Diana Ross: 1974

[marybrewster]

Diana Ross released an album [[or soundtrack album) every year between 1970 and 1985 [[pretty impressive!), with the exception of 1974.

Last Time I Saw Him was released December, 1973
Mahogany was released October, 1975

Any thoughts why nothing was released? Was she too busy filming Mahogany to record?

[midnightman]

^ Yeah, Mahogany took a LONG time to get done. I think work started on it in the summer [[or fall) of 1974.

She also was touring heavily that year. I think she released a Vegas live album that year?

[JohnnyB]

^ Yeah, Mahogany took a LONG time to get done. I think work started on it in the summer [[or fall) of 1974.

She also was touring heavily that year. I think she released a Vegas live album that year?

Diana was definitely in the studio in 1974. According to the liner notes of Diana Ross ‘76, Sorry Doesn’t Always Make It Right, To Love Again and the Michael Masser songs from that album we’re recorded in 1974, originally for a project that was not completed. They were held for that next release. Selections included on the Last Time I Saw Him expanded edition may have found their way onto a 1974 album as well.

[marv2]

Diana Ross released an album [[or soundtrack album) every year between 1970 and 1985 [[pretty impressive!), with the exception of 1974.

Last Time I Saw Him was released December, 1973
Mahogany was released October, 1975


Any thoughts why nothing was released? Was she too busy filming Mahogany to record?

That is pretty the same amount of time between the Supremes releases

"Bad Weather" released March, 1973
"The Supremes released May, 1975

[reese]

I don't count the MAHOGANY soundtrack as a Diana album, any more than I count the IT'S MY TURN soundtrack as one. IMO, after LAST TIME I SAW HIM, Diana went without a studio album until DIANA ROSS in 1976.

Given all the unreleased material that has popped up in recent years, I don't think not recording was the problem. Motown went overboard releasing three studio albums in 1973, with LTISH coming out at the tail end of the year. With the title track becoming a big hit, perhaps Motown thought the LTISH album would carry her through at least the next year.

But after the next few singles flopped, and the so-so performance of the LIVE AT CAESARS PALACE album, Motown probably need to regroup. Diana was also working hard on the fashions for MAHOGANY, filming it, and then becoming pregnant again. She was probably also at least doing some preliminary work with Joe Layton on her upcoming show.

It was probably good that they held off with a new album release until the film came out, and it turned out to be a wise move. She came back hard with MAHOGANY, then the DIANA ROSS album, the AN EVENING WITH... show, and the first greatest hits collection, all successful.

[marv2]

I think Motown released "Anthology - Diana Ross and the Supremes" in 1974 to help bridge the gap.

[luckyluckyme]

Going to http://bsnpubs.com/motown/motown/motown.html, it is quite revealing to see the release dates & album number for the Diana Ross albums in question.

[midnightman]

Diana was definitely in the studio in 1974. According to the liner notes of Diana Ross ‘76, Sorry Doesn’t Always Make It Right, To Love Again and the Michael Masser songs from that album we’re recorded in 1974, originally for a project that was not completed. They were held for that next release. Selections included on the Last Time I Saw Him expanded edition may have found their way onto a 1974 album as well.

I forgot about those songs. You're absolutely right. Damn, that was a WHOLE LOT OF WORK. I can't imagine anyone besides Beyonce nowadays with that kind of work ethic.

[daviddh]

with Motown it was everything or nothing at all..... 1973 was a great year for Diana but then almost 2 years off , but yet Blue sat in the vaults for so many years.
the Live at Ceasars was recorded the year before and planned as a double album but then trimmed to a single disk.
I think it would have been better to hold LTISH back until 1974 and planned a better track list that what got released. see the expanded edition . I would have held Live back to the fall and released BLUE in 1975.
and they are still finding lost DR tracks ,some of which will be released in the forth coming Ross 78 later this year

[marv2]

with Motown it was everything or nothing at all..... 1973 was a great year for Diana but then almost 2 years off , but yet Blue sat in the vaults for so many years.
the Live at Ceasars was recorded the year before and planned as a double album but then trimmed to a single disk.
I think it would have been better to hold LTISH back until 1974 and planned a better track list that what got released. see the expanded edition . I would have held Live back to the fall and released BLUE in 1975.
and they are still finding lost DR tracks ,some of which will be released in the forth coming Ross 78 later this year

Her recordings in the mid-70s sucked. They became way too MOR and young people looked past her stuff.