Where was "Everything Is Everything" recorded?

[Sotosound]

The answer is probably "In a number of studios" but my real interest is in the two UK hit singles, "DoobeDood'nDoobe, DoobeDood'nDoobe, DoobeDood'nDoo" and "I'm Still Waiting".

"I'm Still Waiting" is a favourite of my wife's and "DoobeDood'nDoobe, DoobeDood'nDoobe, DoobeDood'nDoo" is a favourite of mine, with the latter being so generous in terms of the number of melodies in it and also in terms of having such an interesting string arrangement, with cellos playing a counter-melody under Diana Ross' vocals during each verse. Almost a musical overload.

To my ears both tracks also have a very distinctive non-Motown sound, neither Detroit nor LA, sounding a bit as though the've been bounced down several generations and suffered from misaligned tape heads.

So, does anyone know where they were recorded, where they were mixed and who engineered and played on them?

[RossHolloway]

According to DFTMC both tracks were recorded at MoWest and produced by Deke Richards. I think both tracks are fantastic by the way.

[Bluebrock]

According to DFTMC both tracks were recorded at MoWest and produced by Deke Richards. I think both tracks are fantastic by the way.

I do believe that is correct Ross. Sessions were done in a hurry when "reach out and touch" was not the mega hit that was expected. The situation quickly changed when "anmhe" took off. What surprises me is that Berry went into a panic and rush released this album without releasing a single from it. The album wasn't that great anyway so the timing of it's release was quite puzzling to say the least. Aside from "last time i saw him" this was Diana's least favourite Motown album - until "workin overtime" came along that is.

[RossHolloway]

I do believe that is correct Ross. Sessions were done in a hurry when "reach out and touch" was not the mega hit that was expected. The situation quickly changed when "anmhe" took off. What surprises me is that Berry went into a panic and rush released this album without releasing a single from it. The album wasn't that great anyway so the timing of it's release was quite puzzling to say the least. Aside from "last time i saw him" this was Diana's least favourite Motown album - until "workin overtime" came along that is.

I agree something weird was going on during this span of time. The single Remember Me was released in December '70, but was not a track on the EIE album. The album was released in September '70.

[Sotosound]

Many thanks.

[florence]

I've often wondered what would have happened in the US if I'm Still Waiting had been the follow-up to Mountain then Remember Me - timing can be everything.

Doobe was a weird song - I still can't really decide whether I like it or not. It becme a good sized hit in the UK on the strength of Diana's name and great support from the country's most listened to radio show at the time.

At least the UK recognised I'm Still Waiting was a classic and I thought she did good versions of Come Together [[Beatles) and Close To You [[Carpenters).

[Bluebrock]

I've often wondered what would have happened in the US if I'm Still Waiting had been the follow-up to Mountain then Remember Me - timing can be everything.

Doobe was a weird song - I still can't really decide whether I like it or not. It becme a good sized hit in the UK on the strength of Diana's name and great support from the country's most listened to radio show at the time.

At least the UK recognised I'm Still Waiting was a classic and I thought she did good versions of Come Together [[Beatles) and Close To You [[Carpenters).

You may have a point Florence. The song could and should have been a huge hit in the USA. It is a classic in anyones book.

[mysterysinger]

I hadn't really realised that there were no singles initially from "Everything Is Everything" until the belated issue of "I'm Still Waiting". That was a deserved number 1 in the UK but even here it was preceded by "Remember Me" which was probably deemed much stronger by Motown QA. It was maybe a wise move to relegate "Reach Out, I'll Be There" to a UK B' Side and with Tony Blackburn plugging "I'm Still Waiting" so much, that was a natural pairing. I got the impression that "Doobie" was thrown in as a single whilst they waited for something else because again it was out of sequence. But what an amazing run of UK singles - "Reach Out and Touch", AMNHE, "Remember Me", "I'm Still Waiting" - but then [[for me) that was it until "Touch Me In The Morning" then an even longer wait until "The Boss" for the really good DRoss singles [[I suspect you won't agree but that's my own taste and preference).

