BABY IT'S ME or DIANA ROSS 76

[redlabs]

Hello SDF,just curious.
only a few of the original DR albums are not currently reissued on cd, the above two and LIVE AT CAESARS.
of the two studio albums ,which album would you prefer to be reissued first with Deluxe Treatment.
thanks,david

[soulster]

Baby, It's Me, without a doubt! It's much more interesting than the 1975 album.

[thaperson]

BABY IT'S ME just to have it on CD would be nice.

But I think CAESARS and DIANA ROSS '76 have more unrleased songs. CAESARS was intended to be a double album.

[whitesoxx]

baby it's me
I can't understand why Hip-O are taking forever with either Baby or Diana Ross 76... Many people have expressed a demand for it, so why not just release them?

[soulster]

Well, they can't just say we want to release it and go, they have to clear publishing and royalties, get approval from corporate, get an engineer, set the schedule for studio time, artwork, books, set a release date, get with marketing, liner notes, get the tape machine [[there really aren't many around anymore), get the correct tapes, probably bake them, use the best converters for the project, master it, get approval, set a date for the premastering and pressing plant...now, if it just gets put up on, say, iTunes, all they need to do is get an album cover graphic and master the tapes, shoot it all to iTunes, and it's done. But, we want a CD, right? And, if you want reissued vinyl, it's going to take longer and be more expensive.

[smark21]

I prefer Baby It's Me because all the songs were produced by Richard Perry and thus has a more cohesive and unified feel to it. Good mix of well written songs. It's a real album.

Ross 76 is good as well, but it's a hodgepodge of cuts thrown together. Good songs, but not a real album in the artistic sense.

[Roberta75]

I prefer Baby It's Me because all the songs were produced by Richard Perry and thus has a more cohesive and unified feel to it. Good mix of well written songs. It's a real album.

Ross 76 is good as well, but it's a hodgepodge of cuts thrown together. Good songs, but not a real album in the artistic sense.

And Diana sings the heck out of Too Shy To Say.

[soulster]

And what I outlined what it takes to get a CD on the market just went right over your heads. This is what's so frustrating about this place.

I'd like to see both of these albums out too, but it's going to be a long wait.

[jeff9nyc]

Baby It's Me is Diana Ross at her finest! I like the '76 album too, but wow, what Richard Perry got out her is amazing. She was open and vocally great!

[Roberta75]

Baby It's Me is Diana Ross at her finest! I like the '76 album too, but wow, what Richard Perry got out her is amazing. She was open and vocally great!

I agree jeff9nyc. Baby It's Me is Miss Ross at her finest.

Roberta

[jobeterob]

76 was a far bigger hit but Baby It's Me has withstood the test of time and grown in stature. I'd take Baby It's Me too.

[rovereab]

Baby It's Me for me too - great album.

[whitesoxx]

And what I outlined what it takes to get a CD on the market just went right over your heads. This is what's so frustrating about this place.

I'd like to see both of these albums out too, but it's going to be a long wait.

I think most people realise getting a cd out takes some time. BUT, when you see small reissue labels like BBR [[60 releases in just one year!) and Funkytowngrooves releasing several quality reissues every month, people start to wonder why Hip-O is only managing a few reissues a year. What they release is usually excellent, of course, but there is still so much that should be out there [[Rick James, Commodores, a lot of "missing on cd" albums from the 70's /80's [[Temptations, Four Tops etc).

And it is not like they should be starting on this today, the demand for Baby and Diana Ross 76 has been there for years already.

[smark21]

And what I outlined what it takes to get a CD on the market just went right over your heads. This is what's so frustrating about this place.

I'd like to see both of these albums out too, but it's going to be a long wait.

It didn't go over my head, it was informative and sounded definitive. No need to respond to it. What did you want people here to do? To fawn over your knowledge and stroke your fragile ego?

