Someday we'll be together

[captainjames]

Does anyone know why Diana does not sing " Someday We'll Be Together" in any of her concerts ? She will do "Forever", "Love Child", and "Reflections" in her concerts of Supreme songs. Do you think there was some official commitment made or its too sentimental ? I remember once telling her I would love to hear her sing "Someday" again and she just smiled and said "oooh". It was the last major hit of 1969 so I was jut curious why she never sings it. I would love to know why.

[reese]

I would assume that the time period of its release comes with a lot of conflicting emotions for Diana.

She seemed to enjoy SOMEDAY when they fed it over the PA during her first OPRAH appearance. And IMO, it was the highlight of her DIANA EXTENDED album. But maybe she just isn't interested in going to that place every night in concert. And now, with both Mary and Flo gone, she probably won't.

[marybrewster]

My stab at a guess is that it's just too slow of a song. I wouldn't quite call it a ballad, like "It's My Turn" or perhaps even like "Mahogany".

Did she ever really have it in her set list, post Supremes? Maybe as part of a medley, but I don't ever recall her performing the whole thing. While it might might a good closing song, we know she loves her "Survive", and I'd surmise she probably doesn't remember the lyrics.

Did she perform it during RTL?

[reese]

My stab at a guess is that it's just too slow of a song. I wouldn't quite call it a ballad, like "It's My Turn" or perhaps even like "Mahogany".

Did she ever really have it in her set list, post Supremes? Maybe as part of a medley, but I don't ever recall her performing the whole thing. While it might might a good closing song, we know she loves her "Survive", and I'd surmise she probably doesn't remember the lyrics.

Did she perform it during RTL?

To my knowledge, aside from MOTOWN 25, Diana hasn't performed SOMEDAY since becoming a solo artist.

Note: an instrumental version was used during her AN EVENING WITH DIANA ROSS concerts.

[Albator]

Isn't because she thinks she can't sing "someday we'll be together" she knows they are not?
It's no surprise she chooses it for the 25 special reunion, but after that, it would be awkward.

[sup_fan]

not to derail the discussion but when [[other than when they released it and did on Sullivan) has she ever done Forever? surely she never did it as a soloist in the 70s or 80s. was it part of RTL?

as for someday, i'll echo the other responses. 69 and into 70 seems to have been an especially challenging time for her. things really were at the breaking point with the Supremes, there was so much tension and all. I'm totally making my own interpretation here but Deke mentioned how the Farewell shows were very stressful and how he had to edit out TONS of ad libs, jabs and remarks from Mary in order to make the lp. perhaps those memories linger.

in addition, her relationship at this time with Berry was very strained. would they/wouldn't they marry or advance things? the reality that he was not really interested in marriage and that he would have outside girlfriends

plus there's the whole launching of her solo career

we see all of the joyful side of the recording world. glamourous gowns, amazing tv specials, incredible albums full of excellent songs. but she's the one spending countless hours in rehearsals, in the studio, dealing with the pressures and stress. so a song or an event could very easily have two radically different interpretations

[sup_fan]

also my guess with all of the big hits is that there's some degree of personal preference. in the 60s the girls had so many hits that it was easy to pick and choose which to continue to include in the shows. some might have been selected do to the style/interpretation. like YCHL vs The Happening. both were used as a tambourine thumping, clap along segment. where they really got the audience moving along. other than when TH was just released and used as an encore, they didn't seem to include both in the shows. and TH was the newer of the two so it would be the one to stay in while YCHL drops out.

otherwise they tended to do the most recent 4 or 5 hits plus the medley. as for the hits medley, Baby Love was so iconic with the ooooo intro that it was really necessary to keep. Come See and My World could both have been picked because the girls really liked them. and it was easy to add Stop to it [[or move it over and combine with TCB).

[TNSUN]

I wonder if it happens to be a reference to The Vietnam War. A sad time in American-so many young lives lost.

[reese]

not to derail the discussion but when [[other than when they released it and did on Sullivan) has she ever done Forever? surely she never did it as a soloist in the 70s or 80s. was it part of RTL?


