My Old Piano - Diana Ross

[TomatoTom123]

I was listening to this wonderful track the other day and noticed how the guitar and piano have a sort of jazzy solo-off at the end... I just thought it was really cool and wondered if anyone else thought the same :cool:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwTzmBs-Tds

[sophisticated_soul]

MOP was probably my first favorite song from diana. My first listen to diana left me a little flat, it seemed a bit sterile, kind of cold. Especially compared to its’ predecessor The Boss which was about as warm as you can get. MOP was the first track that struck me as warm and fun. Give Up and Now That You’re Gone soon became favorites as well and I eventually warmed up to the whole album.

As a long time Ross fan I have noted that some of her most commercially successful recordings have often not been among my most favorite recordings by her. diana is probably her most commercially successful studio album, and I like it, but it's just not one of my personal favorites by her.

[sup_fan]

it did well in the UK [[released Sept 80) but poorly in the US [[Nov 81). of course by this time in the States, she had released WDFFIL.

Had she stayed with motown, would it have been released? would it have been successful? apparently there's also a single mixed version of Tenderness in the vaults. Would she have just gone onto a follow up lp?

[Ollie9]

I’ve always assumed that Diana herself is not terribly fond of the song. Despite it being a popular song and a sizeable UK hit, she has never performed it live here, there or anywhere. Unless of course someone knows otherwise.

[florence]

I’ve always assumed that Diana herself is not terribly fond of the song. Despite it being a popular song and a sizeable UK hit, she has never performed it live here, there or anywhere. Unless of course someone knows otherwise.

I don't think she could have hated the song.

When EMI decided to go with it instead of I'm Coming Out as the follow-up to Upside Down in the UK and Diana was conveniently in London they asked her if she would be prepared to record a video of it.

Diana willingly agreed and it was recorded in a room [[it was either a ballroom or bedroom) at a hotel in Park Lane.

[Ollie9]

I don't think she could have hated the song.

When EMI decided to go with it instead of I'm Coming Out as the follow-up to Upside Down in the UK and Diana was conveniently in London they asked her if she would be prepared to record a video of it.

Diana willingly agreed and it was recorded in a room [[it was either a ballroom or bedroom) at a hotel in Park Lane.

I would not really take that as proof that she liked the song Florence. She would hardly refuse the chance to promote her latest single if requested by her record company.
I’m not saying that i think she hated the song, just that she is not that keen on it given the fact that despite it being a big hit in the UK, she has never added it to her set list when visiting these shores.

[reese]

it did well in the UK [[released Sept 80) but poorly in the US [[Nov 81). of course by this time in the States, she had released WDFFIL.

Had she stayed with motown, would it have been released? would it have been successful? apparently there's also a single mixed version of Tenderness in the vaults. Would she have just gone onto a follow up lp?

I think if she had stayed with Motown and there wasn't a need to release IT'S MY TURN, they might have pulled at least one more single from "diana" in the US, as it was selling so well.

[lucky2012]

The piano & guitar absolutely stood out for me from the first listen. More amazed with each listen. Have to say, though, that Upside Down was and still is my favorite. This is my second favorite from ​diana.

[sup_fan]

I think if she had stayed with Motown and there wasn't a need to release IT'S MY TURN, they might have pulled at least one more single from "diana" in the US, as it was selling so well.

oh i think they would have still done It's My Turn. since it was the theme to the movie, once the movie hit the theaters, it had to be released. Yeah i think had they NOT, they might have been able to pull a 3rd song off of diana. I like My Old Piano but was never a favorite. Tenderness is too monotonous IMO. Maybe Give Up - it has some excitement to it.

I think had she stayed, we would have had a full Masser lp with all new tracks. After that she MIGHT have done another Chic album but with Endless Love and Dreaming of You, they might have opted to have a Lionel produced album

[daviddh]

My favorite track from Diana...
Great track.
Love it and Give Up

[RanRan79]

It took years to grow on me, but it's probably my favorite song on that album. Would've been really interesting to see how well it would have done as the third single.

[TomatoTom123]

I liked it on first listen, but it's definitely grown on me over time. Loved "Tenderness" and "Give Up" straight away, and "Now That You’re Gone" grew on me a lot!

"My Old Piano" was a Top 5 hit in the UK, didn’t know it was that big a hit!

[lucky2012]

I liked it on first listen, but it's definitely grown on me over time. Loved "Tenderness" and "Give Up" straight away, and "Now That You’re Gone" grew on me a lot!

"My Old Piano" was a Top 5 hit in the UK, didn’t know it was that big a hit!
Give Up and Now That You're Gone grew on me after the first few listens. Give Up was a fun, upbeat way to end the album. I found Now That You're Gone more and more interesting with each listen. I never warmed up to Tenderness.

I envy that My Old Piano was a big UK hit because I'm not so sure it could have hit as big here in the US.

I think Give Up might have been able to break out [[if It's My Turn hadn't had to have it's turn!)

[Levi Stubbs Tears]

"My Old Piano" was a Top 5 hit in the UK, didn’t know it was that big a hit!

Although it only appears to have reached #25 in the Australian charts, I remember it being Top 10 in my city/state.

It was played on the new top-rating FM radio station, despite them not having played Upside Down or I'm Coming Out, which must have given it a bit of a boost.

