Reply With QuoteFunny you mention the wonderful deep tones of Karen Carpenter---the first time I heard her on radio--- singing a cover of The Beatles' "Ticket To Ride"....I thought she was CHER!!!! :icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:Originally Written by trish
Acetate [Level 1]
I'm surprised to hear that. I could hear unknown songs by the Original Temptations, Four Tops, The Miracles, almost all of the Motown groups and identify who was singing almost immediately. I think it depends maybe on who you are in tune with.
With the Beatles, if it wasn't John Lennon leading, I wasn't always sure. Many times it has to do not so much with the voice as with the sound, for instance Abba. You just always knew it was them singing.
One of the most distinctive voices I've ever heard was Karen Carpenter's.
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
Funny you mention the wonderful deep tones of Karen Carpenter---the first time I heard her on radio--- singing a cover of The Beatles' "Ticket To Ride"....I thought she was CHER!!!! :icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:
"Lost inside adorable illusion...."
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
If you go back and look at any TV footage of first incarnation of THE SUPREMES (Diana, Mary & Flo) performing-- to me, Flo always seemed kinda uncomfortable in the spotlight. Miss Ross CRAVED THE CAMERA (buggin' out her eyes and oddly grinning while singing very UNHAPPY lyrics--she was overeager to please and grab the spotlight)--while Flo seemed competently rehearsed yet vaguely stiff & awkward in the background. You can't teach someone to be a STAR--they command the camera & our attention--or they don't. That's my opinion.
Last edited by markydefad; February 9th, 2007 at 02:14 PM.
"Lost inside adorable illusion...."
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
Yes, Ms.Ross definitely has star quality by the bucket load, no question. Not many artists/performers have it, nowadays less than ever.
...ya gotta beat the street......
Indie Release [Level 4]
Okay, so I read about Florence. Sort of a tragic figure great for gay worship like Evita or Judy Garland or Marilyn Monroe. Was she really good?
I liked Mary Wilson's solo album with Red Hot on it. has anyone heard Flo's solo singles? Who was Dream Girls based on? Is the Jennifer Hudson part based on Mary or Flo?
Is it true Flo was found dead from alcohol poisoning with an unopened welfare check in the mailbox? I heard that a long time ago.
No Longer Charting
Why not have both? they are both good?.
ouch that fence hurts my arse!.
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
BUTTERED POPCORN
SUPREMES
b-side: WHO'S LOVING YOU TAMLA Price:$333.19 Category: MOTOWN Media: 45RPM Release Number: 045STRIPES Condition of Media: E
Here ya go Normvork ..... complete that collection !!!:icon_mrgreen:
*****
Last edited by remicks; February 20th, 2007 at 12:04 PM.
Baby, take me
high upon a hillside
high up where the stallion
meets the sun
Indie Release [Level 4]
You can find this song cheaper than this! I have had it on a cassette for years with other hits. There is also a ballad on there called "Baby Don't Go" that sounds a lot like Flo.
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
I see "Buttered Popcorn" is on their most recent box set with the burgundy velveteen cover....I thought I might have this tune elsewhere--but could not find it--although it was released on several compilations--none of which are in my collection.
"Lost inside adorable illusion...."
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
chances to hear the other Supremes singing lead vocals...
THE SUPREMES A GO-GO
"Come and Get These Memories" is worth checking out just to hear Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson step forward.
I HEAR A SYMPHONY
"He's All I Got" -- the latter is one of the greatest album tracks the group ever recorded, with stunning vocals by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard behind Diana Ross, showing the trio in just about its peak form.
THE SUPREMES SING RODGERS & HART
Miss Mary sings several solo vocal lines on "Falling In Love With Love" in her husky vocal style....
I guess I should go back and try to find more examples....
"Lost inside adorable illusion...."
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
MISS ROSS appeared as guest on a 2-hour "Actor's Studio" with creepy James Lipton last night and sang a number of tunes...
She also sang the chorus of "A Breath-Taking Guy"....
which reminded me that all 3 girls (Diana, Mary & Flo) sang different lines in this chorus...
"Are you just a breath-taking,
first sight soul-shaking
one night love-making
next day heartbreaking guy????
Who sang each line????? :icon_question::icon_question::icon_question:
Last edited by markydefad; February 23rd, 2007 at 12:22 PM.
"Lost inside adorable illusion...."
Indie Release [Level 4]
Florence had a whole solo CD released a few years ago, and it had Buttered Popcorn as well as lots of later stuff. Just found it on Amazon.com and you can hear samples of all the songs. Used copies available Cheap!
Indie Release [Level 4]
Info re Flo Ballard:
Oscar buzz revives interest in real-life 'Dreamgirl' - CNN.com
Indie Release [Level 4]
WOW! Theres a video for Buttered Popcorn on Youtube! No Flo pictures tho. Check out the Meet the Supremes video.
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
ANSWER:
"Are you just a breath-taking, [DIANA]
first sight soul-shaking [FLO]
one night love-making [DIANA]
next day heartbreaking guy???? [MARY]
"Lost inside adorable illusion...."
