5 Diana Ross RCA Albums: EXPANDED Editions coming to CD ONLY from FunkyTownGrooves!

[skooldem1]

All of Diana's RCA albums including Red Hot are on their website now. Swept Away, Eaten Alive and Red Hot are listed as deluxe versions with 2 CD's, the rest are expanded releases. I'm curious if this will be accurate. I heard as of last week they were still going through the vaults and still needed to work on an agreement with Sony regarding the Red Hot album. I also heard that so far they found one unreleased track for WDFFIL. Pre-orders, track listing, and details will be on July 23rd.

http://www.funkytowngrooves.com/*-PR...ss-Titles)-/58

[reese]

I remember the song selections for the recent Gladys Knight reissues by the same company being worked on up to the last minute. I wouldn't be surprised for this to happen with these as well.

[Lulu]

All of Diana's RCA albums including Red Hot are on their website now. Swept Away, Eaten Alive and Red Hot are listed as deluxe versions with 2 CD's, the rest are expanded releases. I'm curious if this will be accurate. I heard as of last week they were still going through the vaults and still needed to work on an agreement with Sony regarding the Red Hot album. I also heard that so far they found one unreleased track for WDFFIL. Pre-orders, track listing, and details will be on July 23rd.

http://www.funkytowngrooves.com/*-PR...ss-Titles)-/58

Oh this is delightful. I'm sure they're being bombarded and I guarantee, these will be their biggest sellers!

[vgalindo]

Wow "Eaten Alive" is going to be a double CD. I hope they have unreleased bonus tracks written and produced by Barry Gibb. This is so awesome. I love this album.

[daviddh]

I remember the Bee Gees saying that they had written ISLANDS IN THE STREAM for Diana but in the end they went with CHAIN REACTION

[Lulu]

I hope it's not just the GIBB Demos! Child, we've had those for years!

[longtimefan]

I hope it's not just the GIBB Demos! Child, we've had those for years!

Can you clarify this, please? Thanks!

[skooldem1]

[skooldem1]

I agree. No demos. I didn't understand why they included Valerie Simpson's demo for "Remember me" on one of Diana's CD's.

[daviddh]

the demos of all the Barry Gibb tracks are on iTunes under Barry Gibb. the include Diana, Kenny rogers and streisands demos.....in Gibbs vocals

[brothadc]

OMG!!!!! Those demos were extremely difficult to listen to, Gibb's voice is irritating as hell! Funny thing is tho, as I was suffering through hearing them, in my mind I kept picturing Mickey Mouse as the one doing the singing!

[skooldem1]

I read that when he does demos for women, he sings them in his high register.

[vgalindo]

Lets hope and pray it isn't those demos. I want some unreleased tracks with Diana.

[daviddh]

I am sure they will Diana extras

[longtimefan]

It would be hard for me to believe that Barry Gibb would sign off on having demos that he made receive commercial release. By their very nature, demos di not show a performer at his or her peak performance level.

[jobeterob]

https://www.facebook.com/Funkytowngrooves?fref=nf

[ejluther]

I enjoyed hearing the Valerie Simpson demo - it showed how things changed and that Diana had her own style with it. Of course, I wouldn't want original demos as extras all the time...

[lakedistrictlad1]

Ho hum.....so far 3 of the titles now up on Funkytown website contain nothing more than alternate mixes to the album tracks. And I'm not paying out for 'Fight for it'. Shame. I'll pass.

[Jaap]

Indeed no previously unreleased songs, with the exception of Sweet Soul Music on RHR&B. But it is good to have to different 12 inch versions now finally released!

WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE
1. Why Do Fools Fall In Love
2. Sweet Surrender
3. Mirror,Mirror
4. Endless Love
5. It's Never Too Late
6. Think I'm In Love
7. Sweet Nothings
8. Two Can Make It
9. Work That Body
10. Mirror, Mirror [[7 Inch Mix)
11. Mirror, Mirror [[7 Inch Alternate Version)
12. Work That Body [[7 Inch Mix)
13. Work That Body [[12 Inch Mix)
14. Work That Body [[Extended Mix)
15. Endless Love [[Edited Version)
16. Endless Love [[Vocal Version)
17. Endless Love [[Instrumental)

SILK ELECTRIC
1. Muscles
2. So Close
3. Still in Love
4. Fool for Your Love
5. Turn Me Over
6. Who
7. Love Lies
8. In Your Arms
9. Anywhere You Run To
10. I Am Me
11. Muscles [[Edited Version)
12. Muscles [[12" Version)
13. So Close [[Single Version)

ROSS
1. That's How You Start Over
2. Love Will Make It Right
3. You Do It
4. Pieces of Ice
5. Let's Go Up
6. Love or Loneliness
7. Up Front
8. Girls
9. Piece of Ice [[12" Mix)
10. Pieces of Ice [[12" Instrumental)
11. Pieces of Ice [[7" Mix)
12. Up Front [[7" Mix)
13. Up Front [[Special Club Mix)
14. Up Front [[12" Mix)
15. Let's Go Up [[7" Mix)

SWEPT AWAY
CD 1
1. Missing You
2. Touch by Touch
3. Rescue Me
4. It's Your Move
5. Swept Away
6. Telephone
7. Nobody Makes Me Crazy [[Like You Do)
8. All of You
9. We Are the Children of the World
10. Forever Young
CD 2
1. Swept Away [[12" Long Version)
2. Swept Away [[12" Instrumental)
3. Swept Away [[7" Single Mix)
4. Touch by Touch [[12" Single Mix)
5. Touch by Touch [[12" Instrumental)
6. Touch by Touch [[Alternate Single Mix)
7. Telephone [[Edited Version)
8. Missing You [[7" Single Mix)
9. Fight for It [[7" Single Version)

EATEN ALIVE
CD 1
1. Eaten Alive
2. Oh Teacher
3. Experience
4. Chain Reaction
5. More and More
6. I'm Watching You
7. Love on the Line
8. [[I Love) Being in Love with You
9. Crime of Passion
10. Don't Give Up on Each Other
CD 2
1. Eaten Alive [[Single Mix)
2. Eaten Alive [[Single Mix Instrumental)
3. Eaten Alive [[Hot Extended Dance Mix)
4. Eaten Alive [[12 Inch Instrumental)
5. Experience [[Special Dance Mix)
6. Experience [[Instrumental)
7. Experience [[Single Version)
8. Chain Reaction [[Special Dance Mix)
9. Chain Reaction [[Special Single Mix)

RED HOT RHYTHM AND BLUES
CD1
1. Dirty Looks [[US Album Version)
2. Stranger In Paradise
3. Summertime
4. Shine
5. Tell Me Again
6. Selfish One
7. Cross My Heart
8. There Goes My Baby
9. It’s Hard For Me To Say
10. Shockwaves
11. Mr. Lee [[UK Album Version)
12. Tell Mama [[UK Album Version)
13. Sweet Soul Music [[Previously Unreleased)
CD2
1. Dirty Looks [[Remix Version)
2. Dirty Looks [[Instrumental)
3. Dirty Looks [[Bonus Beats)
4. Dirty Looks [[UK Album Mix)
5. Shockwaves [[12” Remix)
6. Shockwaves [[Instrumental)
7. Shockwaves [[7” Remix)
8. Mr. Lee [[Swing Mix)
9. Mr. Lee [[Rare Groove Version)

[alanbill1074]

I for one am very happy with these. Red Hot has been subsequently revised to include the b-side version of I Am Me.

I expect that Diana's contract with RCA made inclusion of any unreleased material extremely challenging, so I'm happy that there's at least an effort being made to include something "new", and there's an unreleased track from Red Hot too.

In fact I only spot 1 omission across all the titles - The Swing Beat 7" Mix of Mr. Lee.

[Jaap]

I'm happy that there's at least an effort being made to include something "new", and there's an unreleased track from Red Hot too.

