favorite compilation set

over the decades we've received a ton of compilation sets. most are just rehashes of Baby Love and Stop. but some were just great. the Expanded Editions have been wonderful but i'm sort of putting them in a separate category.

which of the older compilations is your fav? mine was probably 70s Greatest Hits and Rare Classics. this was the first time many of these songs were on cd, it included a couple unreleased or very rare things. plus the cd and the cassette were different so we got even more goodies!! lol

and George provided a wonderful summary of the strife and process for getting this set out, including his getting in trouble with the motown brass at the time lol. great memories and insight he shared

The 1974 ANTHOLOGY will always be favorite. All of the hits plus enough of the non-hit material to illustrate the progression. Plus the "Versatile Stylists" side showed the group's versatility with a track from each of the specialty album. Then to top it all off, the set had a great full-color booklet with rare photos.

My second choice would probably be the 25TH ANNIVERSARY set because for the first time, 20 unreleased performances were released from the vault. However, I take away some points because the book was in black and white, a major step-down from ANTHOLOGY.

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Originally Posted by sup_fan

over the decades we've received a ton of compilation sets. most are just rehashes of Baby Love and Stop. but some were just great. the Expanded Editions have been wonderful but i'm sort of putting them in a separate category.

which of the older compilations is your fav? mine was probably 70s Greatest Hits and Rare Classics. this was the first time many of these songs were on cd, it included a couple unreleased or very rare things. plus the cd and the cassette were different so we got even more goodies!! lol

and George provided a wonderful summary of the strife and process for getting this set out, including his getting in trouble with the motown brass at the time lol. great memories and insight he shared

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I agree, the Greatest Hits and Rare classics were an excellent introduction in the prime of the CD era to get to hear some music for the first time. Thank you George for putting it out!

After that, the 2for1 was also very nice. Sometimes an odd coupling of albums with an early album and a late album to hear the progression of the sound.

I know for sure it raise my interest in gettin more music

My favorite compilations are:

1.25th Anniversary, which I purchased early on in my fandom. The hits were cool, but it was the release of the vaulted material that I played endlessly. "Blue Room", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Sincerely", "Sleepwalk", "Surfer Boy", "It's All Your Fault", "Send Me No Flowers", "Those DJ Shows", "Come On Boy". I loved it.

2.Greatest Hits and Rare Classics. Again, another early fandom purchase and my real introduction to the 70s Supremes. It was so cool to finally hear some of the songs I had read about in Mary's second book and it was my introduction to Jean's voice, which would go on to become one of my absolute favorite vocalists of all time.

3.There was another set released in the 90s, can't remember what it was called. Best of Supremes or Supremes Anthology, or maybe something else. Anyway, it had the hits, plus some obscure stuff, like "Paradise" from the JW album. At the time I hadn't yet collected all the initial studio releases by the Supremes, so some of the obscure cuts- I remember "Things Are Changing" was also on it- were new to me and I was so glad to catch the set.

There are others, like Never Before Released Masters [[which someone made a copy of for me many years ago, I still don't have an actual official version) and the Let The Music Play set, and of course the 2000 boxset. All great stuff.

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Originally Posted by 1382hitsville

I agree, the Greatest Hits and Rare classics were an excellent introduction in the prime of the CD era to get to hear some music for the first time. Thank you George for putting it out!

After that, the 2for1 was also very nice. Sometimes an odd coupling of albums with an early album and a late album to hear the progression of the sound.

I know for sure it raise my interest in gettin more music

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I believe an early album and a late album odd coupling was simply a matter of timinig; how much music could fit on one CD.

for me the original 1974 Anthology was my favorite .classic release but i did not like the gray war ship color. I would have changed the versatyle stylist side a bit removing the 2 Beatles tracks and included other gems.
25th Anniversary is lovely
Greatest Hits and Rare Classic is my third choice.

was grateful for all three

My Favorite Supremes Compilations:

1. The Supremes Box Set [special 5CD edition with An Evening With The Supremes live set]
2. The '70s Anthology
3. Never Before Released Masters
4. Diana Ross & The Supremes Anthology [original edition from 1974]

My favourite has to be the '20 Golden Greats' or whatever it was called. The 'lips cover' from the mid-late 70s.

