Diana Ross: The RCA Years [[By Popular Demand!)

[RanRan79]

Are there songs from RCA that are systematically overlooked on topics?
For the moment I think about "Stranger in paradise", for what we hear, a great performance with way to much echo on her voice.

I don't like it. Good grief, it makes me cringe because I just don't think this is what she should have been doing.

What do you all think about "Still In Love" from Silk Electric? I used to skip past it but I really love it now.

[RanRan79]

For some reason Diana never loved BIM as much as we the fans did. She did not get along with Richard Perry, but Gordy loved the results and hired Perry to do the follow up album even before BIM was released. A few demos were laid down but some of the songs were later given to Syreeta so i believe. She did love The Boss. She always got along with Nick and Val in the studio and Val had nothing but nice things to say about Diana when i met her a few years ago. Although the album did go gold everyone was expecting it to go platinum such was the strength of the songs, production values and vocals, not to mention that stunning album cover.

That's disappointing that she doesn't dig Baby It's Me as much. It took awhile for the album to grow on me, but I have to agree with a lot of fans, it really is one of her finer albums. The Boss was fantastic, as one would expect a Diana/Ashford and Simpson collaboration to be. There should have been another Diana/A&S album between Surrender and The Boss, and Diana should've recruited A&S to produce one of her RCA albums. I wonder if they could've given her a hit handling the Red Hot project.

[reese]

I don't like it. Good grief, it makes me cringe because I just don't think this is what she should have been doing.

What do you all think about "Still In Love" from Silk Electric? I used to skip past it but I really love it now.

Upon its release, I actually liked SILK ELECTRIC. But now I rarely, if ever play it. I really liked FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE and I AM ME. STILL IN LOVE never grew on me. I thought FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE would have made a nice second single. I have no idea why she went with SO CLOSE.

My favorite albums from the RCA years are SWEPT AWAY and RED HOT RHYTHM AND BLUES. Re SWEPT AWAY, I thought it was a great return to form after the so-so ROSS [['83). As soon as she hit the bridge on MISSING YOU, I thought it was going to be a great album and for the most part, it was. I particularly enjoyed the title track, MISSING YOU, TELEPHONE, ALL OF YOU, and FOREVER YOUNG.

Although it didn't particularly live up to its title, I thought RED HOT RHYTHM AND BLUES was a great album as well. Again, she was in really good voice and there many great tracks: DIRTY LOOKS, SUMMERTIME, SELFISH ONE, CROSS MY HEART, SHOCKWAVES, and ITS HARD FOR ME TO SAY. After the #12 R&B placing of DIRTY LOOKS, I thought Luther's ITS HARD FOR ME TO SAY was sure to be the second single. I was totally surprised when she chose TELL ME AGAIN. A nice track, but not a single, IMO. Later I learned that it was sung at Diana's wedding by her minister, Wintley Phipps. So it obviously had special meaning for her, but I still think they should have gone with Luther's song as the second single.

It would have been interesting to see what Luther might have done if he had gotten the chance to produce a whole Diana album. I liked his first collaboration with Aretha, JUMP TO IT, but I thought their second album [[GET IT RIGHT) was less inspired. His album for Dionne was nice as well, although it took some time to grow on me.

[Albator]

What do you all think about "Still In Love" from Silk Electric? I used to skip past it but I really love it now.

This is a song I like. But I don't think it's well produced. On RHRB, tell me again or cross my heart are better in execution.

[vgalindo]

I don't like it. Good grief, it makes me cringe because I just don't think this is what she should have been doing.

What do you all think about "Still In Love" from Silk Electric? I used to skip past it but I really love it now.

Silk Electric is one of my favorites because of "Love Lies" and "Still in love". These two songs are perfect for me. And "You do it" from Ross. I can listen to this song all day.

[JohnnyB]

Silk Electric is one of my favorites because of "Love Lies" and "Still in love". These two songs are perfect for me. And "You do it" from Ross. I can listen to this song all day.

Regarding Silk Electric, Still In Love was one of my favorites when the album was initially released, and I didn't like Love Lies at all. All of these years later I think Love Lies should have been a single release after Muscles. It definitely has the early-eighties power ballad sound. I still like Still In Love, but realize now it could have benefitted from better production. Diana's vocals and mixed too low and the reverb can be distracting...