I totally agree. Love to have those 12 inches finally officially released. Some of the 12 inches are actually better than the album tracks [[Work That Body, Muscles, Pieces of Ice, Swept Away). The single of Shockwaves is a better mix than the album track [[although I still think it is a rather silly song]. Would have been nice if the alleged 12-inch version of Fool For Your Love would have been included. Great to have Sweet Soul Music though... always thought it was weird that it was not included in the album, while used in the television special.

[longtimefan]

Hugely disappointing nearly total lack of unreleased material. To each his own, but full discs of single mixes, edited versions, instrumentals, and 12" versions is of very minor entertainment value to me.

I realize that some longtime fans enjoy collecting all of these single and 12" versions -- great for them! However, it seems to me that this is a very small audience.

I will say that the price point for these CDs is excellent ... only $2 more for an extra disc that I will listen to once. :-)

Twofers of the remastered six albums would have been more appealing to me.

[daviddh]

longtimefan, I totally agree. for me , disappointing. only one unreleased track. some of the extended mixs are good such as CHAIN REACTION but this is not what I was hoping for. but glad for those who want the dance mixs
was the extra track n Red Hot In the tv special

[reese]

This lineup is about what I expected. I can't say that I'm disappointed because I didn't think that there was much unreleased material from the RCA days. There was a story going around in 1982 that Diana was doing some work with Michael McDonald. I had hoped that it might have been true, but I guess not. Diana probably learned from all the time and $$ given to the tons of Motown recordings of hers that went unreleased.

[skooldem1]

They said recently that they were still going through the masters. It should be noted that for all of these releases they say:

Track listing's are correct at time of Pre-Order release and could be subject to change.

Due to the finding's of Extra Bonus Material in the Re-Master process, please keep a look out on our website or on our Facebook page, for future info.

[longtimefan]

longtimefan, I totally agree. for me , disappointing. only one unreleased track. some of the extended mixs are good such as CHAIN REACTION but this is not what I was hoping for. but glad for those who want the dance mixs
was the extra track n Red Hot In the tv special

Yes, SWEET SOUL MUSIC was in that TV special. A fun track!!!!

Also, is it me or is it quite unusual to advertise preorders with the caveat that they will add additional tracks before release dates "if" they discover them?

[RossHolloway]

I'll hold off on my excitement until I see what the expanded editions contain. If they include new unreleased tracks then I'm all in, but if its just instrumentals or 12" singles, I'll probably pass. Is anyone familiar with this labels work and what they've put out in the past?

I'm extremely disappointed with these releases.

[carlo]

I pre-ordered all six this morning and looking forward to hearing these albums with remastered sound and bonus tracks! Very excited to have "Fight For It" and "Sweet Soul Music" on CD. Hopefully they will add more unreleased tracks, should they happen to discover any. I think they have done this before with their releases, so it all comes down to what kind of master tapes Sony gave them and what's on them...and no one really knows until they play them. I hope the 12" remixes and 7" versions will not be direct transfers from vinyl.

[Jaap]

There was a story going around in 1982 that Diana was doing some work with Michael McDonald. I had hoped that it might have been true, but I guess not.

I always assumed that resulted in That's How You Start Over, as Michael McDonald wrote the song and is one of the musicians. Love that track...

[reese]

I always assumed that resulted in That's How You Start Over, as Michael McDonald wrote the song and is one of the musicians. Love that track...

I thought of that as well. But the story I read made it sound as if it was going to be a big collaboration, not just one song. I read this before SILK ELECTRIC was released.

[carlo]

We Are the Children should have remained unreleased. lol.

[mowsville]

We Are the Children should never have been recorded let alone unreleased.

[marybrewster]

Although I am disappointed in the track listings, I am hooting and hollering that at least we are getting some physical product on Diana Ross. I applaud FunkyTownGrooves for at leats making the effort, and doing it at an affordable price! Will I pick these up? I haven't ordered any yet, but certainly will over time to augment my collection.

