Diana's "You're All I Need To Get By" Theoretical Question

In a world where Marvin and Tammi either [[a) never recorded "You're All I Need", or [[b) it was never released, how well do you think Diana's version of the song would've fared as a single? Would it work as her debut single? Would it have made a worthy follow up to "Aint No Mountain"? Would tweaking any part of the song make a difference?

I've personally never cared much for Diana's version. I MUCH prefer Marvin and Tammi and Aretha's versions of this song, both of which I was familiar with before I even knew Diana had a version. Tough acts to follow.

Thoughts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqzhqXBTMrw

It was definitely not single material. Her version pretty well stuck to the original. I love her debut lp but I think there were too many covers. Why do Keep An Eye again and speed it up. Maybe A&S were brain weary. Surrender was definitely a better lp IMO.

I think it is a solid album track but IMO, there isn't anything special about it. Diana does a fine job but besides the additional lyrics at the beginning, there isn't much to distinguish it from Marvin and Tammi's version.

I certainly wouldn't release it as a single. Then again, as I've said before, I don't think DIANA ROSS [[1970) was full of singles. I think it is a great album that hangs together as a solid piece of work.

it's a beautiful version - in and of itself, it's a fine recording. the original though has a level of passion as a duet that a solo recording just can't capture. at the end of M & T, you're just sure they're about to embrace in a passionate deep kiss. or more!

**fanning myself lol***

as an album track, the song works just fine. i agree with Bayou though, it doesn't strike me as a single.

the album really did have a LOT of covers although few were really known

Reach out and touch - totally new

now that there's you - technically a cover since Valerie recorded her version in 69 but it wouldn't be released until 71

You're all i need to get by - cover

these things will keep me loving you - cover

Mountain - cover but at least totally different

something on my mind - cover, Syreeta original from 68

i wouldn't change the man he is - cover Blinky 68

Keep an eye - cover

where there was darkness - totally new

can't it wait until tomorrow - totally new

dark side of the world - cover, Marvin recorded in 69 but unreleased

I love Diana Ross[[1970). There is not a song that I would exclude from this lip. Her vocals are like honey.Her "You're All I Need to Get By" is awesome. Imagine if she teamed up with Smokey Robinson to do a duet of this awesome song!

Why was"These Things" -will keep me loving you dear- not a released as a single? I wish the song was entitled: "Keep Me Loving You,Dear". Now, let's go over to Quality Control on Friday. Let them keep thinking about this song all weekend!

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Originally Posted by TNSUN

Why was"These Things" -will keep me loving you dear- not a released as a single? I wish the song was entitled: "Keep Me Loving You,Dear". Now, let's go over to Quality Control on Friday. Let them keep thinking about this song all weekend!

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my understanding is that it was considered. Diana insisted on Reach as her debut single but it only crept to Top 20, a rather limp launch to one of the most anticipated solo careers

radio and public demanded Mountain be released even though Berry didn't want to. but there was such a push for it that they relented. and it became a massive hit

then berry was out for an equally exciting follow up. while the rest of the tracks on the debut are strong, none really would have fared well as a Mountain follow up. he wanted something new and exciting and A&S came up with Remember Me

Diana does a good job. But I love the Marvin and Tammi version so much that I really never cared for Diana’s version.

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Originally Posted by sup_fan

my understanding is that it was considered. Diana insisted on Reach as her debut single but it only crept to Top 20, a rather limp launch to one of the most anticipated solo careers

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Which is rather odd , don't you think? If ever there was a time for some hanky panky chart influencing , this would've been one : Motown's premiere artist's first solo outing.

This to me is testament to the legitimacy of the charts , if the chart positionings were regarded as bogus, easily paid for, then their value would've become nil. The reputation of the reliability of the reporting of the popularity of these records by these music rags was crucial to their success.

Having said that I am at a loss as to how REMEMBER ME peaked at only #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. My ears hear a clear Top 10 song, Top 5 as likely.
To add a fly to the ointment, the song did hit #8 in CASHBOX and that's a stunning contrast of chart placement. [[they both can't be right)

Also surprising, the song peaked at just #10 on the Billboard soul chart.:confused:

Added: REMEMBER ME charted for two weeks at #10 in Record World.