[florence]

Maybe too early for you, Bluerock but was I'm Still Waiting ever really considered as a single in the US?

You've explained how sessions were hurriedly planned and Everything released in the wake of the lacklustre performance of Reach Out And Touch.

I had always understood Berry had always planned that Remember Me should be the follow-up to Mountain and there were no singles issued from Everything.

Maybe Waiting just wasn't compatible with the American market, it seems to have been belatedly released in the wake of its UK success.

If you look at how Diana's singles performed in the 70s it does seem that there was no way of predicting just how they were going to fare apart from Mountain and Love Hangover which Motown was more or less "co-erced" into releasing.

[Bluebrock]

I hadn't really realised that there were no singles initially from "Everything Is Everything" until the belated issue of "I'm Still Waiting". That was a deserved number 1 in the UK but even here it was preceded by "Remember Me" which was probably deemed much stronger by Motown QA. It was maybe a wise move to relegate "Reach Out, I'll Be There" to a UK B' Side and with Tony Blackburn plugging "I'm Still Waiting" so much, that was a natural pairing. I got the impression that "Doobie" was thrown in as a single whilst they waited for something else because again it was out of sequence. But what an amazing run of UK singles - "Reach Out and Touch", AMNHE, "Remember Me", "I'm Still Waiting" - but then [[for me) that was it until "Touch Me In The Morning" then an even longer wait until "The Boss" for the really good DRoss singles [[I suspect you won't agree but that's my own taste and preference).

I do disagree. Love Mahogany, Love Hangover, Thought it took a little time, were all gems in my opinion. Not sure the correct singles were issued from "baby it's me" but the album as a whole was a gem.

[Bluebrock]

Maybe too early for you, Bluerock but was I'm Still Waiting ever really considered as a single in the US?

You've explained how sessions were hurriedly planned and Everything released in the wake of the lacklustre performance of Reach Out And Touch.

I had always understood Berry had always planned that Remember Me should be the follow-up to Mountain and there were no singles issued from Everything.

Maybe Waiting just wasn't compatible with the American market, it seems to have been belatedly released in the wake of its UK success.

If you look at how Diana's singles performed in the 70s it does seem that there was no way of predicting just how they were going to fare apart from Mountain and Love Hangover which Motown was more or less "co-erced" into releasing.

It was indeed too early for me. I wasn't even a teenager at the time but I did have the benefit of later working with some of the team around in the early 70'[s. "waiting" was not remotely considered as a single in the USA until it's success in the UK, but once the USA staff realised they had a potential monster hit they went into overdrive and attempted to promote it. Diana herself loved the song but was busy filming "lstb" and I think I am correct in saying she did no actual promotion for it. Radio were slow to pick up on it and Berry himself was not overly fussed with the song.
You are correct when you say "eie" was released without a single to promote it. A very curious decision. How was it ever going to be a success with no single to boost it's sales? Berry was too busy planning "lstb" to give Diana's music the attention it deserved. Motown UK had no such qualms and fully promoted her music, as indeed they did with the 70's Supremes, but they still missed a couple of golden opportunities to keep the run going.

[honest man]

What an excellent album every song was excellent as was album cover .love everything about this album .cheers.

[captainjames]

When ANMHE hit, I think Motown switched back to A&S for a follow up. If ANMHE had flopped we may have gotten "Baby Its Love" or "Im Still Waiting" as the follow up in the USA.

[johnjeb]

My understanding is that EIE was a last minute decision because the Surrender album was not going to be ready for release to coincide with Motown's big Fall promotion that included close to three dozen albums released between August and October 1970. Of course, this followed on the heels of the many releases from the first half of 1970.

I like EIE very much but I can see that by not having a hit single it got lost among the glut of Motown releases at this time.

Maybe knowing Remember Me was scheduled as the next single precluded any serious consideration for any single release from EIE unless a DJ or public sentiment, such as the case in the UK, encouraged such consideration.

I think Remember Me should have been delayed until early March closer to the broadcast of her mid-April TV Special. In the meantime something from EIE could have filled the void between ANMHE and RM.