High Energy photoless cover of the group

[franjoy56]

I often wondered why the cover of the high energy LP had no photo of the Supremes we knew by this time that Cindy had left and that Susaye was coming in to take her place just like in 1972 when Lynda posed for the Floy Joy album, but this album sold better than the Floy Joy album
#42 to Floy Joy's #54. I beleive a photo of the group on the High Energy album would have brought it inside the top 40, even with Susaye's likeness which she is heard on two tracks to be sure.
As a matter of fact the most famous pic of Mary Scherrie and Susaye in the middle with Mary covering the group with her gown would have been the perfect photo for the cover. The illustration was the next best thing but the hand gestures indicating "Stop in the Name of... was a little dated imo.

[BayouMotownMan]

I think the decision to not put a photo of the group on the cover instead of an actual photo was because of the constant changing of the lineup. From 1973-1976 3 ladies left and were replaced.

[luke]

I agree. I forget-were their names listed on the album jacket?

[marv2]

I thought the artwork for the album "High Energy" was great! That painting represented the Supremes well. Why they did it, I don't know. Maybe "somebody" knew that there would soon be another change in the group and decided to go this route. Still, it was perfect in my opinion.

[marv2]

Here's a little reminder of the artwork. It is clear [[to me) that the painting was based on Mary Wilson, Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene:

[luke]

I love it too! Very supremey!!

[carole cucumber]

A slight variation on a Spanish cassette version
http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=765826

John Cabalka, the illustrator of this cover, was also involved in artwork for several other Motown album covers. His work can be found here:
http://www.discogs.com/artist/John+Cabalka

[smark21]

Well at least the Mary, Scherrie and Susaye had a great picture of the ladies on the front cover. How did that one chart in comparison to High Energy?

[carole cucumber]

The" Let Yourself Go The 70's Albums Vol. 2: 1974-1977 The Final Sessions" does not list a chart position for the album, so I assume it did not chart.

[bradsupremes]

I was at Borders Books & Music several years ago and while looking through a book about the best rock & roll album covers it listed the High Energy album cover as a honorable mention.

[skooldem1]

I think it's a great album cover.

[franjoy56]

I was at Borders Books & Music several years ago and while looking through a book about the best rock & roll album covers it listed the High Energy album cover as a honorable mention.
I think the cover for the High Energy is one of the best illustrations albums of the Supremes, miles ahead of Produced and Arranged by Jim Webb, and The Supremes at their best, and it speaks to the legend of the trio, but it would have been a great platform to showcase Susaye [[with Mary and Scherrie on the cover) who had the lead on the title track with the five octave, and it would have showcased the group in their new vocal power with a new single to boot on its way up the hot 100, just a case in point I was reeling over Cindy's departure, and said oh no not again, but when I played the title track I was blown away. Perhaps Pedro and Mary, and Motown felt this was the best move to make.

[jobeterob]

Some of the Supremes album covers did seem to suffer from a lack of imagination. HE was pretty good; Jimmy Webb bad and At Their Best bad; MSS seemed to be "old".

HE was a great album; I thought they were going to come back but the management and revolving door got them; also, looking back, if there was going to be a 2nd single after IGLMHDTW, it should have been High Energy; that would have been the smart thing to do; and it now seems Pedro and Mary or at least Pedro, was reluctant to throw the spotlight on the new girl on the block. Another mistake.

Neither MSS or At Their Best charted; ATB didn't even get a review by Billboard.

[franjoy56]

I agree Susaye Greene's lead on High Energy should have been the next single or at least, "Only You" and the fact that they sat on a followup single until MSS came out was a big mistake, they should have struck while the iron was hot #40 peak. Susaye should have been highlighted singing "High Energy" because her vocal on that song spelled hit record, and I think the 45 of Let my heart do the walking sported a photo of MSS.

[marv2]

I thought the follow up single should have been "You're What's Missing In My Life". Great song, great singing, great record.

[BayouMotownMan]

You're What's Missing should have been the next single and then HE.

The album was an unexpected success. It sold well, the second-best selling post Diana Supremes lp

[jobeterob]

I always thought You're What's Missing was the right choice..............but I've changed my mind. HE would have been a change............and a move back to the lighter voice that was the Supremes sound; with a huge change as well. Motown, Mary, Pedro should have taken the chance.

[nathanj06]

I really liked the High Energy edited mix with Susaye. At Their Best was a complete waste and a horrible cover. Compare that to the UK Greatest Hits feat. Mary Wilson which included more and the songs with The Four Tops. In the 70s it seemed like we always got short changed here and the UK got much better product. We've gotten so many better collections in the past decade. Finally.

[Glenpwood]

A Billboard chart run analysis of High Energy....

