Supremes and Tops/Magnificent 7/Complete Studio Duets

[davidr]

I have had this since its release,never thought much of it when originally released except for unique the Levi vocals.However i have picked up on a couple tracks 'I'll try not to cry' and 'Poinciana' exceptional lead vocal,harmonies and production.

[BobC]

I thought those albums were really weak.

[blueskies]

I thought those albums were really weak.

I agree, BobC. I had the LP's and never listened to them. When the CD's came along.....I passed.

[bradsupremes]

I love these albums! Jean and Levi work very well together and each album has some amazing stand-outs.

For example...
The Magnificent Seven
- Without The One You Love [[should have been a single)
- River Deep Mountain High
- Knock On My Door

The Return of the Magnificent Seven
- I'm Glad About It
- Let's Make Love Now
- Where Would I Be Without You Baby

Dynamite
- Hello Stranger
- Love The One You're With

[reese]

I would agree that each album has its moments, among them some of the songs listed above. But on the whole, I never really played these albums. I prefer the Supremes/Tempts duets.

[BobC]

I'm not arguing that Levi and Jean aren't great singers--in fact I'm arguing the opposite: the material, IMO, was very weak and beneath them. And those cheesy covers were just lame [[cowboy get-ups? Come on!). I bought these albums in 1976 or so, right after buying Mary, Scherrie and Susaye, which was very up-to-date sounding and cool IMO, and when I heard the M7 albums I couldn't believe how hokey they were. It was clear they were going for an MOR audience, and I wasn't in that group!

[skooldem1]

I agree, this collaboration was BORING. It could have been so much better. Think...Dionne Warwick and The Spinners [[Never knew love before- then came you). The Supreme/Tempts collaboration was much better.

[jobeterob]

The good song amongst these was their cover of River Deep Mountain High and it was the biggest hit version of that song even if not the one most remembered. As I recall, I liked Hello Stranger as well.

But I agree, especially after the first album, the remaining two albums were weak. I recall Mary saying recently that the albums just sold progressively less and less and were less successful as time went on.

[BobC]

Well they weren't making music that appealed to kids anymore--same thing happened with the 5th Dimension. They went from "cool" songs like Stoned Soul Picnic and Aquarius to songs that adults related to [[Ashes to Ashes, Living Together Growing Together). Same with the Supremes. It seemed like once these groups conquered Vegas and Atlantic City, they started gearing their music to an adult audience. I happened to really like the Jimmy Webb record, but knew it would never sell to kids.

Kids want songs about perfect loves, or perfectly bad loves--they don't see the nuances in more mature relationships so they don't get songs like Beyond Myself or, say, If I Could Reach You.

[rod_rick]

I always thought "You've Got What It Take" was a fun song that featured all the members of both groups.

[Jimi LaLumia]

they worked with the [[sometimes horrific) material that Motown gave them...whatever

[redlabs]

i liked RETURN OF the best. thought the first lp was really weak. the out takes grom the deluxe edition were really good. i liked some of those songs best

[tomato tom]

Although not as strong as The Sups/Temps..the 4tops/sups combo DID have some very great moments, so please dont knock it too much. I, for example, love, Im Glad About It. The vibe between Jean and Levi is awsome...Paulo xxx

[luke]

They always seemed like rush jobs to me.

[blkfrost]

I happen to like "Return of the Magnificent Seven" the best and as the years passed by it retained a classic sound... no 70's gimmick. Yes, it is MOR. I never really liked "Magnificent Seven". I grew to like "Dynamite". The song "Do You Love Me Just A Little Bit, Baby" is my favorite. I like it more than Gladys Knight & the Pips version. Sorry that some of the unreleased material did not make the original albums, such as "Function At The Junction", "When I'm With You", "Hold On To Me" and "Bring Back Your Love".

[marv2]

I enjoyed about 90% of the recordings released for the three Supremes & Four Tops albums. "Melodie" was a special favorite along with many others.

Marv

[platters81]

i loved their version of Hello Stranger.. a classic Detroit tune.....

[florence]

I love these albums! Jean and Levi work very well together and each album has some amazing stand-outs.

For example...
The Magnificent Seven
- Without The One You Love [[should have been a single)



I think the standard of these albums was good but not outstanding.

Agree about Without The One You Loved being the stand-out track on Magnificent Seven.

It was released as a single in the UK after River Deep and You Gotta Have Love and I was hoping it would be a big hit.

It did make the breakers but just failed to break into the top 50.

