“Bad Weather”

[longtimefan]

With the recent interest in two Stevie unreleased Supremes’ tracks [[and without being highly critical), I wonder what SDF fans think about BAD WEATHER? Let’s discuss this actual released track, not the girls’ personalities and relationships. I am curious to learn how fans feel about this release. I have some definite opinions, but I will hold back for now. :-)

Strengths?

Weaknesses?

[jobeterob]

To me, it just plodded along, no significant highs, no hooks, just kind of a shuffle. I have always thought it just helped move along the decline of the Supremes. It was surprising coming out of Stevie Wonder.

But then Pops We Love You came out of Diana, Marvin, Smokey and Stevie. And it too was another nice song that went nowhere.

[Circa 1824]

Pops had awesome vocals by all, especially Diana. But, the song needed something it didn’t have. I don’t know what could have helped it. Was Diana close to Pops?

[luckyluckyme]

I find this quite interesting [[and tremendously overpriced)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bible-sig.../332501198876?

[luckyluckyme]

Maybe.....

[reese]

I liked BW from the first time I heard it. I think Jean's phrasing on it is great. And the instrumental track is well-done, it sort of reminds me of Al Green.

[luckyluckyme]

Was Diana close to Pops?

And again....

[luckyluckyme]

Getting back to the original topic, I prefer the extended version on the Supremes Box Set.

[RanRan79]

I love it. I think it's a great song. Should have been a hit.

[sup_fan]

I love it. I think it's a great song. Should have been a hit.

lord Ran - we just keep bumping heads lololol

actually I do like it but I like it more for what it SHOULD have been rather what it was. my issues are:
1. it's not very hummable or singable - Jean ad libs too much and strays from the melody line too much. Just like the stories of recording Ladder and Frank telling her to keep it more simple, she should have done that more here too.

2. not the strongest of hooks - I think this really hurt the song. it's an amazing backing track and groove. Lynda's vocals on the chorus are more of a hook than Jean's because jean's really jump all over the place. perhaps just a little simplification of jean's lead melody on the choruses would have helped give it a bit more oomph. make it more a hook and a melody that sticks in your head more

3. lack of group - all three girls do a fine job. this isn't a criticism of that. but I don't think stevie had the background in record GROUP material. he did syreeta, himself. but listen again to Ladder. see how M and C really participate in the overall song much more than just background vocals? or the call and response in Come See ABout Me? or the group interactions in many of the Floy Joy songs? or how they're Momma warning about love in you Can't Hurry Love?

I think if jean had stuck a bit closer to the melody in the first few choruses [[then go soulful at the end and outro), more group interaction and a bit stronger lead line for the chorus, it would be an A+

[marv2]

With the recent interest in two Stevie unreleased Supremes’ tracks [[and without being highly critical), I wonder what SDF fans think about BAD WEATHER? Let’s discuss this actual released track, not the girls’ personalities and relationships. I am curious to learn how fans feel about this release. I have some definite opinions, but I will hold back for now. :-)

Strengths?

Weaknesses?

"Bad Weather" is a great, Soul/Dance record that had what I consider the perfect groove for what was out there in 1973. The Supremes and Stevie got funky with it!

[marv2]

I liked BW from the first time I heard it. I think Jean's phrasing on it is great. And the instrumental track is well-done, it sort of reminds me of Al Green.

Exactly! It had a sound that reminded me of what Al Green, the Chi-Lites and others were doing at the time.

[gman]

Looks like Jean really enjoyed and believed in the song. Her live delivery of BW was always spirited and she seemed to enjoy bouncing her way thru it. I think one of the problems was it didn't sound at all like a Motown record. It sounded like a Stax production. The brass overpowers everything else about the track, and it took me awhile to enjoy it for what it was....I also couldn't find the 45 anywhere when it was released. I didn't get it till mid '74

[Circa 1824]

I think BW starts out strong. But, the vocal fade at the end is a bit painful to hear, and this leads me not to want to hear it again.

[longtimefan]

Getting back to the original topic, I prefer the extended version on the Supremes Box Set.

