Florence Ballard/the Supremes - Oh Holy Night!

[marv2]

I first heard this in December 2002 in New York when Mary Wilson played it on her radio show. Florence Ballard and " Oh Holy Night":


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TkWeQfdpo4

[stephanie]

what a voice.

[franjoy56]

what a voice.

Hitting all the high notes without any pauses, or background voices.
and this is not even on the original Christmas album shameful. and is this the voice that was labeled not a lead singer A lead singer in all the right places.

[marv2]

She also sings it with very sparse musical accompaniment.

[antceleb12]

I love Florence, and I love her singing it, but I can see why it was left off. It is dreadfully too slow. 3:00 for one verse? That's too slow. Now "Silent Night" was really top notch.

[westgrandboulevard]

To paraphrase Florence's own words, "Honey, SHE is terrific"

Thanks Marv, for posting this clip.

[stephanie]

I bet Flo would have been happy had they put Silent Night and O Holy Night on this album. THIS is the Ballard voice people were talking about not the ABC voice. When they allowed her to she could really blow. Major mistake by not letting her do These Boots on Supremes A Go Go. Mary Wilson is awesome on People at the Roostertail you can just feel it. Its funny as a child I always pictured them the way they act in that promo of them playing ping pong. Its ok at least Flo is getting her just due with DreamGirl the movie, Marys book, and the Internet. Remember Mary said she would take care of it.

[marv2]

I bet Flo would have been happy had they put Silent Night and O Holy Night on this album. THIS is the Ballard voice people were talking about not the ABC voice. When they allowed her to she could really blow. Major mistake by not letting her do These Boots on Supremes A Go Go. Mary Wilson is awesome on People at the Roostertail you can just feel it. Its funny as a child I always pictured them the way they act in that promo of them playing ping pong. Its ok at least Flo is getting her just due with DreamGirl the movie, Marys book, and the Internet. Remember Mary said she would take care of it.

She sure took care of it! Florence Ballard has not been forgotten!

[franjoy56]

She sure took care of it! Florence Ballard has not been forgotten! and Flo was fabulous on all the versions of "People" that have been released starting on the version from 1964 at the twenty grand to the 65 studio version and the 1966 Roostertail show.
the first time I heard Flo was on the wdolg album singing the outro on Long gone lover.

[marv2]

and Flo was fabulous on all the versions of "People" that have been released starting on the version from 1964 at the twenty grand to the 65 studio version and the 1966 Roostertail show.
the first time I heard Flo was on the wdolg album singing the outro on Long gone lover.

Flo tore "Long Gone Lover" up1 Does Diana ever mention her publicly?

[franjoy56]

as a matter of fact i watched The actors studio from 2007, where Diana Ross sat before the audience and mentioned Flo as the one who picked the name Supremes, and how she didn't think her being featured as star billing had a real impact on the Supremes at first, and how Mary and Flo were in charge of the harmonies in the trio.

[franjoy56]

as a matter of fact i watched The actors studio from 2007, where Diana Ross sat before the audience and mentioned Flo as the one who picked the name Supremes, and how she didn't think her being featured as star billing had a real impact on the Supremes at first, and how Mary and Flo were in charge of the harmonies in the trio.

A friend who wants to get everything on the Supremes called me last night and said he never heard "O Holy Night" by Flo, I played it for him, and he was in tears by the time she hit the last note of the song. The power of her voice was hidden from the public, but insiders knew better.