[RanRan79]

Reese I LOVE "Fool For Your Love", but it never would've taken off with the public. I think this song is about as left field as Diana had ever gotten in her entire career, including with the Supremes. However, Diana and rock music is interesting to me. I may have to give her the award for most versatile voice. IMO there isn't any genre that she's tackled that she didn't prove TO ME she could handle. I think I might say the same with Natalie Cole too. Oh and Aretha. How could I forget the Queen? I think those three women can [[could) sing literally anything and seem at home.

But there was no way the public was going to accept Diana's turn at rock. Maybe- MAYBE- if the song were given a different mix with it's rock sound very evident but with maybe an r&b/pop edge to it, like "Beat It".

Upon its release, I actually liked SILK ELECTRIC. But now I rarely, if ever play it. I really liked FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE and I AM ME. STILL IN LOVE never grew on me. I thought FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE would have made a nice second single. I have no idea why she went with SO CLOSE.

My favorite albums from the RCA years are SWEPT AWAY and RED HOT RHYTHM AND BLUES. Re SWEPT AWAY, I thought it was a great return to form after the so-so ROSS [['83). As soon as she hit the bridge on MISSING YOU, I thought it was going to be a great album and for the most part, it was. I particularly enjoyed the title track, MISSING YOU, TELEPHONE, ALL OF YOU, and FOREVER YOUNG.

Although it didn't particularly live up to its title, I thought RED HOT RHYTHM AND BLUES was a great album as well. Again, she was in really good voice and there many great tracks: DIRTY LOOKS, SUMMERTIME, SELFISH ONE, CROSS MY HEART, SHOCKWAVES, and ITS HARD FOR ME TO SAY. After the #12 R&B placing of DIRTY LOOKS, I thought Luther's ITS HARD FOR ME TO SAY was sure to be the second single. I was totally surprised when she chose TELL ME AGAIN. A nice track, but not a single, IMO. Later I learned that it was sung at Diana's wedding by her minister, Wintley Phipps. So it obviously had special meaning for her, but I still think they should have gone with Luther's song as the second single.

It would have been interesting to see what Luther might have done if he had gotten the chance to produce a whole Diana album. I liked his first collaboration with Aretha, JUMP TO IT, but I thought their second album [[GET IT RIGHT) was less inspired. His album for Dionne was nice as well, although it took some time to grow on me.

[RanRan79]

Silk Electric is one of my favorites because of "Love Lies" and "Still in love". These two songs are perfect for me. And "You do it" from Ross. I can listen to this song all day.

I like "You Do It" also.

[PeaceNHarmony]

Regarding Silk Electric, Still In Love was one of my favorites when the album was initially released, and I didn't like Love Lies at all. All of these years later I think Love Lies should have been a single release after Muscles. It definitely has the early-eighties power ballad sound. I still like Still In Love, but realize now it could have benefitted from better production. Diana's vocals and mixed too low and the reverb can be distracting...

I agree all around, but I do love both songs and 'You Do It', as well. Just gorgeous singing. And 'You Do It' also. Fact is these lps are a treasure trove of album cuts to be rediscovered.

[reese]

Reese I LOVE "Fool For Your Love", but it never would've taken off with the public. I think this song is about as left field as Diana had ever gotten in her entire career, including with the Supremes. However, Diana and rock music is interesting to me. I may have to give her the award for most versatile voice. IMO there isn't any genre that she's tackled that she didn't prove TO ME she could handle. I think I might say the same with Natalie Cole too. Oh and Aretha. How could I forget the Queen? I think those three women can [[could) sing literally anything and seem at home.

But there was no way the public was going to accept Diana's turn at rock. Maybe- MAYBE- if the song were given a different mix with it's rock sound very evident but with maybe an r&b/pop edge to it, like "Beat It".

Of course, we'll never know. But considering how hot Diana was at the time, and with the help of a really hot video, I think FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE might have made some noise, certainly more than SO CLOSE did.

I remember the week SILK ELECTRIC was released. One of the local djs was a huge Diana fan, and he continuously played FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE, saying "you've never heard her like this before!"

