Diana Ross - Revelations [[Full Album) [1982 Unreleased]

[Ian Scarlet]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqqFFV0Pro8

[TomatoTom123]

Wow! Can't believe I didn't even know about this whole unreleased album! Sounds great. And the whole thing is available on YouTube?? Yes please! I shall listen shortly. Thank you Ian!!

[Bluebrock]

Without checking i think this forms part of the album Berry threatened to release when Diana left for RCA. It consisted of various late 70's work with various producers including the Holland Brothers. Let me look into it and get back to you but in the meantime enjoy the music.

[florence]

This is amazing - can't believe it. What a find.

Some, shall we say interesting tracks there.

Love We're Always Saying Goodbye, could have been a UK hit in the 70s and Baby I Love Your Way.

Thanks, Ian - this is the best moment of 2017 so far!

[jack020]

Haven't all these songs seen the life of day in recent years?

[sup_fan]

In several of the bootlegs w recent cd releases and expanded editions they've identified tracks intended for Revelations. But I've not ever seen a full lp line up. Not sure if they're just assuming the remaining tracks or if this is the lineup

Good arrange of songs though

[Bluebrock]

Haven't all these songs seen the life of day in recent years?
Several certainly have in various mixes.

[George Solomon]

FYI - Definitely not the actual LP or the mixes used. All of these have been released on various expanded editions or reissues. Motown was going to put this out [[in 1982) after Miss Ross left the company but Mr. Gordy actually stopped the release since he didn't want to interfere with any of her current RCA product. He obviously still cared and wouldn't do anything to hurt her. But I really like that some are interested in this material. We're hoping to do a lot more when we can release "Ross 78 expanded edition".

[longtimefan]

On what CD was "For Once in My Life" released? Thanks

[kenneth]

On what CD was "For Once in My Life" released? Thanks

Wasn't it on one of the early LPs that first issued material from the vaults, i.e. "Motown Superstars Sing Motown Superstars?" I'm pretty sure it was from that LP.

[johnjeb]

Wasn't it on one of the early LPs that first issued material from the vaults, i.e. "Motown Superstars Sing Motown Superstars?" I'm pretty sure it was from that LP.

Yes, it was. I don't think it was ever released on CD, however.

Also, has "Room Enough For Two" ever been released? If so, on which CD or vinyl album?

[johnny_raven]

Yes, it was. I don't think it was ever released on CD, however.

Also, has "Room Enough For Two" ever been released? If so, on which CD or vinyl album?

Yes, on the Baby It's Me Expanded [[digital only).

[johnjeb]

Yes, on the Baby It's Me Expanded [[digital only).

Thanks, I don't have that digital-only release.

I have the original CD of Baby It's Me and wasn't interested in buying the digital-only release of that album at the time, or ever. Although I see there are a lot of "2014 mixes" that might persuade me. But, for now, I can wait.

So that leaves only "For Once In My Life" not on CD or digital-only release.

[longtimefan]

Thanks. I thought that "For Once in My Life" was never on CD. Odd, isn't it? Even the sound quality of that track on the "album" posted above was not as sharp/clear as the other tracks.

[Bluebrock]

FYI - Definitely not the actual LP or the mixes used. All of these have been released on various expanded editions or reissues. Motown was going to put this out [[in 1982) after Miss Ross left the company but Mr. Gordy actually stopped the release since he didn't want to interfere with any of her current RCA product. He obviously still cared and wouldn't do anything to hurt her. But I really like that some are interested in this material. We're hoping to do a lot more when we can release "Ross 78 expanded edition".
That sounds good to me George!! Cannot wait. As regards Mr Gordy did indeed have a change of heart with regard to releasing "Revelations". Initially he had threatened to release a Motown album for every RCA album , but as you rightly point out he still loved her far too much to be spiteful and dropped any planned Motown releases.

[daviddh]

i think these were used on the deluxe Diana album , second disc.
George, can you shed any light on Ross 78???????? please

[greg jones]

Can anyone tell us what the exact track line up was supposed to be ? Was it a single LP or double set ?

[George Solomon]

i think these were used on the deluxe Diana album , second disc.
George, can you shed any light on Ross 78???????? please

With "The Supremes A' Go-Go" ready to go [[go) it would be our wish to get "Ross" and "Sing Holland Dozier Holland" out. With "Ross" being such an eclectic blend of styles there's a wealth of bonus tracks to choose from and it gives us a chance to use any track we might have missed on a previous expanded edition [[We also did that with A' Go-Go in a few cases). And it's been discussed before ... along with all the alternates there are some completely unreleased songs for "Ross" as well.
As for the "Revelations" track list, I've seen the tape box but honestly can't remember the exact line up. It was similar to what was posted here. We'd have to look it up again.
We'd also love to give the A' Go-Go release date and hope we are able to do that soon. I think it's a great and beautifully packaged expanded edition.

