Originally Posted by
bradsupremes
I've said this before, but the Jimmy Webb album should have been so much more. Webb is my favorite songwriter and he has done some phenomenal albums. Thelma Houston's Sunshower, Richard Harris' A Tramp Shining and The Yard Went On Forever, the Fifth Dimension's Magic Garden and Earthbound albums are among some of the best albums I've ever heard. The songwriting, the production, the arrangements, etc are all incredible on those albums. I honestly don't know what happened with the Supremes album. It's, in my opinion, their worst album. The song selections were poor with the exception of "When Can Brown Begin" and "I Keep It Hid." The rock-geared arrangements didn't fit the group's sound at all and it's not something they would have succeeded in. Keys were too high for Jean where in some spots it made her sound shrill and the additions of the Blossoms made them lose their sound. I think a Supremes/Jimmy Webb album could have worked had it been done in the late 60's and arranged in a similar style to the Thelma Houston/Fifth Dimension albums.
I'm not sure what direction the Supremes needed to go in 1972 for them to be consistently on the top of the charts. Certainly the loss of Frank Wilson had a deep impact on the group's demise. Changing times had a lot to do with it. I don't think the wigs and gowns were considered out-of-date. What they needed was a refreshed look. The 60's gowns needed to be retired. A more earthier look or possibly a more sexier style would have been better. A lack of push from Motown certainly hurt them. Yes, Motown put out ads in Billboard, but it's what goes on behind-the-scenes that matters. The ladies got a boost with addition of Scherrie, the return of Cindy and the Holland Brothers, and then Susaye. With Pedro as manager, I think prevented Motown from fully giving the ladies the boost to soar on the charts again. "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" should have gone to number one. It is a number one record. It boggles my mind why it didn't go higher. Motown ultimately prevented it from going higher when it told DJs to stop playing it and to play Diana's "Love Hangover" or "One Love In My Lifetime" instead [[can't remember which single it was).
In the end, all groups will eventually lose their charting power. Doesn't mean the quality of the material is lacking or the talent wasn't there. The Supremes never lost any of those. Ultimately, times and tastes change. It doesn't diminish their impact. They were the American biggest vocal group of the 60's and most successful girl group of both the 60's and 70's. That's quite an accomplishment.
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