Florence Ballard without Mary Wilson

[floyjoy678]

Does anyone remember which book it came from where it quoted Florence saying that she did some songs without Mary because her voice didn't fit? I think this is how the rumor started of Florence and the Andantes being on Forever Came Today and MIA: Mary. In fact today I was on Wikipedia and someone put in for Forever Came Today that the background vocals were done by Florence and the Andantes [[which I take with a grain of salt, anyone can put anything on there). There's stories of Mary doing songs without Florence so I wonder if she did any without Mary. I used to think their version of Heatwave was Florence doing double duty in the background but it actually sounds like Mary is doing the top harmony and Florence is doing the bottom.

[TheMotownManiac]

I don't believe Mary or Flo are on FCT.

[REDHOT]

i have to agree with you TheMotownManiac.
Please stay positive

[reese]

It was in the book ALL THAT GLITTERED. But other stories in that book have proven not to be true, so who knows?

[marybrewster]

It was in the book ALL THAT GLITTERED. But other stories in that book have proven not to be true, so who knows?

Weren't ALL of the stories in that book proven to be untrue? LOL.

[blueskies]

Weren't ALL of the stories in that book proven to be untrue? LOL.

That was Top Diva's 'fantasy book'....LOL.

[franjoy56]

there are songs that i hear just flo and some just mary


Flo "baby i need your loving" "penny pincher"
"shake me, wake me" "going down for the third time"

Mary "love is in our hearts" and there may be few others.

[marv2]

there are songs that i hear just flo and some just mary


Flo "baby i need your loving" "penny pincher"
"shake me, wake me" "going down for the third time"

Mary "love is in our hearts" and there may be few others.

I've always only heard Mary [[and Diane) on "Where Did Our Love Go?"

[franjoy56]

I've always only heard Mary [[and Diane) on "Where Did Our Love Go?"

that is very true, Mary at the end of "Ask any Girl" & "Because"


Flo kicks "You Can't Do That"

[marv2]

that is very true, Mary at the end of "Ask any Girl" & "Because"


Flo kicks "You Can't Do That"

Florence backing up Marvin Gaye on his "Can I Get A Witness" beats all!!!

[supremester]

The great thing about early DMF hits is that HDH used them to their best advantage. Ross' vocal on WDOLG is a priceless jazzy read that was totally contrary to the track - yet it worked. Mary will never get enough props for her bg vocal on that track: it's full, hauntingly expressive and subtle enough to be effective yet unobtrusive. I don't care how much coaching she got - you were not gonna get that sound out of Annette Beard, Sandra Tilley or even Cindy Birdsong. Flo is there - but WAY back.
The brilliance of HDH is that they could keep the formula and still change everything. Ross' pop vocal on Baby Love is light years away from WDOLG and this time, Flo brings out the sweetness of Diana's sound just perfectly. Come See About Me changes it all up yet again - this time featuring both Mary and Flo to full Flo advantage because I love how she soars on on the chorus - bringing the lightness to an otherwise dark, moody blues reading. It was a group effort that needed The Andantes as part of it. Oddly, my least fave of the first 5#1's is Stop! - the only one without Mary or Flo on it.

[BayouMotownMan]

It is entirely possible for Flo to have made a session and Mary not be able to get there with all the recordings they've done. I do not hear Flo on Forever.

By the same token it does not sound like Mary on Going Down For The Third Time. In fact, for the mono mix, Mary's part is deleted entirely and only Flo begins the song

[franjoy56]

It is entirely possible for Flo to have made a session and Mary not be able to get there with all the recordings they've done. I do not hear Flo on Forever.

By the same token it does not sound like Mary on Going Down For The Third Time. In fact, for the mono mix, Mary's part is deleted entirely and only Flo begins the song I always thought that ws Mary on the alto part of that song, but someone said those are the Andantes not Mary on that part isn't that a weird theory and Flo on the soprano part. Flo was certainly an early part of the Supremes sound.tap

[floyjoy678]

The stereo version of "Going Down For the Third Time" has Florence and Mary going "Save Me", followed by the Andantes "Save Me, Save Me". The mono mix of the song just has Florence and Mary's vocals. In fact the mono LP of "Supremes Sing HDH" has just Mary and Flo's vocals while the stereo version has the Andantes added to several of the songs.

[franjoy56]

The great thing about early DMF hits is that HDH used them to their best advantage. Ross' vocal on WDOLG is a priceless jazzy read that was totally contrary to the track - yet it worked. Mary will never get enough props for her bg vocal on that track: it's full, hauntingly expressive and subtle enough to be effective yet unobtrusive. I don't care how much coaching she got - you were not gonna get that sound out of Annette Beard, Sandra Tilley or even Cindy Birdsong. Flo is there - but WAY back.
The brilliance of HDH is that they could keep the formula and still change everything. Ross' pop vocal on Baby Love is light years away from WDOLG and this time, Flo brings out the sweetness of Diana's sound just perfectly. Come See About Me changes it all up yet again - this time featuring both Mary and Flo to full Flo advantage because I love how she soars on on the chorus - bringing the lightness to an otherwise dark, moody blues reading. It was a group effort that needed The Andantes as part of it. Oddly, my least fave of the first 5#1's is Stop! - the only one without Mary or Flo on it.

As much as people seem to think Stop In The Name of Love is not a record with Mary and Flo on it look again. As far as i'm concerned Mary and Flo are joined on the released version by the andante [[s) because the background sounds the same except for more altos in the released version while promo version sounds like a voice or two is not there. In any case Mary and Flo recorded the first version before any voices were added to the released version therefore the record is a Ross, Wilson, and Ballard original regardless of who is on the released version.

[alexgarret]

Please - give it up - she dead.

[franjoy56]

Gone but never forgotten.

[supremester]

No that was Dreamgirl. LOL


Weren't ALL of the stories in that book proven to be untrue? LOL.

[antceleb12]

If it comes from "All That Glittered," I don't believe it. I don't hear Florence at all.

BUT, that being said, it's very possible that Florence could have recorded her vocal with the early vocals being scratched for the Andantes.

[marv2]

No that was Dreamgirl. LOL

It's been 27 years since "Dreamgirl, My Life As A Supreme" was released. We're still waiting on the lawsuit..........

It was all true. You just still cannot accept it!