"Never Say I Don't Love You"

I don't mean to take the thunder away from the YouTube "Diana Ross Fan Club" or the FB person who posted the link on Facebook; however, I wanted to share what I believe to be a wonderful alternate version of "Never Say I Don't Love You" from the 1978 album.

This version has a more intimate approach to the song with the lead vocals and the background vocals brought up front over a 'funkier' track. I need to listen to this several more times and compare it to the album version to determine if this is or is not the same vocal take.

Is this alternate take on some compilation that's out there?

Oh, yeah...the accompanying photos are EXCELLENT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kckh0u07oRc

This is rather nice, as in slightly softer. I actually prefer it to the album version. Sounds like the same vocal take to me. Some great pics of Diana from the mid to late 70’s time frame.

Like Ollie9, I prefer this version to that released at the time. Just leaves me hoping for expanded albums with gems like this included in them.

This is great.

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Originally Posted by jobucats

I don't mean to take the thunder away from the YouTube "Diana Ross Fan Club" or the FB person who posted the link on Facebook; however, I wanted to share what I believe to be a wonderful alternate version of "Never Say I Don't Love You" from the 1978 album.

This version has a more intimate approach to the song with the lead vocals and the background vocals brought up front over a 'funkier' track. I need to listen to this several more times and compare it to the album version to determine if this is or is not the same vocal take.

Is this alternate take on some compilation that's out there?

Oh, yeah...the accompanying photos are EXCELLENT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kckh0u07oRc

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Very nice, but nothing can top the beautiful version on the Ross78 album in my opinion. That version has to be in my top 5 Ross ballads. It's criminal it got so overlooked at the time. Had this been on a more successful album it could have been a hit single in it's own right. Ms Ross's vocals are sublime, and that beautiful riff sends shivers up and down my spine.
I really do hope we get an expanded Ross78 album. It contained some strong songs alongside a few less than inspiring offerings.

i like this song but i don't know that i've put it on a single playlist. agree that it probably warrants a bit more attention than i've provided it. but never gotten too excited over it.

After You, All The Befores, Little Girl Blue, We Need You, To Love Again, Sparkle, I'm in the world, Too shy to say. even Now That You're Gone from diana 80. all of these are ballads that i listen too zillions of times more than Never Say

but again, perhaps i've wrongly overlooked

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Originally Posted by sup_fan

i like this song but i don't know that i've put it on a single playlist. agree that it probably warrants a bit more attention than i've provided it. but never gotten too excited over it.

After You, All The Befores, Little Girl Blue, We Need You, To Love Again, Sparkle, I'm in the world, Too shy to say. even Now That You're Gone from diana 80. all of these are ballads that i listen too zillions of times more than Never Say

but again, perhaps i've wrongly overlooked

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Perhaps you have.
It's not too late to see the light.

oh i definitely will. and i certainly remember it and can hum along with it, even if i don't know every lyric like i do for other songs of hers.

i was recently going through Force and Take Me Higher. on Take, i rediscover I Thought That We Were Still In Love. now that song i had truly forgotten and damn!! stunning. it definitely HAS been added to playlists

Like i said about Never, it's a nice song. beautifully sung. but something about it just doesn't grab me like those others i listed.

I prefer the album mix but will have another listen

I much prefer the original version of Never - it's one of Diana's best ballads ever.

I always felt it should have been a single release in the UK - unfortunately it got "wasted" as the B-side of No One Gets The Prize so it passed most by.

Certainly it would have been a big UK hit in the mid 70s but it's hard to say how it might have done in 1978.

The 1977/80 period was pretty fallow for Diana here but then I wasn't aware of the shenanigans which were going on around Diana at EMI until Bluebrock mentioned them.

Still can't believe that I never knew What You Gave Me had been released as a single in the UK in 1979.

our discussions here prompted me to continue my Billboard chart analysis lol. I had stopped in early 77 with the end of the Supremes material. I've now finished through The Boss [[March 81) and let me tell ya - things are spotty at best!!

Diana had a good year in 76 - the DR album, the Greatest Hits album. Love Hangover was massive. and Theme from Mahogany had only just recently peaked on the charts in late 75.

Evening With, Ross, Baby It's Me all were stinkers on the charts. Evening only did 14 weeks, BIM did 18, Ross did 16. all are very poor showings, not to mention their peak positions were underwhelming.