[vgalindo]

Of course, we'll never know. But considering how hot Diana was at the time, and with the help of a really hot video, I think FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE might have made some noise, certainly more than SO CLOSE did.

I remember the week SILK ELECTRIC was released. One of the local djs was a huge Diana fan, and he continuously played FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE, saying "you've never heard her like this before!"

Yes and she rocked it live too. The crowd went wild when she performed it at the Oakland Coliseum arena.

[sup_fan]

I think Fool For Your Love would have worked a bit better if it wasn't quite so hard-edged. Too much growling and grunting. I agree though that So Close wasn't a wise single choice, especially since she only recently did WDFFIL and so had already "fulfilled" that retro selection. Still in Love was a good contemporary track but after Muscles, it would have been a bit anti-climatic. In Your Arms [[which a better vocal take) would have worked as it was classic Diana Ross. The only problem is that someone like a Michael Masser can produce her vocals better than she can. she just doesn't push herself enough on this one.

Anywhere You Run To might have been an ok single too.

In regards to the BIM discussion, it certainly was refreshing for Diana to be working with a single producer and to have a cohesive album. however I don't think, artistically, it did much for her. it's a nice set but given what was happening at the time, not extremely exciting. it was released in Sept 77. Nov 77 saw the Sat Night Fever soundtrack and then Dec saw the film. And think back to late 76 with the Mary Scherrie & Susaye set - that was a much more aggressive sound and approach to disco. It was different from much of the other music being released.

BIM is just too safe

[PeaceNHarmony]

Yes and she rocked it live too. The crowd went wild when she performed it at the Oakland Coliseum arena.

I LOVE FFYL and dearly wish I had heard it live! A one-off, certainly, but a great one that always 'surprises' me when I spin SE.

[Boogiedown]

Of course she didn't expect that. Nobody expected that! Lol And I have a feeling that Gordy actually expected the very grown Diana to feel like a lost little girl and decide to turn down the RCA money and stay at Motown out of loyalty. Ha!!

I'm still having fun imagining how this went down . Berry said "see ya!" , and Diana thought to herself, "oh s#@t" but , she had painted herself into a corner and there was no going back .

I have a hard time imaging this iron fist Berry had ruled her under. He was too enamored by her imo. I tend to think it was she who had him under her thumb. Didn't she insist on the "Diana Ross and The Supremes" moniker, becoming a movie star, and her playing , at her age, Dorothy in The Wiz . Regardless, I think the love sheen he had for her had pretty much worn off by the early eighties , such that it wasn't personally that hard for him to make the economical decision to let her go. If part of her complaint was that she needed more control of her own career , all the more reason Berry must have been surprised by the WHY DO FOOLS release, indicating what she had meant apparently was her artistic need to remake oldies!

So, Diana was in a pickle . Her last album was huge , but it was disco and everyone was already telling her "diana" shouldn't/couldn't have been a hit because of that. So she felt she needed to go in a new direction but where? And what did RCA have to offer her? I don't think they were that strong just then as a label , maybe their big act then was Rick Springfield !?? I guess Hall and Oates could have taken her under their wing. [[Thank goodness she didn't go the Evelyn King route with that Kashiff sound).
So, she had to go somewhere with her music and maybe she thought she needed to get as far away from disco as possible. That's what Donna Summer did with her abysmal rock revival sound on THE WANDERER. [[And where did that get her ).
So it seems she did reach back for a song ,apparently one she'd always liked, and came up with WHY DO FOOLS. Trouble is , that's hardly a grand "I've arrived " statement of a song , in fact aren't remakes in general what a lot of acts resort too when their sales dip and they are getting desperate for winning material?

So, I can't help but think Berry must have been more than a bit amused upon hearing her first big release at her big new label under her big grandiose contract.

I'm guessing he must have also said to himself , "Whew! thank gawd I didn't pay 20 million for that!!!"

[sup_fan]

i don't know that it was Diana that requested the name change to DRATS. i'm speculating here but I thought she was thinking about splitting from the group at the time. with the whole Flo situation, I think she thought she'd just leave the group and go solo. But Berry felt the timing wasn't right and encouraged her to stay. No idea who really came up with the idea of incorporating her name and I certainly don't think she was surprised by the decision when it was discussed with the group in April 67 at Berry's house. I'm sure she was aware of it prior.

