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This song seems to appear often whenever the negatives of the New Ways album is brought up, so I guess it's safe to assume that it's not a fan favorite. However, for me it's a nice cut. Anyone else like it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-iWIz64ngw
I never really cared for the original, but I actually like their version of song. I enjoy this album much more than Right On.
I think it is a nice recording.
For me, Steam nailed this song best. Their recording has a unique sound and feel.
Bananarama also had an 80s hit with it. This shows the strength of the song.
The question for me is what we would think of other versions if the Steam version had never existed.
As as far as The Supremes are concerned, their version could have sold as a single if the backing vocals had less embellishments and if a little single editing and mixing magic had been applied. As the track stands, it’s not quite there. Having said that, I don’t skip the track when it comes on.
For me, “Stormy” by DRATS is a different story, however. The song never charted in the UK, so I heard the DRATS version first, and it’s wonderful. The newer mix sounds even better on a hot and humid day. That’s what I call “finished product”. And it got left in the can. Madness!
I thought it was no more than a filler on what was generally a very nice and cohesive album. I would have binned it in favour of something like Life Beats or another canned track. Come Together was another weak version of an over covered Beatles track. I would have canned that one too, but their version of Bridge Over was beautiful. It was sexy, dramatic and atmospheric. Everything that Na na na na wasn't in fact. With a couple of tweaks this could have been an awesome album.Quote:
Originally Posted by RanRan79
I love their version of this song and the track is kickin'!Quote:
Originally Posted by RanRan79
I like the track but i think from a stylistic and thematic aspect, it would have fit better on Right On. NW almost had a cohesive message of peace, nature, love and humanity. Na Na is a strong performance but doesn't fit.
I agree that Life Beats or even Mind Body and Soul would have flowed a bit better.
Now i do enjoy their Come Together cover. it's weird as all hell but i find it an interesting take on the song and feel it fits well with the sound and vibe of NW.
I thought it was a great track, but it didn't fit with the feel and flow of New Ways But Love Stays. I actually would have swapped it out for "The Loving Country" on Right On and put "The Loving Country" in its place on New Ways.
As Sotosound mentioned, "Stormy" is another incredible track that got canned when it should have been released. I never understood why they placed a less than stellar version of "Blowin' In The Wind" from the DMF days on a 1969 LP when clearly "Stormy" was a far better choice. I'm one of those who feels it was worthy of a single release...hands down better than that dreadful "Composer."
I've always liked this cut especially the breakdown when they sing "Baby" i enjoyed every cut on this album with exception of "Come Together".Quote:
Originally Posted by RanRan79
Na Na is OK with me!.....Come Together is not....It is one of my fav Beatle songs... I hate Steven Tylers reading and pronunciation on Aerosmiths version, and the Supremes arrangement is... nicely put "unfortunate"...weakest cut on NWBLS... I do like DR's version and Ike and Tina's . Ike and Tina always had excellent "romps" through many rock classics.
I liked it ....just not Come Together. I would have preferred more original songs on New Ways
Exactly tha´s the point, which makes that song very unique, the breakdown with Mary´s voice, all things fit perfectly together the sound the voice. Tha song has an amazing dynamic it stops with the breakdown and has a touch of dramatic with Mary´s voice and then comes back again - for me personally a really perfect song.Quote:
Originally Posted by rod_rick
"Come Together" is not a song I like by anyone, however I have found Diana's version to be more listenable as the years go by than I originally deemed it. The Supremes' version sucks as bad as the rest, so much so that I forget they even did it and that it's on New Ways at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by gman
Personally I feel like New Ways is an overrated album. Half of it leaves me with a "meh" feeling about it. "Na Na" is for me one of the highlights, along with "Together We Can Make Sweet Music", "Stoned Love", "Time to Break Down", "I Wish I Were Your Mirror", and "Is There a Place". Everything else is...whatever. There's a point in "Shine On Me" where the song really gets good, but prior to that, and immediately after that, the song does nothing for me. And why there wasn't a song written and recorded called "New Ways But Love Stays", which is a great title IMO, I have no idea. Surely that song would've been better than "Come Together".:D
I think most of NW is quite strong. had the cover art been revised and the song lineup tweaked slightly, it would have been one of the strongest Sups album, 60s or 70s. The entire side 1 is very strong.
Together, Stoned and Time almost makes up this master suite of songs. the synth connection between tracks 1 and 2, the heavy guitar work on track 3. perfect if every way
Bridge is a great song that provides and pause from the suite. the production is a bit heavy-handed but frankly much of Frank's work here is. today the sound effects are a bit corny but you have to look at this during the lens of 1970. synthesizers were new and revolutionary
Mirror is a solid album track that completes the first side.
Side 2 you get the highly experimental Come Together. It might have helped to not have Jean's vocals so blurry. jean wasn't known for her precision enunciation like Diana was so it's easy for her singing to sometimes get indecipherable. is it my fav song or fav version on the song? no. but sonically it works with the heavy guitar and symphonic production of the rest of the album
Is there a place - another nice album track and much needed breather after the craziness of Come
Na na - while i like the song and the breakdown, i just don't feel that, thematically or sonic, it flows as well. Life Beats was another experimental track which would have fit well. Maybe The DAy Will Come Between Sunday and monday might have worked. Steppin on a Dream and Mind Body and Soul are additional options. and there could be some more vault material we dont' know about.
