Diana Ross & The Supremes Original Track Listing

[Bokiluis]

Does anyone know what songs what originally targeted for the "Love Child" album with more socio-politico topics?

i know that "I'm Living in Shame" was recorded too close to make the November/early December holiday selling season.

i personally love that album and ended up turning on several of my friends/fans who had originally dismissed it. But performances like "Does a Your Momma Know About Me", "[[He's My) Sunny Boy", "Keep an Eye" [[original version), "How Long Has That Train Been Gone", "You've Been So Wonderful to Me", etc. Diana gives some of the most soulful performances and, in my opinion, the best Diana Ross & The Supremes [[though it was Andantes heavy) album.

[captainjames]

Don't know what the original track listing was suppose to be but definitely one of the girls best. "You Anit Living until you're Lovin"

[carole cucumber]

Perusing DFTMC, the few that I thought might have fit [["Shadows of Society", "The Young Folks", "Everyday People") weren't finished until after the release of the album.

[Bokiluis]

Don't know what the original track listing was suppose to be but definitely one of the girls best. "You Anit Living until you're Lovin"

Agreed. There was a thread awhile ago about Motown being tentative on pure socio-political albums. I love most of The Temptations/Norman Whitfield albums.....but until Marvin threatened to not record if Mr. Gordy failed to release "What's Going On". Motown wasn't alone conceptually because though The O'Jays "Survival" was a bold statement or Harold Melvin & The Notes "To Be True", it was tempered by love songs that were great in their own right....but, too tentative on a complete socio-politico body of work.

[Bokiluis]

Perusing DFTMC, the few that I thought might have fit [["Shadows of Society", "The Young Folks", "Everyday People") weren't finished until after the release of the album.

Agreed....especially "Shadows of Society" and "The Young Fols". You could add in "Blowin in the Wind".

[carole cucumber]

J. Randy Taraborrelli in 'Diana Ross A Biography' 's Discography and Other Notes theorizes that "the original concept of the LOVE CHILD album was to include only somber or social-awareness songs. Motown ultimately played it safe, however, and the final lineup took a sharp turn for more upbeat, light tunes after the fourth track ".
That would suggest that "Love Child", "Keep An Eye", "How Long Has That Train Been Gone", and "Does Your Mama Know About Me" were part of the original lineup for the original album of socio-politico topics.

[Bokiluis]

J. Randy Taraborrelli in 'Diana Ross A Biography' 's Discography and Other Notes theorizes that "the original concept of the LOVE CHILD album was to include only somber or social-awareness songs. Motown ultimately played it safe, however, and the final lineup took a sharp turn for more upbeat, light tunes after the fourth track ".
That would suggest that "Love Child", "Keep An Eye", "How Long Has That Train Been Gone", and "Does Your Mama Know About Me" were part of the original lineup for the original album of socio-politico topics.

Yes, I do recall reading that. I was just hoping someone had more exacting info. "Love Child", the single, along with the couple of albums with The Temptations were giving them a new found critical praise since 1968 was so pivotal with James Brown's "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud", a number of gospel-infective Aretha albums. "Reflections", the single gave a much needed credibility before they would possibly be received as Diana "Gloss" & The Supremes [[and I say that with a sense of humorous affection). I distinctly recall that "Someday We'll Be Together" won back their audience.

[jobeterob]

How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone and Does Your Mama Know About Me are two of Diana Ross's best performances regardless of who is singing behind her if anyone.

[sup_fan]

i've made my own playlists for the various DRATS albums. they have a lot of strong recordings but IMO the lps were a bit mismashed. frankly a lot of what i did was simply shuffling tracks between the lps to create a bit more unity. and i did try to follow recording dates and release schedules. so only those tracks that were completed in time for Love Child are on my playlist

Side One
Love Child - long version with the missing 3rd verse
Keep An Eye
How Long Has That Evening Train
Does Your mama Know about me
Blowing In The Wind
Beginning of the End of Love

Side 2
In the evening of our love
If You Should Walk Away
Wish I knew
Ain't No Sun
MacArthur Park

i believe George mentions in Randy's appendix of his Diana book that the original intent was to only include socially aware and/or serious, somber songs. obviously not all of these tracks are political in nature. but they do tend to have a consistent feel, imo. some are a bit more upbeat but i wanted to not have the lp just be totally depressing.

i'm not 100% happy with MacArthur Park but added it in. had thought about Can't Give Back the Love but frankly i think that's a rather awful track. too high for diana. had hoped Everyday People would work but timing is off - recorded too late. also thought about Believe in Me and I'll Set You Free. but i don't think they fit.