34. HIGH ENERGY
Produced by: Brian Holland/Eddie Holland
Date: 22/05/1976 - Run: 78-66-56-46-*42*-42-65-65-85-95-104-113-113-120-140 [[15 wks)

44. I'M GONNA LET MY HEART DO THE WALKING
Written by: Harold Beatty/Brian Holland/Eddie Holland
Produced by: Brian Holland
Date: 29/05/1976 - Run: 98-92-86-80-70-60-50-48-48-42-*40*-50-50-67 [[14 wks)

The "High Energy" album got off to the strongest start of any seventies Supremes LP except Right On. The LP surprisingly stalled out a few weeks before the single did although IGLMHDTW would lose and regain its bullet during its eventual trip to #40. Albums and Singles tended to run in tandem on the Billboard charts so if one stalled the other would as well. If Motown had pushed this single harder it probably would've got High Energy into the top 25. The LP crashed down and off the chart once the single was done, much like what happened to Diana's Baby It's Me which started briskly then fell off once Gettin Ready For Love peaked. The lack of a second single also hindered its eventual overall sales so for it to have done so well chartwise off a moderately performing single and no follow ups is a great accomplishment.

[bradsupremes]

Seeing how "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" was climbing the charts, I'm surprised it didn't go higher than #40. This is where Motown dropped the ball and should be blamed. The song should have made it to the top 10. It was the perfect song for the Supremes have a comeback on the charts and I think if Motown put more effort behind promoting the single that it could have gone all the way; however we know by this time that Motown no longer cared for the group anymore. Such a shame because it deserved to be a huge hit.

[marv2]

That was a great record. Went to number one on the Disco/Dance Charts but it should have easily gone top 10 on the Pop Charts. The song and recording fit in perfectly with the sound that was popular in 1976 and for those like me that were around at the time, it is instantly recognizable.

[BayouMotownMan]

No, I don't see Let My Heart doing much better than it did. First of all, it is a great track but it was not "of the day" if you will. Disco was ruling with a Bee Gees type of sound with soft bass and lots of sweetening. Let My Heart was frenetic and raw, the wah-wah guitar being dated and somewhat distracting. Also the single edit was horrific, sounding like a skip at the very beginning. I still maintain the best track on HE was You're What's Missing. That song I can see going into the Top Ten

[jobeterob]

There was a second single release from HE........that totally stiffed. Wasn't it You're What's Missing in my Life?

[BayouMotownMan]

You're What's Missing was the B-side to Youre My Driving Wheel from their last lp

[Kamasu_Jr]

No, I don't see Let My Heart doing much better than it did. First of all, it is a great track but it was not "of the day" if you will. Disco was ruling with a Bee Gees type of sound with soft bass and lots of sweetening. Let My Heart was frenetic and raw, the wah-wah guitar being dated and somewhat distracting. Also the single edit was horrific, sounding like a skip at the very beginning. I still maintain the best track on HE was You're What's Missing. That song I can see going into the Top Ten

I agree. People who weren't around when Let My Heart Do the Walking was first released always whine it should have gone Top 10. They don't know just how out of place or odd that record sounded in 1976 when compared to all the other sounds of that period.

[jobeterob]

There was a second release from HE.........what was it if not Missing in my Life?? Whatever it was, got a one line Billboard Review and stiffed completely.

[marv2]

I agree. People who weren't around when Let My Heart Do the Walking was first released always whine it should have gone Top 10. They don't know just how out of place or odd that record sounded in 1976 when compared to all the other sounds of that period.

No it [["I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking") did not sound odd at all. Candi Staton had big hit with "Young Hearts Run Free" around the same time and it had a similar groove. So did Tavares' "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel". There were others, I just have to think for a moment. The song received great reaction on AB and Soul Train. I was around then and it could have went much further up the charts.

[marv2]

There was a second release from HE.........what was it if not Missing in my Life?? Whatever it was, got a one line Billboard Review and stiffed completely.

The second single from the album was "High Energy" which was so far ahead of it's time and way too sophisticated for commerical pop radio in 1976. It was played late evenings on R&B stations during slots that were pre cursors to the "Quiet Storm" format that became very popular in the late 80's and 90's.

[jobeterob]

Walking was a good song but nothing compared to HE.

It suffered from a bit of choppiness in the same way Forever Came Today did; and it hurt the melody; there wasn't as good a melody in it as in Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel or Young Heart Run Free, hence those were bigger hits.

The best and brightest approach would have been to fly off the mark with HE............totally new, totally different. I recall reading that was an option but there wasn't any way Pedro and Mary were letting a new girl come in at that stage and become "Diana" or at least, the lead on her first single. It might easily have been another missed opportunity.

[franjoy56]

Walking was a good song but nothing compared to HE.

It suffered from a bit of choppiness in the same way Forever Came Today did; and it hurt the melody; there wasn't as good a melody in it as in Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel or Young Heart Run Free, hence those were bigger hits.

The best and brightest approach would have been to fly off the mark with HE............totally new, totally different. I recall reading that was an option but there wasn't any way Pedro and Mary were letting a new girl come in at that stage and become "Diana" or at least, the lead on her first single. It might easily have been another missed opportunity.
I did not know High Energy was the second single off the album boy did that one get by me, there was no hoopla over that at all, but I went on Wikipedia and see that it was a released disco single peaking at #9 on the Disco Dance Chart, hard to beleive it didn't chart on the pop or r&b chart. Maybe your right about Mary Pedro and Motown not promoting it for the reasons mentioned, but what a great record. Wondering if it was a disco 12 inch single or 45. Goes to show we always learn new things and this one is a shock to me, wonder what the b side was..