That it had an actual video clip for further promotion on TV would have helped substantially. I think most of Diana's singles from the 70s to early 80s suffered on the charts downunder by not having videos.

'Countdown' [[our version of 'Top of the Pops') had to use a home-made video clip when 'Upside Down' hit #1. It was basically still pictures of Diana, some of them rotating around [[a bit like some home-made clips you see on YouTube these days) while the song played.

[Jaap]

n'Countdown' [[our version of 'Top of the Pops') had to use a home-made video clip when 'Upside Down' hit #1. It was basically still pictures of Diana, some of them rotating around [[a bit like some home-made clips you see on YouTube these days) while the song played.

That was actually the "official" music video, also included on the 1993 VHS One Woman: The Video Collection. It definitely looks homemade though. I understand why they used the footage from the Mahogany montage sequence, but that shot from TCB [[singing Somewhere) does not really fit.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po0BbGMSX4g

[copley]

Love 'My Old Piano'. Here's the UK video. I also think that 'Now That You're Gone' would have been a big hit if released as a UK single.


https://youtu.be/2ykMkMrBaf8

[Levi Stubbs Tears]

That was actually the "official" music video, also included on the 1993 VHS One Woman: The Video Collection. It definitely looks homemade though.

Maybe it was this one. Strange that the other music video shows I watched at the time [[being a teen, I watched a lot) never played it - the only time I ever saw it was when it hit #1 on Countdown.

It does look like an amateur job though, so no wonder I thought they made one up themselves [[I remember them doing one for Julie Covington's 'Don't Cry from Me Argentina'.

[Circa 1824]

Love 'My Old Piano'. Here's the UK video. I also think that 'Now That You're Gone' would have been a big hit if released as a UK single.


https://youtu.be/2ykMkMrBaf8

Good God, what a cheap boring shoestring video for this sing.

Ross refused to spend time and money to get the quality needed to secure and advance her place as a top musical performer. Yes, it costs money! What a loss ..... for all......

[Boogiedown]

I was listening to this wonderful track the other day and noticed how the guitar and piano have a sort of jazzy solo-off at the end... I just thought it was really cool and wondered if anyone else thought the same :cool:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwTzmBs-Tds

Hey Tom Tom !! thank you for pointing this out !! I have to admit I've always considered this cut as lightweight album filler, I think i hardly played it all the way through to hear its ending ! It comes alive ! That cut just needed a couple of more rounds of studio attention and further polishing . I also think that its when the lyrics disappear for the final minute that the music best reveals itself ....should've been a longer instrumental portion, perhaps in the middle as a break , resulting in a six minute version of the song ...imo...Listening to its spirited playful ending that seems to get interrupted , it now ends much to soon !

[Boogiedown]

Update:

Hey Tom Tom !

Check out the original Chic version! It would appear they intended this last part to play longer , making this cut closer to five minutes [[ still not long enough!!) but in doing so, I think it better plays out the theme of the song , which is .....having a good time on an old piano!!

I think the final mix is superior in other ways , but I for the life of me don't understand why they truncated it on the LP to 3:50 by cutting off the instrumental end. Even on the 12" !!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpbqAfz0ATI

[Ollie9]

Update:

Check out the original Chic version! It would appear they intended this last part to play longer , making this cut closer to five minutes [[ still not long enough!!) but in doing so, I think it better plays out the theme of the song , which is .....having a good time on an old piano!!

I think the final mix is superior in other ways , but I for the life of me don't understand why they truncated it on the LP to 3:50 by cutting off the instrumental end. Even on the 12" !!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpbqAfz0ATI

Of the eight songs featured on diana, “My Old Piano” is the one that i think benefits the most from being remixed. Terranas mix is cleaner, tighter with Diana’s vocals sounding crisp and strong. I find the original Chic mix rather lacking in comparison.
The extended instrumental ending is terrific. Should def have remained intact on the album.

[TomatoTom123]

Love 'My Old Piano'. Here's the UK video. I also think that 'Now That You're Gone' would have been a big hit if released as a UK single.


https://youtu.be/2ykMkMrBaf8

Cute video. Not a lot going on, but lovely all the same!

"Now That You're Gone" has a slinky and sexy groove. :D

[TomatoTom123]

Update:

Hey Tom Tom !

Check out the original Chic version! It would appear they intended this last part to play longer , making this cut closer to five minutes [[ still not long enough!!) but in doing so, I think it better plays out the theme of the song , which is .....having a good time on an old piano!!

I think the final mix is superior in other ways , but I for the life of me don't understand why they truncated it on the LP to 3:50 by cutting off the instrumental end. Even on the 12" !!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpbqAfz0ATI

Thanks for your input Boogie!! I'd never checked out the original mix of this one.

If I'm honest, I don't care too much for the CHIC mixes that I have listened to so far... being so familiar with the remixed versions. I find the original mixes a bit disconcerting :p

I'm not too keen on Diana's singing on the original mix, but the instrumental ad-libbing-thing at the end, is bloody great, as you say. :)

[TomatoTom123]

I meant to post this a while back, but better late than never!!!

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/blog.discogs.com/en/diana-ross-comes-out-diana-turns-40/amp/

[jobeterob]

The Chic mixes were very poor I thought

Russ and Diana knew what they were doing