And based on Berry's autobiography, I think he was truly surprised, shocked and hurt by Diana's exit. While he might not have been in favor of some of her career decisions, I certainly don't think he said "see ya"

One thing I've found interesting about her split from Motown is that Berry was trying to pull the sentimentality card on her when he was one of the least sentimental guys around! He's said to have told her "if you have any appreciation for what I've done for you, you'll stay" [[of course i'm paraphrasing a bit).

She was very right in her thought "what you did for me?? what about what I did for you and Motown!!"

Berry never let sentiment get in the way of challenging decisions like Flo's dismissal, David ruffin's departure from the Temps. Certainly didn't hold much sentiment when it came to maintaining the Supremes post-Diana.

[RanRan79]

Of course, we'll never know. But considering how hot Diana was at the time, and with the help of a really hot video, I think FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE might have made some noise, certainly more than SO CLOSE did.

I remember the week SILK ELECTRIC was released. One of the local djs was a huge Diana fan, and he continuously played FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE, saying "you've never heard her like this before!"

"Fool" may have gotten spins on the "novelty" of Diana Ross doing rock alone. "So Close" wasn't that kind of special. I like the song. It's a nice album track. But compared to what was hitting big at the time, "Fool For Your Love" might have made more sense as a single than "So Close".

[RanRan79]

I think Fool For Your Love would have worked a bit better if it wasn't quite so hard-edged. Too much growling and grunting. I agree though that So Close wasn't a wise single choice, especially since she only recently did WDFFIL and so had already "fulfilled" that retro selection. Still in Love was a good contemporary track but after Muscles, it would have been a bit anti-climatic. In Your Arms [[which a better vocal take) would have worked as it was classic Diana Ross. The only problem is that someone like a Michael Masser can produce her vocals better than she can. she just doesn't push herself enough on this one.

Anywhere You Run To might have been an ok single too.

In regards to the BIM discussion, it certainly was refreshing for Diana to be working with a single producer and to have a cohesive album. however I don't think, artistically, it did much for her. it's a nice set but given what was happening at the time, not extremely exciting. it was released in Sept 77. Nov 77 saw the Sat Night Fever soundtrack and then Dec saw the film. And think back to late 76 with the Mary Scherrie & Susaye set - that was a much more aggressive sound and approach to disco. It was different from much of the other music being released.

BIM is just too safe

I love "Anywhere You Run To" but I don't hear it as hit potential either. She seemed to spend "a lot" of time thinking about what she wanted to do with the albums but not much time on cutting songs that would give her hits.

I think you're right about Baby It's Me. I think it's an excellent album but I don't think any of the songs had the potential to rival the hits of the time. The dance album should have been the followup to the 1976 album. I would love to know what the public would've done with "Summertime Livin".

[RanRan79]

Berry had an iron fist, especially where his female artists were concerned. I've read nothing that suggests this man was a pushover for any woman, including Diana Ross. Now he may have had a soft spot for her which allowed her to get her way on occasion, but by most accounts of the people around at the time, he was controlling nearly her every move, thus her desire to strike out into independence.

I think Gordy's decision to allow Diana to play Dorothy had more to do with him thinking that she, along with Michael Jackson, would be able to sale The Wiz and turn it into a huge box office success off of their names alone. The public may have loved Diana Ross, but I don't think Gordy banked on the public being invested in a 12 or 13 year old Dorothy, rather than a 30 something playing 24 Diana Ross as Dorothy. She was good in the role as it was crafted for the movie, but the public wasn't feeling it.

I doubt that Gordy didn't care about her leaving. He was threatening to release shelved material whenever she dropped new material at RCA. You don't do that unless you're pissed. He wanted her to stay and I think a big part of her wanted to stay. But he couldn't pay her or give in to her demands and she was a 30+ year old woman. It was time for her to do whatever the hell she wanted to do. She had earned it.

I'm still having fun imagining how this went down . Berry said "see ya!" , and Diana thought to herself, "oh s#@t" but , she had painted herself into a corner and there was no going back .