She did FOREVER CAME TODAY during some RTL shows.

[Boogiedown]

Maybe it has a religious bent that she doesn’t subscribe to.
maybe she was singing it with berry gordy in mind at the time.
maybe the tint of a future supremes unification is sour in more ways than one

[Circa 1824]

Because of its association with Mary/The Supremes, and the Motown 25 debacle. “I made a big mistake. I said goodbye.”

it would be a powerful show ending song, but Ross is too damn bullheaded to consider it. Instead she does the dreadful I Will Survive. [[I am not sure I could survive another listening to that song.).

[TNSUN]

"I Will Survive"as sung by Diana Ross has an urban edge to it and a better tempo than the original version. C'est la vie.
It is a crowd pleaser and I enjoy her joy with this song.
"Someday, We'll Be Together" would be a great encore homage to all the support from her fans throughout the years.

[jobeterob]

I often wonder if there are songs that are just too difficult to put in a concert - due to tempo, due to trying to make them sound like they did on record.

I have some doubt about how much anyone would care about 50 or 60 year old relationships - even if they are not perfect relationships.

But if the song is difficult, that's a good reason to leave it out.

[khansperac]

Maybe she doesn’t like the song. Maybe she feels like singing it would be hypocritical. She has her reason, and perhaps it’s not for us to understand.

[jobeterob]

Maybe she doesn’t like the song. Maybe she feels like singing it would be hypocritical. She has her reason, and perhaps it’s not for us to understand.

Totally..........an artist has their choices, tastes, rights.

"We don't own them
They've not just one of our many toys
We don't own them
Don't say they can't go with other boys"
Lesley Gore 1964

[jobeterob]

I forgot this part

"And don't tell them what to say
Don't tell them what to do"

lol

[sup_fan]

She did FOREVER CAME TODAY during some RTL shows.

wow! talk about pulling in some great but obscure material for it!! that's wonderfule

[captainjames]

She did not sing it during RTL but I have always been curious and I agree it would a great song for an encore. On the Farewell album she says something like what this song means to Mary, Cindy and I is that we will not be together but we will always be together in our hearts. It was a number one song and again the last number one song in 1969 which I am thinking perhaps a bit emotional.

[Spreadinglove21]

Mary certainly used the song to close out the main set for her oldies show for years so the song worked well for type of show she was doing. So I don't think it was that.

Maybe Diana didn't want to do it because if she did everyone would be wondering if she was going to do a reunion with Mary, or if she was going to bring out Mary and maybe Cindy? And that wasn't going to happen so why deal with it as especially after RTL she had no interest whatsoever in a Supremes reunion.

Now perhaps she could sing it, but at this stage of her life and career, her show is pretty set and only songs from Thank You are likely to be put into the act as the UK/European tour demonstrated.

As for what she said at Farewell before going into the song, I'm sure that was scripted and not something she ad libbed. Who knows?

In other words, no one should hold their breath to hear Someday We'll Be Together at a Ross show.

[RanRan79]

Personally I think it's a bit selfish that "Someday" isn't a treat Diana has been willing to give the public in so long. It boggles my mind that a singer can have so many hits and not "constantly" switch them in and out of the setlist over the years so that we get to hear them all, yet instead keep certain songs in that the public largely doesn't even associate with her. [[I'm talking to you "I Will Survive".)

While I think it's possible that Diana doesn't do it because of "bad memories", I think the probable is that she doesn't like it. She's performed "Missing You" on and off for years and I have to believe that the song being released on the heels of her mother's death- not to mention the tie in with Marvin's murder- is far more likely to be a reminder of bad times than whatever was going on at the end of her time as a Supreme.

Does she have the right to sing whatever she wants to? Does she have the right to not sing whatever she wants to? Absolutely. Do those things cancel out the "unfairness" of depriving us of hearing her do a song many of us would love to hear her sing again? Absolutely not. Two things can be true at the same time.

I'd love for her to add it to the show.

