on the QT..shhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

That was great fun to watch!!! I'd never seen that clip before...all the synchronized dancing and the special effects!!! FAB-UUUUUUUUUUUUU-LOUS!!!! Is that too gay??? :icon_twisted::icon_exclaim:

[we're being watched for signs of overt ...gayness...I've read memos!! shhhhhhhhhhh...you can tell yourself, it's only disco, it's not Nascar...but the straights want the disco back. they wanna own that too...keep it on the QT..shhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

There's a knock at the door

Okay... everybody stay cool...
Ross collection under the sofa? - check!
Kylie poster rolled-up and put in the closet? - check!
Donna Summer t-shirts in the attic? - check!
Phew! Okay, good to go.

WAIT! Don't open it!
Who left the "Mommie Dearest" DVD on the coffee table?????

[neonlights]

This track radiates so much joy on so many levels, how can anyone not love it!? :icon_cool: I dig those steps @ the 3.00 mark.. Drag queens - take note!..

I know I've said this before on here, but I think that entire final LP - from the cover to the music - is great! Easily my personal favourite Supremes album.. I don't think I'd known what it was like to wear out the grooves of an album until I'd come across this one. Although the be fair, I had an awful stereo and the album was already used, but still... Another fave of mine on the album would have to be the Side A closer - "Come Into My Life," talk about a very different sound for the group..

[markydefad]

WAIT! Don't open it!
Who left the "Mommie Dearest" DVD on the coffee table?????

channeling Dayna...

"CHRISTINA, BRING ME THE AX!!!"

[FrontPage22]

I am loving the love you are all showing for my FAVOURITE Supremes record of all time! It's nice that the post-Ross Supremes have such a fan base, and that their disco work especially is appreciated.

ON MS&S, I really have grown to love I Don't Wanna Be Tied Down and Sweet Dream Machine. Just a solid record. Even the ballads

But Let Yourself Go is THE disco song in my opinion, it just sums up everything I love about the genre in a 4+ song.

[thommy2458]

Oh the heat these 2 tracks would generate on the dance
floor("Let,,,and"Love")played at the right moment-perfection.And "I'm gonna let my heart" was HUGE at
the clubs I went to-that drum break was like an earthquake of the Gods.Years later,I have fallen in
love with "High Energy" -not appreciated enough at the
time because of "let my heart" overshadowed it.Now
I listen to those whispered vocals and chattering strings
and just melt.And Mary Wilson? Love her but let's face
it "Red Hot" was not her finest hour.
Too gay? uh oh.Do I need to "tone it down"? Have I
offended someone again!? In front of a REPORTER!
BARBARA PLEEEASE!!!!
(sorry-I couldn't resist)

[Mr.Ree]

This is my favorite post Diana "Supremes'" track..1977..and for ME to admit that I LOVE a post Diana recording..It has to be good..IMHO
It's a Garage classic..Produced by Brian Holland..
It has all the elements needed for a delightful Disco Song
any other lovers of this song?

I like it a lot, but don't find it as distinctive as their Ross-led early songs. By the way, have many of you seen the "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" documentary?

[thommy2458]

. By the way, have many of you seen the "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" documentary?

Mr.Ree-I bought it on DVD after renting it once.Joan
Osborne's performance of "What Becomes of a Broken
Hearted" gave me goosebumps.It's a great story and
the performances are all solid.For anyone who loved
Motown's glory days....


Thom

[Dayna]

[/size]


channeling Dayna...

"CHRISTINA, BRING ME THE AX!!!"

You and Stephen are KILLING ME~!! ROTF
We better stop being too happy and having fun:icon_eek:It might be misinterpreted

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Have I offended someone again!?
In front of a REPORTER!
BARBARA PLEEEASE!!!!
(sorry-I couldn't resist)

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol: Priceless!!!


As for Mary Wilson's "Red Hot"...
It took Motown almost 3 years to get her solo LP out.
Hal Davis produced it; Rusty Garner did the remix; promos released on red vinyl, and Motown spent a reported 1 million dollars (a rediculous amount, back then) on the release party at the Waldorf Astoria, in NYC.

With a ton of hype, pre-release promotions, a huge gay-la party, years of antici...(SAY IT!)...pation!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand (drumroll).........nothing.

Contract fulfilled and she was out of Motown.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

I like it a lot, but don't find it as distinctive as their Ross-led early songs.

True... Ross' voice is very distinct. Even Jean Terrell's voice stood-out from the rest of the group. Or, it could be that they were continuing to mix the vocals as "the lead out front & the back-ups further behind."

Either way, it was this line-up (when Susaye replaced Cindy...who'd replaced Lynda...who'd replaced Cindy...who'd replaced Florence:icon_confused:) that had them sounding, for the first time, like a "group". I don't know how else to describe it. But everyone's vocals were on a more equal footing. 3 voices, each very powerful in it's own range and style, each having experience in carrying a lead vocal, coming together for a much stronger sound. Almost choir-like. I think it's that joyous vocal quality, that gives "Let Yourself Go", "Love, I Never Knew..." and even "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walkin'" (from the preceeding LP) their "uplifting" quality, over and above the up-tempo arrangements.