[vgalindo]

With "The Supremes A' Go-Go" ready to go [[go) it would be our wish to get "Ross" and "Sing Holland Dozier Holland" out. With "Ross" being such an eclectic blend of styles there's a wealth of bonus tracks to choose from and it gives us a chance to use any track we might have missed on a previous expanded edition [[We also did that with A' Go-Go in a few cases). And it's been discussed before ... along with all the alternates there are some completely unreleased songs for "Ross" as well.
As for the "Revelations" track list, I've seen the tape box but honestly can't remember the exact line up. It was similar to what was posted here. We'd have to look it up again.
We'd also love to give the A' Go-Go release date and hope we are able to do that soon. I think it's a great and beautifully packaged expanded edition.

Thanks so much George. Your work is truly amazing and I look forward to the expanded A GoGo. My dream is Ross 78. This one sounds like it will be so awesome.

[lakedistrictlad1]

Question for George Solomon..is there any possibility that Baby It's Me expanded will get a CD release?

I didn't..and won't buy digital downloads. I'd love to see this get a physical release.

[justanothermotownfan]

I'd love to have that mock album cover for my iTunes...

[greg jones]

Was a cover actually completed for this unreleased album ?

[Bluebrock]

Was a cover actually completed for this unreleased album ?
I don't believe it ever was Greg.

[Circa 1824]

I totally love REVELATIONS. It has the voice I fell in love with. This collection is light-years better than anything she did at RCA.

Build Me Up To Tear Me Down may be my favorite Ross track of all time. She is soulful and intense. The music and upfront backup vocals are fabulous.

My Funky Rolls demonstrates her campy theatrical brilliance.

This version of Come Together is so much better than the earlier release on Everything is Everything.

I feel like a young man again listening to Revelations.

[Ollie9]

I totally love REVELATIONS. It has the voice I fell in love with. This collection is light-years better than anything she did at RCA. Build Me Up To Tear Me Down may be my favorite Ross track of all time. She is soulful and intense. The music and upfront backup vocals are fabulous. My Funky Rolls demonstrates her campy theatrical brilliance. This version of Come Together is so much better than the earlier release on Everything is Everything. I feel like a young man again listening to Revelations.I'm not entirely sure if being starved of any new music is a factor, but i share your sentiments exactly Circa 1824. Regardless of the strength of some of the material on offer here, this is the voice i first fell in love with. She sounds connected to all the songs, not just going through the motions as she sounded on the vast majority of her rca output.
I'm so looking forward to the "Ross" expanded edition which sounds like it might contain a few revelations of it's own. Listening to these songs now, i can't help thinking how oh so much better "Ross" could and should have been.

[Bluebrock]

I'm not entirely sure if being starved of any new music is a factor, but i share your sentiments exactly Circa 1824. Regardless of the strength of some of the material on offer here, this is the voice i first fell in love with. She sounds connected to all the songs, not just going through the motions as she sounded on the vast majority of her rca output.
I'm so looking forward to the "Ross" expanded edition which sounds like it might contain a few revelations of it's own. Listening to these songs now, i can't help thinking how oh so much better "Ross" could and should have been.
I agree. Whilst most of the songs were strong it was just plain lazy to ignore previously unreleased material in favour of stuff already available. I know Diana had been busy shooting the Wiz, but there was enough material to make an all new album. Revelations is not great , but it is good and certainly stronger than her first 3 RCA efforts.

[Ollie9]

Hi Bluebrock, hope all is well with you in 2017.
I know this is veering from the original topic, but is there any news on the four proposed return to motown cd's that were to be expanded?.........Cheers.

[sup_fan]

i'm excited about a [[potential) re-release on Ross 78 not because that actual lp was of any value but because of the book/liner notes and unreleased tracks. let's face it - Ross 78 is probably, as a whole, one of the weakest albums of her career. certainly of her Motown tenure. And while the unreleased tracks might not be the best thing she ever waxed, they all certainly seem preferable to what we actually got released.

frankly there's no excuse for Motown putting out such a paltry product in 78. In interviews with the Wiz she said they were working hard to catalog enough tracks so that there'd be material for release.

