Diana Ross: "Work That Body"

[longtimefan]

Although not a "classic" track, I always thought that Diana's Work That Body was a clever recording, capitalizing on many workout videos in the 80s. Are there any other Diana tracks that also have a workout theme or rhythm?:cool:

[jobeterob]

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

The video.

[jobeterob]

Wow; she's does a reverse crunch in there and keeps it slow and come back to 90 degrees only. Not bad. That's hard to do; she had a heck of a body in those days.

[smark21]

Aerobic work out songs were such a waste of Diana's talents, but as she was the executive producer of the album, she has no one to blame but herself for singing such cheesy material.

[nomis]

Olivia Newton John and Jane Fonda scored big with this fad,Diana was tapping into the trend..and got another top 10 Uk Hit for her efforts..

[soulster]

Actually, I always thought "Work That Body" was embarrassing.

[jobeterob]

I always thought Work That Body wasn't bad; or Sleepin.

But I draw the line at Girls, Turn Me Over, and Ain't No Sad Song.

[reese]

WORK THAT BODY used to be pretty good as an audience participation number.

[RossHolloway]

I've always loved WTB. In fact I think the whole Why Do Fools Fall In Love album is underrated. Her solo version of Endless Love is just beautiful, and Mirror, Mirror is a jam

[Glenpwood]

I bet the cost for hair makeup and waxing alone exceeded what the director got paid...;)

[jobeterob]

I was at a Diana Ross concert in Vancouver a couple years ago where someone gave her a Why Do Fools Fall In Love album cover to sign.............which she did and she said she would love to look like that again.

[arrr&bee]

Diana looked kinda hot in that bathing suit,kinda sexy to me...ohhhh diana!!!

[tomato tom]

I am a great fan of Ms Ross, but this is just AWFUL...Paulo XXXX

[copley]

'Work That Body' is a terrible song and deserves to be lost forever! How on earth it made it to #7 in the UK when the wonderful 'Mirror Mirror' stalled at #36 heaven knows!

[jobeterob]

I have to agree; those chart positions are backwards; it should have been the other way around.

[marv2]

This one sucked really bad. Not a good record.

[jillfoster]

I agree... this is a terrible song. I thought the album otherwise was pretty good. If I were president of RCA, I would have NEVER allowed this out as a single. It was a cheap cash in on Olivia's song "Physical" which was the beginning of that whole trend. And as big of a hit as it was, I also felt "Physical" was beneath Olivia's talents. Her voice is too beautiful for lightweight pop like that. What should have been released in place of "Work that Body"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXJ-gN3ZL7g

[jobeterob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj92xirw_rI

Dave.........I think it should have been this one.

[soulster]

I agree... this is a terrible song. I thought the album otherwise was pretty good. If I were president of RCA, I would have NEVER allowed this out as a single

Well, Jill, RCA had to release it, as it only distributed it. Technically, it was on Ross' own label, Ross Records. It's the same reason they were forced to issue that awful Diana box set from the early 90s.

As for "Work That Body", it works great as an album track, the last album track. It's just an awful single. But, in it's support, they must have gotten enough positive feedback for the song to issue it as a single.

The problem with Diana is that when she produces herself, she becomes over-indulgent. That's why most of her better albums have other producers. The "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" album was probably the one exception. It's great!

[copley]

US folks please note that in the UK it was Capitol who released her post Motown material. I think that Capitol rushed out 'Work That Body' when 'Mirror Mirror' flopped and just got lucky!

[soulster]

US folks please note that in the UK it was Capitol who released her post Motown material. I think that Capitol rushed out 'Work That Body' when 'Mirror Mirror' flopped and just got lucky!

"Mirror Mirror" flopped in the U.K.? It was a top 10 single here. Well, i'm not really surprised, as I think "Mirror Mirror" had a very American sound.

EMI only issued RCA material worldwide. EMI, a British company, owned Captiol Records.

[Koach]

I think that It's Never Too Late and Two Can Make It were more hit worthy than Work That Body.

[reese]

I think THINK I'M IN LOVE might have been a nice release after MIRROR, MIRROR.