[thommy2458]

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol: Priceless!!!


As for Mary Wilson's "Red Hot"...
It took Motown almost 3 years to get her solo LP out.
Hal Davis produced it; Rusty Garner did the remix; promos released on red vinyl, and Motown spent a reported 1 million dollars (a rediculous amount, back then) on the release party at the Waldorf Astoria, in NYC.

With a ton of hype, pre-release promotions, a huge gay-la party, years of antici...(SAY IT!)...pation!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand (drumroll).........nothing.

Contract fulfilled and she was out of Motown.

Wow,Stephen-well Rusty's mix was good-didn't he remix
it because it didn't go anywhere?
Thom

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Wow,Stephen-well Rusty's mix was good-didn't he remix it because it didn't go anywhere?
Thom

I received that 12" before I got the LP, so I don't think it was a salvage job. Although the master # does have an RE at the end. But that could mean it was re-cut for quality purposes, too.

[drlove]

Re: RED HOT and Stephen's comment:

* * * * *
With a ton of hype, pre-release promotions, a huge gay-la party .........
* * * * *

Didn't Diana attend that release party in 1979 ??? -- seems I've seen a photo of Mary singing and grabbing Diana's hand in the audience. Believe Diana at that time would've been riding the success of THE BOSS Lp, so I'm glad if she did indeed go to support her fellow former Supreme.

Either way, Stephen's absolutely on-the-mark: RED HOT had to have been a huge disappointment for Motown and for Mary Wilson (her artistic opportunity for a spotlight all to herself). I believe it the title track only got as high as the 80s or 90s on the disco & R/B charts, leaving the LP as an interesting footnote to the '70s Supremes' career (sorta like the Scherrie & Susaye duo LP of around the same time).

Speaking of . . . what's ya'll's (sorry, I'm from New Orleans) opinion of the Scherrie & Susaye LP put out by that newly-configurated duo post-Supremes ???

[boogyjuice]

Solid partyjam Dayna !

I dicovered some other post-Diana work of them on YouTube which i think is great, especially the slowjams :





This may sound odd, but i never explored deep into the rich catalogue of the Supremes and Diana to be frank,
though a little more from Diana's work like hearing "The Boss"-album during my childhood at home, and early tv-memories are the Mahogany-video ,
a number of other music-clips, the legendary concerts in Central Park + another great show where Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones appear and the Lady Day-movie.
During my record-collection days i purchased a few 80's album of Diana, that great jazz-performance which she recorded with a bigband in the 90s, and a laserdisc with most of her videos.
What really i'm really about to explore soon is that recent & fantastic Supremes-compilation with (if i remember correctly) previously unreleased recordings and collaborations of them in a very early stage of their careers.

[FrontPage22]

Re: Red Hot & Partners

I bought a copy of the Susaye & Scherrie "Partners" LP last year and having listened to it once or twice, can safely say it falls into that lovely MOR category. The song that stands out are the single Leaving Me Was The Best Thing You've Ever done with it's tight bass work and nifty little break. Scherrie does some weird stuff vocally on this song when she sings "love was misunderstood" and she draws the "stood" out like she's trying to be an opera singer. "Luvbug", "In The Night", both Susaye tunes, are unique and interesting. Then there's "Another Life From Now" which for a power showtune is not shabby. This leaves the rest of the album sort of ho hum filler, nothing too dancey, nothing to soulful....nothing too anything!

As for Mary's efforts? Well, the LP mix of Red Hot is meh, nothing hot. The remix however adds some drama and strut to the song and is my fave version of this song. Compare it to the other Red Hot (Taka Boom's) and Mary's song sounds quite re-heated:icon_surprised: The rest of her solo LP just sounds like it was done on autopilot by the Motown staff, with Pick Up The Pieces and I've Got What You Need being the only other songs I ever listen too. Compare her solo LP to the lush and well sung lead she did on You Are The Heart of Me...wow. THAT should have been her solo single.

[neonlights]

As far as Mary's solo LP goes, and I may be way off base, but I've always thought it sounded like a bit of a rush job.. Like not enough care had gone into the choice of songs (all written by the same team) and to the production in places... Compared to another Hal Davis production from the same year - Thelma Houston's "Ride To The Rainbow," the results feel somewhat limp in comparison.

Although it's somewhat disappointing as as a debut, I've actually come to enjoy the album for the lightweight disco that much of it is. "I Love A Warm Summer Night" for one thing, is probably the best song, IMO - lush production, and great vocals from Mary. Still, as dr. love said, given that it would be one of her few solo albums, it felt like a missed opportunity.

To add to that, about a year ago, someone posted the four unreleased songs (apparently produced by Elton John's producer Gus Dudgeon) which she intended to put on her planned second Motown LP on YouTube. Unfortunately the account has since been suspended, but the songs themselves were excellent and, if I may say, miles away from the material on her debut. The sort of thing that should have launched her career, IMO.