[reese]

Personally I think it's a bit selfish that "Someday" isn't a treat Diana has been willing to give the public in so long. It boggles my mind that a singer can have so many hits and not "constantly" switch them in and out of the setlist over the years so that we get to hear them all, yet instead keep certain songs in that the public largely doesn't even associate with her. [[I'm talking to you "I Will Survive".)

While I think it's possible that Diana doesn't do it because of "bad memories", I think the probable is that she doesn't like it. She's performed "Missing You" on and off for years and I have to believe that the song being released on the heels of her mother's death- not to mention the tie in with Marvin's murder- is far more likely to be a reminder of bad times than whatever was going on at the end of her time as a Supreme.

Does she have the right to sing whatever she wants to? Does she have the right to not sing whatever she wants to? Absolutely. Do those things cancel out the "unfairness" of depriving us of hearing her do a song many of us would love to hear her sing again? Absolutely not. Two things can be true at the same time.

I'd love for her to add it to the show.

I guess when it comes to memories, there's no set answer. MISSING YOU stayed in the act for quite some time. But someone posted that I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME was rehearsed for RTL but was dropped because it brought Diana to tears, thinking about Eddie and Paul. So who knows?

I don't think she dislikes SOMEDAY if for no other reason than why would she bother having it remixed for her DIANA EXTENDED album when there were so many other hits she could have had done?

[TheMotownManiac]

I spoke to the MD at several RTL stops. I asked about different songs that they hadn’t done and he told me that they had an arrangement for no matter what sign you are but had never rehearsed it. I asked about some day we’ll be together and he told me she specifically stated she did not want an arrangement for it and for another song that he described as, “theme song from a television special they did “because they reminded her of the Supreme that died. He had been given a list of song possible titles and evidently they were on the list. I told him I thought it was strange that those songs would bother her about Florence because Florence wasn’t with the group when they did those songs and he said, “I only know what she told me. “Everything else he said during our talks was spot on as far as I can tail. I’m assuming he was talking about TCB, but what on earth that would have to do with the Flo, I can barely speculate. Oh, there was never any suggestion about doing the Sam Cooke medley or Millie rose Mame.

[sup_fan]

I spoke to the MD at several RTL stops. I asked about different songs that they hadn’t done and he told me that they had an arrangement for no matter what sign you are but had never rehearsed it. I asked about some day we’ll be together and he told me she specifically stated she did not want an arrangement for it and for another song that he described as, “theme song from a television special they did “because they reminded her of the Supreme that died. He had been given a list of song possible titles and evidently they were on the list. I told him I thought it was strange that those songs would bother her about Florence because Florence wasn’t with the group when they did those songs and he said, “I only know what she told me. “Everything else he said during our talks was spot on as far as I can tail. I’m assuming he was talking about TCB, but what on earth that would have to do with the Flo, I can barely speculate. Oh, there was never any suggestion about doing the Sam Cooke medley or Millie rose Mame.

thank you so much for sharing this. perhaps the connection with Flo is the whole fiasco with the funeral. IMO diana's overall intention with the situations surrounding the funeral was one of caring and concern, even if the perception or the actual outcome wasn't as intended. many many fans have shared stories of the fact that Diana and Mary both were very concerned about Flo as the group fell apart and tried to help - they were just kids you know. and how D and F did maintain contact, especially in the 70s. thoughts about "woulda, coulda, shoulda" surely went through her mind all through the years and then for Flo to die without really being able to answer any of those lingering questions had to have broken her heart. and to have Someday on the organ - maybe that just was the icing on the cake

but wow!! so interesting about Sign!!

[TheMotownManiac]

thank you so much for sharing this. perhaps the connection with Flo is the whole fiasco with the funeral. IMO diana's overall intention with the situations surrounding the funeral was one of caring and concern, even if the perception or the actual outcome wasn't as intended. many many fans have shared stories of the fact that Diana and Mary both were very concerned about Flo as the group fell apart and tried to help - they were just kids you know. and how D and F did maintain contact, especially in the 70s. thoughts about "woulda, coulda, shoulda" surely went through her mind all through the years and then for Flo to die without really being able to answer any of those lingering questions had to have broken her heart. and to have Someday on the organ - maybe that just was the icing on the cake

but wow!! so interesting about Sign!!