[jobeterob]

What do you think about Sweet Nothings? Single possibility or no?

[reese]

What do you think about Sweet Nothings? Single possibility or no?

I think it was a nice album track, and a b-side. But it doesn't scream "Hit!" to me.

[soulster]

Sweet Surrender was a good option. A lot of people liked the slow-jam vibe.

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

I always thought Work That Body wasn't bad; or Sleepin.

But I draw the line at Girls, Turn Me Over, and Ain't No Sad Song.
LOL! I actually love "Girls"!

To each they own, as the bible say...

[Glenpwood]

You know, I was just thinking most Ross fans tend to think of this song as Diana jumping on the coattails of Physical and writing a knockoff of that since it was released several months after that topped the charts but actually the Why Do Fools Album came out exactly one week after Physical did. Casual listeners of ONJ also forget the song is about having sex not working out. The video was shot to throw everyone off the scent to get it on the radio and ended up capturing the exercise craze at it's peak. It also finished the rebranding process Olivia was going through post Grease from sweet country folk ballads to uptempo pop and rock. By Diana waiting till third single to put it out made it seem like she was chasing a trend not setting it.

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

You know, I was just thinking most Ross fans tend to think of this song as Diana jumping on the coattails of Physical and writing a knockoff of that since it was released several months after that topped the charts but actually the Why Do Fools Album came out exactly one week after Physical did. Casual listeners of ONJ also forget the song is about having sex not working out. The video was shot to throw everyone off the scent to get it on the radio and ended up capturing the exercise craze at it's peak. It also finished the rebranding process Olivia was going through post Grease from sweet country folk ballads to uptempo pop and rock. By Diana waiting till third single to put it out made it seem like she was chasing a trend not setting it.

OMG, I was just about to point out what you just did! Bravo! Diana was not chasing Olivia :)

[carlo]

I can't think of a Diana Ross song I don't like. Actually, there's one..."You're Gonna Love It". But I love the remix on Diana Extended!

[RossHolloway]

It's hard to believe that it's been 30 years since the album Why Do Fools Fall In Love was released! 30 YEARS!! I would love to see an expanded edition done for this album. I seem to recall that Diana recorded a lot of songs for this album.

[smark21]

OMG, I was just about to point out what you just did! Bravo! Diana was not chasing Olivia :)

Yeah, she was just chasing stupidity and vapidity with Work That Body.

[ejluther]

It's not my favorite, either, but pop songs by definition are absurdly simple [[for the most part) and "Work That Body" is no exception. Why some of them take off and somehow attain a higher status than others seems to be a real mystery - if it was a science/formula, every pop song would be a classic.

[Buttered Popcorn and so forth]

The first time I heard the song, it was during an aerobics workout scene in a movie I used to always watch from the 80's. I always thought it was just a short cheesey song made up for the movie, and was surprised to find out it was an actual full-length song after I heard RuPaul's version.

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

It's hard to believe that it's been 30 years since the album Why Do Fools Fall In Love was released! 30 YEARS!! I would love to see an expanded edition done for this album. I seem to recall that Diana recorded a lot of songs for this album.

I've always wondered if Diana cut her own version of "Ladies Hot Line", the song she wrote with Paul Jabara that he cut with The Weather Girls. That was a fun song!

"What's the matter, Mrs. Jones?" :)

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

Yeah, she was just chasing stupidity and vapidity with Work That Body.

...Kind of like Mary Wilson with "Red Hot"? :cool:

[jillfoster]

You know, I was just thinking most Ross fans tend to think of this song as Diana jumping on the coattails of Physical and writing a knockoff of that since it was released several months after that topped the charts but actually the Why Do Fools Album came out exactly one week after Physical did. Casual listeners of ONJ also forget the song is about having sex not working out. The video was shot to throw everyone off the scent to get it on the radio and ended up capturing the exercise craze at it's peak. It also finished the rebranding process Olivia was going through post Grease from sweet country folk ballads to uptempo pop and rock. By Diana waiting till third single to put it out made it seem like she was chasing a trend not setting it.