As far as "Partners" goes, I remember getting it because a lot of Supremes fans, on a forum where Susaye Greene was responding, were practically heaping praise on it at the time.. I gotta give the ladies credit though - with Scherrie & Susaye writing all the songs themselves, getting Gene McDaniels to produce and even Ray Charles to do a little guest spot, it was definitely much more ambitious than Mary's LP. Susaye's "In The Night" and Scherrie's "Storybook Romance" (also recorded by her sister, Freda) and "Another Life From Now" are my preferred standouts. Still, it seemed to lack a certain something - a consistency, perhaps.. There were some good songs, but nothing that would have made a great single either, IMO. To be honest, I actually enjoyed Mary's LP a little bit more, but it's not hard to see why Scherrie & Susaye's wasn't exactly a hit either..

[Dayna]

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol: Priceless!!!


As for Mary Wilson's "Red Hot"...
It took Motown almost 3 years to get her solo LP out.
Hal Davis produced it; Rusty Garner did the remix; promos released on red vinyl, and Motown spent a reported 1 million dollars (a rediculous amount, back then) on the release party at the Waldorf Astoria, in NYC.

With a ton of hype, pre-release promotions, a huge gay-la party, years of antici...(SAY IT!)...pation!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand (drumroll).........nothing.

Contract fulfilled and she was out of Motown.

I too am :icon_lol::icon_lol:@ Thom's Barbara comment..I was half asleep scanning through the thread and didn't catch it when I was on last night..As far as Miss Mary Wilson..Her vocals have no real character or distinction..and "Iv'e got What You Need" is the strongest track on the album IMHO..Red Hot is terrible..Mary took every opportunity she had to call DIANA "DIANE" in public or during interviews in print or on film."yes that was her name at birth"..
and writing books and dramatizing them..(CATCHES BREATH)
Diana was at the pinnacle" of her solo popularity at the time Red Hot came out.. so it's no wonder Red Hot did nothing...It wasn't Diana's fault Berry Gordy wanted her to sing lead to make it appeal to the masses"meaning the white public" because Diana didn't have that heavy R&B sounding voice.(I love that sound ,dont get it twisted).but she had a sweet lighter sounding voice..
bottom line..God made back up singers for a reason..
Oh yes there have been PLENTY of exceptions to that rule,many a backup singer has come out and charged full force..but in this case..NOT

[FrontPage22]

Re: Dayna's Comment

Ooh girl, that was funny. I had to catch myself because technically, I am a Mary Wilson fan, but yeah, she sometimes does the whole "sour grapes" thing, albeit subtly and so low under the public radar (well, she was famous MANY moons ago so you don't expect her to be all over page one in gossip rags these days). So, I laugh, but all the same, I hold my head up high as a Mary fan. Mind you, my FAVE Supreme is Jean Terrell. *giggles*

It's funny, but Mary's voice just is better on the ballads she was given in the post-Diana years. Her up tempo recordings seem to lack spunk or fire, save her vocal on "He's My Man" which has sort of a sexy "mmm hmmm, he's mine" kind of quality. I think her voice wasn't of her time; too breathy and sultry for what was going on in r'n'b, soul and American disco. Too bad. In fact, dare I say she's almost jazzy in inflection?

"Midnight Dancer" on her LP ranks up there with the worst disco filler for me, just a silly cliche down to it's title. It makes me angry that song got cut....ick ick ick.

And for the record, the Red Hot 12" mix has its charms, really, but it's not fair to compare to anything on say, "The Boss". I mean Ashford & Simpson cranked out an ALBUM *snaps* for Diana. Hullo, "No One Gets The Prize"? And...strut on out to the floor

[markydefad]

Too gay? uh oh.Do I need to "tone it down"? Have I
offended someone again!? In front of a REPORTER!
BARBARA PLEEEASE!!!!
(sorry-I couldn't resist)

Ah yes, Barbara Bennett--the reporter interviewing Joan Crawford in an early scene in the movie... :icon_biggrin:

Trivia Question: [and don't just go to imdb and look it up, dammit...]:icon_evil::icon_evil:

"Why can't you give me the respect that I'm entitled to? Why can't you treat me like I would be treated by any stranger on the street?" :icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:


The actress that played Barbara was the sister of a major star. Name the legendary star.

[Dayna]

Ah yes, Barbara Bennett--the reporter interviewing Joan Crawford in an early scene in the movie... :icon_biggrin:

Trivia Question: [and don't just go to imdb and look it up, dammit...]:icon_evil::icon_evil:

"Why can't you give me the respect that I'm entitled to? Why can't you treat me like I would be treated by any stranger on the street?" :icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:

BECAUSE I'M not ONE OF YOUR FANS~!!! [SLAPPPPPPPPP]
The actress that played Barbara was the sister of a major star. Name the legendary star.

Marlon Brando

[markydefad]

Marlon Brando

Yep. Jocelyn Brando, Marlon's sister, played Barbara Bennett, the reporter who interviewed "Mommie Dearest."