I have a hard time imaging this iron fist Berry had ruled her under. He was too enamored by her imo. I tend to think it was she who had him under her thumb. Didn't she insist on the "Diana Ross and The Supremes" moniker, becoming a movie star, and her playing , at her age, Dorothy in The Wiz . Regardless, I think the love sheen he had for her had pretty much worn off by the early eighties , such that it wasn't personally that hard for him to make the economical decision to let her go. If part of her complaint was that she needed more control of her own career , all the more reason Berry must have been surprised by the WHY DO FOOLS release, indicating what she had meant apparently was her artistic need to remake oldies!

So, Diana was in a pickle . Her last album was huge , but it was disco and everyone was already telling her "diana" shouldn't/couldn't have been a hit because of that. So she felt she needed to go in a new direction but where? And what did RCA have to offer her? I don't think they were that strong just then as a label , maybe their big act then was Rick Springfield !?? I guess Hall and Oates could have taken her under their wing. [[Thank goodness she didn't go the Evelyn King route with that Kashiff sound).
So, she had to go somewhere with her music and maybe she thought she needed to get as far away from disco as possible. That's what Donna Summer did with her abysmal rock revival sound on THE WANDERER. [[And where did that get her ).
So it seems she did reach back for a song ,apparently one she'd always liked, and came up with WHY DO FOOLS. Trouble is , that's hardly a grand "I've arrived " statement of a song , in fact aren't remakes in general what a lot of acts resort too when their sales dip and they are getting desperate for winning material?

So, I can't help but think Berry must have been more than a bit amused upon hearing her first big release at her big new label under her big grandiose contract.

I'm guessing he must have also said to himself , "Whew! thank gawd I didn't pay 20 million for that!!!"

[RanRan79]

Gordy changed the name to get the public used to "Diana Ross". As much as some fans like to make the Supremes "Diana Ross and Two Other Girls", the truth was that the collective was what enraptured the public. So when it became clear that the end game was Diana Ross solo sensation, Gordy was smart enough to place her name in the public's mind because the truth is that prior to that she really was "just" the lead singer of the Supremes, emphasis on the Supremes. And you're right, there's no way she didn't know prior to April 67 that this was going down.

i don't know that it was Diana that requested the name change to DRATS. i'm speculating here but I thought she was thinking about splitting from the group at the time. with the whole Flo situation, I think she thought she'd just leave the group and go solo. But Berry felt the timing wasn't right and encouraged her to stay. No idea who really came up with the idea of incorporating her name and I certainly don't think she was surprised by the decision when it was discussed with the group in April 67 at Berry's house. I'm sure she was aware of it prior.

And based on Berry's autobiography, I think he was truly surprised, shocked and hurt by Diana's exit. While he might not have been in favor of some of her career decisions, I certainly don't think he said "see ya"

One thing I've found interesting about her split from Motown is that Berry was trying to pull the sentimentality card on her when he was one of the least sentimental guys around! He's said to have told her "if you have any appreciation for what I've done for you, you'll stay" [[of course i'm paraphrasing a bit).

She was very right in her thought "what you did for me?? what about what I did for you and Motown!!"

Berry never let sentiment get in the way of challenging decisions like Flo's dismissal, David ruffin's departure from the Temps. Certainly didn't hold much sentiment when it came to maintaining the Supremes post-Diana.

[PeaceNHarmony]

i don't know that it was Diana that requested the name change to DRATS. i'm speculating here but I thought she was thinking about splitting from the group at the time. with the whole Flo situation, I think she thought she'd just leave the group and go solo. But Berry felt the timing wasn't right and encouraged her to stay. No idea who really came up with the idea of incorporating her name and I certainly don't think she was surprised by the decision when it was discussed with the group in April 67 at Berry's house. I'm sure she was aware of it prior.

And based on Berry's autobiography, I think he was truly surprised, shocked and hurt by Diana's exit. While he might not have been in favor of some of her career decisions, I certainly don't think he said "see ya"

One thing I've found interesting about her split from Motown is that Berry was trying to pull the sentimentality card on her when he was one of the least sentimental guys around! He's said to have told her "if you have any appreciation for what I've done for you, you'll stay" [[of course i'm paraphrasing a bit).

She was very right in her thought "what you did for me?? what about what I did for you and Motown!!"

