DR & the Supremes Last TV appearance

[Albator]

I mean, Diana is singing live to prerecorded track? What about Mary and Cindy?
I also think Diana is lip-synching on Someday


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=how5kE8OGFM

[TYK1986]

I think they were lip-synching all the way through but Diana is singing live during the medley and then lips during someday. Although we can hear Mary towards the end of someday so maybe, Diana, was singing live someday as well.

[Albator]

I think they were lip-synching all the way through but Diana is singing live during the medley and then lips during someday. Although we can hear Mary towards the end of someday so maybe, Diana, was singing live someday as well.

Yes I use to think she lip synched someday, but I’m not sure anymore

[reese]

Diana is singing live to track throughout the medley and SOMEDAY. Mary and Cindy are lipsyncing, but Mary can be heard adlibing during SOMEDAY because she was picked up by Diana's mike.

[BayouMotownMan]

Diana is clearly singing live on Someday. Mary and Cindy are lip=synching to the Andantes with Mary chiming in the Johnny Bristol parts.

[Albator]

I never noticed before that she changed her microphone for "Someday".

When do you hear Mary's voice? I don't :confused:

[TYK1986]

Notice how the the top of the microphone changes when she is singing Love Child. From a rounded top to a flat one. I don't know the terms sorry. Then when she start Someday the rounded top bit is back.
Mary is clearly audible at the end of Someday. Around 6:28 she says "oh yes I will" and the "say it" a bit later. Although still mixed with a recorded backing track, I think, Mary is clearly audible singing the last few times "someday we'll be together". I can't hear Cindy at all during Someday.

[fightingirish46]

Notice how the the top of the microphone changes when she is singing Love Child. From a rounded top to a flat one. I don't know the terms sorry. Then when she start Someday the rounded top bit is back.
Mary is clearly audible at the end of Someday. Around 6:28 she says "oh yes I will" and the "say it" a bit later. Although still mixed with a recorded backing track, I think, Mary is clearly audible singing the last few times "someday we'll be together". I can't hear Cindy at all during Someday.

OMG! All these years! I’ve never realized this at all.

[Albator]

There is an enormous improvement in the sound of Diana's live performances after 1968.
At last, we hear the quality of her voice, like her studio recordings.

[TYK1986]

I think so too. Her voice was in a dip during 67, to me, and got better again. I think she sounded great on the Farewell LP.

[Ollie9]

I have always thought Diana looked stunning during this performance. A more natural look. Mary and Cindy appear to be just going through the motions.
Her voice was really on song during this period. I wish she had kept “Didn't We” for her solo act. Her performance Of the song during the farewell concerts remains one of my favourite Diana moments.

[sup_fan]

a good rule of thumb is if Diana is holding a hand mic, she's singing live. in Fats Waller, Always, No Matter she's not holding a mic and is lip syncing.

generally after their first couple performances, the background were lip synced. I think they pre-recorded tracks and backgrounds started with You Can't Hurry Love and the symphony medley. so mid 66

M and C are live for the 2nd You're Nobody and Impossible dream

[Albator]

I have always thought Diana looked stunning during this performance. A more natural look. Mary and Cindy appear to be just going through the motions.
Her voice was really on song during this period. I wish she had kept “Didn't We” for her solo act. Her performance Of the song during the farewell concerts remains one of my favourite Diana moments.
Didn't we is quite stunning. One of the best version ever.
She was in fine voice for the whole album.

[BayouMotownMan]

The most noticeable thing about this performance to me was toward the end of SWBT Diana tried to make eye contact with Mary and Cindy but neither returned it.

[floyjoy678]

The most noticeable thing about this performance to me was toward the end of SWBT Diana tried to make eye contact with Mary and Cindy but neither returned it.

I always noticed that too. I also always noticed how exhausted/sad Diana looks.

[BayouMotownMan]

Also when Sullivan is interviewing Ross, she looks over his shoulder to read the cue cards.

[sup_fan]

The most noticeable thing about this performance to me was toward the end of SWBT Diana tried to make eye contact with Mary and Cindy but neither returned it.

yes it's a rather chilly performance especially since this is one of the few times they'd performed huddled together like this. usually M and C were relegated over to the side.

and it's not that they just missed glancing at each other. neither M or C ever look at D throughout the whole performance. 0 group interplay

[floyjoy678]

yes it's a rather chilly performance especially since this is one of the few times they'd performed huddled together like this. usually M and C were relegated over to the side.

and it's not that they just missed glancing at each other. neither M or C ever look at D throughout the whole performance. 0 group interplay

It also happened a couple months before on Hollywood Palace when they sang Where Do I Go. Diana keeps looking at Mary and Cindy but they won't give her the time of day.

[Albator]

It also happened a couple months before on Hollywood Palace when they sang Where Do I Go. Diana keeps looking at Mary and Cindy but they won't give her the time of day.
I didn't notice at first, but it's obvious and that's why this last TV appearance is special.
It's beautifully staged, great light and set, great gowns and a fabulous performance by Diana.