Hold up reese ! I realize I have my records confused !!:p

So even worse:

her actual debut single : REACH OUT AND TOUCH peaked at just #20 on Billboard's Hot 100, while just grazing the Top 10 in Cashbox at #10. My same thoughts apply to this record:
This is a top 10 song , top five even. It did a bit better in the Soul chart : #7 , but still .....:confused:.

Added: RECORD WORLD also positioned REACH OUT into their Top 10, at #9 max.

All that sticks in my head about this song is that distracting little extra voice-like sound in the background after she sings the phrase, "...I had the world at my feet." I'm sorry; however, when I first bought this album in 1970, I was listening to each song closely and that little glitch just stuck out to me and continues to this day to be distracting. IMO, her delivery is superb; but production wise this track always sounded like it was coming a from a big arena with its over abundance of reverb. IMO, less reverb would have made the output more intimate sounding.

Oh yes, the repetition of "at my feet" [[at least that's what it sounds like) in the background. Which one is the best version is largely a matter of taste, but what I really like about the Ross version is that she does really make it her own through her singing style [[unlike the cover of "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" which she did with the Supremes and the Temptations, which proves the title of the song; although I do like the Supremes/Temptations version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough.") I also like the extra opening verse that A&S wrote for the Ross version--like a song from the Great American Songbook. Wonderful song!

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Originally Posted by Jaap

Oh yes, the repetition of "at my feet" [[at least that's what it sounds like) in the background. Which one is the best version is largely a matter of taste, but what I really like about the Ross version is that she does really make it her own through her singing style... Wonderful song!

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This is exactly why I prefer Diana's version! If I had to listen to another version it would be Marvin & Tammi. I remember excitedly buying the single and loving the flip side Two Can Have A Party almost as much. :)

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[[unlike the cover of "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" which she did with the Supremes and the Temptations, which proves the title of the song

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Lol. So true!

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I also like the extra opening verse that A&S wrote for the Ross version--like a song from the Great American Songbook.

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I agree!

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Originally Posted by Boogiedown

Which is rather odd , don't you think? If ever there was a time for some hanky panky chart influencing , this would've been one : Motown's premiere artist's first solo outing.

This to me is testament to the legitimacy of the charts , if the chart positionings were regarded as bogus, easily paid for, then their value would've become nil. The reputation of the reliability of the reporting of the popularity of these records by these music rags was crucial to their success.

Having said that I am at a loss as to how REMEMBER ME peaked at only #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. My ears hear a clear Top 10 song, Top 5 as likely.
To add a fly to the ointment, the song did hit #8 in CASHBOX and that's a stunning contrast of chart placement. [[they both can't be right)

Also surprising, the song peaked at just #10 on the Billboard soul chart.:confused:

Added: REMEMBER ME charted for two weeks at #10 in Record World.

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i don't believe she did any tv performances of it at the time. Motown was also heavy into J5 promotion. Diana still got a picture sleeve and tons of ad space around ROATSH. but regardless of how magical it's become as part of her live act, i just don't think the song is all that stellar. as an album track it's perfectly fine. but a single [[much less the DEBUT single) is terrible weak.

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Originally Posted by sup_fan

i don't believe she did any tv performances of it at the time. Motown was also heavy into J5 promotion. Diana still got a picture sleeve and tons of ad space around ROATSH. but regardless of how magical it's become as part of her live act, i just don't think the song is all that stellar. as an album track it's perfectly fine. but a single [[much less the DEBUT single) is terrible weak.

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this is all rather odd to me. Your dream is to go solo, to become a star, your name up in lights. When it finally comes to fruition, you go into hiding??

You said Diana believed in the song ...hand chose it , but she then didn't work it??

Also , as you say, the J5 were HOT property at the time . HOT. Motown tried to present the angle that there was a relationship between Diana and the group.
Motown was having success bundling The Supremes vocally with other acts, it didn't occur to them to do so with Diana and The J5?

wasn't berry still trying to get Hollywood interested in her in 70? to tie DR with the J5 would have probably hurt her appeal to movies. And Marvin hadn't had his huge records yet so duetting wouldn't have really been an option either.