Berry never let sentiment get in the way of challenging decisions like Flo's dismissal, David ruffin's departure from the Temps. Certainly didn't hold much sentiment when it came to maintaining the Supremes post-Diana.

Oh lordy that again ...

[Boogiedown]

"Why Do Fools Fall In Love" is a testament to the star power that was Diana Ross because I'll never understand why that crap was a hit. Of her RCA hits it's the one IMO that absolutely positively doesn't hold up. It sounds like a Karaoke track. For anyone else this cut as a first single on a new label would have been a kiss of death.

Yes, BUT as we know RCA pumped outrageously big money into this celebrated signing .This was their big coup, "stealing" DIANA ROSS from Motown!! It was a stunner and made trade headlines as the most expensive artist acquisition in music history .
So with that in mind , there was NO WAY RCA was going to let Diana not have a hit with their first release with her. They made that "hit" happen . In the same way that Geffen, at about this same time, with his first artist on his brand new label, wouldn't let her first release be a flop. He pushed Donna Summer's THE WANDERER into the top five , a song that hasn't been heard since in the following thirty plus years [[anyone?) Just too much at stake, for these labels to appear to have screwed up.

sup_fan:

And based on Berry's autobiography, I think he was truly surprised, shocked and hurt by Diana's exit. While he might not have been in favor of some of her career decisions, I certainly don't think he said "see ya"

I know you're right, , as I said , I'm just having fun imagining! I think a better line would've been
"Oh ya? Well, Diane - I want your locker cleared out by ten am tomorrow!" lol!
As I recall in that same book , read years ago admittedly, there was the famous slap heard round the world when Diana struck Berry so hard his glasses flew across the room. If my memory serves me right , he sort of wrote Diana off from that time forward, in his heart anyway. That's why I suggest that at the time of her departure personally he found himself able to do so [[ but money-wise with her current successes , ya I could see him being mad as hell!)

[Albator]

So with that in mind , there was NO WAY RCA was going to let Diana not have a hit with their first release with her. They made that "hit" happen . In the same way that Geffen, at about this same time, with his first artist on his brand new label, wouldn't let her first release be a flop. He pushed Donna Summer's THE WANDERER into the top five , a song that hasn't been heard since in the following thirty plus years [[anyone?) Just too much at stake, for these labels to appear to have screwed up.

It's probably true for this one, but it was a gold single in 1980. Since Donna never performed "the wanderer" in concert, we can be suspicious. It's not the same for WDFFIL, Diana performs this one non stop since 81, and worldwide. As far as I know most fans hate it or are not impressed by it. Very strange.

[Albator]

Currently, I'm listening RHRB again. This one is worth one of her Motown's album like FBTP.
A world of sophistication and elegance far from being Red Hot, that's true. She sings all the ballads beautifully and only Diana Ross can sell me silly sentence like "you'll love me till the stars fall from the sky".

[RanRan79]

only Diana Ross can sell me silly sentence like "you'll love me till the stars fall from the sky".

This literally made me laugh out loud.

[Circa 1824]

My inside information suggests it was Gene Simmons who gave the push towards leaving Berry and going more rock.

[daviddh]

my fav RCA Diana tracks
1 why do fools fall in love
2 mirror mirror
3 love lies
4 I am me
5 swept away
6 touch by touch
7 hard for me to say
8 all of you
9 I'm watching you
10 crimes of passion
11 shine
12 stranger in paradise
13 anywhere you run to
14 still in love
15 love will make it right
16 chain reaction
17 that's how you start over
18 summertime
19 pieces of ice..like it more now
20 you do it

[sup_fan]

fav Diana RCA songs [[in no particular order)

Touch by Touch
Missing You
Work That Body
Chain Reaction
Anywhere you run to
Turn me over [[you have to admit this was creative! lol)
that's how you start over
I am me
you do it
all of you
crimes of passion
teacher
sweet surrender
sweet nothings
It's never too late
Who
Love will make it right
Girls
There goes my baby

[Albator]

favorite songs, album by album.

Mirror mirror
Muscles
Love lies
Who
That's how you start over
you do it
love will make it right
pieces of ice
let's go up
up front
love or loneliness
swept away
missing you
telephone
forever young
stranger in paradise
shine
cross my heart
dirty looks
there goes my baby
summertime
hard for me to say
tell me again

guilty pleasure: All of you

[JohnnyB]

favorite songs, album by album.