The Boss [[the album) is truly peculiar!! it was one the charts for a long time - 36 weeks. but it just CREPT up to it's eventual peak. took 16 weeks to reach it's peak!!! i think that's the longest of any sup or DR album.

other labels were inundating Billboard with ads and content - especially Casablanca. motown barely did anything. an occasion full page ad. but that's it. I couldn't find many of the singles from this period in the Top Picks write ups [[although it is certainly possible i missed them).

there are obviously many other marketing outlets and channels besides Billboard. but it is interesting that this was the industry's most important publication and motown wasn't really utilizing it.

another example - there was TONS of coverage for the Jacksons after they moved to their new label and were releasing The Jacksons. multi-page articles, lots of pics, etc.

Diana Ross never had the huge publicity caimpaigns for albums as released by CBS/Sony, Warner Bros.,Electra, Virgin Records
Arista and Casablanca. "The Baby It's Me" album display of Diana Ross as she appears
on the cover of the album was cute, but only worked if you walked in the store. "Baby It's Me" released by a record label like Casablanca would have soared in sales. Donna Summer had a great marketing team. Fabulous album covers. Also, after paying Diana Ross $20 million dollars to sign a contract with RCA, money was limited for record promotions.

What were the demands for the $20 million dollars? Was it based on structured sales quotas?

Does Diana Ross own the RCA Masters?

"The Boss", of all her albums seems to be the favorite of non diehard fans. Love this album and all the new song remixes!

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Originally Posted by TNSUN

Diana Ross never had the huge publicity caimpaigns for albums as released by CBS/Sony, Warner Bros.,Electra, Virgin Records
Arista and Casablanca. "The Baby It's Me" album display of Diana Ross as she appears
on the cover of the album was cute, but only worked if you walked in the store. "Baby It's Me" released by a record label like Casablanca would have soared in sales. Donna Summer had a great marketing team. Fabulous album covers. Also, after paying Diana Ross $20 million dollars to sign a contract with RCA, money was limited for record promotions.

What were the demands for the $20 million dollars? Was it based on structured sales quotas?

Does Diana Ross own the RCA Masters?

"The Boss", of all her albums seems to be the favorite of non diehard fans. Love this album and all the new song remixes!

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Yes she does own the rca masters.

i'm now up their 1980. the chic album and singles are still on the charts but have all peaked and are starting their descents.

we all know what a mega album diana 80 was, peaking at number 2. it spent many, many weeks in the top 10 and all. it entered the charts at 66 which is a pretty strong entry for Diana or for the Sups.

ironically Guilty by Barbra blocked it from going to #1. although diana was released months prior to Guilty and had worked it's way up to it's peak. it was already in the top 5 before Guilty entered the charts. But Guilty entered very, very high. maybe in the top 10 or top 15. and then shot to #1.

other artists also had hugely hit chart entries. didn't Stevie had some of these too? curious why none of Diana's did.

its a pleasant ditty - but I cant see it would set the charts alight...

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Originally Posted by Bluebrock

Very nice, but nothing can top the beautiful version on the Ross78 album in my opinion. That version has to be in my top 5 Ross ballads. It's criminal it got so overlooked at the time. Had this been on a more successful album it could have been a hit single in it's own right. Ms Ross's vocals are sublime, and that beautiful riff sends shivers up and down my spine.
I really do hope we get an expanded Ross78 album. It contained some strong songs alongside a few less than inspiring offerings.

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I agree, Bluebrock. "Never Say I Don't Love You" is one of my all-time favorite Diana ballads. I, too, prefer the version released on Ross '78. That, and "You Were The One", should have been huge hits. It's just a shame that they were overlooked by the masses.

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Originally Posted by Philles/Motown Gary

I agree, Bluebrock. "Never Say I Don't Love You" is one of my all-time favorite Diana ballads. I, too, prefer the version released on Ross '78. That, and "You Were The One", should have been huge hits. It's just a shame that they were overlooked by the masses.

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Yes indeed. Had they been included on a more successful album they would surely have come to the attention of more people. Hardly anyone other than diehard fans got to hear them. Very frustrating.

weren't both of these tunes producer by Greg Wright, who also did He's My Man for the Supremes?

surprising his didn't do more work with DR or the sups.

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Originally Posted by sup_fan

weren't both of these tunes producer by Greg Wright, who also did He's My Man for the Supremes?

surprising his didn't do more work with DR or the sups.

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Yes they were. I share your surprise Sup Fan. He was a very talented guy.