Diana Ross - Sweet Soul Music

[jobeterob]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwOHedVaNpM

[marv2]

This is the absolute worst version I have ever heard of this song. Arthur Conley would turn over in his grave hearing this.

[edafan]

marv2

I agree

edafan

[mysterysinger]

Unreleased? There's a very good reason for that.

[alanbill1074]

Not a song I'm particularly fussed about but I think it's the best version I've come across. I suspect it was mixed for the TV show rather than the album itself.

[jobeterob]

It's a great song and a good version.

[marv2]

Unreleased? There's a very good reason for that.

hehehehehehehehehe..................

[nabob]

This is the absolute worst version I have ever heard of this song. Arthur Conley would turn over in his grave hearing this.I'm not a die hard Ross fan and I see absolutely nothing wrong with the song. I love its energy and light heartedness. It's no worse than Why Do Fools Fall In Love? Look at the monster hit that became. At 0:22 she sings "Dance with me, Henry". I wonder if that's a reference to Etta James' totally scandalous at the time Roll With Me, Henry? Any guesses as to when this was recorded?

[jobeterob]

1987 for the special?? 1986? Amazing that Why Do Fools Fall in Love remains so popular and is a high point of her concerts and one of those indispensable songs to the concert goers. I would take Sweet Soul Music over Why Do Fools Fall in Love right now!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

It's a great song and a good version.

I agree, jobeterob! It's not my fav Diana track by any stretch, but it's fun and jam-packed full of soulful enthusiasm . If they had included "Sweet Soul Music" in the "Red Hot R&B" TV special during the segment when Diana was a young teen singing "99 1/2", it would have fit the mood perfectly.

[captainjames]

OMG I love it
I have not heard this before !!

[jobeterob]

Maybe RCA did not want her pumping a slew of artists from other labels ~ Aretha, Lou Rawls, Stevie, Little Richard, Etta James, lol.

[reese]

I'm not a die hard Ross fan and I see absolutely nothing wrong with the song. I love its energy and light heartedness. It's no worse than Why Do Fools Fall In Love? Look at the monster hit that became. At 0:22 she sings "Dance with me, Henry". I wonder if that's a reference to Etta James' totally scandalous at the time Roll With Me, Henry? Any guesses as to when this was recorded?

It was recorded in 1987 for the RED HOT RHYTHM AND BLUES tv special. During the song, she mentions people like Etta James and Little Richard, who were guests on the program. I thought it was a pretty good version of the song.

[Methuselah2]

I like this version very much. And I remember it working very well in the TV special as an intro to a portion of the show. Yes, it's Ross-ified but, this time out, that's the way--uh huh, uh huh--I like it.

[LuvHangOva]

This is the absolute worst version I have ever heard of this song. Arthur Conley would turn over in his grave hearing this.

I'm more than a little troubled by the band. Were those toy instruments or......Were the musicians the cast of The Muppet Show ....or??? The vocals are perfect but, ummmm

i think it would have benefiited from a more ROBUST aggressive attack in the instrumentation if only a slight bit more Funk Brother-ish or Stax Records inspired groove. For a song about "soul" there is a surprisingly anemic offering of it from the cats in the band for my particular taste

[vgalindo]

I really enjoy this song. It was one of the highlights of he television special RHRB. I am so happy to have it on the newly expanded cd release.

[florence]

Wouldn't be among my very Diana favs but that's not a bad version at all of Sweet Soul Music.

Why Do Fools Fall In Love seems to be dismissed by many but interestingly it's one of her Top 5 selling singles in the UK so a lot do like it.

[marybrewster]

It's not that bad. You have to listen to it with the same set of ears that you'd take in "WDFFIL" or "Mr. Lee." The problem is, it's just not a song suited for Diana's voice. And truthfully, it doesn't scream "COVER SONG" to me.

[LuvHangOva]

It's not that bad. You have to listen to it with the same set of ears that you'd take in "WDFFIL" or "Mr. Lee." The problem is, it's just not a song suited for Diana's voice. And truthfully, it doesn't scream "COVER SONG" to me.

Feels like whoever was in charge of the musicians focused more on the image of the word "sweet" rather than the word "soul". Miss Ross does her usual great job.... The band [[to me) is too wimpy. Especially when the original can be heard in the radio almost daily.

[jobeterob]

Did the words get changed for the Ross version?

[reese]

Did the words get changed for the Ross version?

Yes. Most people change the names of the people cited when they perform this song. I remember going to see Aretha once and she added Patti LaBelle's name and sang "Spotlight on Miss Patti now. Miss Patti gets chatty now!"

[dba]

If someone has the unreleased version of this song from the newly RHRAB release, can they please post it. It's the only thing I don''t have from this project. Many thanks.

[Jaap]

I like Ross does also mentions Tina Turner at the end. Still weird that she doesn't mention any Motown artists though... I am happy to have the song on the expanded edition, though it is not a very strong cover -- worked well for the television special, but not necessarily on the album. Overall, RHR&B is a mixed album -- some of her best RCA recordings combined with a couple more mundane songs.

[Lulu]

If someone has the unreleased version of this song from the newly RHRAB release, can they please post it. It's the only thing I don''t have from this project. Many thanks.

That is the studio version posted above. I have to say, I squirmed when she sang this on the special and I don't care for this version either just like I am not a WDFFIL fan...can't believe it was such a hit and that it get's tossed into the show after "Don't Explain"!

Incidentally, my favorite version is Ike & Tina Turner's live version.

[jobeterob]

I like Ross does also mentions Tina Turner at the end. Still weird that she doesn't mention any Motown artists though... I am happy to have the song on the expanded edition, though it is not a very strong cover -- worked well for the television special, but not necessarily on the album. Overall, RHR&B is a mixed album -- some of her best RCA recordings combined with a couple more mundane songs.

She does mention Stevie Wonder near the end.

[bradsupremes]

This was assigned to the Supremes to cover in 1968. I can't help but wonder if they would have changed the lyrics to mention all Motown artists.

"Spotlight on the Vandellas now / They're dancing in the street now / Singing nowhere to run / Oh yeah, yeah, yeah "

"Spotlight on Marvin Gaye now / Don't he look great now / Ooo how sweet it is / Yeah, yeah"

[Ryon6]

It's not a bad version at all.

[smark21]

The arrangement seems appropriate for a cheesy TV special, but otherwise, meh.

[Methuselah2]

Miss Ross lookin' and soundin' SOUL SWEET to me:

http://youtu.be/d9byLni-1xY

[Jaap]

She does mention Stevie Wonder near the end. Can't believe I missed that!