[marv2]

Walking was a good song but nothing compared to HE.

It suffered from a bit of choppiness in the same way Forever Came Today did; and it hurt the melody; there wasn't as good a melody in it as in Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel or Young Heart Run Free, hence those were bigger hits.

The best and brightest approach would have been to fly off the mark with HE............totally new, totally different. I recall reading that was an option but there wasn't any way Pedro and Mary were letting a new girl come in at that stage and become "Diana" or at least, the lead on her first single. It might easily have been another missed opportunity.

No you can't say that it was nothing. That means you are ignorant about great music and especially of what was popular commercially in the mid-70's. "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" had a Women's Lib. theme to it that was popular to begin with at that time. It had a driving beat, a chorus with a hook and superb leading and backing vocals. The instrumentation was top notch and there was very very little anyone could find wrong with that record. I can't barely remember "Forever Came Today" and it would sound super dated if I heard it now, so there is no comparison. Tavares "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel" has a very similar groove and rhythm track as "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" except "Walking" had heavier percussion to it.

Your comment about Mary Wilson and Pedro Ferrer not wanting a new girl to be like Diane is so out of left field that it proves to me you know absolutely nothing about anything to do with this recording or the people involved. You also do not make any sense whatsoever. Susaye was introduced to the group by Mr. Ferrer to begin with. Any way, again this is going off the subject and too stupid to even be discussed.

"I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" was the best choice for the lead single off of the album "High Energy". The title track, though brilliant, was too sophisticated, too stylized and too jazzy for mid-70's Pop radio to be the lead single.

[marv2]

I did not know High Energy was the second single off the album boy did that one get by me, there was no hoopla over that at all, but I went on Wikipedia and see that it was a released disco single peaking at #9 on the Disco Dance Chart, hard to beleive it didn't chart on the pop or r&b chart. Maybe your right about Mary Pedro and Motown not promoting it for the reasons mentioned, but what a great record. Wondering if it was a disco 12 inch single or 45. Goes to show we always learn new things and this one is a shock to me, wonder what the b side was..

Yes Fran, "High Energy" was the second single off the album. In fact in Detroit and Toledo, it began getting airplay during late night slots as soon as the album had been released. Some DJ's even inserted it into Jazz sets on air.

No, it is not true about Motown or Mary or Pedro not wanting the song promoted for reasons Jobeterob made completely up! [[Just another weak attempt to add controversy to this thread...) It was a superb record, but as I said, it was very ahead of it's time. The proof is that you can listen to it now and it does not sound dated. It would fit any "Quiet Storm" radio format today.

[Kamasu_Jr]

My point exactly. Both Young Hearts Run Free and Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel were both better produced records than "...Let My Do The Walking," in my opinion.

[marv2]

I also like to add that Vickie Sue Robinson's "Turn the Beat Around" and Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band's "Chez Chez la Femme" were popular dance records at the time that used a lot of heavy percussion and strong vocals as the Supremes hit. The Bee Gee's would not hit their stride with their dance material until two years later in 1977-78 and even then everyone was not only buying "soft" sounding dance music [[the Parliament's "Tear the Roof off the Sucka destroys that comment right off...) The Supremes were right in tune with music of 1976 which is proved out by "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" reaching at least number 3 on the Disco Charts in the Summer of '76.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeDik6S53HE

[BayouMotownMan]

High Energy was prepped for single release but never was actually released. When Billboard referred to it as a 12" it mean lp. Not disco single.

Mary and Pedro were NOT in favor of this going out as a single because Susaye was in the group on a probationary basis. Likewise, both nixed It's All Been Said Before being issued with Scherrie on lead for the same reason. Mary wanted singles featuring her. She was the only constant in the group at this point. When He's My Man stiffed, they backed off on this

[franjoy56]

Yes Fran, "High Energy" was the second single off the album. In fact in Detroit and Toledo, it began getting airplay during late night slots as soon as the album had been released. Some DJ's even inserted it into Jazz sets on air.

No, it is not true about Motown or Mary or Pedro not wanting the song promoted for reasons Jobeterob made completely up! [[Just another weak attempt to add controversy to this thread...) It was a superb record, but as I said, it was very ahead of it's time. The proof is that you can listen to it now and it does not sound dated. It would fit any "Quiet Storm" radio format today.

Thanks for this info, Billboard has the single High Energy listed at #9 as I stated, and i'm glad to hear Mary and Pedro did not stiffle the efforts to promote the single it did have a jazzy feel to it, but the song rocks, especially with the Mary monologue, someone just said that the song was not released as a single and so the controv goes on. . I beleive Mary would have welcomed any effort to promote a supremes song whether she was at the center or not.