Ask Any Girl...Possible Supreme #1?

[RanRan79]

"Ask Any Girl" is an obvious fan favorite and one the label apparently liked a lot also, as it made it onto both WDOLG and More Hits, as well as the first greatest hits, in addition to being the b-side of the successful "Baby Love". If I'm not mistaken, there was some talk that "Ask Any Girl" might be considered for single release. My question is, if the label had not rushed out "Come See About Me" and instead released "Ask" after "Baby Love", would it have been the group's third number one? Or do you think this song would've ruined their number one streak?

[RanRan79]

The potential for number one is that the song is just a great song. It's a perfect record, IMO. I can't imagine the record buying public not being as feverish for this song as they were for the other five songs that the girls would put up in a row. On the other hand, the fact that it was released as the b side to the huge "Baby Love" might've worked against it. If everyone already had the song on the million copies of "Baby Love" that had been sold, why go out and buy it again? But would DJs spin "Ask" like crazy? Did anyone ever hear it played on the radio back then?

[sup_fan]

well assuming that it had NOT been the B side, i think it might have made a very good single. but i don't think it would have been #1. somehow or other, the team at motown just found the most perfect and magical of songs for the first 5 hits. Where, Baby, Come, Stop and Back are all flawless and #1's without a doubt. Ask Any Girl seems like Mother Dear or Nothing But Heartaches. strong, high quality songs but just not #1. there's just something not quite there.

I think My World, Reflections and I'm Gonna Make You Love Me all deserved to be #1 but for one reason or another, something prevented it. The other non #1 singles weren't surprising that they didn't top the charts.

[reese]

I think it is a great recording, particularly the version with the extended fade featuring Mary's la-la-las. But it doesn't scream "hit" to me. It is a very strong album track. And like you said, why would anyone go out and buy it when they had just bought it as the flip to BABY LOVE? Of course, it has been done. Whitney's GREATEST LOVE OF ALL was originally the flip to YOU GIVE GOOD LOVE, so it could happen. But I digress.

I believe the info re a possible re-release of ASK ANY GIRL was in the discography of J. Randy's last book on Diana. But I thought the timeframe was going to be closer to the release of their MORE HITS album, which came out in July 1965, and where it was repeated as the opening track.

[Jimi LaLumia]

"Ask Any Girl" was not the 'Motown Sound" it was a cha cha record, it did not fit into the lineage of Where/Baby/Come and certainly would not have gotten anywhere near #1: Len Barry did a much better version of it with "!,2,3", which was also a cha cha record but with [[pardon the euphemism ) balls!

[sup_fan]

it is curious that they went ahead and included it on More Hits. i guess it's a slightly reworked version although i've never really listed to the More Hits and WDOLG versions back to back. not really sure what all they did with it. but given the volume of great songs the girls were recording at this time, seems like a shame to "waste" a slot on an lp by repeating a song

[sup_fan]

not trying to hijack this thread but this question about Ask got me thinking about what other songs SHOULD have been #1, what ones never had a prayer, etc

should have gone pop #1:
My World
Reflections
I'm Gonna Make you love me
Stoned Love

Should have charted higher but prob couldn't quite reach #1
Nathan Jones
Ladder
IGLMHDTW
Let Yourself Go

Non single songs that COULD have been hits for the girls
This Old Heart Of Mine
Mother Dear version 3
Going Down Third Time
Why Must We Fall In Love
Discover Me
Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music
You Can't Stop A Girl In Love

Songs that were lucky to get as high as they got, and should have been reworked so they could do better:
*No Matter What Sign - it's a great backing track but lyrics are a cheap rip off of Aquarius. perhaps a different story line and lyric would have worked
*Everybody's got the right - this just plods along. something faster, more exciting and split up some choruses for M and C to sing
*In and Out of love - the Funk Bros should have done the backing track. given it more life and soul

[jobucats]

I love it that although we have common favorites, we can disagree as our tastes. In my humble opinion, "Ask Any Girl', even from the first time I heard it, never appealed to me. It sounded so "blah" compared with much of what the ladies were giving us during that time. As sup-fan said, I also wondered why in the world it appeared on the More Hits album just after it was on the Where Did Our Love Go album, thus preventing me from getting another 'killer' track that I had not heard. As Jimi L said, it was rather 'cha cha cha' sounding as many of the tunes were on the Where Did Our Love Go album which in itself is pleasant, but not that definitive Motown Sound.

[sup_fan]

i didn't like the violin intro as much. once the song starts up, i sort of like Ask. but again, never been my fav

i've never really included it on mixed tapes or playlists

[motownlover1964]

I really like this song but also don't think it would have been a #1 but loved Diana's lead and Mary and Flo's background vocals. Also, the lyrics were sad -- "pushed aside, set aside, like a doll on a shelf." I say that because even though I was only 14 the song resonated for me because my sister was 16 at the time. She was a late bloomer and never had a date nor asked to the prom in high school. When I'd listen to the song I thought of her and my heart ached for her. High School could be a tough time for many.

[vgalindo]

I do not see this song being a number 1. I can't even see it being a single release. This song is one of the very few that I skip when it comes on. Never cared for it.