I think you misunderstand what I was saying. I don't feel Diana RECORDING "Work that Body" was an attempt to copy Olivia... it was the RELEASE of the single that was the copycat. Diana saw Olivia had such a big hit with "Physical", so she thought... "I got a song like that!!" So she then released hers. And Rob... "Sweet Nothins" would have been a HUGE mistake as a single, considering she already had a Frankie Lymon song as a single, to follow it up with a Brenda Lee song would have been disaster. Like I said, either "Two Can Make It" or your suggestion of "It's Never Too Late" were perfect choices, and really GREAT songs.

[johnbell]

I can't think of a Diana Ross song I don't like. Actually, there's one..."You're Gonna Love It". But I love the remix on Diana Extended!


Since I'm new here, I guess that choice of you deserve a new thread...the worst song from Diana Ross, for myself it is... Fool For Your Love, on Silk Electric

[jillfoster]

...Kind of like Mary Wilson with "Red Hot"? :cool:

That was Motown chasing stupidity. Keep in Mind, "You Dance My Heart Around The Stars" was the type of music Mary wanted for her second album, and Motown told her they could ONLY release disco records. So you see where their mind was at.

[jobeterob]

What about It's Never Too Late for a single release? Even after Work that Body or instead of Work that Body.

[JohnnyB]

It's Never Too Late was released, in the UK, as the followup to Work That Body. It reached #41 on the charts. I wondered how the song would have done in the US if it were released instead of Work That Body, as the followup to Mirror, Mirror. Diana even performed the song during her appearance on Soul Train in the spring of 1982.

[jobeterob]

Work that Body might have caught the fad; but in terms of standing the test of time, It's Never Too Late and Mirror Mirror and Why do Fools Fall in Love stand up better.

I don't play WDFFIL ever............but I know it is one of the songs that gets "the" reaction in concert...........like Stop in the Name of Love and Mountain etc.

[smark21]

Work that Body might have caught the fad; but in terms of standing the test of time, It's Never Too Late and Mirror Mirror and Why do Fools Fall in Love stand up better.

I don't play WDFFIL ever............but I know it is one of the songs that gets "the" reaction in concert...........like Stop in the Name of Love and Mountain etc.

I don't think Mirror Mirror or Why Do Fools hold up very well either as the production on both songs sound very dated. Though from a songwriting standpoint, both songs are certainly superior to Work That Body.

[smark21]

...Kind of like Mary Wilson with "Red Hot"? :cool:

Or The 70's Supremes with Early Morning Love.

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

Since I'm new here, I guess that choice of you deserve a new thread...the worst song from Diana Ross, for myself it is... Fool For Your Love, on Silk Electric
LOL! See, I LOVE "Fool For Your Love"! I just think it was mixed terribly. It doesn't even sound like Diana was mic'd - it was like she stood 17 back from the microphone like Florence. :D

I'm dying to hear the 12" remix that lies in the vaults!

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

I don't think Mirror Mirror or Why Do Fools hold up very well either as the production on both songs sound very dated. Though from a songwriting standpoint, both songs are certainly superior to Work That Body.

I disagree. I think both of those still stand up. WDFFIL is one her most instantly-recognizable hits, and Mirror Mirror, while somewhat un-remembered by the general public, still cooks! The production on that one was superb.

[florence]

US folks please note that in the UK it was Capitol who released her post Motown material. I think that Capitol rushed out 'Work That Body' when 'Mirror Mirror' flopped and just got lucky!

Wouldn't think so - there was just on 4 months between the release of Mirror and Body. Mirror having underperformed was long out of the chart so Body was a considered decison - perhaps they just decided to follow the US schedule.

However, Work That Body has that melodic, sing-a-long element which goes over well on UK Radio and once Radio 1 picked it up it was almost a guaranteed success.

Mirror was perhaps a shade too sophisticated for UK tastes.

[honest man]

tell me mirror mirror on the wall ,to sophisticated for brits, please behave yourself,what utter Verbal ----, I have seen posted on this forum.

[thommg]

LOL! See, I LOVE "Fool For Your Love"! I just think it was mixed terribly.

