Diana Ross Album Revelation Possible?!

[opalbenny]

Hi,

as we all know there is an unreleased Album by Diana called "REVELATION", it should be released as her last album on Motown and as far as I know there should be unreleased songs from previous sessions and new mixes from old albums on it. I read that the album was canceled in the last second, so everything was still done: tracklist, Coverart etc.

The only songs I know that were still released are:
1. Fire Don't Burn
2. Come Together [[Revelation Mix)

Does anyone else has more infos about the album?? Like what pics were made for the Cover, what other songs should be on it etc.

Does a release of that album makes sence???

Ben

[Constantin]

I think it is "Revelations".

"Sweet summertime livin'" would also have been included.

"We Can never Light That Old flame again" and "Old Funky Rolls" seem to be rescued from this project.

Anyway, how many songs are left in the vault? Many have been released now. The rest of it could be added on a "Ross 78" expanded edition but on a full length cd?

[carlo]

I'm going to be totally honest. If the "Revelations" LP had been released in 1981, it would have sucked and tanked. Those tracks were good and stand-up well today, but I don't think those disco leftovers would have fared well in 1981. All of those tracks would have been too dated for that particular time.

[Constantin]

I'm going to be totally honest. If the "Revelations" LP had been released in 1981, it would have sucked and tanked. Those tracks were good and stand-up well today, but I don't think those disco leftovers would have fared well in 1981. All of those tracks would have been too dated for that particular time.

In 1982, Motown issued an album of unreleased material by Thelma Houston [[Reachin' All Around). It was a nice lp. The album was more R&B than disco and many songs were remixed to fit with the sound of the moment. Motown would have do the same with Revelations [[actually they did that with*"We Can never Light That Old flame again" when it was released on 7").

[nomis]

I dont think any of them were really great songs..certainly not a patch on anything on "The Boss ".. in 1982 Motown was set to release an LP of unreleased Ross tracks that Berry cancelled after Diana said she knew he still loved her...

[ejluther]

that Berry cancelled after Diana said she knew he still loved her...
Can you expound on this a bit? Why/how did her saying that make him change his mind?

[nomis]

when "Soul" magazine posed the question to Diana that an unreleased Motown LP was in the works she said "I dont believe that..Berry would never stand in the way of my career..I know he loves me ...He cant stop loving me overnight"..apparently Berry highlighted these comments in an internal Motown memo about the planned release and the project was aborted..

[ejluther]

Interesting...thanks for the info. Of course, the TO LOVE AGAIN album was the same idea, though, right? A compilation of released/unreleased DR songs put out after she left the label? I think TLA was a great collection but REVELATIONS sounds like it would have been a hodge-podge of lesser-quality material...

[Ngroove]

Last Motown album? OH, you mean her first time around, 1981 or so...y'know, she had come back for a while, from 1988 to 2001, continued on with such numbers like"Workin' Overtime", "When You Tell Me That You Love Me","Take Me Higher", and her cover of "I Will Survive".

Can’t believe this one has been neglected inclusion from many Diana Ross Greatest Hits Collections:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnDN6_CkXvc&ob=av2e

[nomis]

ejluther - interesting point about To Love Again though Im pretty sure most of whats on it was previously released stuff..I loved the cover I thought it was a great photo.. at the same time the UK released an LP compilation called,I think,"The Love Songs"..anyway that was a smash hit LP in the UK,much better tracklisting than "To Love Again"..my sister had a copy when i was growing up and it had things like "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You"...very similar track list to TLA but if memory serves me right a few more tracks than TLA...

[skooldem1]

To Love Again is one of my favorite Diana Ross albums. Everything from the album cover/and back to the song selection. When that album was released, I really didn't know what had been previously released, aside from Mahogany and Touch me. To me it was a great album to support "It's my Turn". I thought it was a cool concept to release an album of all Michael Masser compositions. I must admit that when the album was re released via the deluxe edition, the inclusion of other writers totally destroyed the "theme" of the album IMO.

[Constantin]

When were recorded the songs on the A side of the lp "To Love Again"? In 1981? 1980? Before?