[marv2]

I also liked " If I Could Build My World Around You" which was also a single release I believe.

[stephanie]

Marv
I am going to have to meet you one day! Melodie was great and I dont hear too many people mentioning that fact. One of the things I liked about ALL of these albums is the fact that we get to hear ALL of the Supremes and the Four Tops singing. The Diana Ross and the Supremes with the Temps albums are fine but after TCB and GIT being a Diana Ross and them show the fans bought these albums to support the Jean led Supremes and got hooked and were excited to hear them get some lines in these recordings. I agree with others that Jean and Levi were able to take some maudlin lyrics and turn them into listenable pleasures. Who would have thought that it would be the Supremes and the Four Tops that would have the definitive version of a Phil Spector classic! Notice the backgrounds on this song which accompany Jean and Levi [[Mary Wilson holds the bond together on these) you can hear Cindy and the Four Tops loud and clear and the sounds adds to the climax. One of my personal favorites is What do you Have to do to Stay on the right Side of Love. Stoned Soul Picnic there is a group feel to it and even though Jean and Levi are the leads you dont get the feeling that anyone is left out on these recordings. There are a few duds but most of the material may be middle of the road but you can LISTEN to it and they are well produced. My only beef with one of the album covers is that they were painted in cartoon and it makes the recordings look cheap but that is about it. I am not knocking Diana Ross I feel that she was a component of the Supremes and a force to be reckoned with but I would rather listen to Supremes albums than anything she did with the Temps with Mary and Cindy. I can listen to these albums in knowing that Motown gave them [[Supremes and Four Tops) several albums to work with in a group environment. Nobodys head was bigger than the other on the album covers and the vocals are ALL intertwined. Its fun listening to these albums with the speakers turned up loudly because of the music involved. You Gotta Have Love in your Heart is awesome in the beginning and when Mary, Cindy and the Tops come in its a joy to hear the voices involved. I think all of these recordings are fan favorites and were not really meant to be huge hits. Amazingly enough the album that non fans seem to like is the last one. I would have thought it would be the gatefold album with River Deep or the one with the western get ups. When I have played the albums everybody likes Melodie!

[tomato tom]

stephanie....you put it all so well! I have all three albums on vinyl, but still think buying the CD was well worth the money...Paulo xxx

[TMSG]

I bought this set as I wanted a stereo copy of "Reach Out And Touch" which I bought as a single when first released in the UK. Always thought the mix fd the Supremes and Tops vocals were superb on this version and was always curious as to why the Supremes were covering a Diana Ross track. Was it to try and outdo the original?

[reese]

I bought this set as I wanted a stereo copy of "Reach Out And Touch" which I bought as a single when first released in the UK. Always thought the mix fd the Supremes and Tops vocals were superb on this version and was always curious as to why the Supremes were covering a Diana Ross track. Was it to try and outdo the original?

Nick and Val might have run out of material. Their other production on the album was a remake as well, RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH. Plus the first Supremes/Tops album itself was basicially remakes with only a few originals.

[captainjames]

The Supremes and Tops/Magnificent 7/Complete Studio Duets had some good songs on it but, I alway felt they should have redone a few of the tracks. For example "You Got What It Takes" especially when Cindy comes in sounds like she missed her cue and should have been redone. Jean and Levi do an excellent job but it just didn't click. Although, I prefer the Tempts/Supremes duets I think if they would have done more material like "One More Bridge" and "I'm Glad About It" it would have probably worked with the Tops. The last collaboration from them "Dynamite" was only played once by me.

[redlabs]

i thought their version of STONED SOUL PICNIC was really good. I actually like it better then the hit version. also CHAIN REACTION from the DUETS cd is my favorite from that cd

[thommg]

I've always liked these albums [[now cd's) and listen to them often. I think Levi & Jean have just the right amount of playful banter in their selections and their voices sound great together. I also love that Mary & Cindy are heard on many tracks. Dynamite seemed to be the weakest - even in its cover art - but there were quite a few enjoyable tracks on it [[my favorite is Don't Let Me Lose This Dream). Put me in the "absolutely love" category for the Complete Studio Duets.

[rovereab]

I really like this pairing of groups too. I also think that many of the unreleased tracks on the CD set were of sufficiently high quality to have been released at the time.