Though I'd heard many Supremes & Diana songs I can remember watching 'Countdown' [[Australia's 'Top of the Pops' or 'Bandstand') around 1978 and hearing the host saying 'do yourself a favour - go out and buy this album' even though it would have been years since Diana had a hit downunder [[and even longer for the Supremes).

A year or so later, as a result of his recommendation, I also bought Diana's sol '20 Golden Greats' and then 'diana' and then 'Anhology' and then 'The Boss' and then....here we are many more purchases and 440+ years later...

I love The Ultimate Collection as it has the mono mixes of the major hits. So many classic hits on one CD.

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Originally Posted by Levi Stubbs Tears

My favourite has to be the '20 Golden Greats' or whatever it was called. The 'lips cover' from the mid-late 70s.

Though I'd heard many Supremes & Diana songs I can remember watching 'Countdown' [[Australia's 'Top of the Pops' or 'Bandstand') around 1978 and hearing the host saying 'do yourself a favour - go out and buy this album' even though it would have been years since Diana had a hit downunder [[and even longer for the Supremes).

A year or so later, as a result of his recommendation, I also bought Diana's sol '20 Golden Greats' and then 'diana' and then 'Anhology' and then 'The Boss' and then....here we are many more purchases and 440+ years later...

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yeah and i have to add that the cover on the lips album is just iconic. even though it's so open and sparse, it's one i could sit and stare at for hours. same with 25 anniversary, GH&RC with that totally hot cover pic with Jean in those incredible white pants with the choker collars

ran - was this the compilation set you were referring to?

Attachment 20295

No, that wasn't it Sup. The cover had this photo:

Attachment 20298

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Originally Posted by RanRan79

No, that wasn't it Sup. The cover had this photo:

Attachment 20298

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That's the revamped CD Anthology​, and it was a good one.

oh yes! i forgot that revised Anthology did include a few more rare 70s tracks. i remember pulling out my lps and sort of doing a "check list" for the Tops duets and JM to see how many of the tracks were now out on cd. i believe George even mentioned that when they did that "Best of the Supremes and Four Tops" he tried to bring in as many Return and Dynamite tracks since mag 7 had already been released on cd

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Originally Posted by sansradio

That's the revamped CD Anthology​, and it was a good one.

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Yes, that's it. Thanks Sans! I had to look up the tracklist and sure enough, it appears to be the same one. The only thing is that I don't remember "I'm Gonna Make It" on mine. I guess it wasn't a favorite cut.:o

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Originally Posted by sansradio

That's the revamped CD Anthology​, and it was a good one.

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This was the collection where they changed some of the tracks in the "Versatile Stylists" section, including a version of GOOD NEWS with a slightly extended ending. I loved it.

This was also the first time [to my knowledge] that the Hollywood Palace tracks made it to cd.

Greatest Hits and Rare Clasics was my first introduction to the 70's Supremes. Still to this day, one of my favorites. If you can find Mr. George's post about the what's and why's songs were included, it makes it all more that special.

The 70's Anthology is perfection.

Never Before Released Masters was one I chased down for years. Another great one.

With Love From Us to You is another fun set.

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Originally Posted by RanRan79

No, that wasn't it Sup. The cover had this photo:

Attachment 20298

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I just remembered that Motown used this photo for two anthologies.

The first was released in 1995 and included materials from their entire career. The second was released in 2001 and only included material from the 60s.

I wonder if anyone knows [[Reese:p) if that photo is staged or if it's from an actual concert?

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Originally Posted by RanRan79

I wonder if anyone knows [[Reese:p) if that photo is staged or if it's from an actual concert?

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I wouldn't be surprised if it was from an actual show. I've seen another photo from the same session on a foreign picture sleeve. It also seems to be taken around the same time as those photos of the girls walking / driving down Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Maybe it comes from the Fox?

Could be. The dresses, the hair, it does look like it might be from those Woodward shot days.

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Originally Posted by reese

I wouldn't be surprised if it was from an actual show. I've seen another photo from the same session on a foreign picture sleeve. It also seems to be taken around the same time as those photos of the girls walking / driving down Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Maybe it comes from the Fox?

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i think it's staged. and i think the mockup they did for Live! Live! Live! used another photo from this session. agree that this pic is from the shoot where they were also out on the street in Detroit. maybe posing on the stage of the Greystone Ballroom? since motown owned that

Let the Music Play - Supremes Rarities