hungry for more! producers the girls should have done more with

[sup_fan]

While the work with HDH and Frank Wilson are certainly among the most loved and memorable output from the supremes, they certainly worked with a huge variety of producers. Some more than others, some with better results than others. Most of the albums between Reflections and Right On were a hodge podge of producers, again with some better than others.

Which producers do you think hit on something exciting or interesting and you wish there could have been more of?

same with Diana - her A&S material was wonderful and the Masser stuff is great too.

[sup_fan]

to help with what producers did what, here's a list of the albums [[omitting the obvious ones most of us know)

Reflections sessions
I'm Gonna Make It [[Dennis Lussier)
Going all the way to true true love [[Fuqua, Bristol)
Bah Bah Bah [[frank wilson)
Am i asking too much [[Deke Richards)
A little breeze [[henry cosby)

love child sessions
the beginning of the end of love [[deke richards)
if you should walk away [[frank wilson)
believe in me [[norman whitfield)
nitty gritty [[norman whitfield)
you've been so wonderful to me [[george gordy)
some things you never [[A&s)
He's my sunny boy [[smokey)
can't shake it loose [[henry cosby)
honey bee [[deke)
don't break chains of love [[fuqua, bristol)
can't shake it loose [[henry cosby)
evening train [[frank wilson)
wish i knew [[deke)
macarthur park [[deke)
i can't give back the love i feel for you [[frank wilson)
you ain't livin until you're lovin [[A&S)
keep an eye [[A&S)
ain't no sun [[whitfield)
those precious memories [[frank wilson)
in the evening of our love [[raynard miner)
i'll set you free [[berry gordy)
Does your mama know [[deke, frank wilson)

Sunshine sessions
will this be the day [[smokey)
everyday people [[henry cosby)
western union man [[cosby)
stormy [[cosby)
You're gonna hear from me [[the clan)
Discover me [[bristol)
no matter what sign [[berry gordy, henry cosby)


Cream of Crop sessions
Shadows of society [[jack goga)
Hey jude [[the clan)
the beginning of the end [[wilson, billie-jean brown)
young folks [[george gordy)
loving you is better than ever [[smokey)
when it's to the top [[james dean, william weatherspoon)
you gave me love [[fuqua, bristol)

Right On
then we can try it again [[Clay mcmurray)
wait a minute [[al kent)
take a closer look at me [[henry cosby)
bill when you coming [[bristol)
you move me [[al kent)
i got hurt [[clay mcmurray)
Sunday and monday [[clay mcmurray)
then i met you [[jimmy roach)

[RanRan79]

I really think Deke is underappreciated. I love most of the tunes he did for the Supremes and Ross.

After the success of "Love Child" and then "Shame", the Clan should have been charged with Supremes singles at least, if not a whole album.

Henry Cosby and Johnny Bristol both should've worked more with the Jean led Supremes, as well as Clay McMurray.

[SatansBlues]

Dennis Lussier = Deke Richards

I agree that Deke Richards did a great job with the Supreme recordings, as well as Henry Cosby, bot underrated. The results with Norman Whitfield were all underwhelming.

[RanRan79]

The results with Norman Whitfield were all underwhelming.

Agreed. But it might have been interesting pairing him with the Jean led Supremes.

[reese]

It is not in the time period you specified. But I would have liked for Smokey to work more with DMF. On his productions such as LONG GONE LOVER, OOOWEE BABY, and MR. BLUES, he really emphasized their harmonies, which I still think were the best of the females at Motown. I don't think any of them were lost hits but they are still great to listen to.

[sup_fan]

^and i was going to go with a time period i didn't list out either. was definitely meaning across the full career. just seems like 67 - 70 is a real mix of producers vs other years

I'd pick some of the later ones personally. I think the work MSC did with Ivey and Woodford was some of the strongest. 74/75 would have been a great time for a more pop sound. something accessible to the general population. disco was still not fully part of the general US taste just yet. the songs Color my world, can't stop a good and the rest really are high quality and could have re-launched the Sups

also Greg Wright did He's My Man [[for the Sups), You Were The One and Never Say I Don't Love You. all three are solid songs. Anyone know if there's any other material he worked on with the girls or with other artists at the time? seems like there should have been more partnership

[reese]

^and i was going to go with a time period i didn't list out either. was definitely meaning across the full career. just seems like 67 - 70 is a real mix of producers vs other years

I'd pick some of the later ones personally. I think the work MSC did with Ivey and Woodford was some of the strongest. 74/75 would have been a great time for a more pop sound. something accessible to the general population. disco was still not fully part of the general US taste just yet. the songs Color my world, can't stop a good and the rest really are high quality and could have re-launched the Sups

also Greg Wright did He's My Man [[for the Sups), You Were The One and Never Say I Don't Love You. all three are solid songs. Anyone know if there's any other material he worked on with the girls or with other artists at the time? seems like there should have been more partnership

I wouldn't be surprised if there were more Greg Wright productions in the vault. If I'm not mistaken, Greg was a member of the Devastating Affair, Diana's backup group. In the Royal Albert Hall concert, Diana mentioned that she was working with them on some things. I thought she meant she was producing them but she might have meant they were producing her.

[RanRan79]

It is not in the time period you specified. But I would have liked for Smokey to work more with DMF. On his productions such as LONG GONE LOVER, OOOWEE BABY, and MR. BLUES, he really emphasized their harmonies, which I still think were the best of the females at Motown. I don't think any of them were lost hits but they are still great to listen to.

