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I haven't had a chance to listen yet; are these alternates different from the ones released on the Diana Ross ['76] expanded?
it seems to me. It seems those are studio recording sessions with no mixing.Quote:
Originally Posted by sansradio
I'm not sure. I just thought what was released was better.
My favourite Diana song of all time.
The first one reminds me of Thelma Houston’s version.
The original released version is for me the superior by far. It has an ethereal, dreamy quality to it.
It also seems very crystal clear - at least Diana's voice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ollie9
I've always liked the first portion of the recording best.
Both of these are on Diana Ross 76 Expanded.Quote:
Originally Posted by sansradio
Thanks, George.Quote:
Originally Posted by George Solomon
I haven't gotten any of the remix/expanded sets....$ are too scarce in my retirement to continue being a completist/avid collector..I loved the original...it was textured and dreamy and the lyrics were so wonderous to my 15 year old heart...along with Mountain, I've heard DR kill this in a bad way live so many times in clips by talk singing or shouting the lyrics for a very long time...Happily, I see a VERY big improvement in the live performance clips from the past 10 years.
Agree 100%. She did it beautifuly on the tonight show, and at the recent Motown anniversary .Quote:
Originally Posted by gman
In the same way, Streisand kills The Way We Were in almost all her live performances.
and Mary and Gladys do The Way We Were great live....I am not a big Barbra fan...she over belts too often and it goes nowhere IMHO, but I do like TWWW, Evergreen, Memory and Stoney End
Never very keen on Barbra except for TWWW and All in Love is Fair. Love some of Gladys and her singing but she seems to be pretty opinionated and abrasive; I saw yesterday she had been married 4 times!
Mahogany is far from my favorite Ross release - just like the beginning and the quality of the singing. And the movie was no Lady or Out of Darkness; kind of ranked slightly above Double Platinum.
I like the TO LOVE AGAIN compilation....Masser/Ross all rolled up into 1 CD
To Love Again [[expanded edition) remains a superb collection of some of Diana best ballads. “Stay With Me” screamed potential hit.Quote:
Originally Posted by gman
I wonder the same of “To Love Again”. Could it have done well if released as a single. It certainly contains a wonderfully heartfelt, poignant vocal from Diana. Question being, was it commercial enough to have caught the ear of joe public?. I think it might possibly have done better then “One More Chance”. One to ponder.
I didn't really appreciate TO LOVE AGAIN upon its original 1978 release. I don't think it would have been a hit at that time. I think it was wise to re-establish Diana with the more uptempo tracks from THE BOSS and DIANA and then come back to the great ballads like IT'S MY TURN and ENDLESS LOVE.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ollie9
BTW: I loved ONE MORE CHANCE. But after the huge success of DIANA, I don't think it was what many people wanted to hear from her at the time.
I love Diana's singing on One More Chance. It's a moving Diva performance, a poignant plea full of sorrow and regret that ends with desperation.Quote:
Originally Posted by reese
I also think Stay With Me, with further polishing, was the lost hit single from To Love Again. It reminded me of I'm Still Waiting.
My other favorite is Crying My Heart Out For You. A Michael Masser/Diana Ross album project, judging by these three tracks, could have been a wonderful counterpoint/contrast in 1981. [[And pre-Whitney!)
I agree in that during the time of Ross 78 “TLA” would not have been a hit single. In fact I think she would have needed a song as strong as “”Upside Down” or “The Boss” to score a hit during that period. I was thinking more around 81, upon the release of the TLA album when she was red hot..Quote:
Originally Posted by reese
“One More Chance” is nice enough, if a little to MOR. The simplicity of “To Love Again” lends it a more classic, timeless quality. I think it could have been a surprise hit, much in the vein of “With You I’M Born Again. I Would have made it the second single after “Stay With Me”.
If TLA was going to be a hit, I agree that 1981 probably would have been that time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ollie9
That said, I still think that after THE BOSS and DIANA, a nice Michael Masser ballad probably wasn't what many wanted to hear from her.
As it was, when ONE MORE CHANCE was released, it didn't even hit the Top 50. CRYIN' MY HEART OUT FOR YOU did even worse. I don't recall hearing either of them on the radio and this was after she had practically ruled the airwaves just months before. I think ENDLESS LOVE couldn't be denied because it was so special and a duet with Lionel besides. I don't know if TO LOVE AGAIN was special enough.
I agree that a Masser ballad was definitely not something the public craved following the funky Boss and diana sets.Quote:
Originally Posted by reese
Forgetting the Masser theme, i think had TLA been released at a later date to include both “Endless Love” and “Dreaming Of You” it would have sold in bucket loads. DOY” was another potential big hit that she lost out on.
It would be interesting to know how Diana felt about the release of a ballad heavy album at that point in her career.Was it not during these recording sessions that she refused to work with Masser again. I remember reading the rest of the planned songs went to Dionne Warwick.
It would be interesting to know what Diana thought of TLA, the album. My first thought is that she was probably preoccupied with her upcoming departure from Motown and was probably looking forward. But I think she might have had a bit of input in it as it was the first album that carried a fan club credit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ollie9
When I first saw the album in a record store, I was immediately drawn to the stunning cover. But when I looked at the contents, I was disappointed to see that there were only three new songs on it. At the time, news had not yet broken that she was leaving Motown. So I couldn't believe that they would follow the Chic album with such a collection. I even remember a review of the album in SOUL magazine complaining about it. On first sight, the only thing that really excited me was the fan club [[which I did write to BTW and never received a reply. Later, she listed a different address in her RCA debut and they did respond. :D)
In the end, though the album wasn't a blockbuster, I think it did well. I vaguely recall seeing a gold disc for it, although I don't think it was from the RIAA.
The big question being, was the Masser album already in the pipeline before Diana had made the decision to leave Motown?.Quote:
Originally Posted by reese
We all know she found Masser overly controlling in the studio. Was it perhaps not only the fact he was controlling, but also that she really didn't’ want to be recording such ballads anyway, particularly at that point in her career that caused her to throw in the towel and not complete the album.
I can imagine her locking horns with BG over which musical direction she should be heading in?. We know for sure she was seeking more control.
To Love Again capped the most successful year of DR's career since 1966...TLA could have been a companion release to the beige 2 LP set, there could have been no overlap, used 2 less still selling DIANA LP tracks....and put in the missing singles. [[the UK song line up was a better/broader choice...as was the case with the 70's Supremes VB of) But, perhaps they had the Anthology LP planned and decided to play both ends against the middle