Richard Perry produced this joyful album. I think a TV special would have boosted the sales volume of this joyful album. I wish he had produced for Diana Ross during the RCA Years.
Richard Perry produced this joyful album. I think a TV special would have boosted the sales volume of this joyful album. I wish he had produced for Diana Ross during the RCA Years.
Me too. They made beautiful music together, and i would have loved another album. Baby it's me is a vastly underrated album. Perry coaxed Ms Ross into giving some of her most cohesive vocals, and the choice of songs were second to none.Quote:
Originally Posted by TNSUN
My 3rd favourite Ross album after The Boss and Surrender. She rarely sounded better.
i agree but i think it was the wrong concept at the wrong time. a couple years earlier or a couple years later. in fall of 1977 this album, despite it's high quality of production and singing, was really not fresh or exciting. There were so many other acts and producers doing much more powerful and new things. This was just too innocuous for the release date.
One song the MIGHT have helped deliver something new and exciting from DR is the title track. developing a new more funky sound for her might have been something to explore deeper with the other tracks. experiment
but i do agree that as part of her overall discography, it's wonderful piece.
I found a copy of the album in a used record store around 2004 and I think the only two songs that originally impressed me were "Top Of the World" and "You Got It", with the former being the one I overwhelmingly played the most. My opinion of the album was that it was good, but nothing exciting. To me it lacked the power of Surrender, the tenderness of TMITM, and the energy of The Boss, so it got lost in the shuffle.
Within a couple years of purchasing it, I started to find that I was playing it more and appreciating it more. Eventually I came to realize that where Diana Ross albums go, BIM is in the top 5 best, easily. She's in great vocal form, and all the songs fit her so well. Richard does not put her in position to go straight pop the way Masser sometimes did. She's able to retain some soul throughout the album. Had Motown not bungled the single releases, I think the album could've been a big winner for her.
Over the years what stood out to me originally and now standout to me now have changed a bit. I'm not as wowed by "Top Of the World" as I once was. "Getting Ready For Love" doesn't bowl me over either. The title cut is a funky little track, but where I usually enjoy funky Diana, I'm not too crazy about this one. All of the ballads showcase Diana at the top of her game. "All Night Lover" is definitely what the Diana led Supremes would have done had their heyday been the 70s instead of the 60s. Very throwback.
But my two favs are definitely "You Got It", which I'm pretty sure I play more than any other BIM track, and "Same Love That Made Me". On the former, I love the track, love the lyrics, love Diana's delivery, love the backing vocals. It's a perfect song to me. I don't know if it would've done any better as a single even if promoted correctly, but on it's own, it's a damn good song. "Same Love" is perfect to me too and Diana's interpretation of it is fantastic. I love when she sings in a lower tone. It's so sexy and so serious. Such an under utilized weapon in her vocal arsenal.
Oh, and I can't forget to mention the outtake of "Baby I Love Your Way". I love both the Anthology version and the alternate version on the expanded, although I'm more partial to the Anthology version. I wish the song had made the original album. It's a beautiful rendition.
I haven't played the album for a while but I always liked it and thought it was a good piece. Still, I don't think you can compare Diane's version of "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh" to Margie Joseph's on Atlantic. Joseph was a vastly underrated vocalist who never really hit the heights I think she deserved to. Her deconstructed version of "Stop! in the Name of Love" is my all time favorite of a Motown song by a non-Motown singer. She also did a similar interpretation of "My World is Empty Without You," so obviously she and Ross delved into similar material.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FEB2_ywkjU
Two entirely different interpretations by two entirely different vocalists. What is there really to compare? I prefer Diana's reading to Margie's on this one. Margie is one of my favorite singers also and I agree about her version of "Stop". I actually prefer Margie's "Stop" to the Supremes. Margie also does a beautiful "My World Is Empty", but I still prefer the Supremes. And Margie and Major Harris do a duet of "You're A Special Part of Me" on the live album with Blue Magic. I wonder if Diana was one of Margie's favs?
'Joyful' is perhaps the best adjective to apply to this lp. I love it, too, and agree that perhaps a TV special focusing on the lp with great musicians would have indeed boosted the album a bit higher. AND ... at lease one more RP lp would have been wonderful to have.Quote:
Originally Posted by TNSUN
I never heard of Margie Joseph, but I do not like her phrasing on Same Love. It lags ..... I sat impatiently waiting for the next line to be delivered. I much prefer Diana’s phrasing.Quote:
Originally Posted by kenneth
Agree. Especially, when you look at what he was able to do for the Pointer Sisters from a commercial standpoint. The Pointers had raw talent but nothing that suggested they could have huge crossover hits like what Perry did for them in the 80s. However, they were probably easier to produce than Ross would have been. Popular opinion -- which makes sense in retrospect -- is that she did not enjoy the recording process.Quote:
Originally Posted by TNSUN
I had become a huge Ross fan when Love Hangover became a hit and it's parent hit album Diana Ross from 1976.