[sup_fan]

I didn't notice at first, but it's obvious and that's why this last TV appearance is special.
It's beautifully staged, great light and set, great gowns and a fabulous performance by Diana.

I'm guessing here but on Farewell, at the end of Someday, Diana says "mary and cindy, let's sing it like we feel it" [[or something along those lines) and they do the chorus 2 more times. Cindy is VERY loud and clear, Mary is rather load too. I wonder if they staged it where they left their mics and joined Diana at hers. the trio singing together and sharing a mic, like the "Sisters" they were ;)

just speculating. if nothing else its a lovely thought lol

[Ollie9]

Didn't we is quite stunning. One of the best version ever.
She was in fine voice for the whole album.

Its brilliant. I believe she sang it directly to Berry. Her voice almost cracks with the emotion of it all. I’m kind of pleased she never went into the studio to record it as this live version remains so poignant.

[marybrewster]

If this performance was prerecorded [[which I assume with the switching of Diana's microphone cover), why wouldn't they have edited Cindy's stumble on Diana's cord just before "Symphony"?

[reese]

If this performance was prerecorded [[which I assume with the switching of Diana's microphone cover), why wouldn't they have edited Cindy's stumble on Diana's cord just before "Symphony"?

The editors might not have caught it or if they did, probably thought that the audience wouldn't notice it. Just like Diana's wig switch at the beginning of TCB. Most likely, audiences back then only saw these shows once or maybe twice if they were re-run.

[marybrewster]

You're probably right. Who knew there would be bootleg VHS and DVDs and the magic of YouTube 30 and 40 and 50 years later??

[sup_fan]

You're probably right. Who knew there would be bootleg VHS and DVDs and the magic of YouTube 30 and 40 and 50 years later??

or that there'd be all of us fans scanning these vids over and over lolol

I wonder if they taped the medley twice. the mic change happens AFTER they cut to M and C shots during Love Child. and then i believe for the rest of the medley it's the headless mic lol.

did it fall off? maybe it startled her and therefore they cut to M and C for a few seconds. Maybe it's a different mic and they did 2 tapings? perhaps that headless one was the first one and was problematic?

[marybrewster]

MAYBE IT'S WHAT CINDY TRIPPED ON?

lol

[marybrewster]

Just wondering: how many Sullivan performances [[like this) were pre-recorded? I can't imagine that many?

[sup_fan]

MAYBE IT'S WHAT CINDY TRIPPED ON?

lol

HAHAHAHA
Cindy best be careful! lest she fall and the other eye gets blackened!

this is getting trivial but i also noticed that the bottom hem of the gowns was looking a bit dirty. being such an incredibly long dress, that thing was always skimming all those filthy stage floors, the floors backstage...

[sup_fan]

Just wondering: how many Sullivan performances [[like this) were pre-recorded? I can't imagine that many?

i don't know for sure

I know some segments were definitely live [[thought most certainly on a delay). There's a story about a young Japanese violinist making an appearance and tragically her bow broke. She didn't have a replacement and so couldn't perform. Ed was gracious and warm still but simply had to smile and exit.

for the top stars, they clearly invested in sets, production costumes, pre-recording the backing tracks. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an opportunity to pre-record. Or perhaps the final dress rehearsal was recorded as a "back up" in case it was needed.

[reese]

or that there'd be all of us fans scanning these vids over and over lolol

I wonder if they taped the medley twice. the mic change happens AFTER they cut to M and C shots during Love Child. and then i believe for the rest of the medley it's the headless mic lol.

did it fall off? maybe it startled her and therefore they cut to M and C for a few seconds. Maybe it's a different mic and they did 2 tapings? perhaps that headless one was the first one and was problematic?

I'm sure they recorded it at least twice and then edited the pieces together. The way the spot is choreographed with the sharp camera angles and such probably wouldn't have made it possible for a mike switch to take place during the performance. The applause on it even sounds fake.

[reese]

i don't know for sure

I know some segments were definitely live [[thought most certainly on a delay). There's a story about a young Japanese violinist making an appearance and tragically her bow broke. She didn't have a replacement and so couldn't perform. Ed was gracious and warm still but simply had to smile and exit.

for the top stars, they clearly invested in sets, production costumes, pre-recording the backing tracks. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an opportunity to pre-record. Or perhaps the final dress rehearsal was recorded as a "back up" in case it was needed.

In her first book, Mary wrote that artists usually arrived a week early to rehearse and pre-tape their appearance in case they couldn't make the live broadcast.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were more and more pre-taped segments after the show switched to color and the years rolled on. The show is often in re-runs and I recall seeing an appearance by [[I think) Spanky and Our Gang where the group was singing the same song simultaneously but on two totally different sets.