[dvdmike]

"Baby It's Me" has been reissued on CD twice. As a two-fer with "Touch Me In The Morning" in 1986 and as a single album in 1992. It's available on CD and vinyl on Amazon, although the CD is quite expensive starting at $69.00. The vinyl is much cheaper starting about 5 or 6 bucks used.

[kenneth]

I think most people realise getting a cd out takes some time. BUT, when you see small reissue labels like BBR [[60 releases in just one year!) and Funkytowngrooves releasing several quality reissues every month, people start to wonder why Hip-O is only managing a few reissues a year. What they release is usually excellent, of course, but there is still so much that should be out there [[Rick James, Commodores, a lot of "missing on cd" albums from the 70's /80's [[Temptations, Four Tops etc).

And it is not like they should be starting on this today, the demand for Baby and Diana Ross 76 has been there for years already.

I don't know how many releases are on Hip-O's schedule each year, but they do cover quite a range of musical genres. They release a lot of rock, jazz, and R&B [[such as the entire James Brown singles discography). I only stop and wonder when they release something like that Dean Martin set that they tied in to Father's Day this year. I mean, stuff like that is already glutting the market and it doesn't seem to fit in anywhere on Hip-O's slate whatsoever.

[skooldem1]

Hello SDF,just curious.
only a few of the original DR albums are not currently reissued on cd, the above two and LIVE AT CAESARS.
of the two studio albums ,which album would you prefer to be reissued first with Deluxe Treatment.
thanks,david

Live at Ceasars was released on CD.

[redlabs]

Soulster, i did read your post and thanks for the input.you hit the nail on the head with all the info as to what goes into releasing a cd.
DR76 was my first Dr album ever and then BABY.....both are my favorites. but BAB, it so classy.it just seems to have a great flow and i have heard there are a few really good outtakes.
i'll go for either but perhaps BABY IT"S ME wins by a thread.
thanks everyone!

[RossHolloway]

Hello SDF,just curious.
only a few of the original DR albums are not currently reissued on cd, the above two and LIVE AT CAESARS.
of the two studio albums ,which album would you prefer to be reissued first with Deluxe Treatment.
thanks,david

There could also be a deluxe treatment for her tv special titled Diana!, I'm sure there are outtakes from that, from Lady Sings the Blues Soundtrack [[wasn't there some talk of an expanded soundtrack a few years back that got shelved?), and her live album from '77. I'm sure that could be expanded too. And then that's all her albums from the classic period.

[captainjames]

I have "Baby Its Me" and "Live At Caesar's" on CD when they were originally pressed. I don't believe I ever saw "Ross 76" on CD. So I will put a vote in for "Ross 76" unless the other two have a bunch of unreleased or remix material on them but I like "Baby Its Me" the way it is.

[skooldem1]

I have "Baby Its Me" and "Live At Caesar's" on CD when they were originally pressed. I don't believe I ever saw "Ross 76" on CD. So I will put a vote in for "Ross 76" unless the other two have a bunch of unreleased or remix material on them but I like "Baby Its Me" the way it is.

Now that I think about it, I believe I have Ross76 on CD as well. Alot of these titles came out in the 90's.

[skooldem1]

Does anyone know if additional tracks were recorded for "The Boss"? That would be a great reissue with unreleased tracks, dance mixes, extended mixes etc.

[RossHolloway]

Does anyone know if additional tracks were recorded for "The Boss"? That would be a great reissue with unreleased tracks, dance mixes, extended mixes etc.

Wasn't The Boss one of the first to get extended mixes add on when it was re-issued? Maybe about 8 or so years ago?

[whitesoxx]

Yes both Baby It's Me and Diana Ross 76 have been released on cd [[I have both), but the sound quality and packaging of both albums leaves a lot to be desired so a remaster of these albums is long overdue. As you can tell from the high prices they are currently fetching on Amazon, the demand is there.

[skooldem1]

I had purchased the Boss CD back then, and not too long after that I saw a new reissue with only a couple of extended tracks. Not worth my money. I'd be more interested in other tunes she recorded, but were left off the initial release.

