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There’s lots of talk about how the Artist Dev department really reinvented the Supremes hits to translate them to their stage shows. And then for years after the typically greatly adjusted the songs for stage and tv
So which examples do you think are the most successful at this? Least successful? Which are maybe considerably different but still a strong version of the song?
I dont think Love Child sounded good live. I'm only thinking of two examples off the top of my head [[Live on Sullivan and the Farewell performance). The instrumental live sounded weak as did Mary and Cindy's vocals, this song definitely needed the Andantes.
I cant think of too many of the hits that sounded good live, they were always too sped up compared to the actual recordings. I guess You Keep Me Hanging On was good live and I Hear A Symphony.
Oh Let Me Go the Right Way live at the 20 Grand was a great live take of the song. Not the one that was used on the Where Did Our Love Go expanded edition, I used to have a bootleg of a different show from the 20 Grand and the song was much better on this show: the audience was really into it, Flo was really bringing it home at the end with her ad-libs much more so than usual and Diana had a lot more life in her vocals for this particular performance of the song.
I think Everybody’s Got The Right and Your Wonderful Sweet both improved w the live versions.
YCHL is another fav. Yes they sped it up but also emphasized more of the gospel aspects. So I think it works very well
Completely agree the live versions we have of LC are weak. driving wheel live is another disaster
The live versions of “Stoned Love” were way too fast; I think the meaning of the song was lost.
The live version [[or at least it appeared live) of "I Hear a Symphony" on the TCB special comes to mind as being pretty strong.
I agree that "Love Child" is pretty weak mostly because of instrumental backing which seemed to be lacking due to the choice of instruments which were mimicking the studio version.
I never really enjoyed most of the live versions of the hits because 1) the tempos were way too fast as if it was a"let's hurry up and get these out of the way" attitude. 2) although I loved the lead singers' voices, both Diana and Jean appeared to play around the pronunciation and inflection of the lyrics as a way of showcasing their voices rather than showcasing the lyrics. Of course, there are exceptions to my observations. I believe Diana put more 'heart' into singing and interpreting the lyrics on the standards that the group sang.
In and Out of Love is a whole new song live and the ladies really bring it home . I saw a performance of it recently in Europe show they did and was knocked out how good it was.
agree with all above. I didn't like the songs sped up or chopped up. Love is Here had 1 verse missing. why? I did like The Happening live and agree with YWSSL and In n Out Of Love
good call - In and Out is def better live.
here are some that i think were better live:
I Want A Guy [[from the Meet Exp edition)
In and Out
Everybody's Got the right
Bad Weather
YWSSL
I Guess i'll miss the man
might not be better but i think the live version works really well
My World
WDOLG
YCHL
Up the ladder - love how jean lets it rip
baby love
come see
Stop
Back in my arms
symphony - especially the TCB version
Someday - the Ed performance isn't exactly live but very good. and Farewell was pretty good too
YKMHO
Nothing but heartaches
worse live
LC
Nathan jones - this is mostly cuz the Tonight Show bad butchers it and saps all soul out of it
Driving wheel
he's my man
one that were just ok live
Let yourself go
floy joy
river deep
stoned love - the Mike Douglas performance is pretty good but so often Jean seems to skip the melody and just mumbles and garbles her way through it
"Love Is Here And Now You're Gone" is one of my favorites done live. Because the original song was recorded in LA with an orchestra, I think any live arrangement in the stage show setting worked. It didn't take away anything from the song but enhanced it. I particularly love the "rooster call" with the trumpets as the song progressed. "I Hear A Symphony" is another track where the song's original arrangement transitioned very well over to a live arrangement. I wish they kept it in their show.
"Love Child" never sounded good live. I don't care for Mary & Cindy's vocals and I don't think they ever got the phrasing and rhythm of the original right. They always seemed rushed and off. It's one instance where I prefer the Andantes. Plus the live arrangement took the soul right out of the song.
I've always liked "Back In My Arms Again" from "At The Copa" album. Sometimes better than the studio version.
My World in the 70s
I like the slow burn and groove approach they did. Almost as much as original vinyl version. Jean did it well but Scherrie’s was sensational. They almost could have re recorded this and had a hit all over again.
The original vinyl version was tense and mysterious.
The 60s live was pure pop
The 70s live was this burning passionate haunting version
I never understood why they kept “My World” in the live act for so long. It’s not one of my favorites and I think if it had been released later it wouldn’t have charted as high as it did. “My World” should have been taken out of the show by Copa ‘67. I would have kept “You Can’t Hurry Love” or “I Hear A Symphony” in and condensed the hit medley down to just the three major hits.
With that being said, I actually love Scherrie’s take on it and the new spin they gave it. I think it’s better than the original.
To me, performances of the hit songs never even approached the studio versions. The sped-up, too-brassy, too “Vegas-y” arrangements sort offended my sensibilities. The other numbers in the live act were fine like that, but they shouldn’t have messed with the original arrangements of the hits. Of course, Askeys’s sidemen were no Funk Brothers, but they could at least have made an effort to approximate the studio arrangements. I know this was done to appeal to the “older” market, but in my mind it bordered on sacrilege.
If I had to choose one song, however, which worked fairly well in live performance, I suppose I’d vote for “In and Out of Love.” It did seem to have more energy than the studio version and the arrangement was a little closer to the studio version. When they’d perform it in concert, Diane would invite kids from the audience to come up and dance, and that was entertaining — especially when Mary’s foster son, Willie Pitchford, who must have been about eight or nine at the time, would be with them on tour and they’d bring him onstage for that number along with the audience kids. He was a good little dancer, and that passel of kids added to the number’s energy.
They all are just sensational in this above clip and you can hear them all!
A rare “group performance” by DRATS and a very good one at that!Quote:
Originally Posted by luke