Let Me Go the Right Way

[luke]

This was the song that got me hooked on the Supremes. I heard my brother playing it on his hi-fi and I was hooked. Yet no one mentions it much. I was wondering if people here dug it? Especially like Flo's whooping it up at the end.

[marv2]

It is one of my early favorites by them and it was a favorite mainly because of Flo's part. She tore it up!

[carlo]

I've also always loved "Let Me Go the Right Way".

[randy_russi]

I liked it and the B side as well, Time Changes Things. This is when it was ONLY the Supremes on the recording.
Somewhere there is a "live" TV performance of this song. It seems it was posted here several years ago.

[luke]

I had never heard of the Supremes before this and was knocked out by the record. I think it was a bigger hit in Philly area. Anyone know how it did in Detroit etc?

[woodward]

I loved this song very very much. I recall when I was introduced to it by a record store I used to frequent. This really got me hooked on Motown and helped me to become a real big time enthusiast as I now am. I can still remember when it was popular. It is probably my most liked Supremes recording, my favorite being Stay In My Lonely Arms which in my opinion could have been a #1 seller but it remained in the vaults past their success. Does anyone else like Stay In My Lonely Arms? It is a H-D-H recording.

[motony]

"Let Me Go The Right Way" is the first record I bought by the Supremes & only because it was on Motown, Mary Wells label. Not long after found I want A Guy" & "Buttered Popcorn" in the .39 bin but LMGTRW is to this day one of my fave Supremes recordings...it was their current record when the Motortown Revue came to Fla. in Nov. 1962...although never heard it on the radio during its brief chart life.

[ajk93]

I had never heard of the Supremes before this and was knocked out by the record. I think it was a bigger hit in Philly area. Anyone know how it did in Detroit etc?

Well,in Chicago it made it to #23 on WLS - the major Pop/Rock and Roll station. I believe I remember seeing it listed as a "Breakout" Hit in Billboard for the Pittsburgh area a few weeks before it charted nationally - but I might be remembering it wrong. In terms of Detroit, I searched through many different surveys, beyond WKNR and CKLW, and couldn't find any survey that covered the time when the song was gaining popularity. The majority of stations didn't being printing surveys till after WKNR's success with it beginning in '63. I'll keep looking though.

Nationally, it had incredibly odd-chart runs on both Billboard and Cashbox. It was, up then down, would seem ready to fall off the chart, then fly up another 10 positions. Billboard ultimately lists it as topping off at #90, while Cashbox's Pop chart has it at #82. On the Cashbox chart it spent an astonishing 13 week run, longer than many big hits did in the '60's.

[luke]

Very interesting ajk and nthx. One book says Berry really spent big on promotion to make it a hit.

[BigAl]

LMGTRW always sounded to me as though it had been inspired by a Four Seasons' song [[in the vein of "Sherry" and "Walk Like A Man"). It has the same tempo and similar production. This was at a time when Motown was still developing its sound and at the same time so many different styles were being tried out with the Supremes in hopes that the right combination would be stumbled upon. While this particular style didn't work all that well for them, the exuberance of the song made up for its assorted shortcomings.

[luke]

Yes I can hear the 4 Seasons style of music. I wonder if Diana's key had been lower ...

[mowest]

The song seems to have had its greatest success in Los Angeles where it peaked at #11 on KRLA. It spent at least 7 weeks on that chart.

[luke]

Wow-pretty good. Seems like it was on verge of breaking ala Chicago, Philly, LA...

[nosey]

That was a great cha-cha record in Philly.

[randy_russi]

The B side was great too! Stevie Wonder loved "Time Changes Things" and said he played it continuously.

[Penny]

I never had heard this song until the the lp Diana Ross and the Supremes Anthology 3 record set came out in the 70s I think it was. I loved it and still play it to this day. It is a fun song.

Penny

[brother_love]

I remember it being played a lot at the skating rink back in the day.

[luke]

Was Barbara Martin on it?

[randy_russi]

No, only the trio. They heavily promoted this record on the Motortown Revue of 1962.

[kje71]

This song sounds a lot like the Temptations' "Paradise", also recorded the same day

[motony]

it was that Popeye[[the dance)beat, popular at the time.

[honest man]

Woodward really like DRATS Stay in my lonely arms But in my opinion the Elgins win over the DRATS version,also the 4 tops version a close second,i don't think it was 45 Material by DRATS ,cheers.

