Supremes A Go-Go/What If

[aarondillon2011@gmail.com]

I know, I know....LOL. Has anyone every wondered if the Supremes A Go-Go would have been just as big if it were all original dance tunes and no cover songs?

[jobeterob]

I know, I know....LOL. Has anyone every wondered if the Supremes A Go-Go would have been just as big if it were all original dance tunes and no cover songs?

I'd guess no for that era.

[RanRan79]

My guess would be bigger, unless anyone who was around at that time can testify to how attractive purchasing the album was because of the inclusion of cover tunes. With "Itchin" and especially "You Can't Hurry Love" anchoring the set, and with the album being the first one in over a year that was marketed for the youth demographic, and the Supremes being at or approaching their peak of popularity, I think a A Go Go album with all original tunes would've still sold like crazy.

[reese]

I think the album would have sold with original tunes, especially with two Top 10 hits included. Most of their albums with more than one hit usually did. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Motown went with the idea of the remakes because:

a) Although the last album [[I HEAR A SYMPHONY) was successful, the standards on it might have been less attractive to the Supremes' younger fans. Everything from the artwork to the songs was more mature than what the group had previously done.

b) Familiar tunes can be an attractive choice for potential buyers. Fans didn't have to wonder what HANG ON SLOOPY or THESE BOOTS... sounded like. They already knew. But some fans might want to know what the Supremes would do with them.

[Motown Eddie]

I know, I know....LOL. Has anyone every wondered if the Supremes A Go-Go would have been just as big if it were all original dance tunes and no cover songs?

While there's no way to be sure, I'd say that Supremes A Go-Go would've done just as well as it did even if it had all original songs on it. The title of the album was perfectly timed for the "Go-Go" era of 1966 and it let's you know right off that this album is for fans of Dance Music [[unlike I Hear A Symphony and Supremes At The Copa which were pitched at the MOR audience). Also consider that the previous Supremes LP that had all original material [[1965's More Hits by The Supremes) had come close to topping the Pop & R&B charts.

[luke]

Was You Can't Hurry Love peaking when the album came out? I think it still would have been big but not quite as successful. When I saw that so many songs I was familiar with were on there I bought it even faster! Lol

[sup_fan]

Look at WDOLG lp. No covers [[or at least no famous covers) and it was one of biggest lps of 1964 and went to #2.

A GoGo would have sole very well regardless of song lineup. It might have only gone top 5 or so with only original content. I think YCHL and the covers made it really appeal to shoppers. Also the title was very smart. go go was at its mass peak at this time and a great phrase to play off of

[thanxal]

For whatever insane reason, LILAIIMH didn't go to number 1. Album sales were strongly predicated on the number and strength hits on the Lp disc. WDOLG likely charted higher due to three hits on 1 album. Filler track usually don't make a difference unless there is something odd or unusual [[like a buried hit).

[daviddh]

and the #1 , You Keep Me Hangin On was another smash soon after the albums release ,even though it was released on another album a few mpnths later

[RanRan79]

and the #1 , You Keep Me Hangin On was another smash soon after the albums release ,even though it was released on another album a few mpnths later

Which brings us to Sing HDH. I think that album had the potential to follow A Go Go's success had they titled it something else, given it a different cover and replaced a couple songs. It had two number one hits on it, which was a huge selling point. I love the cover- it's one of my favorites- but I wonder if a different shot- like something from the "gold" pics sessions- would've been more eye catching. "Always In My Heart" sounds so dated. I love the song, but fans already knew it as a b side from early 1965. Neither "Same Old Song" or "Heat Wave" come close to capturing the magic of the known hit versions and to me their inclusion throws the entire album off. I would've replaced those three tunes with three leftovers from the A Go Go session and then titled it after the hugely successful "You Keep Me Hangin On". The album went #1 r&b anyway, but I think with some tweaking it could have been the group's second #1 pop album.

[reese]

Which brings us to Sing HDH. I think that album had the potential to follow A Go Go's success had they titled it something else, given it a different cover and replaced a couple songs. It had two number one hits on it, which was a huge selling point. I love the cover- it's one of my favorites- but I wonder if a different shot- like something from the "gold" pics sessions- would've been more eye catching. "Always In My Heart" sounds so dated. I love the song, but fans already knew it as a b side from early 1965. Neither "Same Old Song" or "Heat Wave" come close to capturing the magic of the known hit versions and to me their inclusion throws the entire album off. I would've replaced those three tunes with three leftovers from the A Go Go session and then titled it after the hugely successful "You Keep Me Hangin On". The album went #1 r&b anyway, but I think with some tweaking it could have been the group's second #1 pop album.

The HDH also might have come too soon after A GO GO, only five months actually. And not quite a year since I HEAR A SYMPHONY. In the course of just a little over a year, the girls released three studio albums. There might have been too much product to choose from.

[RanRan79]

The HDH also might have come too soon after A GO GO, only five months actually. And not quite a year since I HEAR A SYMPHONY. In the course of just a little over a year, the girls released three studio albums. There might have been too much product to choose from.

That's a possibility, though it's interesting to note that all three of those studio albums claimed the top spot on the r&b chart.

[BigAl]

Unfortunately, non-single tracks on most Supremes' albums were little more than inferior filler material, so covers of other hits from the period was probably a better move for this album, even though their versions of those other people's hits weren't all that exciting. They were at the peak of their popularity in '66 so the album was bound to sell well, regardless. If there had been sufficient original material of the caliber of "Itching" and "You Can't Hurry Love" to round out an album, of course that would have been great, but gems like that were saved for single releases, and to put twelve masterpieces on one album would have been economically unthinkable to the Hitsville brass in that day and age.

[Circa 1824]

It may not have sold more, but it would have gotten more play in the homes of the buyers.

[daviddh]

what if....you take Sing HDH , remove Heatwave and Same old Song and add in there place with YCHL and LIAIIMH . hmmm yes I think it would have been huge seller with 3 #1s and a top ten.

[RanRan79]

what if....you take Sing HDH , remove Heatwave and Same old Song and add in there place with YCHL and LIAIIMH . hmmm yes I think it would have been huge seller with 3 #1s and a top ten.

I think that idea would have also been stellar. You forgot that "Love Is Here" would've also been on the set, making it an album with four number ones.

[daviddh]

ranran, you are so right. senior moment