[johnjeb]

I thought everybody loved Ask Any Girl, except me. Nice to finally see that there are a few others who skip this song or find it blah.

I was always glad it was the last song on the WDOLG album. When MH was released and it was the first song, I was bummed. I don't hear any differences between the two versions, if there are two versions. I don't want to have to listen to it that closely. It's an okay song, but just okay.

Sometimes I wonder if the slow intro had been removed and it started right in with the uptempo if I would have liked it better. I was just thinking the other day that I should try to see if I can attempt an edit despite being technically challenged. I'm surprised that there isn't already such an edit on youtube that omits the intro and goes right for the gusto.

[luke]

Also I don’t think it ever charted on its own.

[daviddh]

loved it and was surprised it wasn't released as a single.

[reese]

it is curious that they went ahead and included it on More Hits. i guess it's a slightly reworked version although i've never really listed to the More Hits and WDOLG versions back to back. not really sure what all they did with it. but given the volume of great songs the girls were recording at this time, seems like a shame to "waste" a slot on an lp by repeating a song

I think the mix might be slightly different but I don't hear a big difference. I never understood why it was repeated on MORE HITS. Then again, back in the 60s repeating songs wasn't unheard of, although I don't think Motown did it all that much.

[Jimi LaLumia]

based on the title of a Shirley McLaine film, I'm sure it was written and recorded before the magic formula kicked in,and alongside the Ross driven formula tracks starting with WDOLG, it's dull as dishwater

[bradsupremes]

I’m pretty certain the song got a new mix for More Hits, but listening to the mono mixes from Where Did Our Love Go and More Hits, I honestly cannot tell the difference. The one thing is the Where Did Our Love Go mix has a longer fade where you hear more of the “sha-la-la’s” and violin work. More Hits has a shorter edit by roughly 10 seconds.

[RanRan79]

Non single songs that COULD have been hits for the girls
This Old Heart Of Mine
Mother Dear version 3
Going Down Third Time
Why Must We Fall In Love
Discover Me
Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music
You Can't Stop A Girl In Love

Hold this thought Sup. It's in line with another thread topic I've been mulling over in my mind for awhile.

[RanRan79]

All great thoughts gang! Of course any given Supremes song is going to have folks who love it or hate it. I appreciated all the responses. Looks like the majority consensus is that it wouldn't have hit number one.

[sup_fan]

Hold this thought Sup. It's in line with another thread topic I've been mulling over in my mind for awhile.

i'm ready!!

[144man]

For years "Ask Any Girl" has been my favourite Supremes' recording.

Whereas "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Baby Love" are pure Motown, "Ask Any Girl" additionally has a classic girl group sound, and I believe that this additional crossover appeal would have made it more marketable and taken it straight to number one if it hadn't already been a B-side.

[bradsupremes]

I just re-listened to the mono & stereo mixes on both Where Did Our Love Go and More Hits with a little more of an ear and they are indeed different mixes.

The mono mix on WDOLG has a time of 3:07
The mono mix on More Hits has a time of 2:51

I noticed on the More Hits mono mix the violin is more prominent in the intro. It's a little buried on the WDOLG mix. On the flip, the brass is more prominent on the WDOLG mix.

The stereo mix on WDOLG has a time of 3:00
The stereo mix on More Hits has a time of 2:46

The violin intro is buried a bit in the intro on the WDOLG mix. Like the mono, it is much more prominent in the More Hits mix. The string work overall is a bit more prominent in the More Hits mix. To me, the WDOLG mix sounds cleaner over the stereo More Hits mix.

[Levi Stubbs Tears]

Of course, 'Ask Any Girl' became a big hit.... via this song...



Ironically, it was kept from #1 on the Billboard Charts by the Supremes 'I Hear a Symphony'

[Jimi LaLumia]

as I said way up top of this thread I liked it much better as 12,3 they should have used that kind of powerful arrangement

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I just have to toss this in: the brass on "Ask Any Girl" is inspired, brilliant. As a kid, this song sort of "swamped" me. It was fascinatingly overwhelming the first time I heard it. I loved it but it also scared me because it sounded so HUGE. The first thing I thought when I heard those strings at the start was that this was like some exotic Gypsie-type song from a Broadway show. Then the thing kicked in and I really thought that Motown was trying to do a Broadway type song with a Motown beat.

Then the horns, doing those really fancy triplet sort of things- DOT /DOT,DOT,DOT,/ DOT,DA DAHHHH totally blew me away because this didn't sound like the kind of horns you heard on soul or rock records. I honestly thought the whole thing was too sophisticated for me, lol. But I couldn't stop playing it and it became one of my all-time favorite Motown songs.

[Ollie9]

I think "Ask Any Girl" is a great song with a superb, dramatic vocal by Diana. The song really grabs you right from the start.
When i first played it as a kid it really stood out, sounding like an established Supremes hit to me. Had it been released as the follow up to "WDOLG" or even after "Lovelight" i think it would have done very well indeed. Any time after 65 and it would have sounded dated. A real Supremes gem.