Mary Wilson and Gus Dudgeon Discuss You Danced My Heart Around The Stars

[BayouMotownMan]

This song truly should be issued along with the other three tracks Mary did after her Motown solo lp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO7s...-BvRt6QTsywyE4

[gman]

I still feel that to date, this is Mary's finest taped performance. I have seen some really wonderful Mary solo concert performances over the years...this song was never performed..."Red Hot" may have been a commercial failure as a single, but live the arrangement was close to the superior 12" version in structure, and it worked really well...there were nights when Stoned Love, Reflections and Someday We'll Be Together were great... How Lucky Can You Get? was always a high point. I also thought Piano In The Dark and We Can Work It Out were both great choices for her.

[jobeterob]

Mary does a good job on this song but I can't see how it could have ever been a hit in the 90's or 80's or now; it's just not a good enough song.

[PeaceNHarmony]

The song itself sounds like something that got cut from a Broadway-bound musical while in previews in Boston before the show limped its way to Broadway to capitalize on the summer tourist season and the star-power of David Hasselhof and that girl who everybody always thought had that early disco hit but was really that other girl who played the sassy admin-assist on that short-lived sitcom but ended up closing anyway [[even though the local reviews were just tepid instead of bad) because the producers thought it would be a good tax write-off before the late-fall opening of their sure-to-be-a-smash revival of 'Evita' starring Ruth Buzzi in what she would always reference in interviews as the 'titular role' with Rip Taylor as Juan Peron.

[marv2]

This has always been a great example of how Motown made mistakes and missed the boat entirely!

[marv2]

The guy in the video is Stephen Kalinich, one of the co-writers of the song. He and I chatted about it a while back. Gus Dudgeon, who produced many of Elton John's biggest hits passed away in 2002.

[sup_fan]

This is an excellent song and performance

I think Save Me should have been the lead single from her sophomore lp w this song as the follow up. Two big hits

[gman]

Save Me had been issued on United Artist Records in 1977 [[?) as a 12" disco single/ attempted comeback hit for Merilee Rush...she hadn't had a major hit since the mid 60's with Angel of The Morning

[George Solomon]

This was the original closing song on Greatest Hits & Rare Classics. But I had to remove it when Motown said, "no unreleased material." Instead I used "You Turn Me Around" because I thought it was a lovely performance by Mary and the chances of that 1975 LP being released on CD at that time were very slim.

[bradsupremes]

Thanks for posting the interview. I've never seen this before. It's great to hear Mary and Gus discuss the track. I think those four Gus Dudgeon tracks really could have brought Mary success. To me, "Save Me" and "Love Talk" could have been hits.

[marv2]

Thanks for posting the interview. I've never seen this before. It's great to hear Mary and Gus discuss the track. I think those four Gus Dudgeon tracks really could have brought Mary success. To me, "Save Me" and "Love Talk" could have been hits.

That was not Gus Dudgeon in the video. He died in 2002. That is Stephen Kalinich, one of the co-writers of the song in the video.

[imakicola]

Yes. The song is amazing. One of my favorites. But I disagree Mary...it does sound very 1980’s, and I would be surprised to see it in a 2019 film unless it was intentionally 80’s themed.

[gman]

This was the original closing song on Greatest Hits & Rare Classics. But I had to remove it when Motown said, "no unreleased material." Instead I used "You Turn Me Around" because I thought it was a lovely performance by Mary and the chances of that 1975 LP being released on CD at that time were very slim.

Wow! I enjoy the disc tremendously as is...it is my "go to" 70's CD. I remember the thread about having to scramble to meet the deadline once the original song line up was rejected...I am glad this disc saw release...and if it was the best seller in the series we should have had a follow up approved. I admire and thank you for your dedication to the project

[sup_fan]

This was the original closing song on Greatest Hits & Rare Classics. But I had to remove it when Motown said, "no unreleased material." Instead I used "You Turn Me Around" because I thought it was a lovely performance by Mary and the chances of that 1975 LP being released on CD at that time were very slim.

thanks for all your hard work with these early Sup cd releases George! although not as you originally intended, what was released was a TREASURE to us fans

for fun, i've pasted George's reply to an old thread regarding GH&RC and the initial track listing

I pitched the idea of Greatest Hits and Rare Classics to be collections of hits, unreleased and rare tracks from artists that didn’t have a CD compilation on the market. My main interest was releasing a great compilation on the 70’s Supremes. I got approval to go ahead with each CD except The Supremes. I was told that they didn’t feel there was enough sales potential in the 70’s group and we would just do a straight reissue of the 10 song vinyl collection, “At Their Best”. After much pleading on my part I finally got a green light on the 70’s group. With each CD, I was told I could have only two photos and no liner notes. [[I was eventually allowed one paragraph per CD).
The first 3 to be mastered were Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston and The Supremes. [[All containing several songs from the vaults) As we were finishing the Supremes master, a memo was issued stating that NO UNRELEASED MATERIAL COULD BE ISSUED. I was told the finished masters had to be scrapped and we could only proceed with the remaining artists using only released material. Once again, I lost my Supremes collection. Again, I pleaded, if I could re-master the CD’s in ONE DAY replacing the unreleased tracks with other rarities could we proceed? [[I believe, I was on my knees at the time.) The results are the released CD’s. With the Supremes, I had such a hard time choosing tracks that I varied the CD and the cassette. This wasn’t a ploy to make people have to buy both. It was for the fans who would WANT to have both. The casual buyer wouldn’t care as long as they got the hits they wanted. As with every collection many fans questioned the track list. Remember, that “Right On” “Touch” and “Floy Joy” were already issued on CD and I just got approval to do “New Ways”, so I used very few tracks from those LP’s. I got a definite “no” on Jimmy Webb and all of the remaining albums [[with the exception of MAYBE “High Energy”). That is how I chose the tracks.
I really liked this collection and I’d like to thank everyone for the mostly very positive feedback. And by the way, The Supremes and Rare Earth were the biggest sellers in the whole series.