[brother_love]

Good point Kje71, I think that "Paradise" has got the same flavor as well. Two other songs that remind me of the same sound are "Cry" by the Monitors as does Little Stevie Wonder's "Contract On Love."

[skooldem1]

I love this song. The ladies did a real good job on this one. Diana's lead vocals are perfect.

[stephanie]

Didnt care for this song too much when I first heard it now I like it. Makes the group sound come alive and the backgrounds are awesome!

[arrr&bee]

Very cool song and very rare.

[Roger Polhill]

There is a live recording on the "Recorded Live Vol. 1 At The Apollo" in June 1963.

[bradsupremes]

I may be in the minority, but I don't like the Elgins & Four Tops' versions of "Stay In My Lonely Arms" one bit. They fall flat for me. The Supremes' version on the other hand is different. I think their version is the best one. It flows much smoother than the other two.

[Roger Polhill]

Brad you have your ears on back to front.

[bradsupremes]

That just may be so since I also prefer the Supremes' version of "Heaven Must Have Sent You" over the Elgins' original. Maybe my ears don't like the Elgins' productions...

[reese]

I may be in the minority, but I don't like the Elgins & Four Tops' versions of "Stay In My Lonely Arms" one bit. They fall flat for me. The Supremes' version on the other hand is different. I think their version is the best one. It flows much smoother than the other two.

I like the Supremes' version the best as well. Although I prefer the edited version on the REFLECTIONS cd. The version that came out on the MOTOWN'S BRIGHTEST STARS compilation ran a bit too long before the modulation.

[bradsupremes]

I like the Supremes' version the best as well. Although I prefer the edited version on the REFLECTIONS cd. The version that came out on the MOTOWN'S BRIGHTEST STARS compilation ran a bit too long before the modulation.

Edited version? Were there two different lengths released? The one I have is from the Reflections CD reissue in the early 90's where the song fades as Mary and Cindy sing. That runs about 3:18. Was the song much longer on the Motown's Brightest Stars compilation?

[Roger Polhill]

Brad it is 3:27 on the "Brightest Stars" album. I don`t have a record player so I can`t compare the tracks.

[johnjeb]

I prefer The Elgins versions of "Stay" and "Heaven" not only because I heard them first, but because they are better!!!

Many of the Motown covers by The Supremes are just OK, they are too damn fast and have no substance - and The 60s Supremes are my favorite. However, as I mentioned in another thread, I do love the A' Go-Go covers very much, along with a scattered few released in the CD era.

[reese]

Edited version? Were there two different lengths released? The one I have is from the Reflections CD reissue in the early 90's where the song fades as Mary and Cindy sing. That runs about 3:18. Was the song much longer on the Motown's Brightest Stars compilation?

Going by memory, the version of MOTOWN'S BRIGHTEST STARS has at least one extra verse before the modulation. It also fades earlier than the version on the REFLECTIONS cd. It fades right as Diana begins singing "You are so thrilling. My arms are willing..."

Just to be clear: Diana's vocal is the same on both versions.

[thommg]

Has the version from Brightest Stars ever appeared on CD?

[reese]

To my knowledge, only on the bootleg Marginal cd on the Supremes.

[johnny_raven]

Thom:

Yes, it was released on the Tower CD Sampler "Rare Gems From The Motown Vaults" back in 2000.

[thommg]

Thom:

Yes, it was released on the Tower CD Sampler "Rare Gems From The Motown Vaults" back in 2000.

Thanks johnny. I think I have that and haven't listened to any of the tracks since 2000!

[ejluther]

Yes, it was released on the Tower CD Sampler "Rare Gems From The Motown Vaults" back in 2000.

Any one know how to get their hands on this rare track these days? Has it shown up on any other compilations?

[George Solomon]

It will definitely be on the "Reflections Expanded Edition". Let's see...I think we should be getting that in December of 2043. But don't hold me to that...it might get pushed back!

[Roger Polhill]

To my knowledge, only on the bootleg Marginal cd on the Supremes.

Reese this track is a live version.

[reese]

Reese this track is a live version.

I was referring to STAY IN MY LONELY ARMS, not LET ME GO THE RIGHT WAY.

[Roger Polhill]

Sorry `bout that reese.

[nomis]

Thanks for a great evening Roger

[reese]

Sorry `bout that reese.

No sweat. There was a mini-digression there from LET ME GO THE RIGHT WAY to STAY IN MY LONELY ARMS. :-)

[Roger Polhill]

Same for me nomis. I`ll be in touch soon.