I thought "It's my turn" was recorded in 1980 and the others after [[so in my mind they were 5 periods of sessions with Michael Masser: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980 for "It's my turn", 1980 for the rest of the songs of the A side). The album and the single "One more chance" were released in February 1981 so I assume they were no sessions in 1981. But even the 1980 sessions didn't exist? ALL the songs of the lp were recorded between 1973 and 1975?

[reese]

When were recorded the songs on the A side of the lp "To Love Again"? In 1981? 1980? Before?

I thought "It's my turn" was recorded in 1980 and the others after [[so in my mind they were 5 periods of sessions with Michael Masser: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980 for "It's my turn", 1980 for the rest of the songs of the A side). The album and the single "One more chance" were released in February 1981 so I assume they were no sessions in 1981. But even the 1980 sessions didn't exist? ALL the songs of the lp were recorded between 1973 and 1975?

I would assume that all of Side A was most likely recorded sometime in 1980, especially with IT'S MY TURN being the title song for the film of the same name. Also, if I recall correctly, none of Masser's compositions on Side 1 have a Jobete Publishing credit on them. By that time, he had started to work outside of Motown, with artists like Natalie Cole, Dionne Warwick, etc.

[nomis]

I know they didnt get on in the studio towards the end..she stated she felt he was too demanding and he said she was difficult...

[ejluther]

I think "Stay With Me", "One More Chance" [[one of my fave DR tracks of all time), and "Cryin' My Heart Out For You" were new to the TO LOVE AGAIN LP with the rest being previously released. The 2003 CD release had more releases songs/alternate mixes plus two more unreleased tracks "Share Some Love" and "We're Always Saying Goodbye"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Love_Again_[[Diana_Ross_album)

Is this the release you're talking about, nomis?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Love-Songs-Diana-Ross/dp/B00000K25G

Thanks for the video, NGroove - it sure takes me back! I wore that LP out back in the day. I think it's easy to forget that Diana came back to Motown because, by the time she did, Motown had become "just another record company" [[as described by Motown author/historian Nelson George). Regardless, it was nice to think of her back at Motown, even if they didn't seem to know how to handle/promote her very well. Not to mention she returned as a part owner in Motown - quite the success story...
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/15/business/motown-stake-for-diana-ross.html

[honest man]

Now i remember it was a purple cover with D.Ross image from 76 in background and main picyure with her holding mike yes it was a great tv released album, my wife [girlfriend at time] had it, great memories, cheers.

[nomis]

..thats the one honest man it was a top 10 UK LP and went gold..

[honest man]

nomis it is on Google images, i don;t know how to upload, i think around the era of that album there was also a tv album double set PORTRAIT ,They also sold well THE BOSS was on top 'round this time,cheers.

[ejluther]

This must be it, yes?
http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=497992

[honest man]

Ben check your private messages, thank you.

[TheMotownManiac]

One More Chance is one of your faves...... can you share what it is you love?



I think "Stay With Me", "One More Chance" [[one of my fave DR tracks of all time), and "Cryin' My Heart Out For You" were new to the TO LOVE AGAIN LP with the rest being previously released. The 2003 CD release had more releases songs/alternate mixes plus two more unreleased tracks "Share Some Love" and "We're Always Saying Goodbye"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Love_Again_[[Diana_Ross_album [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Love_Again_%28Diana_Ross_album))

Is this the release you're talking about, nomis?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Love-Songs-Diana-Ross/dp/B00000K25G

Thanks for the video, NGroove - it sure takes me back! I wore that LP out back in the day. I think it's easy to forget that Diana came back to Motown because, by the time she did, Motown had become "just another record company" [[as described by Motown author/historian Nelson George). Regardless, it was nice to think of her back at Motown, even if they didn't seem to know how to handle/promote her very well. Not to mention she returned as a part owner in Motown - quite the success story...
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/15/business/motown-stake-for-diana-ross.html

[ejluther]

can you share what it is you love?
I think it's one of the most passionate records she ever did - near the end the vocals [[both Diana's and the backgrounds) are begging and pleading and almost gutteral in their intensity. And when the piano pounds right around 3:44 it just all kicks up even higher. I've never been sure if all the vocals are Diana and they're multi-tracked or if it's other women singing with her but it doesn't really matter - all the voices are pleading for just one more chance and the effect is really incredible...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehk_BOWrwQM