I thought that Berry was worried about over exposure and so he pulled back on DR tv appearances. i think one of the fans here mentioned that Sullivan was mad because Berry had told him DR would do her solo debut on Sullivan's show. but technically she did it on Mike Douglas, i think. maybe just a rumor too

yeah You're right . Pairing a maturing Diana Ross with the J5 would not have suited her "serious actress" imaging.

But I see no reason to inhibit Diana's solo arrival.... unless there was a sense of a resentment by some [[ in the industry, radio programmers , some fans) concerning Diana Ross' abandoning her Supremes. Then the transition would benefit by taking a gradual natural course, rather than , in your face.

It could backfire: "Here I am , DIANA ROSS!!" if said too loudly , especially if the music is received as lackluster.

REACH OUT AND TOUCH is a great SUPREMES record.

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Originally Posted by sup_fan

wasn't berry still trying to get Hollywood interested in her in 70? to tie DR with the J5 would have probably hurt her appeal to movies. And Marvin hadn't had his huge records yet so duetting wouldn't have really been an option either.

I thought that Berry was worried about over exposure and so he pulled back on DR tv appearances. i think one of the fans here mentioned that Sullivan was mad because Berry had told him DR would do her solo debut on Sullivan's show. but technically she did it on Mike Douglas, i think. maybe just a rumor too

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By the time Diana left the group, at least one Hollywood producer was interested in Diana. Jay Weston saw Diana singing MY MAN during the Supremes' 1969 Waldorf-Astoria engagement and declared he found the woman he wanted to star as Billie Holiday.

Re tv, I don't think Berry was worried about over-exposure so much. I think he was trying to build Diana into the sort of superstar who didn't need television, much like Streisand. When Diana did do tv, often it was promoting one of her films, hosting the Oscars, or doing one of her own specials. I think many of her early solo releases would have done better had she done them on tv. But that first year, she only did Merv Griffin and even then, AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH had already reached #1.

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Originally Posted by reese

By the time Diana left the group, at least one Hollywood producer was interested in Diana. Jay Weston saw Diana singing MY MAN during the Supremes' 1969 Waldorf-Astoria engagement and declared he found the woman he wanted to star as Billie Holiday.

Re tv, I don't think Berry was worried about over-exposure so much. I think he was trying to build Diana into the sort of superstar who didn't need television, much like Streisand. When Diana did do tv, often it was promoting one of her films, hosting the Oscars, or doing one of her own specials. I think many of her early solo releases would have done better had she done them on tv. But that first year, she only did Merv Griffin and even then, AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH had already reached #1.

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yeah i've heard that Waldorf story too. I also heard that the DIANA! special with her interpretation of the silent film stars was another key point that prompted Hollywood to look at her too. i don't know that we have the real or actual timeline of all steps prior to landing Lady.

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Originally Posted by sup_fan

i don't believe she did any tv performances of it at the time. Motown was also heavy into J5 promotion. Diana still got a picture sleeve and tons of ad space around ROATSH. but regardless of how magical it's become as part of her live act, i just don't think the song is all that stellar. as an album track it's perfectly fine. but a single [[much less the DEBUT single) is terrible weak.

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I hope for your sake she is not reading this! ROAT is her baby and probably her absolute favorite. I was told she was furious that it didn't chart higher, and even into the 90's she regularly said how much she loved performing that song and how much it meant to her.
You have been warned Sup Fan! lol.....

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Originally Posted by Boogiedown

this is all rather odd to me. Your dream is to go solo, to become a star, your name up in lights. When it finally comes to fruition, you go into hiding??

You said Diana believed in the song ...hand chose it , but she then didn't work it??

Also , as you say, the J5 were HOT property at the time . HOT. Motown tried to present the angle that there was a relationship between Diana and the group.
Motown was having success bundling The Supremes vocally with other acts, it didn't occur to them to do so with Diana and The J5?

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It was Berry's decision to keep her off tv and not Diana's.

uk journalist Paul Gambaccini's autobiogrpahy called "Close Encounters" -it has a chapteron interviewing Ross in the early 70s the young Paul asked Diana a question that DIDNT go down well with her - how did she feel replacing Tammi terrel on duets with Marvin gaye ?? her face froze and she in Gambaccini's words -"she looked at me as if her gaze were fixed on a point on the other side of my head...staring at and through me at the same time..' - "I did Not replace Tammi " she emphasisised the word "Not" coldly.." he wrote