Muscles
Still In love
Who
That's how you start over
you do it
love will make it right
pieces of ice
let's go up
up front
love or loneliness
swept away
missing you
telephone
forever young
stranger in paradise
shine
cross my heart
dirty looks
there goes my baby
summertime
hard for me to say
tell me again

guilty pleasure: All of you

My RCA Top 20:

Mirror, Mirror
Muscles
Still In Love
Love Lies
Pieces Of Ice
Love Will Make It Right
Let's Go Up
Fight For It
Swept Away
Telephone
All Of You
Missing You
Forever Young
More And More
Chain Reaction
Experience
Cross My Heart
Summertime
It's Hard For Me To Say
Tell Me Again

[PeaceNHarmony]

Loving these favorites lists!

[Albator]

My RCA Top 20:

Mirror, Mirror
Muscles
Still In Love
Love Lies
Pieces Of Ice
Love Will Make It Right
Let's Go Up
Fight For It
Swept Away
Telephone
All Of You
Missing You
Forever Young
More And More
Chain Reaction
Experience
Cross My Heart
Summertime
It's Hard For Me To Say
Tell Me Again

I completely forgot "Fight for it", a great song and also, "I am me" on Silk.

[RanRan79]

I'd rather do my favorite Diana Motown tracks. But I guess I'll add my opinion to the current topic. My fav RCA tracks [[based on how often I play a particular song) per album would be:

Sweet Surrender
Mirror, Mirror
Endless Love [[solo)
Work That Body

Muscles
So Close
Still In Love
Fool for Your Love
In Your Arms
Anywhere You Run To

You Do It
Let's Go Up
Love Or Loneliness

Missing You
Swept Away
All of You

Eaten Alive
Chain Reaction

Selfish One
There Goes My Baby

[sup_fan]

This thread prompted me to turn on Swept Away and it's a solid album. Maybe not her very best like The Boss or debut album in 1970. But certainly better than things like Everything, last time, Ross 78.

[Jaap]

I honestly have to say that much of the RCA years has stand the test of time less easily than the solo 70s Motown era [[which says more about the 1980s than about Ross). When the reissues came out and I revisited many of the albums, I was surprised that many of my favorites back in the 1980s [[Love Lies, Work That Body, Sweet Nothings, Crime of Passion, and yes, Fool For Your Love) now feel very dated, while other songs surprisingly stood the test of time [[at least, to me). I was never a big fan of "Who" [[which was a single release here in the Netherlands), but that song sounds now better than it did back then. Other favorites: That's How You Start Over, Think I'm In Love, Shine, It's Hard For Me To Say, and of course Missing You.

[sup_fan]

i'm guessing there was a little bit of digital "clean up" with the reissues. some sound improvement and all. nothing drastic but I agree that it's helped make the music sound better. Some things still sound dated but that's to be expected. it doesn't bother me when listening to an album like The Boss to have it sound disco. guess what - it is! lol and an album like Swept Away has a lot of synthesizer and 80s sound, as it should. part of the enjoyment I get from her overall catalog is the development and changes. how her voice changes, the different style through the decades.

[PeaceNHarmony]

i'm guessing there was a little bit of digital "clean up" with the reissues. some sound improvement and all. nothing drastic but I agree that it's helped make the music sound better. Some things still sound dated but that's to be expected. it doesn't bother me when listening to an album like The Boss to have it sound disco. guess what - it is! lol and an album like Swept Away has a lot of synthesizer and 80s sound, as it should. part of the enjoyment I get from her overall catalog is the development and changes. how her voice changes, the different style through the decades.

I experience the RCA discs in a similar way. I had most on LP so they had not been on my playlist for many years until the reissues came out and I was [[and remain) happy to have the work available again, showing Diana willing to experiment with different styles after 20+ years of chart-topping.