Acetate [Level 1]
I only came to know about this story today, stumbled upon a Supremes song and then kept on surfing. Their music is great! I was sad to learn about what happened to Florence. There is no way of knowing what was behind Ross's selection, but I think it's a fair guess to say it might have been a biased decision considering that Ross and Berry soon started a 5 year relationship that resulted in a child. Had things been done a little differently, I think it could have been possible to come up with a successful formula that included all 3 girls. I don't blame Ross for following her ambition (she might have not been calculating or aware that she is selected for other reasons than her talent).. I can imagine a scenario in which one thing leads to the next, but I do feel there is a character gap when it comes to the later years when Florence was in a dire situation and her old friend didn't reach out to help.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
At the very very beginning, when the girls were only amateurs, there was no lead singer. But when they signed, the lead singer was Ross. Very few songs even from 1960 to 1963 are with Wilson or Ballard lead. On the first album we hear essentially Ross: the other girls are generally in the background -and that includes the fourth one, Barbara Marin, singing on eight tunes. If I remember well, the only song sung by Ballard is «Buttered popcorn» and the only one by Wilson is «Baby Don't Go» on this album. The Supremes were always Ross singing with two background vocalists. Gordy recognises that from the beginning even if the two other girls could sing in a very moving way: Ballard's «Goin' out of my head» cover from 1968 is one of the best interpetations of this song and the Wilson/Kendricks duet of «Can't Take My Eyes Off You» is a gem.
Diana Ross sounds white? I've said it before but I really can't understand what it means. And everytime I read a sentence like that, it's impossible to see it as a quality -most people say that to degrade the person, accusing her of being fake. Black = authentic and white = fake ? That's ludicrous. Ross has a clear and recognisable voice, that is her #1 quality; the other two girls could've been taken easily for other singers with similar vocal qualities (The Vandellas and many other groups at the time). They weren't instantly recognisable as Ross was.
Mary Wilson has a very warm timbre but she has difficulties to carry a melody and most of all, she can't hold her breath right. Check out «Can't Take My Eyes Off You»: the fact that it became a duet is because Wilson's flaws are too apparent in the solo version. And the breath problem is a big one: see «Red Hot» from her solo album (1979). Sometimes, she can manage a nice effect (when she sings the word «God» on «And I thank God I'm alive» in «Can't Take My Eyes Off You») but the problem is still there. If it wasn't the case why Gordy didn't let her sing lead? Why did he keep on looking for new lead singers after 1970? He always knew who people where talented and who weren't. Sadly, Wilson is not a very good singer -and I say that after hearing almost all her solo records I collected with the years.
Another thing: Gordy and Ross had an affair way AFTER he signed her. Gordy hired a singer, he modeled her, was fascinated by her and then had an affair with her, basically with the image he created, the woman loved by crowds who could sell millions of records, the post-1964 hit singer. Ross career has nothing to do with the casting couch: he wasn't attracted by the 16 year old girl he signed. This affair seems to have begun circa 1967 (not a good period for the Supremes by the way) and ther girl was born in 1971. Ross wasn't Chris Clark. In my opinion, blaming Ross for the affair is a very mysoginous way to see how things happen. Could she say no?
It's very hard to see what happened really because actually we only know Wilson's side of the story. Ross doesn't say anything about that years, neither Gordy. The fact that Wilson is completely trapped in her labyrinth is not a reason for us to repeat what she says (and history has proved that she can often be wrong: Madonna's «Holiday» wasn't a song originally meant for Wilson; the Supremes didn't record all the unreleased songs she lists at the end of her book -the real list is on the compilation «Lost And Found»-; and above all she hates Ross and seldom uses Ballard as an anti-Ross weapon). That makes me truly sad because I used to love ALL the Supremes.
Myths are not truth... And back to disco music: the Mary Wilson solo album is formulaic but the single «Red Hot» is quite enjoyable, both versions (the 6:00 lp version and the 12" 7:20 remix). :icon_smile:
Last edited by PierreConstantin; July 6th, 2008 at 08:27 AM. Reason: Orth. et voc.
Underground Hit [Level 5]
It all sounds like it can be true, but then I can say what Stephen said about Donna Summer. Were you there to know all the things that you are saying? That the affair didn't start, that it was Berry who made the moves first, that the list in Mary's book is wrong, that the Lost & Found is, etc, or are you just relying on what has been made known for example on a Motown collection like L&F rather than the book of a member?
I have seen a Mary Wilson interview on a talk show and yes she didn't make much sense and seemed to contradict herlself, but it does not automatically mean that she's lying or wrong about everything she says...
Why should we belive your word over Marys? Please explain?
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Like everybody, I began listening to the music and reading the informations on the sleeves. I used to participate to a Motown Board on the net (with people like Andy Skurow for instance). «The Soulful Divas» by David Nathan is a good well-documented reading -Nathan doesn't trash people. I don't like books full of gossips (Wilson's books, Taraborelli books), they are destructive.
Mary Wilson singing [off-key :icon_smile:] (1992):
YouTube - Mary Wilson - Walk The Line (LIVE!)
A production by Ian Levine (but her voice was completely synth re-worked):
YouTube - Mary Wilson - Don't Get Mad, Get Even
MW now:
YouTube - Mary Wilson Performing "Someday We Will Be Together"
What is really sad is that MW never got over Ross' departure from the Supremes. And since then she's mean and bitter anytime she can talk about it (and the fact that no one seems to care about her solo career makes it worse).
Mary Wilson (singer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Last edited by PierreConstantin; July 6th, 2008 at 01:55 PM.
Underground Hit [Level 5]
Ok but it still doesn't mean that just cause she's bitter and apparently hates Diana she's lying.
I was on the Board too back then, and while Harry and Andrew confirmed some rumours etc on unreleased tracks, I don't recall them ever confirming a list etc etc, and in fact, the vault can still hold many unreleased tracks, in whatever stage they were left.
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