Hmmmm... Interesting. I’ll check it out!

[marv2]

Looks like Jean really enjoyed and believed in the song. Her live delivery of BW was always spirited and she seemed to enjoy bouncing her way thru it. I think one of the problems was it didn't sound at all like a Motown record. It sounded like a Stax production. The brass overpowers everything else about the track, and it took me awhile to enjoy it for what it was....I also couldn't find the 45 anywhere when it was released. I didn't get it till mid '74

Yeah but by 1973, there really was no "Motown Sound". Stevie Wonder wrote and produced it just like he did his own 1973 recordings. Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On" from 1973 was not the Motown Sound either.

[midnightman]

Getting back to the original topic, I prefer the extended version on the Supremes Box Set.

Me too.

But as far as the Supremes go, it wasn't "The Supremes" [[plus what made the group special was they always were putting their all: leads and backgrounds, and that was sorely missing in Bad Weather where Jean's mic was louder than Mary's and Lynda's) so no one outside the more devoted members of their fan base was gonna buy it... but either way, the label just wasn't gonna get out of their necks to promote it.

TBF, they probably released it too early. Imagine if they had waited until 1974 or 1975, it would've easily been a disco hit. I'm sure it was a favorite at David Mancuso's Loft nightclub in NYC.

[gman]

they were in need of a hit...a big hit. it was too much of a change. Imagine if Dancing Machine was given to the Supremes? they needed something more along that sound.

[Jimi LaLumia]

who cares? It was a major flop, no hooks to speak of,the instrumentation did indeed plod along and actually sounded 'sour' and off..very upsetting as I did want to see the Jean lineup keep going..

[Thornton]

To me the only "weakness" with this song was the shortness of the fade. The extended fade on GH&RC is my favorite because you can hear the group letting loose a little more, making the song end on a more satisfying note. I do think that this song, just like "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" sounded better live.

[marv2]

Just a little reminder of just how great this song,"Bad Weather" was/is. I was listening to "Soul Radio" during those years and this one absolutely ranked with what was popular that year:

[luke]

The song doesn’t rally tell a story. Cacophony of sounds.

[marv2]

The song doesn’t rally tell a story. Cacophony of sounds.

The story I get from the song is her relationship has changed with her man. They don't talk things out anymore like they use to, so now she is fearing the worse.........they are going to run into some "Bad Weather". Just look the rain, its coming baby. LOL!

[Circa 1824]

And again....

who else is in that pic? Billy Dee?

[midnightman]

I'm gonna have to agree with Luke here lol

It's TOO simple. It was obvious lyrics weren't the most important part of the song.

[144man]

I'm biased in its favour because I saw them sing it live in London on its release even though I didn't get one of the whistles that were distributed to the audience for our participation.

[daviddh]

I like the box set version but it took me a long time to like it. I think it was over produced. vocals were good but something wasn't working for me

[marybrewster]

Just my two cents: for me, I think the failure of "Bad Weather" was less about the material itself, and more about the image of the Supremes. In three short years, they'd gone through three lineup changes [[Diana left in 70, Cindy left in 72) yet they were still "hanging on" to the sequins. They needed a new look. Jean is soulful on BW but it's hard to get down in a 40 pound beaded dress, as what they wore on the Bob Hope Special.

Other performances of the time include "Soul Train" where they performed FLOY JOY in the silver pantsuits from the Andy Williams Special [[three years earlier) and another performance of BW in the pink pantsuits from Glen Campbell [[also three years earlier). As their sound evolved into something more soulful, so should have the moves and the costumes.

[Jimi LaLumia]

pant suits aren't visible when a record is playing on the radio; tv appearances were for the older folks who were expected to keep seeing them in posh nightclubs that the kids weren't going to; "Bad Weather" had a showcase on the ultra popular Soul Train with the Stevie Wonder seal of approval from Motown, and still couldn't get out of the 'train station'....Bad Record..