See, I think it is the entire Silk Electric album that is mixed terribly not just this one song. I wish someone would do a remix on it and I think opinions of those tracks would be much better. Even So Close sounds horrible in that album mix.

When Why Do Fools Fall In Love came out, I was working in Maryland and all my fellow workers loved that song and thought it was a great updated version. We played it to death. The WDFFIL album sounded fantastic when Diana released it. I think it still holds up but I was never a fan of Work That Body. I actually enjoy it more now because I realize it's just fun.

[uptight]

I did some simple EQ'ing of a few of her RCA CDs at home, and now the tracks sound much easier to listen to [[less screechy). It's one of the things I hope they do if Ross gets to release remastered versions of her albums. The odd tone in the original CD masters was what made them sound dated. Even WTB sounds good to me now. I just hope no one catches me listening to it in the car... LOL

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

See, I think it is the entire Silk Electric album that is mixed terribly not just this one song. I wish someone would do a remix on it and I think opinions of those tracks would be much better. Even So Close sounds horrible in that album mix.

When Why Do Fools Fall In Love came out, I was working in Maryland and all my fellow workers loved that song and thought it was a great updated version. We played it to death. The WDFFIL album sounded fantastic when Diana released it. I think it still holds up but I was never a fan of Work That Body. I actually enjoy it more now because I realize it's just fun.

Actually, I agree with you - that whole album needed a remix. I've often wished that Richard Perry had remixed the whole thing, not just "So Close". And yes, his single mix of that song runs circles around the album mix, especially because of the better utilization of Luther & Cissy's [[etc.) wonderful backing vocals.

[Constantin]

On the inner sleeve of the album "Why do fools fall in love" there is an intriguing line, at least for me : "For information on fan club and Diana's disc aerobics write to Rainbow colors of my life PO box 888, Westbury NY 11590". "Diana's disc aerobics"? What is it?

[reese]

On the inner sleeve of the album "Why do fools fall in love" there is an intriguing line, at least for me : "For information on fan club and Diana's disc aerobics write to Rainbow colors of my life PO box 888, Westbury NY 11590". "Diana's disc aerobics"? What is it?

She was getting into merchandising around that time, with the panty hose, Simplicity fashions, and so forth. Maybe she was going to come out with her own workout disc ala Jane Fonda or Jayne Kennedy.

I remember writing to that address, but never received a response. The next summer, I went to see her in concert and bought a poster. On it was a totally different fan club address. I wrote to that one, and received a packet of merchandise for sale. But I don't remember anything related to aerobics.

[Glenpwood]

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

Anyone done this guys routine in the McDonalds Drive Thru yet?

[Constantin]

She was getting into merchandising around that time, with the panty hose, Simplicity fashions, and so forth. Maybe she was going to come out with her own workout disc ala Jane Fonda or Jayne Kennedy.

I remember writing to that address, but never received a response. The next summer, I went to see her in concert and bought a poster. On it was a totally different fan club address. I wrote to that one, and received a packet of merchandise for sale. But I don't remember anything related to aerobics.

Thanks for the answer.

I happen to like "Work that body" [[now, but even then in 1981), especially the central segment [[2:10 on the 12") with all the "shake down, work that body, step, step, turn around, you can do it" :-)

[ejluther]

So I put WDFFIL on to refresh my memory and thought "Work That Body" was still a lot of fun - it's much funkier and grittier than "Physical" could ever hope to be. Someone else mentioned the "Diana Disc Aerobics" - did that ever exist anywhere? I imagine if there was a Diana Ross workout video to be seen we'd all know about it...

Also, I relistened to "Mirror, Mirror" and thought it sounded like Diana's attempt to do a rock song like "Beat It" and then realized that, as with "Physical", "Mirror, Mirror" actually came out before MJ's "Beat It". Speaking of rock songs, how about "Fool For Your Love" off SILK ELECTRIC? It's a fun song to play people and then tell them who's singing it. In fact, side 1 of SILK ELECTRIC should be what you see when you look up "eclectic" in the dictionary - what a mix of musical styles...