Diana Ross "For Once In My Life"

From Motown Superstars Sing Motown Superstars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB1fsU4_Q0o

It is such a widely covered song, but in my opinion this song belongs to Stevie Wonder.
Nobody, but nobody does it better than Stevie.

do we know when this was recorded ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nomis

do we know when this was recorded ?

---

1977, produced by Hal Davis.

That Voice. I don't care much for the production or instrumentation, but ... That Voice. Diana had a bit of a history with 'For Once'. I remember her singing the song on the Danny Thomas episode. In a backstage scene Diana wore her Love Chile denim shorts and offered Thomas a PB and banana sandwich. And ... she was right. They are real good!

The acting scenes between Diana Ross and Danny Thomas were phenomenal. They both deserved Emmy Awards. "The Sisters" routine highlights Diana Ross' acting skills.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PeaceNHarmony

That Voice. I don't care much for the production or instrumentation, but ... That Voice. Diana had a bit of a history with 'For Once'. I remember her singing the song on the Danny Thomas episode. In a backstage scene Diana wore her Love Chile denim shorts and offered Thomas a PB and banana sandwich. And ... she was right. They are real good!

---

Yes she sounds very good! Although I prefer the instrumental backing track of the unreleased 1969 version a bit more as it sounds relaxing. I think the 1969 version would have fit nicely on the Let the sunshine in album.

I'm sorry but the first time I heard this back in the 80s my first thought was...should never have come out of the vault. The song is clearly designed as a ballad and to disco it was a mistake to begin with. Her vocal is fine but the spoken dialogue is so hokey. The instrumental track is clunky and seems to be without vision. I agree that Stevie's uptempo version is probably the best but I'd give Martha Reeves' recorded version as the best way the song was intended to be done.

wow.
thought I was listening to two competing tracks just playing over each other .

Sounds like the THEME FROM 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA [the extended 'glug , glug' version:p]

i find this one ok. obviously not the best thing she ever recorded. but i think it holds up better What You Gave Me

What I always found so interesting about this song is that it was designed to be and succeeded as what I call a “instant standard.“ Gordy even created a new music publishing company, called Stein and van stock, so it would look like it was not a Motown song published by Jobete. A very interesting marketing strategy and one which ultimately seem to be successful because so many many people recorded it. I forget though, didn’t someone else actually record it before Stevie Wonder? It’s got to be one of the most recorded songs from Motown. It is a great tune and I believe it has become the standard it was meant to be.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kenneth

What I always found so interesting about this song is that it was designed to be and succeeded as what I call a “instant standard.“ Gordy even created a new music publishing company, called Stein and van stock, so it would look like it was not a Motown song published by Jobete. A very interesting marketing strategy and one which ultimately seem to be successful because so many many people recorded it. I forget though, didn’t someone else actually record it before Stevie Wonder? It’s got to be one of the most recorded songs from Motown. It is a great tune and I believe it has become the standard it was meant to be.

---

yes an "instant standard" says it .

Would it be fair for me to say it sounded a bit moldy even when Stevie did it?

just as i figured:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx6K9u7G0do


this could be a fun thread ...all the versions

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kenneth

What I always found so interesting about this song is that it was designed to be and succeeded as what I call a “instant standard.“ Gordy even created a new music publishing company, called Stein and van stock, so it would look like it was not a Motown song published by Jobete. A very interesting marketing strategy and one which ultimately seem to be successful because so many many people recorded it. I forget though, didn’t someone else actually record it before Stevie Wonder? It’s got to be one of the most recorded songs from Motown. It is a great tune and I believe it has become the standard it was meant to be.

---

Tony Bennett actually tackled it before Stevie did. Connie Haines is said to have recorded it first [in '65], but Jean DuShon's version was released first [in '66].

can't ignore the Jamerson bassline:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0HCin6uy4Q