[marv2]

pant suits aren't visible when a record is playing on the radio; tv appearances were for the older folks who were expected to keep seeing them in posh nightclubs that the kids weren't going to; "Bad Weather" had a showcase on the ultra popular Soul Train with the Stevie Wonder seal of approval from Motown, and still couldn't get out of the 'train station'....Bad Record..

It was a great record that many radio stations in America never received. It was also nearly impossible to find a copy of it in stores.

[Jimi LaLumia]

we stocked it in Sam Goody ,Lake Grove, I was record dept. manager there and we played it in store a lot because I did want the Jean/Mary/Lynda lineup to succeed.. I love ya, Marv you know that, but to me, it was a non event of a record, and after the Soul train appearance, if people really wanted the record, stores would have reacted accordingly ..there were so many better choices for single selection.. the same holds true for whoever thought "I Guess I'll Miss The Man' was supposed to be a Supremes single..maybe a Jean solo single for 'middle of the road' radio.. aim the conspiracy angle at whoever was picking the singles to be released..

[marv2]

we stocked it in Sam Goody ,Lake Grove, I was record dept. manager there and we played it in store a lot because I did want the Jean/Mary/Lynda lineup to succeed.. I love ya, Marv you know that, but to me, it was a non event of a record, and after the Soul train appearance, if people really wanted the record, stores would have reacted accordingly ..there were so many better choices for single selection.. the same holds true for whoever thought "I Guess I'll Miss The Man' was supposed to be a Supremes single..maybe a Jean solo single for 'middle of the road' radio.. aim the conspiracy angle at whoever was picking the singles to be released..

Yeah you see but that's way out on the Island. I couldn't find a copy in the city anywhere. I bet it was never played on the radio on L.I. either. Jimi, I again have to respectfully disagree. "Bad Weather" was a great record and it fit the sound at the time which why Stevie Wonder got even more pissed than the Supremes did when it did not become a huge hit! "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" probably did better on the A/C charts. I can't remember what single preceded it, but it was a vvvveerry mellow song kind of like what Olivia Newton John was putting out around that time.

[midnightman]

marybrewster hit the nail on the head: the Supremes' image was still one of glamour rather than the earthy funkiness of the song. They didn't change with the times like the Temptations did. When compared to the Tempts, Four Tops and even Labelle [[who was more ahead of their time than other R&B groups in terms of wardrobe), the Supremes were still stuck in the '60s image wise. That definitely hurt them. The sad thing about the Supremes especially during the Jean years was they had ability to grow beyond what they had done when Diana, Cindy and Florence were in the group but didn't.

[marv2]

LaBelle was weird looking in the way they dressed on stage. Nobody dressed like that in normal life. They did it because they wanted the very needed attention dressing like space cadets would bring them. The Supremes was still the most successful female group for the entire decade of the seventies if you go by the number of hits placed on the Billboard Hot 100. There was nothing wrong with the way the Supremes dressed in the 70s. The Three Degrees dressed very similar during those years. None of that shit played a role in the group getting hit records. It was harder and harder to find their records and in those days when you called the radio stations request lines, they did not have promo copies of the singles for some reason.

[captainjames]

It was just not a good record and it was worse when sung live. The looked fine and beautiful on stage but the song was just painful to listen to. At one point I thought maybe they should have used thunder instead of the whistle but it just tanked for me. However, I bought it and was able to find it everywhere. Now at times I often wondered what could have happen if Mary had took the lead on this.

[Motown Eddie]

While I still like The Supremes' "Bad Weather", I agree with other posters who feel that the song didn't have strong enough hooks to be a major hit record [[it would've worked better as an LP cut or B-side though). I also feel that Motown should've had the group do another LP with either Frank Wilson or Smokey Robinson to get the group back to the top of the charts [[and they needed something big after the failures of "I Guess I'll Miss The Man" and the Sings Jimmy Webb LP). Also agree with other posts that The Supremes needed to try a "new look" in the mid '70s after all the years of elaborate gowns & sequins.

[Bluebrock]

Getting back to the original topic, I prefer the extended version on the Supremes Box Set.