On a different note, did anyone pick up "Black Magic" [[Vandellas) or "The Supremes 1975" [[Supremes) from Dusty Groove? These were straight releases [[no bonuses) that I was very excited about, until I saw the price: $22.99 each. I guess we have to be careful what we wish for; excited that it's on disc, but can you say price gauging? Especially when most of their other releases are in the $13.99 range. Yet, I still will pick these up [[once they are back in stock!)

And not to beat a dead horse, but how come these small companies can release physical product, when others have gone digital?

[whitesoxx]

I'm happy, too. More unreleased tracks would have been nice, but at least we get all the single and 12" mixes that were ever released. I was afraid they would not have been able to licence the European-only mixes like "Up Front", so I am glad they are going to be included.

But even better than having all the extra tracks is the fact that I am confident, in view of FTGs track record, that the orignal albums will sound better than ever. I placed my order for all six titles straight away.

[whitesoxx]

And not to beat a dead horse, but how come these small companies can release physical product, when others have gone digital?

My sentiment exactly!

[jobeterob]

Agree with Mary. If they can come up with a few more Sweet Soul Music style cuts, they'll get some significantly greater sales too.

Great to see this.

[sophisticated_soul]

I pre-ordered all six this morning and looking forward to hearing these albums with remastered sound and bonus tracks! Very excited to have "Fight For It" and "Sweet Soul Music" on CD. Hopefully they will add more unreleased tracks, should they happen to discover any. I think they have done this before with their releases, so it all comes down to what kind of master tapes Sony gave them and what's on them...and no one really knows until they play them. I hope the 12" remixes and 7" versions will not be direct transfers from vinyl.

Ditto Carlo. I just ordered all six too. So glad they are physical releases.

[thommg]

I wonder if the mixes on Silk Electric will be touched. I always disliked that album because I thought the mixes were so bad.

[djessie]

I'm happy, will be ordering all of them! Of course it would have been nice to get more unreleased tracks [[if there are any), but the fact that these are even coming out, remastered and expanded is enough for me!

[vgalindo]

They said recently that they were still going through the masters. It should be noted that for all of these releases they say:

Track listing's are correct at time of Pre-Order release and could be subject to change.

Due to the finding's of Extra Bonus Material in the Re-Master process, please keep a look out on our website or on our Facebook page, for future info.

I remember them doing this with the Gladys Knight and the Pips cds. They were adding tracks until the last minute. They even delayed the release date on a few of them to add more tracks.
I am also very disappointed. I really wanted a lot of unreleased tracks. Most of the Gladys Knight CDs had unreleased tracks.

[longtimefan]

To be clear, I am happy to have these six CDs reissued and remastered. It is the advertisement and promotion that has disappointed me. I would have been more pleased if they had stated that "these deluxe and expanded additions focus on remixes and alternate version as well as instrumental versions of the actual album tracks."

That way, buyers -- especially for longtime fans -- would not have felt the pinch of disappointment in the same way. Let's be honest: Having FIGHT FOR IT and SWEET SOUL MUSIC as two unreleased tracks spread over nine full disks of music is nothing to jump up-and-down about.

Mama always said: "It's not always what you do, but how you describe it that causes issues!! "

p.s. Mama also said " You can't hurry love,"
But that's another story! LOL

[vgalindo]

To be clear, I am happy to have these six CDs reissued and remastered. It is the advertisement and promotion that has disappointed me. I would have been more pleased if they had stated that "these deluxe and expanded additions focus on remixes and alternate version as well as instrumental versions of the actual album tracks."

That way, buyers -- especially for longtime fans -- would not have felt the pinch of disappointment in the same way. Let's be honest: Having FIGHT FOR IT and SWEET SOUL MUSIC as two unreleased tracks spread over nine full disks of music is nothing to jump up-and-down about.