Shine on me - strong potential with this song but it rambles a bit. frank could maybe have tighted it up a little
thank him for today - i love this song and find it a perfect album closer. fits with the theme of the album, it's joyful and the tag at the end with the piano is a perfect nod to what should have been the title track, Stone Love. note the correct spelling of Stone too lol
I think it is the best 70's Supremes album after Right On, but i recall it getting a terrible review in Blues and Soul back in the day. Different strokes i guess.....Quote:
Originally Posted by RanRan79
^interesting - would love to see what they said about it.
Stormy is underrated. I like Diane's lower register, at least to me it is lower. Sexy and smooth. She should add it to her live show.Quote:
Originally Posted by bradsupremes
I believe we shared the same tatste. Maybe the title of the album has to do with the group and the songs, new ways with Jean but the songs of love stayed.Quote:
Originally Posted by RanRan79
The songs of the album reminds me a lot of the Marvelettes song "Why´d you do it" featuring the great Ann Bogan on lead, it is a hint for me how great it would be The Marvelettes in the 70´s, sadly we not know how NW sounds with Ann and The Marvelettes, but when we compared the style of the tracks it could be very amazing
I remember buying this LP many years ago, and the opening track "together we can make such sweet music" I'm sure was also featured on a free floppy disc given out with Motown Chartbusters Volume 5. The track really sets the scene for this LP. The LP I think is equally as good as 'Right On' and whilst I do not rush to listen to 'Come together', it doesn't leave me cold either. "Na na hey hey kiss him goodbye" is a perfect final track for the LP.
What's special about 'Stormy'? It's an ok track, in my opinion, nothing more than that - and I can see why it wasn't released until the door of the vaults was unlocked.
Love Diana s version of Stormy
For me it's everything, but especially Diana's vocal performance and Mary and Cindy's backing vocals, which are easily among the best the two of them ever did together IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by gordy_hunk
i like it but don't think it was a single. would have made an excellent album track and showed a much more mature sound for the group. but doesn't have the excitement as a single. At least as an A side.
I wouldn’t have viewed “Someday We’ll Be Together” as obvious hit material, either. It’s mid-tempo and laid back with a downbeat and subtle melody. A far cry from normal Supremes singles material.Quote:
Originally Posted by sup_fan
I had no idea that "Na Na" was an actual song... I'd only ever heard it redone in a stupid advert for an online bingo website... "na-na, hey-hey, bin-go"... Alas, despite not quite getting over the shock of it being a real song, The Supremes' version of it seems pretty good to me. :)
It's a wonderful track. Great arrangement by the Funk Bros. Diana gives an awesome vocal in a lower register than producers hardly used on her and it makes me wish they did more with her lower range. Mary & Cindy are on it, that's a plus and they sound great. Plus "Stormy" is a great song. I don't understand why it got canned and to think Motown decided to use 3 year old tracks on albums when this gem sat there is beyond me.Quote:
Originally Posted by gordy_hunk
Being that I know that you are not from the U.S. so I won't act shocked at what you said. "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Her Goodbye" was released by Steam in 1969. The song has become so popular that it is still sung today at all types of sporting events here in America in 2019! It is used as sort of a cheer or a jeer at the opposing [[losing) team.Quote:
Originally Posted by TomatoTom123
Age-related?Quote:
Originally Posted by marv2
The song was a smash hit twice in the UK. Firstly for Steam and later for Bananarama. The Steam version can be found on several UK CD compilations.
l just wish that they’d put the single mix on CD.
Tom is still in his teens so he can be forgiven for not knowing the origins of the song.Quote:
Originally Posted by marv2
The issue is in my loft. I shall try to find it someday. I recall it being given only 2 stars, and the reviewer praising Stoned Love, but being critical of the rest of the albumQuote:
Originally Posted by sup_fan
I would say culture related because just about every American that has been to a school or professional football or basketball game in the last 50 years has heard this song or some portion of it. Just like "We Will Rock You/We are the Champions" by Queen became a sports favorite beginning my senior year in high school in 1978 and carries on to this day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sotosound
...But a great title for the group's farewell record.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sotosound
I loved Someday Well Be Together.
Great song
Me too. Beautifully controlled vocal performance by Diana. It is a pity we didn't have Mary and Cindy on backing vocals, but what we did have was a wonderful song to mark the end of an era and a decade.Quote:
Originally Posted by daviddh
haha that gave me a good laugh Tom Tom.Quote:
Originally Posted by TomatoTom123
And speaking of dishonesty in the recording business , Steam was not an actual group at the time NANANANA was conceived . it was a completely throwaway creation in the studio , with very little thought behind it ...thus the Na Na Na lyrics.... that took on a life of its own when a DJ honed in on it [[ always love that).
That they had to create a band to fill a void is perhaps defensible , the bigger dishonesty was that a touring band was created that had NOTHING to do with the recording and was out performing it on tour as if....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoyvvEWHodk
In my own interest of disco music , I've always considered this beat driven song to be a very early prototype of the style .
Right! The guy that actually sang on the record was Gary DeCarlo.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boogiedown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHvzCu2JhjQ
Sadly, Gary passed on June 28, 2017 at age 75, but his contribution to music/pop culture still lives on and on and on!