Me too, but i always loved this song although i appear to be in the minority with fellow fans. Not too keen on the whistles but otherwise a real favourite of mine and probably in my top 20 all time favourite Supremes songs.

[Bluebrock]

It was just not a good record and it was worse when sung live. The looked fine and beautiful on stage but the song was just painful to listen to. At one point I thought maybe they should have used thunder instead of the whistle but it just tanked for me. However, I bought it and was able to find it everywhere. Now at times I often wondered what could have happen if Mary had took the lead on this.

I don't think Mary was capable of singing this. Maybe Lynda could have made a decent job of it but i think it works just fine with Jean singing it.

[Bluebrock]

I'm biased in its favour because I saw them sing it live in London on its release even though I didn't get one of the whistles that were distributed to the audience for our participation.

I remember it getting lots of airplay on radio 1 here in the UK and they performed it live on Top Of The Pops . Everything pointed towards it restoring the girls to the top 20 after the Jimmy Webb disaster, but it stalled in the mid 30's which was much better than it did back in the USA but still a major disappointment.

[DJMoch]

I absolutely love Bad Weather, especially the version that appeared on the Supremes box set. But that version's fade-out and fade-in at the end irritates me no end -- I hate when songs do that! I would love a proper version of the song with no fade [[and maybe even made even longer, I'm one for extended versions, LOL). Hell, if I ever got my hands on the multitracks, I would definitely take a stab at that one!

[Edgar]

"Bad Weather" is my favorite Supremes song. Maybe because it marked the moment I first entered a gay discotheque in Old San Juan [[Puerto Rico). I still remember the crowd's joy every time it was played. We all jumped to it as a single unit, wonderful!!! As a matter of fact, it reached #1 in the radio charts. But apart from the effect it had in my life, I think it is a great song, with covers by Melissa Manchester and Mathilde Santing [[which is incredibly good). I love the horns, which seem to be mocking the melodrama Jean is describing. Here's a little review I wrote for the site Rate Your Music: «"Bad Weather" is a masterpiece of popular music. The typical story of a love affair drifting along a wrong path is given new breath by funky horn arrangements, strong lead performance and beautiful background vocals. While the trumpets propel you to avoid falling into any kind of "bad weather", the chorus of the second strophe has an angelic air as the voices substitute strings and they turn the complete song into a rite, an invocation, a plea against the regretful moments of love. The disco whistle, the innuendo in Terrell's voice and the joyful backings by Wilson and Laurence, all hint at reconciliation. Great song & production.»

[marv2]

It was just not a good record and it was worse when sung live. The looked fine and beautiful on stage but the song was just painful to listen to. At one point I thought maybe they should have used thunder instead of the whistle but it just tanked for me. However, I bought it and was able to find it everywhere. Now at times I often wondered what could have happen if Mary had took the lead on this.

Quick, name 5 other records from the Spring of 1973.

[marv2]

"Bad Weather" is my favorite Supremes song. Maybe because it marked the moment I first entered a gay discotheque in Old San Juan [[Puerto Rico). I still remember the crowd's joy every time it was played. We all jumped to it as a single unit, wonderful!!! As a matter of fact, it reached #1 in the radio charts. But apart from the effect it had in my life, I think it is a great song, with covers by Melissa Manchester and Mathilde Santing [[which is incredibly good). I love the horns, which seem to be mocking the melodrama Jean is describing. Here's a little review I wrote for the site Rate Your Music: «"Bad Weather" is a masterpiece of popular music. The typical story of a love affair drifting along a wrong path is given new breath by funky horn arrangements, strong lead performance and beautiful background vocals. While the trumpets propel you to avoid falling into any kind of "bad weather", the chorus of the second strophe has an angelic air as the voices substitute strings and they turn the complete song into a rite, an invocation, a plea against the regretful moments of love. The disco whistle, the innuendo in Terrell's voice and the joyful backings by Wilson and Laurence, all hint at reconciliation. Great song & production.»

Finally! An intelligent review of a great record, "Bad Weather". Thank you Edgar.