I just remembered I also asked about some things you never get used to and the composer and he had never heard of them. He also did not know they recorded the weight. There was an arrangement for remember me that they had gone through.

More is coming back to me: she told him that she wanted arrangements to be just like the original studio arrangements except “brighter and fresher for large live audiences” I remember wondering if that was an exact quote. At one point he referred to Lynda and Scherrie as “find musicians. “

[Ollie9]

I just remembered I also asked about some things you never get used to and the composer and he had never heard of them. He also did not know they recorded the weight. There was an arrangement for remember me that they had gone through.

More is coming back to me: she told him that she wanted arrangements to be just like the original studio arrangements except “brighter and fresher for large live audiences” I remember wondering if that was an exact quote. At one point he referred to Lynda and Scherrie as “find musicians. “

Really interesting stuff MM. Shame about “Something’s You Never” as I think it would have sounded great live. Did she ever perform “Remember Me” at RTL?.
I can well understand her not wanting to perform the rather melancholy “SDWBT”. Florence aside, it might also have rekindled memories of Motown 25.

[sup_fan]

did they change up the act a little between each stop? shift songs in and out?

do we have a list of all the songs they prepared and/or performed?

[reese]

did they change up the act a little between each stop? shift songs in and out?

do we have a list of all the songs they prepared and/or performed?

I've seen video tapes of three of the shows. There were some differences in each.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_to_Love_Tour#Set_list

[RanRan79]

I spoke to the MD at several RTL stops. I asked about different songs that they hadn’t done and he told me that they had an arrangement for no matter what sign you are but had never rehearsed it. I asked about some day we’ll be together and he told me she specifically stated she did not want an arrangement for it and for another song that he described as, “theme song from a television special they did “because they reminded her of the Supreme that died. He had been given a list of song possible titles and evidently they were on the list. I told him I thought it was strange that those songs would bother her about Florence because Florence wasn’t with the group when they did those songs and he said, “I only know what she told me. “Everything else he said during our talks was spot on as far as I can tail. I’m assuming he was talking about TCB, but what on earth that would have to do with the Flo, I can barely speculate. Oh, there was never any suggestion about doing the Sam Cooke medley or Millie rose Mame.

I can understand that, especially since the song was played at Flo's funeral. However, I'd have to suspend disbelief that Diana would even confide something so personal, and I just find that hard to believe.

[marybrewster]

And that wasn't going to happen so why deal with it as especially after RTL she had no interest whatsoever in a Supremes reunion.

Except that RTL wasn't the last time the Supremes were to reunite.

[MotownFan1]

Is there a video of “In and Out of Love” and “Forever Came Today” from RTL? I saw RTL in Ohio but they didn’t sing either one of these there.

[sup_fan]

I've seen video tapes of three of the shows. There were some differences in each.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_to_Love_Tour#Set_list

thanks! so out of the tunes after WDOLG, the follow are missing:

My World is empty - really?!?!? this has to simply be an omission from the wikipedia list, i can't believe they didn't perform

I'm gonna make you love me - as you mentioned her memories of the guys were too painful

Some things - apparently never considered

I'm living in shame

Composer - never considered

Sign - prepared but never included

Someday - never considered

I'll try something new & The Weight - never considered

[reese]

thanks! so out of the tunes after WDOLG, the follow are missing:

My World is empty - really?!?!? this has to simply be an omission from the wikipedia list, i can't believe they didn't perform

I'm gonna make you love me - as you mentioned her memories of the guys were too painful

Some things - apparently never considered

I'm living in shame

Composer - never considered

Sign - prepared but never included

Someday - never considered

I'll try something new & The Weight - never considered

MWIEWY was the second song at the NYC concert. I don't know which others it was performed at.

[reese]

Is there a video of “In and Out of Love” and “Forever Came Today” from RTL? I saw RTL in Ohio but they didn’t sing either one of these there.

They sang FOREVER CAME TODAY in Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale, maybe others.