[soulster]

I think most people realise getting a cd out takes some time. BUT, when you see small reissue labels like BBR [[60 releases in just one year!) and Funkytowngrooves releasing several quality reissues every month, people start to wonder why Hip-O is only managing a few reissues a year. What they release is usually excellent, of course, but there is still so much that should be out there [[Rick James, Commodores, a lot of "missing on cd" albums from the 70's /80's [[Temptations, Four Tops etc).

And it is not like they should be starting on this today, the demand for Baby and Diana Ross 76 has been there for years already.

One phrase: "corporate red tape". I think that is the main reason the smaller indie labela are able to get their product out there, in addition to many of them being imports. See, the overseas labels aren't constricted to many of the laws the domestic labels are.

Oh, BTW: http://www.amazon.com/Diana-Ross/dp/B000001AFY

R&B fans are lucky to have Motown music under the Universal umbrella because I really don't think any of the other labels much care to get R&B music of the 70s and 80s out there. They all have a lack of people who know or care about the music. See, harry Winger is a former radio guy and a soul-music lover and expert. I think that is the main reason we do see more vintage R&B coming out of that company.

Until a few years ago I had never heard the "Baby It's Me" album until I picked up a used LP in a record store, planning on doing a needledrop of it. I immediately liked it, as it was different from her usual boring Michael Massur ballads. I had previously read all about Richard Perry producing it and realized how good it would sound, as he previously worked with Leo Sayer and Carly Simon, and would just a year later steer the Pointer Sisters to greater fortune. "Gettin' Ready For Love" was always a favorite of mine, but it didn't do *that* well on the charts, as disco was the thing in late 1977.

There's really no need to even discuss the Self-titled 1976 album, as it has at least three monster hit singles, and just about every other track on the album is popular, and has been previously reissued on comps.

[marv2]

"Baby It's Me" , 1977 was the best album she has ever recorded. If there is going to be a Diana Ross album to get the treatment......this is the one.

[RossHolloway]

What about her 1978 album simply titled Ross. Do we know of any unreleased recordings from that period?

[jobeterob]

Ross 78 was kind of pulled together in order to put something out while she was filming The Wiz.

It doesn't have the cohesiveness, the stature or the success of Baby It's Me or Diana Ross 1976.

But Ross fans want them all eventually.

[thaperson]

There were plenty of songs recorded during the ROSS 78 period that didn't actually make it onto the hodgepodge of an album.

I think some of the songs that were recorded for ROSS 78 were then planned for an album called REVELATIONS. But then that got shelved, and she hooked up with Ashford and Simpson and gave us THE BOSS instead.

Very confusing. She really did record a huge output at Motown.

[Koach]

I would like to see Baby, It's Me. Most of all, I want to hear the unreleased tracks from her RCA years.

[Glenpwood]

Since Hipo has been alternating between Ross solo and Supremes releases and going in somewhat chronological order I'd assume they'd reissue Ross 76 first but since that album is a collection of can material over several years I'm assuming other than alternate takes there's not really any bonus material as far as unreleased songs goes. It will probably rate a double though if they find a couple of long versions of Love Hangover. Maybe Harry, Andy and George will hold off this album though in case Don't Leave Me This Way ever turns up in the vault. Baby It's Me is probably her most cohesive solo album and I'd love to get any alternates from those sessions and finally hear Brass Band and Country John. Maybe this one will get the edge for reissue since it fetches such high prices on EBay and it's not available on ITunes, unlike Ross 76 last time I looked. If the focus goes to More Hits by The Supremes for the fall and we get no solo reissue this year then I bet they don't do either and put out the extended Lady Sings The Blues that's been previously worked on next year to celebrate it's 40th anniversary....

