ESSENTIAL DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES

Originally called The Primettes, the group had all grown up in the Brewster-Douglas public Housing Projects in Detroit during the 50s. Signing to Motown in 1960 they were often the first choice for the label’s song writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland and the pairing would help them secure a staggering 12 US Billboard No.1 singles during the decade. In 1967 with Ms Ross clearly the lead vocalist, Motown’s founder Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & The Supremes and the hits kept coming. Whilst she would leave in 1970 to pursue a solo career the group continued and again so did the hits. In all you’ll find 17 UK top 40 singles here including 10 UK top 10’s together with many more that were R&B and Billboard hits in the US, where they issued many more singles. Add to that key album tracks and you’ve got much more than a best of. Welcome to the world of Diana Ross & The Supremes.

Disc 1. Starts with Baby Love (UK No.1), a seductive bitter sweet tale of love and hurt that captured the nations hearts in 1964. It came hot on the heels of surely one of the best known intro’s in the history of popular music, the clapping, stomping of the similarly themed Where Did Our Love Go (UK No.3). You Can’t Hurry Love (UK No.3) is next and it’s easy to forget just how big a hit this was for them in the autumn of ’66 thanks to Phil Collins, who covered it and took it all the way to No.1 in 1982. It boasts another great intro too that would inspire Paul Weller whilst writing The Jam’s 1982 UK No.1 Town Called Malice. There must have been something in the water that year! The dreamy Come See About Me (UK No.27) and R&B favourite Back In My Arms Again (UK No.40), both from 1965 are next and the latter also struck a chord with the young Paul Weller and became a live staple of The Jam’s in ‘76 and ’77. The glorious Nothing But Heartaches and When The Lovelight Starts Shining In His Eyes and a slew of others including covers of Chain Gang, The Boy (Girl) From Ipanema, Heatwave and These Boots Are Made For Walking make up the rest of disc 1.

Disc 2. Begins with another glorious intro, this time to the aching, up-tempo You Keep Me Hangin’ On (UK No. 8). Ms Ross is clearly not happy and there’s no hiding it. Northern Soul favourite Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart, a US single is next and then it’s the epic, acid drenched Reflections (UK No.5) from 1967 and the first single credited to Diana Ross and The Supremes here in the UK. Perfect for the time, it’s a classic Holland-Dozier-Holland heart wrenching song that Ms Ross executes superbly. The Happening (UK No.6) is next, followed by the Smokey Robinson penned and cleverly sugar coated tale of embarrassment about roots and family that is I’m Livin’ In Shame (UK No.14). Hardy perennial Love Child (UK No.15), Someday We’ll Be Together (UK No. 13) and Forever Came Today (UK No.28) serve up a hattrick of heart on the sleeve classics, whilst covers including Everyday People (Sly & The Family Stone) and Ode To Billie Joe (Bobby Gentry) help complete the rest of this 2nd set.

Disc 3 starts with the sublime Stoned Love (UK No.3) and features Jean Terrell on lead vocals. Recorded after Ms Ross had left it was co-written and produced by Frank Wilson, the man responsible for the most expensive Northern Soul record in the history of the scene. Nathan Jones (UK No.5) is next and again boasts Terrell and the talents of Frank Wilson and was a top 20 hit in 1988 for the aforementioned Bananarama. Ditto Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye which follows. A hit for the fictious band Steam in 1969 it also gave Bananarama a UK top 5 in 1983. Up The Ladder To The Roof (UK No.6) is another rousing post Ms Ross Supremes classic again featuring Terrell and co-written and produced by Frank Wilson. Floy Joy (UK No.9) and Bad Weather (UK No.37) follow, the latter more recently finding favour on the Northern Soul scene. Amongst more album tracks US singles High Energy and You’re My Driving Wheel successfully navigate the stylistic changes of the 70s and welcome disco with open arms.

CD1

Baby Love
Where Did Our Love Go?
You Can't Hurry Love
Come See About Me
Back In My Arms Again
Nothing But Heartaches
Your Heart Belongs To Me
Let Me Go The Right Way
A Breath taking Guy
Buttered Popcorn
When The Lovelight Starts Shining In His Eyes
You Can't Do That
Baby Doll
Chain Gang
Beach Ball
The Boy From Ipanema
Unchained Melody
These Boots Are Made For Walkin'
Baby, I Need Your Loving
Heatwave

 CD2

You Keep Me Hangin' On
Love Is Like An Itching In my Heart
Reflections
The Happening
I'm Livin' In Shame
Love Child
Someday, We'll Be Together
Stormy
Forever Came Today
Heaven Must Have Sent You
Don't Let It Rain On My Parade
Going Down For The Third Time
Does Your Mama Know About Me
Honey Bee (Keep on Stinging Me)
Everyday People
No Matter What Sign You Are
This Old Heart Of Mine
Ode To Billie Joe
The Young Folks

 CD3

Stoned Love
Nathan Jones
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
Up The Ladder To The Roof
Floy Joy
Bad Weather
Over And Over
Johnny Raven
I Got Hurt (Trying To Be The Only Girl In Your Life)
I Keep It Hid
5:30 Plane
The Shoop Shoop Song
Where Do I Go From Here
Early Morning love
He's My Man
I'm Going To Let My Heart Do The Walking
High Energy
You're My Driving Wheel
Let  Yourself Go
Love, I Never Knew You Would Feel So Good

https://youtu.be/Yd43nWkgUzg