Bill, When are You Coming.....?

[marybrewster]

Forgive me if I've asked this before:

Does anyone know the story of why on some pressings of "Up the Ladder to the Roof" [[45 single), the B side is listed as "Bill, When are You Coming BACK" and on others it'a listed as "Bill, When are You Coming HOME"?

[BayouMotownMan]

It's just what happens when you rush something out. Supremes recorded the final version of Ladder sometime around Jan 30 [[I'd have to go back and look) they presented to us on Sullivan Feb. 15 and it was on the streets a day later. That's quick!

[nathanj06]

I remember my first copy was correct and said, "Back". I bought another one later and it said, "Home". I read somewhere long ago it was an obvious error whoever did the label print. Someone was just asleep at the wheel. Jean clearly says, "back" in the song. Still a great debut for them and it was perfect.

[gman]

aren't there 2 lead vocals which differ in Jean's phrasing? it is an excellent song. my 3rd fav cut on "RO" after Ladder and Then We Can Try Again.

[DJMoch]

Yeah, the vocal line is different between the LP version and the mono single version. I wonder why they decided to use two different vocal performances. Though as a Motown collector, I love stuff like that.

[TomatoTom123]

"Bill, Bill, Bill, when are you coming back!!?"

great song

[sup_fan]

It’s a great track. Rather 5th Dimension-ish.

I believe they would use varying track on lps vs singles specifically to get the fans to buy both. Frankly I like the 45 version just a touch better. Jean’s little mmmmhmmm ad lib at 0:09. And her vocal slide at 3:40.

[Bluebrock]

aren't there 2 lead vocals which differ in Jean's phrasing? it is an excellent song. my 3rd fav cut on "RO" after Ladder and Then We Can Try Again.

I think it was wasted as a B side. It had the potential to be a major hit in its own right, but then again "right on" was jam packed with potential hit singles.

[luke]

I guess I’m in the minority but i felt it was just ok. Typical b side. One of weakest cuts on Right On. Then We Can Try Again, Loving Country, Wait a minute, You move Me all had hit potential.

[sup_fan]

i think it's a very good song and while it would have probably been successful as a single, i don't think STRATEGICALLY it would have been a strong single. IMO this is a very "5th Dimension" pop sound. it might have worked for 1 or so copycat singles but the girls were in need of a new sound and image. With Ladder and many of the tracks on Right On, and then really with Stoned Love and New Ways, they established themselves as a trio singing about peace, harmony and a higher ideal about mankind. perfect for the times in that it was contemporary and a touch of social commentary. but not too radical and therefore appropriate for the Sups.

Loving Country should have been the Ladder follow up.

[johnjeb]

I think Bill could have gone Top 10. It's a catchy tune, nice and bouncy.

I wonder if the story line made it difficult to edit down to three minutes for radio play.

There are a lot of good songs on Right On but I would think that they would only want to release a single with Mary and Cindy on background. Which songs on that album featured Mary and Cindy rather than The Andantes?

For me Loving Country is the weakest song on Right On [[I'm also not a big fan of Ask Any Girl from the WDOLG album so what do I know). Even though I don't care for LC, I feel it may have been a better fit on New Ways.

[soulwally]

'Every morning, waiting for the mailman to come...' super tune, just like the A side

[thommg]

I never thought Bill, When Are You Coming Back would make a good single. Then, about a year ago, I was having a meal with some friends and it played on the restaurant sound system. It really sounded fantastic! It changed my mind on whether it could have been a single. I think it would have done well. By the way, I asked the restaurant who put their music together. They said it was a company that sent them a new playlist every week. When I mentioned the song that just played was not a hit single and it surprised me that it was played, they told me they get a lot of songs being played that they don't know and just assume they are picked because the list compiler liked them.

[sup_fan]

its a great song and would have done pretty well. but it wasn't as perfectly suited for the girls as Ladder and the subsequent releases. I think there was more life from that approach, sound and production than the Bill version.

[gman]

Everybody's Got The Right got massive airplay on WABC...perhaps it charted higher in NYC? [[so did I'm Still Waiting) my vote for another single from RO would be Then We Can Try Again.
Lovin' Country gets monotonously draggy a bit more than halfway thru, and Jean is at possibly her unappealing shrillest on parts of You Move Me....TWCMSSM is the only other single I hear on NWBLS...and maybe Here Comes The Sunrise instead of, or even after Touch.
And too much 4 Tops duet product for sure...River Deep was an excellent single...after New Ways, I waited for everything to appear in the cut out bins...same with DR Lps...my 12 year olds allowance couldn't accommodate all this....I did however buy every single up to '75. by then the LP releases were thinner and I could afford them