Ain't No Mountain follow up

[johnjeb]

I seem to recall that Motown had a very big Sales Convention in the Fall of 1970. There seemed to be considerable promotion in Billboard magazine. [[My memorabilia is in the attic.) I think there were about 35-40 albums released from July through October to promote at this convention.

From what I've read through the years, the Surrender album would not be ready for that Sales Convention so Berry wanted something for Diana. I guess at your largest sales convention you want to be able to promote new material from your biggest star. Thus the Everything Is Everything album was set into motion and promoted. I saw a pic of the cover in Billboard about a month before the actual album was available. So at least an album cover was available to help promote upcoming material for Diana Ross.

I guess by the time the actual EIE album came out the Remember Me single had already been scheduled for release in late December. Maybe this was about the time they recorded the Diana! TV Special for it's April broadcast. Probably just too much going on in such a short period of time.

I love My Place but I think I'm Still Waiting was the best option for a follow-up. Like ANMHE it had a soft intro as well as a spoken passage. I loved the song back in the day but not such a fan now - but it is catchy and perfect for Pop radio. I mean it was #1 for 4 weeks in the UK, it probably would have had at least one week at the top in 1970.

I also think Baby It's Love would have been a softer follow-up to the high-energy ANMHE. It would have been a nice place-saver until Remember Me was released.

I love the EIE album, particularly all the songs on Side 1.