Mama always said: "It's not always what you do, but how you describe it that causes issues!! "

p.s. Mama also said " You can't hurry love,"
But that's another story! LOL

I agree 100 % I am happy to have all these remastered but also very disappointed at almost no unreleased tracks. I could hardly wait for the track listing and now I am not too excited.

[Lulu]

Diana Ross fans sho 'am hard to please! Remember when Let The Music Play​ came out? Yikes!

[daviddh]

i am glad they are coming out, but just a bit disappointed that the ROSS 83 CD didn't have the lost tracks ,MAYBE,SLEEP WITH ME TONIGHT,FULL MOON

[ejluther]

I just preordered my 6 CDs - can't wait!

[lakedistrictlad1]

2 points from me -

1. Diana sang 'You've got what it takes' with Billy Dee on 'Red Hot...' to a pre-recorded track [[it was pretty obvious). I wonder why this isn't on the expanded cd? I would have been tempted to buy if it had.

2. I think i'm repeating other comments but how can Funkytown issue all these cd's of 12" mixes etc [[which - let's face it - have limited appeal) and a really important piece of Diana's discography only gets to go digital [[you know the one I mean)
I wish it had been the other way around!!

[alanbill1074]

2 points from me -

1. Diana sang 'You've got what it takes' with Billy Dee on 'Red Hot...' to a pre-recorded track [[it was pretty obvious). I wonder why this isn't on the expanded cd? I would have been tempted to buy if it had.

2. I think i'm repeating other comments but how can Funkytown issue all these cd's of 12" mixes etc [[which - let's face it - have limited appeal) and a really important piece of Diana's discography only gets to go digital [[you know the one I mean)
I wish it had been the other way around!!

1. Perhaps it no longer exists? Archives have gaps all the time. Maybe as it is a duet it makes it much more complicated as it wasn't recorded for physical release, only for broadcast, so there would be contractual issues.

2. I'm glad they aren't the other way round! Her RCA period is my favourite and many of her younger fans feel the same. Had it not been for her RCA period I wouldn't be on this board, or interested in any other Motown acts. Diana's post Motown era led me to Motown in the wider sense through discovering her history.

It would be nice to get both projects physically but for me this is best case scenario.

[Jaap]

Although I don't know whether or not unreleased tracks from the RCA years exist, I was not surprised to see that, with the exception of Sweet Soul Music, none are included. In the late 1990s, a longer track list of ROSS was listed on [[I think) Yahoo that indeed included Maybe, Sleep With Me Tonight, and Full Moon, but I've never come across any reports [[or gossip) that Ross actually recorded these [[and Taraborrelli doesn't name them in the discography in his last book -- and he seems quite knowledgable on the unreleased tracks). I've read somewhere else years ago that Silk Electric consisted mostly of "left overs" from WDFFIL. But perhaps others have more explicit info about those unreleased tracks that may be there or not...

[alanbill1074]

There's likely not very much. Motown went OTT with sessions, and it's such an expensive way to run a business. Diana I would imagine wasn't into that and chose the songs she wanted to do without spending endless days and many thousands of unecessary dollars recording material not to be used.

She was hardly available for the Eaten Alive sessions, so probably not much there. Red Hot R&B produced a lot of songs, and I have heard Try A Little Tenderness mentioned, but perhaps it was never finished. I expect for the first couple of albums, there's not much at all, otherwise why include a filler like Turn Me Over?

All Of You was recorded in 1982 and held over for some reason, and one track was bumped from Swept Away for it, but ultimately released, so probably not much there either. The only album I can visualise any potential outtakes for is Ross, since Katz was hired to find the songs too, and only got half the album, so perhaps his other material was bumped. Steely Dans albums were short on tracks though so again, no real evidence for this.

I heard a rumour that Maybe was an oldie and was produced by Tom Dowd in 1983. Could be fan fiction, not sure.

[Jaap]

According to Taraborrelli: "One track that Tom Dowd cut was was excited about having Diana record was 'Try a Little Tenderness'. However, he said that she was not happy with the production and never finished recording the vocal."