The Supremes "My Heart Can't Take it No More"

[marybrewster]

Interesting that this was released between "Let Me Go the Right Way" from MEET THE SUPREMES and "A Breath Taking Guy" from WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO.

Why do you suppose this single didn't make an album appearance until over 2 years later, on CW&P? Why wasn't this included on WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO?

And interestingly, why do you think "MHCTINM" had a B-side from MEET THE SUPREMES and "WDOLG" had a B-side from CW&P?

It seems a bit all-over-the-place.

[theboyfromxtown]

Marybrewster

Are you sure about those b -sides?

What I found odd, was "Time Changes Things" was used twice as a b-side. Great track but not sure it needed to used twice.

[marybrewster]

Thank you theboy.

What I meant was:

Instead of "WDOLG" I meant "A Breathtaking Guy".

My Heart Can't Take it No More [[CW&P) was b/w You Bring Back Memories [[Meet)
A Breathtaking Guy [[WDOLG) was b/w Rock and Roll Banjo Band [[CW&P)

[BigAl]

After Meet The Supremes was wrapped and didn't chart, nor did its singles, the group was handed over to Clarence Paul, who produced the tunes which later appeared on Country Western & Pop. It's been mentioned that Motown was trying everything it could to get them a hit, trying various styles, writers and producers, and possibly Paul might have thought that a few country-flavored tunes might give the group some kind of unique sound and a shtick. Ray Charles had recently had hits with reworked country tunes and perhaps this seemed like a possibility for The Supremes who were struggling for a hit. "My Heart Can't Take It No More" was the only track from those sessions to make an A-side. The only "country" that I've ever been able to discern in that number, however, is the use of pedal steel, while otherwise it seems more doo-wop to my ears. Why they placed "You Bring Back Memories" from the previous album is anyone's guess. Perhaps "My Heart Can't Take It No More" was the only track from those Paul sessions which might have been ready at the time. By the time "A Breathtaking Guy" was released, the Paul tracks were completed, so maybe they just placed "...Banjo Band" on the B-side as a novelty. This, of course, is all supposition on my part.

[nabob]

Why do you suppose this single didn't make an album appearance until over 2 years later, on CW&P? Why wasn't this included on WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO?The sound of MHCTINM just didn't fit into the new image molded for the Supremes with Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love & Come See About Me. My Heart Can't Take It No More lacked the polish found in these songs and everything that followed. The song was RAW and projected the sound of developing artists. While a second recording and a new arrangement might have made the song more palatable, that song could never have matched the quality of material recorded in 1964 and 1965.

Country Western & Pop was an attempt to showcase the versatility of the group, which it did very well. Even with some of the beautiful songs on that album [[Makes No Difference Now, Sunset, Baby Doll), there wasn't anything commercially viable that emerged from that release.

[soulballad]

I always liked their live version of My Heart Can't Take it No More on the Apollo show more than the studio version. It was early and very raw but even then the ladies presented themselves with class.