IMO Ross 78 is one of the shoddiest packages of her entire career. the lp graphics were weak, zero imagination with the packaging, only half of the tracks were new, a very uneven collection. and by 78 the concept of an "album" being a somewhat cohesive piece was well established

but i to am eagerly awaiting a re-release :) lol

[sup_fan]

one more point

i don't think the Revelations product would have sold well in 82. the tracks were too dated by then and while people may or may not like Silk Electric, i think the content there was more in time. IMO her RCA vocals suffered but not necessary the backing track and production. she was too gimmicky with reverb and not pushing herself like she did/like she was on Masser or A&S stuff

[daviddh]

George, the last i heard the Ross 78 would be a single expanded download ONLY .do you know if this is still the case.
or will it depend on the success of A GO GO.

[Ollie9]

This is amazing - can't believe it. What a find.

Some, shall we say interesting tracks there.

Love We're Always Saying Goodbye, could have been a UK hit in the 70s and Baby I Love Your Way.

Thanks, Ian - this is the best moment of 2017 so far!

I agree wholeheartedly that "We're Always Saying Goodbye" with some decent airplay could have been a hit in the 70's. It most certainly should have been included on the "Ross" lp. Perhaps motown considered it's lyrics to sombre for it to be commercial.
I wonder if the fact that the expanded edition will contain songs never heard before could promote it to physical release. I doubt it, but you never know.

[Bluebrock]

Hi Bluebrock, hope all is well with you in 2017.
I know this is veering from the original topic, but is there any news on the four proposed return to motown cd's that were to be expanded?.........Cheers.
haven't heard anything Ollie. I was contacted regarding the unreleased material from these sessions, but i have no other involvement with regard to their release. The company proposing to release these albums are one of the leading re-issue companies whom you will be familiar with. I have been busy with family problems recently so have not been in touch with the company, but if i get chance i shall contact them and see where we are up to.

[daviddh]

I agree with regards to Ross 78, Motown should have never released it as is but, to me the worst was Last Time I Saw Him , which I did not care for at all. but the out takes were far better than what actually got released. but leave it to Andy and company to give us such a classic. they just made it better than it ever was and what it should have been .
I believe that they will do the same with ROSS.
I didn't like the cover art when it was released but it has grown on me since.
strange,other than the live albums , I think Ross is the last of the classic albums to be expanded.

[Ollie9]

haven't heard anything Ollie. I was contacted regarding the unreleased material from these sessions, but i have no other involvement with regard to their release. The company proposing to release these albums are one of the leading re-issue companies whom you will be familiar with. I have been busy with family problems recently so have not been in touch with the company, but if i get chance i shall contact them and see where we are up to.

Cheers Bluebrock. It would be interesting to know if they are actually in the pipeline.
I appreciate life and family take priority, even over the motown forum.

[Bluebrock]

I agree with regards to Ross 78, Motown should have never released it as is but, to me the worst was Last Time I Saw Him , which I did not care for at all. but the out takes were far better than what actually got released. but leave it to Andy and company to give us such a classic. they just made it better than it ever was and what it should have been .
I believe that they will do the same with ROSS.
I didn't like the cover art when it was released but it has grown on me since.
strange,other than the live albums , I think Ross is the last of the classic albums to be expanded.
Yes it is Ollie. It should be a worthwhile release. I totally agree on LTISH. which was the weakest of her motown efforts and followed such a distinguished album as TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING. Why Berry sanctioned this hotch potch of styles is beyond me, but as you say the expanded version was much better.

[sup_fan]

At least LTISH had new content. Side 2 of Ross was just rehash.

[Bluebrock]

At least LTISH had new content. Side 2 of Ross was just rehash.
Yes it did, but it was mostly uninspired stuff. Having said that i always felt the title track could and should have been a much bigger hit despite not being a particular favourite of mine.

[DJMoch]

When I first heard Ross '78, I had wondered why a good half of the songs on it were retreads. It does feel incomplete, as we only got 4 new songs out of 9.

Even now it feels weird that they reused [[albeit in slightly remixed form) "Reach Out I'll Be There", which was recorded 7 years previously! It sort of feels the same way with her song "Old Funky Rolls". I assume it was recorded around 1973 or so, around the time Last Time I Saw Him [[if the earlier version was any indication, please correct me I'm wrong). The fact that they then released the song in 1982 feels really odd, as it's nearly a decade old and way out of date by the time the early 80s came along. It's a cute song, but it's a bit of an odd duck.

[Guy]

Could someone provide a tracklist for "Revelations"? I don't recognize many of these songs.

[longtimefan]

I’m with the poster above! Would someone care to suggest what a mock track listing for REVELATIONS might have been? I know that a couple of annotations from various expanded editions have noted a track or two that were to have been included. Someone might know and/or suggest a track listing and save us all some research time. [[Smile)

[sup_fan]

I don't believe a full track listing has ever been released. The set that someone compiled for YouTube is, I'm assuming, just their guess. And there's an erroneous cd set circulating which is just an illegal knock off

[jobeterob]

Yes it did, but it was mostly uninspired stuff. Having said that i always felt the title track could and should have been a much bigger hit despite not being a particular favourite of mine.