Absolutely agree. Although I don't care for "Ooowee Baby" at all [[and refuse to go on another rant about their version of "My Guy"), I think many of the cuts Smokey did on the Supremes during the Flo years are fantastic group songs. I'd rather listen to "Mr. Blues" than some of the big hits.

[RanRan79]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were more Greg Wright productions in the vault. If I'm not mistaken, Greg was a member of the Devastating Affair, Diana's backup group. In the Royal Albert Hall concert, Diana mentioned that she was working with them on some things. I thought she meant she was producing them but she might have meant they were producing her.

I'd love for more of his stuff with Diana to emerge. That is definitely something to look forward. "You Were the One" is one of the best songs she ever cut.

[144man]

"The Young Folks" eventually really grew on me, so I would like to have heard more from the largely forgotten team of George Gordy and Allen Story. Some of the unreleased stuf by them on other artists such as Jimmy Ruffin reveals that there was a lot of untapped potential there.

[sup_fan]

i put together a spreadsheet [[i know - i'm a dork lol) with a tab for each year. then listed out the itinerary of recording sessions, tv appearances, stage shows, etc. Most of this data came from the EE booklets and the sort. very interesting to see things lined up this way and see just how crazy their schedules were

this past fall when i was bored at work, i added in the producer to the session dates. That too has been very interesting to see whom they were working with and when. there are days in the studio where they simply must have just stood in the recording booths while an parade of producers came through - a couple backing vocals recorded w HDH, Frank coming in and doing a tune or two, then Harvey, etc.

Also interesting to see the overall work during a period of time for a specific producer. all of the songs that sort of "went with him"

[sup_fan]

we sort of had this same discussion a while back, in regards to the Promises Kept sessions. from summer 71 through Dec, the girls worked with a wide array of producers. Smokey and FJ was what was released from this but it's interesting to discuss what might have been.

MJC did a lot of work with Clay McMurray. actually i should probably just say Jean, since the Andantes did most of the bg vocals for those tracks. but much of it wasn't released. it's like they kept experimenting w him but it just didn't make the cut

[blackguy69]

Actually only 2 songs on the promise kept album were produced by clay McMurray
we sort of had this same discussion a while back, in regards to the Promises Kept sessions. from summer 71 through Dec, the girls worked with a wide array of producers. Smokey and FJ was what was released from this but it's interesting to discuss what might have been.

MJC did a lot of work with Clay McMurray. actually i should probably just say Jean, since the Andantes did most of the bg vocals for those tracks. but much of it wasn't released. it's like they kept experimenting w him but it just didn't make the cut

[sup_fan]

Actually only 2 songs on the promise kept album were produced by clay McMurray

true but he worked with the girls for some of the RO sessions and some of the duets work too.

Is there a place is one of the earliest of "new Sup" tracks. he worked on it in Sept 70. according to my list, Clay did:

Is there a place
I got hurt trying to be
the day with come between sunday and monday
then we can try it again
Baby you got what it takes
Everyday people
it's got to be a miracle
without the one you love
i'll try not to cry
you gotta have love in your heart
i wonder where we're going
walk with me, talk with me
function at the junction
it's your thing
i ain't that easy to lose
take a look inside


I don't see him on any of the DRATS music. perhaps Clay was new to motown around late 69 or so and started working on the new Sups

[blackguy69]

And after doing some digging there were songs that Clay McMurray produced and used Mary and Cindy [[more than just a few songs)

[blackguy69]

From your list 6 most likely didn’t have Mary or Cindy.
true but he worked with the girls for some of the RO sessions and some of the duets work too.

Is there a place is one of the earliest of "new Sup" tracks. he worked on it in Sept 70. according to my list, Clay did:

Is there a place
I got hurt trying to be
the day with come between sunday and monday
then we can try it again
Baby you got what it takes
Everyday people
it's got to be a miracle
without the one you love
i'll try not to cry
you gotta have love in your heart
i wonder where we're going
walk with me, talk with me
function at the junction
it's your thing
i ain't that easy to lose
take a look inside


I don't see him on any of the DRATS music. perhaps Clay was new to motown around late 69 or so and started working on the new Sups

[blackguy69]

Is there a place
I got hurt trying to be
the day with come between sunday and monday
then we can try it again
these were done prior to the farewell show hence why Mary or Cindy weren’t on them.
also take note that the promise kept material were incomplete so it’s safe to say these weren’t the final cuts so mary and Cindy might have added vocals at a later date.

[sup_fan]

I'd love for more of his stuff with Diana to emerge. That is definitely something to look forward. "You Were the One" is one of the best songs she ever cut.

apparently we missed one of Greg's tracks!

he also produced Share Some Love for Diana which can be found on the To Love Again EE set

[daviddh]

I would say Greg wright to work with Diana more....hopefully an expanded is coming. ...maybe by 2040.....
Supremes. Harvey fugua

[RanRan79]

The results with Norman Whitfield were all underwhelming.

I agreed previously, but I forgot Norman did "He Means the World To Me" and "Exception to the Rule". I like "Rule", but I LOVE "He Means the World To Me". I think it works great for what it was: an album cut and a B side. I love Diana's vocal and Flo and Mary's harmonies on this one.