[marv2]

I absolutely love Bad Weather, especially the version that appeared on the Supremes box set. But that version's fade-out and fade-in at the end irritates me no end -- I hate when songs do that! I would love a proper version of the song with no fade [[and maybe even made even longer, I'm one for extended versions, LOL). Hell, if I ever got my hands on the multitracks, I would definitely take a stab at that one!

DJMoch, here is an extended version of "Bad Weather" what do you think of it? What changes would you make if you could? I would pump up the background vocals in the part where they are isolated:

[marv2]

1973. "Bad Weather" had a similar groove to the Spinners "One of a Kind Love Affair", Al Green's "I'm Still in Love With You" and the Chi-Lites "Stone Out of My Mind". To name a few. All of which were very popular at the time:

[marv2]

The Spinners "One of Kind Love Affair" from 1973:

[marv2]

Al Green's "I'm Still In Love With You" from 1972:

[Sotosound]

This was a big change for The Supremes. They went from old-style Smokey production to cutting edge Stevie production where double-tracked horns don’t even sound like horns.

But, for me, that aspect was just about bringing The Supremes up to date.

If I put my pop sensibility hat on then the difference between this track and, say, “Floy Joy” is that “Floy Joy” hits you with the hook straight away [[Bid o bebop Floy Floy Floy, Floy Joy) whereas “Bad Weather” takes you through an intro of interesting but not very poppy chord changes, then a verse wherein we have a few [[very few) notes under lots of words and some ordinary chord changes, finally followed by the chorus, which is the strongest part of the track. However, by then, non-Motown afficianados - pop fans in the UK - will have lost interest.

Great track for me, and it was in stereo, but as a pop single it didn’t play well enough to its audience. I didn’t see that in 1973. Back then, it was just sad that it wasn’t a big hit. 45 years later I can see what happened. Shame that we don’t have time travel.

[jim aka jtigre99]

I think that Bad Weather was a good song. Jean Terrell was certainly a soulful singer and Stevie Wonder was quoted as saying he wanted to develop her vocals where he felt she excelled. It was on the cusp of the disco era and you can hear it being a predecessor to the upcoming sound but it also had Jean's riffs and the Stevie Wonder sound which almost made it seem like they were working against each other and that it never really took off into the stratosphere like it should have. It certainly was more appealing to the younger record buying public than I Guess I'll Miss The Man. I don't think Bad Weather would have put them back on top but it surely should have been a top 40 pop hit, doing much better than the #83 or 85 that it did. When you listen to Jean's solo album you can hear the realization of what this song started as her sound. I have read a number of articles that list Bad Weather as an overlooked start to the disco era. That may be true. However, with Jean as lead vocalist the group's sound was more soulful and as the producers explored that I think Motown didn't support them as they used to and the general public was more used to a certain sound from them, the public didn't seem to want the group to evolve. Bad Weather was a good song, it did sometimes seem to stall in places and really didn't have a strong hook to pull you in. But I did like the song very much.

[marv2]

This was a big change for The Supremes. They went from old-style Smokey production to cutting edge Stevie production where double-tracked horns don’t even sound like horns.

But, for me, that aspect was just about bringing The Supremes up to date.

If I put my pop sensibility hat on then the difference between this track and, say, “Floy Joy” is that “Floy Joy” hits you with the hook straight away [[Bid o bebop Floy Floy Floy, Floy Joy) whereas “Bad Weather” takes you through an intro of interesting but not very poppy chord changes, then a verse wherein we have a few [[very few) notes under lots of words and some ordinary chord changes, finally followed by the chorus, which is the strongest part of the track. However, by then, non-Motown afficianados - pop fans in the UK - will have lost interest.

Great track for me, and it was in stereo, but as a pop single it didn’t play well enough to its audience. I didn’t see that in 1973. Back then, it was just sad that it wasn’t a big hit. 45 years later I can see what happened. Shame that we don’t have time travel.

Interesting perspective. Much appreciated. Thanks Sotosound.