But LTISH was also the #1 Adult Contemporary Single of 1974 - which wasn't too shabby.

I wonder how it actually sold.

[longtimefan]

Oh, I understand. I was just thinking about making a playlist of a mock track listing.

[Circa 1824]

I happen to know that The Last Time I Saw Him is a favorite of one of Diana's children.

[sup_fan]

I did a playlist for this lp and have done most of the other unreleased sets. Also redid some lps like Cream of the Crop

We can never light that old flame
Come together [[1982 mix)
Sweet summertime living
Harmony
Fire don't burn
Share some love
Baby it's me [[2014 mix)
Old funky rolls [[alt mix)
Go where your mind is
Le lo li
Room enough for two [[2014 mix)

[nathanj06]

I always found Ross 78 as peculiar as Everything Is Everything. They were very out of sync. It would have been better to release a "Remember Me" album instead and using "My Place". On Ross 78, why on earth would they rehash "Reach Out I'll Be There" as it was already a single and on the Surrender album in 1971? Not to mention it was an obvious attempt at copying "Ain't No Mountain" and that usually never works anyway. It was already 7 years later and 3 years later for "Sorry Doesn't Always" to find a home although that one I like. Most agree Ross 78 was a completely uneven album and thrown together to keep Ross in view. I had high hopes for "What You Gave Me" and for me the other two gems on there were "Never Say I Don't Love You" and even more, "You Were The One". Also have to mention, "Livin', Lovin', Given". Once again I think "My Place" was a lost pop hit along with "Surrender". This is now why these expanded editions put them all in a better context to get a much better picture of the puzzle of what they were attempting to do. :)

[daviddh]

I always found Ross 78 as peculiar as Everything Is Everything. They were very out of sync. It would have been better to release a "Remember Me" album instead and using "My Place". On Ross 78, why on earth would they rehash "Reach Out I'll Be There" as it was already a single and on the Surrender album in 1971? Not to mention it was an obvious attempt at copying "Ain't No Mountain" and that usually never works anyway. It was already 7 years later and 3 years later for "Sorry Doesn't Always" to find a home although that one I like. Most agree Ross 78 was a completely uneven album and thrown together to keep Ross in view. I had high hopes for "What You Gave Me" and for me the other two gems on there were "Never Say I Don't Love You" and even more, "You Were The One". Also have to mention, "Livin', Lovin', Given". Once again I think "My Place" was a lost pop hit along with "Surrender". This is now why these expanded editions put them all in a better context to get a much better picture of the puzzle of what they were attempting to do. :)
totally agree with everything especially how the expanded editions give us a better concept of an album.
next year is the 40th anniversary of Ross 78. just hope we don't have to wait until sept...the original release date.

[nathanj06]

2018 is loaded with possibilities I hope may happen. As david dh mentioned 40 years since Ross 78, it will be 50 years for TCB, Love Child, Funny Girl, Talk Of The Town and a few others. I still cannot believe they have not done a TCB/GIT combo set yet. I've heard Gordy is sitting on it but for historical purposes alone this should be made available together. GIT doesn't stand a chance without TCB both CD soundtrack's and DVDs. In the meantime bring on HDH. :)

[captainjames]

In my opinion BG did allow " We Can Never Light That Old Flame Again" to be released and it didn't do that well so he pulled the Release of Revelations. Why that song was the follow up of Upside Down, I'm Coming Out ,Endless Love and Its my Turn leaves one wondering. Diana was very smart in my opinion in regard to her contract ending and her recording studio time. Nothing was new and Nothing was fresh from Motown. Now as far as "You Were the One", Motown slept on that recording from Ross 78. The Jones girls in the background was fierce. I can't believe there are not more recordings with them and Diana.

[florence]

But LTISH was also the #1 Adult Contemporary Single of 1974 - which wasn't too shabby.

I wonder how it actually sold.


There is much speculation on Diana's sales and no-one can give a definitive abswer but I personally believe the figures which were supposedly "leaked" to J Randy Taraborrelli and quoted in his first Call Her Miss Ross book [[subsequently removed from the second) are accurate.

In it he gave the figure for Last Time as well over 600k which would make it her biggest selling single outside of her 6 solo #1s although that doesn't include anything from her RCA years on which there is practically no information.

It was really odd that it did so poorly in the UK [[reaching #35 and selling around 25K) coming as it did off the back of three top ten singles in Touch Me In The Morning and All Of My Life both 150k [[a really solid sale in the UK) and the Marvin duet You Are Everything which was just shy of 300k and earned a Silver Disc.