I Thought We Were Still in Love

[jobeterob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atBRPEB0jKQ

[rovereab]

IMO - outstanding song, vocal performance and backing track.

Absolute CLASS!

[thomas96]

It's meh. Don't like much of Motown's later stuff, no matter who it is.

[jobeterob]

Earlier, later, Supremes, no Supremes, Aretha, Whitney, Beyoncé, the Beatles, Sinatra ~ this stands with the best of them.

[supremester]

Occasionally I go see Diana Ross live in concert. In 1995, when this song came out, it was in her show after Voice Of The Heart - both of which she sang sitting on the steps. She always took a minute or two to get into the mood for it and blew the audience away every time - she'd finish the song, then silence, then a thunderous standing ovation - the biggest of the night. In less than a year, it was out of the show. When I'd be up close, I'd yell it out. She knew who the big mouth was and sometimes asked if there was something else I'd like to hear because she really didn't like to go where she needed to to sing that song but sometimes she did it. Once it took like 4 minutes for her to go from her happy place to the dark spot she needed. I couldn't understand why, when you have a song that murders every night, would you take it out? Miss Ross feels her music, she plugs into the songs. I watch her do it. I wish she'd pull this out sometime, but, prolly not something to bet on.

[reese]

I saw her sing this twice during the summer of 1995, right before it was released on the TAKE ME HIGHER album. As Supremestar mentioned, it was a great moment and the audience responded in kind. But when she came back in 1996, I don't remember it being in the show, although the other HIGHER songs remained.

[smark21]

I've only seen Diana Ross live 3 times, no where as much as many of you here. I enjoyed the shows...all entertaining. But the one minor drawback that made them fall short as great shows was the lack of sustained emotional and musical intensity. With the exception of a ballad or two [[especially Don't Explain) she seems content to give the audience fluff, glamour and escapism, rather than some deeply felt, emotional music. I just hate how the sublime Don't Explain abruptly shifts to Why Do Fools Fall in Love. I wish she would devote more time to doing a few more emotionally intense songs, such as I Thought We Were Still in Love and some Billie Holliday/Lady Sings songs, or others from her catalog, before returning to party mode. A great artist, to me, is one who puts it all on the floor, so to speak, night after night. Diana Ross generally doesn't do that [[from what I've seen and read) but we know she has the ability. Maybe that's why she's regarded more as an excellent entertainer and show woman, rather that a great artist?

Thoughts?

[skooldem1]

For most of her career, Diana performed many" emotionally intense" songs in concert. It has only been in the last decade or so that she has shortened her concert and it has become more of a "party". Regarding "Why do fools" I could have sworn that I saw a youtube video from her recent dates where she placed "fools" after the "Love hangover/Take me higher/Ease on down" medley. When she re-appeared after the costume change she continued on with "Why do fools". I don't remember which city it was, so I can't find the clip now. The placing of this song was much better in that spot.

Edit: to add that it is possible that this was just the way the person edited the video.

[Lulu]

I've only seen Diana Ross live 3 times, no where as much as many of you here. I enjoyed the shows...all entertaining. But the one minor drawback that made them fall short as great shows was the lack of sustained emotional and musical intensity. With the exception of a ballad or two [[especially Don't Explain) she seems content to give the audience fluff, glamour and escapism, rather than some deeply felt, emotional music. I just hate how the sublime Don't Explain abruptly shifts to Why Do Fools Fall in Love. I wish she would devote more time to doing a few more emotionally intense songs, such as I Thought We Were Still in Love and some Billie Holliday/Lady Sings songs, or others from her catalog, before returning to party mode. A great artist, to me, is one who puts it all on the floor, so to speak, night after night. Diana Ross generally doesn't do that [[from what I've seen and read) but we know she has the ability. Maybe that's why she's regarded more as an excellent entertainer and show woman, rather that a great artist?

Thoughts?

I'm with you. I think her voice is better suited to jazz and ballads these days. I LOATHE WDFFIL. It was 'cute' back in '81 but I wish she'd squash it and throw more of what you mentioned in!

[nabob]

In 1995, when this song came out, it was in her show after Voice Of The Heart - both of which she sang sitting on the steps. She always took a minute or two to get into the mood for it and blew the audience away every time - she'd finish the song, then silence, then a thunderous standing ovation - the biggest of the night. In less than a year, it was out of the show. This ballad could be extremely personal for her. Although the divorce with Arne Naess didn't happen for another four years, the relationship may have already begun to unravel after nine years. The press at the time went overboard about how devastated she was about the dissolution of the marriage. Nevertheless, this ranks up there as one of my all-time favorite Ross tunes. While the song was not commercial by any stretch of the imagination, I would have loved to have seen its performance on the charts.

[jobeterob]

I have only seen Diana Ross three times as well and WDFFIL is far from my favorite song. I can't see how she can take it out of the show though. It is one of the songs that gets a major reaction and huge applause.