[marv2]

Marv
I am going to have to meet you one day! Melodie was great and I dont hear too many people mentioning that fact. One of the things I liked about ALL of these albums is the fact that we get to hear ALL of the Supremes and the Four Tops singing. The Diana Ross and the Supremes with the Temps albums are fine but after TCB and GIT being a Diana Ross and them show the fans bought these albums to support the Jean led Supremes and got hooked and were excited to hear them get some lines in these recordings. I agree with others that Jean and Levi were able to take some maudlin lyrics and turn them into listenable pleasures. Who would have thought that it would be the Supremes and the Four Tops that would have the definitive version of a Phil Spector classic! Notice the backgrounds on this song which accompany Jean and Levi [[Mary Wilson holds the bond together on these) you can hear Cindy and the Four Tops loud and clear and the sounds adds to the climax. One of my personal favorites is What do you Have to do to Stay on the right Side of Love. Stoned Soul Picnic there is a group feel to it and even though Jean and Levi are the leads you dont get the feeling that anyone is left out on these recordings. There are a few duds but most of the material may be middle of the road but you can LISTEN to it and they are well produced. My only beef with one of the album covers is that they were painted in cartoon and it makes the recordings look cheap but that is about it. I am not knocking Diana Ross I feel that she was a component of the Supremes and a force to be reckoned with but I would rather listen to Supremes albums than anything she did with the Temps with Mary and Cindy. I can listen to these albums in knowing that Motown gave them [[Supremes and Four Tops) several albums to work with in a group environment. Nobodys head was bigger than the other on the album covers and the vocals are ALL intertwined. Its fun listening to these albums with the speakers turned up loudly because of the music involved. You Gotta Have Love in your Heart is awesome in the beginning and when Mary, Cindy and the Tops come in its a joy to hear the voices involved. I think all of these recordings are fan favorites and were not really meant to be huge hits. Amazingly enough the album that non fans seem to like is the last one. I would have thought it would be the gatefold album with River Deep or the one with the western get ups. When I have played the albums everybody likes Melodie!

Stephanie! We are going to meet in the New Year. Didn't you know? I am coming down to D.C., it's been a very long while since I've been there. I am even taking you to dinner!

Marv

[skooldem1]

Although both vocalist are good on their own, there was absolutely no chemistry at all between them. NONE. Chemistry is what makes a duet successful. This is why most of the songs are dull.

[BobC]

I'm with you, Skool. When you hear "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" it's like DR and Eddie are singing to each other and you believe it. They really sold that song. But the songs with the 4 Tops sounded to me like Jean and Levi weren't even in the same room when they sang. I wonder if that is because Jean never really felt like she fit in with the old guard? She didn't like singing the 60's hits so maybe she didn't like singing with the 60's groups--I don't know. Maybe it was just the ho-hum material.

[tomato tom]

I have to disagree. The chemistry between Jean & Levi on some, NOT all, material is quite spectacular at times. I have played Im Glad About It for years, both from the album and as a B side, and was so happy to finally get it on CD. Yes, some of the stuff, is a bit dull, but then, to be honest, a lot of what was being released by Motown at that time WAS. Paulo xxx

[BobC]

True, Paulo. A lot of it was dull and MOR--as discussed earlier.

I sort of liked Glad About It--but that was the only song I can even remember besides Gotta Have Love in Your Heart.

[marv2]

I have to disagree. The chemistry between Jean & Levi on some, NOT all, material is quite spectacular at times. I have played Im Glad About It for years, both from the album and as a B side, and was so happy to finally get it on CD. Yes, some of the stuff, is a bit dull, but then, to be honest, a lot of what was being released by Motown at that time WAS. Paulo xxx

The chemistry between Jean Terrell and Levi Stubbs was superb. It was that way with all the members of both groups. Jean even attended and participated in that great tribute to Levi held in Detroit in 2003-04.

[marv2]

"It's Got to Be A Miracle [[This Thing Called Love)" is one of the best duets ever recorded by Motown in my opinion.

[tomato tom]

Well, the good thing is, at least its all out of the vaults for us FANS. I for one, is one happy man. You do have to take the rough with the smooth, no? And, I do think the good outweighs the bad. Paulo xxx

[rovereab]

When I'm With You is a fantastic song and the vocal performances of Jean and Levi are first class. There is clearly a strong empathy between them on this song [[and several others on the Magnificent CD set).

I agree with Paulo's post above!

Eamonn

[SupremeBoy]

I love "Hello Stranger" and "River Deep, Mountain High"...those are the standouts from these sessions, but what was up with the front cover graphics...it's so ugly.