Diana Ross Favourite 70s Singles

It would be an interesting exercise to look at the recent R&B charts and see when (if ever) a 'guitar-based' song has hit No. 1 (a song that has guitar has the major element). I'm sure the 1970s have a few examples, but I would say that for the past 3 1/2 decades R&B radio has been very averse to the idea of electric guitars particularly, and except for a few ballads (like Babyface's "When Can I See You") acoustic too. Like for example, I think if the 1970s Isley Brothers came out today or in the past two decades, I don't think R&B radio would play them, or it would be edits/remixes that took out Ernie's 'heavier' guitar work. It's like how in the 80s and early 90s pop/Top 40 radio was very averse to hip hop, and you'd have edits of R&B hits that took out a rap verse (Jody Watley's 1990 hit "Friends" for example had a pop edit that edited out Rakim's verse). I think it is often radio formats that 'segregate' artists and genres and I think listeners have broader tastes than radio programmers think.

 

I think that some people simply have such a strong preference for a certain type of music that they like very little outside that style. That certainly isn't limited to black Americans only liking r&b. Look around here and you'll find plenty of white middle-aged men who seem to only like guitar based rock music, mostly performed by men close in age to themselves. Then, of course, there are plenty of people who like many different styles of music. I consider myself one of them, though even though I'm a white middle-aged man I've always gravitated more to the r&b/soul side of popular music; there is very little "hard rock" that I actually like.

Back to Diana -- I decided to listen to my top choice again yesterday. Man, I don't understand how anyone could not love "Remember Me." What a great song as well as great lead vocal performance from Diana.

 

So it's Love Hangover in the lead (where it's been from the start) followed by:

2. Ain't No Mountain High Enough
3. Theme From Mahogany
4. Touch Me In The Morning
5. Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand

Pretty decent choices.

 

I'm actually kinda surprised "Love Hangover" is in the lead. It's great, but I'd put "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and probably even "Theme From Mahogany" way above it.

 

I'd agree with you there. I thought ANMHE would win easily. Here, 'Love Hangover' made the top 10 but wasn't a smash like it was in the States so I was surprised it was in the lead right from the start.

 

I was in Diana's hometown, Detroit, yesterday. Popped over to the Motown Museum and was fascinating to be in Studio A where 2 and 5 and most Supremes stuff was recorded. Marvin Gaye had a house a few doors along but you weren't allowed in that, sadly. Fascinating all the same. My US tour started in April with Diana in Vegas so, yes, I'm a wee bit fond of her.

 

Very nice. You do get about, don't you?!

 

I loved, loved, loved my visit to the Motown Museum, mainly because it was so cool to stand in the studio where so many great records were made.

 

I suppose I do. Tonight I drove all the way to Sioux City in Iowa to see another Detroit dame, Aretha Franklin. Interestingly, she performed a version of Diana's It's My Turn. I didn't/don't know if she ever recorded this but it didn't sound quite right without Miss Ross' familiar cries. She was great to see live though.

 

A lot of Diana's songs were arranged small to fit her voice. I can imagine Aretha honking her way through 'It's My Turn' in her usual style.

Don't know how long you're in the States for, but Olivia has been playing in Vegas regularly for the last couple of years. Might be worth extending your stay.

 

That's funny - was just playing "It's My Turn" earlier today. Such an early-'80s diva song.

 

It was a cheap Howard Johnson's Lounge-type copy of Diana's original.. Had they recorded it to Diana's backing track, they could have had a hit with it, but it still wouldn't displace Diana's as the definitive version...

This alternate 10 minute version from the 1970s is my favorite of all the mixes, especially that part with the alternate backing vocals that go "I don't want-want-want no cure-cure-cure for this love hangover.."

 

I like the "want-want-want" hook - they should have found a way to plug that into the final mix, at least once - but overall I find that alternate mix is kind of incoherent. The final version is near-perfect, although I've always thought the treble was curiously muffled. Seems like that was "the sound' circa '74 - '76 or so - a bunch of records have that kind of lo-fi, muffled treble sound during that era.

 

Great version! Only the change from the slow intro to the fast part doesn't feel quite right. Is it available on CD?

 

The alternative Love Hangover is on diana Deluxe. I suspect it's off vinyl though as it's not great audio.

The 12" mix of Top Of The World seems to be lost in the mists of time. Not on the expanded BIM, and appears to only exist on acetate. Would love to hear it.

 

What, in your opinion, is the best sounding version of diana on CD?

 

I actually listen to it most on the original US CD and the Nautilus half speed master LP.

The 1999 remaster I didn't like much.

 

Ain't No Mountain High Enough,
Remember Me,
Touch Me In The Morning,
Theme From Mahogany,
Love Hangover.

Could easily have a Top 10 out of that lot, Top 15 possibly, some fantastic tunes there...

Thanks for the Poll, Bobby
(I'll get me Matouseks out later and have a trip down mammary lane!)

 

That YouTube clip didn't sound as sourced from vinyl. But maybe what you're hearing are the artifacts of compressing the hell out of it. According to the DR database its dynamic range is a depressing DR7.

Edit: for comparison, the first CD release of the original mix is DR14 and even modern remasters of this keep it at DR10.

 

I will ad this to your inquiry...this is considered the best "diana" version on CD and it is hard to get... other than this would be the original CD two-fer with "The Boss."

 

I've never seen that one. Thanks.

 

I didn't have a chance to listen to the one pictured above, but I have the Japan for EU twofer with The Boss (1986) and a pre-remastered EU CD master (530 099-2, 1993). Great dynamics on both, but they're also quit harsh with prominent hihats and symbals and very little warmth in the sound. To my ears the twofer sounds just a bit better than the EU disc, except for Give Up which sounds best on the EU disc.

PS. I see on the DR database that the U.S. twofer for Diana/The Boss is a different master than the Japan for EU that I own.

PPS. The harsh sound of Diana seems to be a mixing decision, as the tracks from The Boss sound warmer.

 

Anybody have the 2012(?) SHM CD of 'The Boss'?

 

@Alan1074

Do you have the SHM CD of 'The Boss'?

Come on. I know you've got everything!

 

I do yes. It uses the same master as the 1999 edition. Personally I do prefer the SHM CD.