I'd like to see Voice of the Heart go back in.

[supremester]

OCCASIONALLY, very rarely, she'll eschew Don't Explain and Look Of Love then add WDFFIL after the medley. Usually it happens at party style venues where perhaps she's expecting the audience not to want to hear slow songs. I was in an audience like that once - in Palm Springs, I think. The crowd was just going crazy and when she started lady songs, they just never calmed down. 99% of the time, though, she does Don't Explain. I wish there was two Lady songs again, at least, but really, the show is absolutely perfect for the crowds she draws.
For most of her career, Diana performed many" emotionally intense" songs in concert. It has only been in the last decade or so that she has shortened her concert and it has become more of a "party". Regarding "Why do fools" I could have sworn that I saw a youtube video from her recent dates where she placed "fools" after the "Love hangover/Take me higher/Ease on down" medley. When she re-appeared after the costume change she continued on with "Why do fools". I don't remember which city it was, so I can't find the clip now. The placing of this song was much better in that spot.

Edit: to add that it is possible that this was just the way the person edited the video.

[reese]

OCCASIONALLY, very rarely, she'll eschew Don't Explain and Look Of Love then add WDFFIL after the medley. Usually it happens at party style venues where perhaps she's expecting the audience not to want to hear slow songs. I was in an audience like that once - in Palm Springs, I think. The crowd was just going crazy and when she started lady songs, they just never calmed down. 99% of the time, though, she does Don't Explain. I wish there was two Lady songs again, at least, but really, the show is absolutely perfect for the crowds she draws.

I wish she would put MY MAN back in. I haven't heard her do that one in person since the WORKIN' OVERTIME tour in 1989. During the MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY tour, she started to sing a bit of it during the MGM Grand date, but stopped after a couple of lines.

IMO, starting with THE BOSS era, she wasn't able to add other material to the show. Before that, she would sing songs from different sources like PIPPIN' or even SESAME STREET. But after the hits starting piling up, she basicially stuck to her own material. Every now and then, she might add something like RIBBON IN THE SKY to the show, but that was rare. And now, with the reduced length of her shows, there's even less of a chance for that to happen.

[supremester]

There are non-Ross songs I always wanted to hear her sing that I have accepted will probably never happen now. Many still hope that, within the format of her current show, she will add some variety of her many hits. People ask me all the time if the show has changed. Like every day practically. I see that she probably realizes this show knocks em dead and gives the first timer a bit of everything they want. I don't think she realizes how many in the audience are returnees. She sees lots of familiar faces down front, but there are lots more repeat offenders who don't sell a kidney to be up front that go to one or two shows instead of ten because it hasn't changed. People here seem to want WDFFIL out, but mostly I hear My World Is Empty and More Today as targeted cuts. I think she really wants to not disappoint anyone and does a slew of her biggest hits. Aretha does like a 20 minute gospel segment that for most, is wayyyyyyyyyyyy too long. I've seen her a few times, but I'd give that whole thing up for Rock Steady & don't Play That Song.

Ross did My Man at Pantages and it was a career defining moment. Wow. wow. Wow. What a shame that show wasn't filmed.

[reese]

There are non-Ross songs I always wanted to hear her sing that I have accepted will probably never happen now. Many still hope that, within the format of her current show, she will add some variety of her many hits. People ask me all the time if the show has changed. Like every day practically. I see that she probably realizes this show knocks em dead and gives the first timer a bit of everything they want. I don't think she realizes how many in the audience are returnees. She sees lots of familiar faces down front, but there are lots more repeat offenders who don't sell a kidney to be up front that go to one or two shows instead of ten because it hasn't changed. People here seem to want WDFFIL out, but mostly I hear My World Is Empty and More Today as targeted cuts. I think she really wants to not disappoint anyone and does a slew of her biggest hits. Aretha does like a 20 minute gospel segment that for most, is wayyyyyyyyyyyy too long. I've seen her a few times, but I'd give that whole thing up for Rock Steady & don't Play That Song.

Ross did My Man at Pantages and it was a career defining moment. Wow. wow. Wow. What a shame that show wasn't filmed.

Aretha differs from Diana in that her show changes regularly. There have been times when I might have seen Aretha three or four times in the same year, and the show would be totally different each time.

On the other hand, Diana is much more consistent. I know I'm going to leave her shows satisfied. Every so often, I will go see Aretha and she will sing a few of her hits and the rest of the show will be Disney themes and standards. But when she's totally on, her concerts are one of the best places to be.

BTW: I must admit that I look forward to the long gospel segment. In recent shows, it seems as if that is the point where she is really feeling what she is singing. But sometimes it can be misplaced. I've seen her get the spirit while singing PRECIOUS MEMORIES and then she follows it up with NATURAL WOMAN. A bit jarring.

[Motown Queen]

I think this song is gorgeous!