[JohnnyB]

Baby It's Me seems to be the most sought-after of Diana's releases; it has become an overlooked classic and needs an expanded release. If promoted properly as a forgotten gem, sales could be huge. And yes, individual copies of the original 90's CD release are sold on eBay for hundreds of dollars. On a personal note, BIM is one of my personal favorites as well. What can be done collectively to ensure Hipo knows this collection is wanted? How can fans request this release repeatedly to show its worth?

[thommg]

Question: Wasn't Diana Ross' Blue album supposed to be the expanded part of the Lady Sings The Blues cd? I thought I read that previously when Blue was released. I would still like to get a remastered Lady Sings The Blues but I don't think that cd has ever been out of print since it was first issued.

[kenneth]

Question: Wasn't Diana Ross' Blue album supposed to be the expanded part of the Lady Sings The Blues cd? I thought I read that previously when Blue was released. I would still like to get a remastered Lady Sings The Blues but I don't think that cd has ever been out of print since it was first issued.

I'd love to have them release a newly mastered "Lady Sings the Blues" without the dialogue snippets and longer or different versions of some of the material. I love the film, but have never understood why they put dialogue from a film onto a CD. It probably made more sense when the original double LP came out, because it was such an event for Motown, but now, with video and all, who wants dialogue on the soundtrack?

[smark21]

Baby It's Me seems to be the most sought-after of Diana's releases; it has become an overlooked classic and needs an expanded release. If promoted properly as a forgotten gem, sales could be huge. And yes, individual copies of the original 90's CD release are sold on eBay for hundreds of dollars. On a personal note, BIM is one of my personal favorites as well. What can be done collectively to ensure Hipo knows this collection is wanted? How can fans request this release repeatedly to show its worth?

What is your concept/standard for "huge sales" for a Hip O reissue of a 35 year old album?

[Glenpwood]

I'd love to have them release a newly mastered "Lady Sings the Blues" without the dialogue snippets and longer or different versions of some of the material. I love the film, but have never understood why they put dialogue from a film onto a CD. It probably made more sense when the original double LP came out, because it was such an event for Motown, but now, with video and all, who wants dialogue on the soundtrack?

I love having the dialogue, the Big Ben snippet always makes me smile.....

[nabob]

I love having the dialogue, the Big Ben snippet always makes me smile.....
Ooo wee! You fine young thing. You're new in the neighborhood. So honey, I've got to love you real good. Look what Lorraine done sent to me. I never accomplished great feats, but you know I'm something else under the sheets. You see my father was a jockey and he taught me to ride. He said Big Ben, you've gotta get it from side to side. In case you don't know who I am, I'm Big Ben, the lover man . . . . . .

The video was extracted for the Zune. I break up every time it's viewed. The exit scene with Lorraine, the madame, and Big Ben in his long johns is priceless.

[waldo]

did Michael like Baby It's Me.. or just Diana's pose ?

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/waldo109/ny.jpg

[Roberta75]

did Michael like Baby It's Me.. or just Diana's pose ?

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/waldo109/ny.jpg

LOL. Great photo waldo.

[JohnnyB]

What is your concept/standard for "huge sales" for a Hip O reissue of a 35 year old album?

I will clarify my earlier statement. My post spoke of the possibilty of Hipo releasing an expanded version of BIM. It is my understanding that Hipo typically releases a limited quantity, 5 - 10 thousand copies of a selected title. My statement spoke to the possibility of this being a huge release by Hipo's selling standards. I certainly was not suggesting competition for the likes of Adele or Lady Gaga on this 35 year old album.

[carlo]

Baby It's Me!!!

[marv2]

Baby It's Me!!!

I vote for that album too. hehehehehehe......

[jobeterob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjADjzBKkMM

The last poster on You Tube says she has the best phrasing in popular music.

Diana and Bill are an excellent pairing.

[ExGuyParis]

Wow... thanks, jobeterob. Haven't heard that for years.

[jobeterob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMxCLtowxbk

Here is more Diana Ross and Bill Withers........one of her best songs, from I Love You.