But one love in my lifetime was released in July 76 and no other out out from Ross until Sept 77.
A year and half off the charts.out of sight and out if mind.even for Ross.
Motown used to be on top of things...always had a plan B.
But then ..it was everything at one time or nothing.
Always thought Baby It's Me was a classy album.loved it.still do. Album full of gems. But I think more adult contemporary and it should have been promoted as such.
Who is Diana ross as a singer..is she pop..soul...
I have always considered her POP.
She should have been promoted as such .sad.
Motown n BG was losing it's touch,obviously by the Ross 78 release,
Motown didn't even know what the first single was going to be. Then she appeared on Tonight show and sang lady is a tramp instead of her new song.
Wtf. did she n Motown learn nothing after nothing but heartaches.
This is one of my top five Ross albums along with
Diana ross 76
Boss
Diana
Take me higher
This should have been a platinum seller
“Confide in me” is a great song.
My absolute favorite Diana Ross album, bar none. I can listen to it on a continuous loop and the EE is deeeelightful.
Though not nearly as secks-say as the 'Diana-is-a-b!+2h' theory, it is entirely possible that, since Perry launched his own label, Planet Records, in 1978 and the first LP, the Pointers' 'Energy', was released that year his schedule was already booked with a new label and new artists to produce and publicize. A glance at Richard P's discography shows that after BIM he produced just 2 lps: 1 Burton Cummings lp and 1 Leo Sayer lp, before launching Planet. After Planet, according to Perry's own website he did not produce an outside act until 1983, when he did a few cuts for Tina Turner for the 'Summer Lovers' soundtrack. And, as we all know, Perry did produce the Julio & Diana duet 'All of You' in '84.
Very interesting choice of words - joyfulQuote:
Originally Posted by TNSUN
The cover art and several songs were so serious. I don’t know what one adjective would define that album for me.
Are you referring to Ross '76? We haven't seen the long awaited EE of "Baby It's Me."Quote:
Originally Posted by thanxal
Sure we have. It was released download-only in 2014 [albeit with less expanded material than usual].Quote:
Originally Posted by kenneth
Baby it’s me baby it’s you this album is definitely a fan favourite among us we love love love this album her voice is second to none
We are hopeful of a physical expanded Baby it's Me. George hinted on here there was additional music to add to the digital release. Fingers crossed.Quote:
Originally Posted by kenneth
It's digital only, released a few years back.Quote:
Originally Posted by kenneth
Only Ross 78 has yet to get an expanded edition.
We are waiting universal
BTW: that Margie Joseph album is really great and has a.o. Donny Hathaway,Cissy Houston and Stuff backing her. In 2007 most of her albums were released on cd by Collectors' Choice Music and I am glad I got them all.
Attachment 18921
I got them all tooQuote:
Originally Posted by jack020
Great vocalist.
Mr Bluebrock: it seems we own a lot of the same music!:) Would love to see your collection.
since Baby Its Me has been released , seriously , what is the hold up.
should have been out for Dianas b day or something.geez
Yes i have literally 1000's of vinyl albums, cassettes and cd's collected over almost 50 years. I love many genres of music but soul music is the closest to my heart.Quote:
Originally Posted by jack020
I would love to see your collection too!
I would like BIM in a physical compact disc release, but I can only get the Japanese version. Will that play in an American cd player or car cd player??
Yes! I play that one and "Come in from the rain" from my Forever Diana box set. I want the whole album!Quote:
Originally Posted by khansperac
Yes it will.Quote:
Originally Posted by JLoveLamar
Jlove - ive bought lots of Japanese pressed cds that play fine in my cd player so you should be good...ive said before - I just dont get why folks rave about BIM..to me its a collection of so-so songs and nothing special..im going to re listen but the way you guys love this album is the way I feel about "Eaten Alive " !!..Quote:
Originally Posted by JLoveLamar
Not sure what the hold up is,still
Diana's b day has come n gone
Again , and nothing
But why not release BIM on cd by now
Seriously
I LOOOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEEEEEEE Eaten Alive. I love the music video, I love the way Diana takes us to church with those vocals at the end, I love how beautiful she looks in Black and White, I love the theatrics of the video, and the song makes me wanna be bad. I am sooooo upset that Miss Ross did not do more films. She would've killed as a silent film actressQuote:
Originally Posted by nomis
I used to travel to Japan regularly, and i always returned with dozens of cd sQuote:
Originally Posted by nomis
All played perfectly. They are not regionally chipped the way dvd's are.
I think we all now know why you don't get the raving about BIM.:pQuote:
Originally Posted by nomis