[Albator]

I don't want to be an attorney of her RCA years and, like all or most of all, I don't consider she made great music or great albums while at RCA.
But some songs were great, some albums were good, depending on your taste.
In contrast, I think there is a tendency to overestimate her Motown albums. Maybe all were recorded carefully but the material wasn't that extraordinary on all her LPs.
"Ross" or "Touch me in the morning" are not better than "Red Hot".
What stand the taste of time are Ashford and Simson, Chic, Perry's LPs and some Michael Masser penned songs.
And she is no exception, the same can apply to Aretha Franklin, Rufus and Chaka Kahn or Donna Summer, to name those i know the most.

[RanRan79]

I don't want to be an attorney of her RCA years and, like all or most of all, I don't consider she made great music or great albums while at RCA.
But some songs were great, some albums were good, depending on your taste.
In contrast, I think there is a tendency to overestimate her Motown albums. Maybe all were recorded carefully but the material wasn't that extraordinary on all her LPs.
"Ross" or "Touch me in the morning" are not better than "Red Hot".
What stand the taste of time are Ashford and Simson, Chic, Perry's LPs and some Michael Masser penned songs.
And she is no exception, the same can apply to Aretha Franklin, Rufus and Chaka Kahn or Donna Summer, to name those i know the most.

Finally an excuse to talk Ross at Motown! I have to disagree Albator. Red Hot WISHES it was filled with tracks left over from Touch Me In the Morning. Red Hot is not even allowed to sit on the same shelf as Touch Me In the Morning. Lol But seriously, I think her debut solo album, Surrender, Touch Me In the Morning, Baby It's Me and The Boss are top notch. I can't think of one bad song from either album, even if I don't necessarily dig every song on each of those albums. Her RCA albums contain some terrible cuts, IMO. I'm in the minority it appears on Everything Is Everything, which I happen to think is quite good, but unnecessary. Last Time needed to be reworked with a few cuts from the original release and some of the outtakes and then I think she would have had a classic album. I've never been a fan of Diana Ross 76 and the problems with Ross 78 are obvious. The Chic album never appealed to me because I'm not a big fan of the Chic sound, and of all her Motown albums I think it sounds the most dated. But I wouldn't dare say her Motown albums are overestimated. I personally could listen to just about all of them everyday for years before I even think to give one spin to an RCA album. But that might just be me. Lol

[Albator]

I think she was a much better performer starting in 79 with The Boss, so most of the tracks I like after she went solo, are after that date.

[daviddh]

I forgot about Who.like this song,my fav from SILK ELECTRIC

[Circa 1824]

Whether the product is good or not matters less than if the public remembers it. Who cares if music is awesome if it is quickly forgotten and lost. The tragic part of RCA is that Ross' music is mostly forgotten as is the legend herself.

[vgalindo]

I love the RCA Years
My favorites in no paticular order.
You do it
Experience
Missing you
Muscles
Tell me again
It's hard for me
Mirror mirror
Love lies
Still in love
It's never too late
Crime of passion
Being in love
Don't give up on each other
Fight for it
Chain Reaction

I could go on and on.

[marv2]

Diana Ross' music in the 80s was just not that good and is not memorable. When people think of her, they think of the Supremes "Baby Love" etc and "Ain't No Mountain...." but none of those "RCA songs". After 1981 she was all but done in America.

[daviddh]

one thing that happened for Diana in the 80s, she had not had back to back top ten hits which she hadn't really done since the Supremes... she was able to get back on the pop charts, where she was mostly absent. WHY DO FOOLS , MIRROR, MUSCLES,MISSING YOU kept Diana back on the charts.
I think a lot of her songs didn't do well because she wasn't visable in the 70s , I stayed up one night to see her on the tonight show when Baby its Me was released thinking she would perform Getting Ready For Love, instead she sang Lady Is A Tramp.. I was so ticked I went to bed.another opportunity missed. I didn't get this idead of BG to keep Diana out of the spot light, to me it was out of sigh out of mind. albums such as Surrender and Baby Its Me should have been hits.
in the 80s, I think Diana wanted to keep her self in the top twenty pop charts which she did thru 1984

[daviddh]

I also wanted to point out that many top artists from the 70s signed with RCA in the 80s, Barry Manilow, Pointer Sisters, Kenny Rogers and soon all were having trouble and would be gone. Manilow went back to Arista, and the rest found record deals elsewhere, I think it was Kenny Rogers who stated all the people he signe don with were now gone and the new management didn't care anything about the older artists.