If you care, here is the original track list for the Supremes master that still sits in the Motown vaults.

Original Greatest Hits and Rare Classics
All tracks or mixes available on CD for the first time [[1991)

Up the Ladder [[mono mix)
Life Beats [[mono mix) *
Everybody’s Got The Right [[alt vocal mono mix) *
Stoned Love [[mono mix)
Nathan Jones [[mono mix)
If I Were Your Woman *
Floy Joy [[unedited) *
Automatically Sunshine [[alternate) *
Remote Control *
Make It With You *
Never Can Say Goodbye *
Tossin' & Turnin' [[edit) *
Paradise *
Love Train [[remix) *
Bad Weather [[ext fade) *
I Had To Fall In Love [[edit)-Jean *
The Shoop Shoop Song *
The Sha La Bandit [[alternate) *
Bend A Little *
I’m Gonna Let My Heart [[alternate) *
You’re My Driving Wheel [[alt edit) *
Another Life From Now-Scherrie
You Danced My Heart Around The Stars-Mary *

• unreleased track or mix

Thanks for caring – George Solomon

[lucky2012]

To George Solomon,

I'm fairly late joining SDF but, especially after reading sup_fan's re-post about GHRC, I think you are a hero and I thank you for all your efforts and work.

[sup_fan]

George - before you came up with the list above, where there some other gems that you considered to include but go bumped? Any of the above not released since GH&RC?

[marv2]

thanks for all your hard work with these early Sup cd releases George! although not as you originally intended, what was released was a TREASURE to us fans

for fun, i've pasted George's reply to an old thread regarding GH&RC and the initial track listing

I pitched the idea of Greatest Hits and Rare Classics to be collections of hits, unreleased and rare tracks from artists that didn’t have a CD compilation on the market. My main interest was releasing a great compilation on the 70’s Supremes. I got approval to go ahead with each CD except The Supremes. I was told that they didn’t feel there was enough sales potential in the 70’s group and we would just do a straight reissue of the 10 song vinyl collection, “At Their Best”. After much pleading on my part I finally got a green light on the 70’s group. With each CD, I was told I could have only two photos and no liner notes. [[I was eventually allowed one paragraph per CD).
The first 3 to be mastered were Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston and The Supremes. [[All containing several songs from the vaults) As we were finishing the Supremes master, a memo was issued stating that NO UNRELEASED MATERIAL COULD BE ISSUED. I was told the finished masters had to be scrapped and we could only proceed with the remaining artists using only released material. Once again, I lost my Supremes collection. Again, I pleaded, if I could re-master the CD’s in ONE DAY replacing the unreleased tracks with other rarities could we proceed? [[I believe, I was on my knees at the time.) The results are the released CD’s. With the Supremes, I had such a hard time choosing tracks that I varied the CD and the cassette. This wasn’t a ploy to make people have to buy both. It was for the fans who would WANT to have both. The casual buyer wouldn’t care as long as they got the hits they wanted. As with every collection many fans questioned the track list. Remember, that “Right On” “Touch” and “Floy Joy” were already issued on CD and I just got approval to do “New Ways”, so I used very few tracks from those LP’s. I got a definite “no” on Jimmy Webb and all of the remaining albums [[with the exception of MAYBE “High Energy”). That is how I chose the tracks.
I really liked this collection and I’d like to thank everyone for the mostly very positive feedback. And by the way, The Supremes and Rare Earth were the biggest sellers in the whole series.

If you care, here is the original track list for the Supremes master that still sits in the Motown vaults.

Original Greatest Hits and Rare Classics
All tracks or mixes available on CD for the first time [[1991)

Up the Ladder [[mono mix)
Life Beats [[mono mix) *
Everybody’s Got The Right [[alt vocal mono mix) *
Stoned Love [[mono mix)
Nathan Jones [[mono mix)
If I Were Your Woman *
Floy Joy [[unedited) *
Automatically Sunshine [[alternate) *
Remote Control *
Make It With You *
Never Can Say Goodbye *
Tossin' & Turnin' [[edit) *
Paradise *
Love Train [[remix) *
Bad Weather [[ext fade) *
I Had To Fall In Love [[edit)-Jean *
The Shoop Shoop Song *
The Sha La Bandit [[alternate) *
Bend A Little *
I’m Gonna Let My Heart [[alternate) *
You’re My Driving Wheel [[alt edit) *
Another Life From Now-Scherrie
You Danced My Heart Around The Stars-Mary *

• unreleased track or mix

Thanks for caring – George Solomon

I have the cassette version. I don't know if all of these songs were on it.

[marv2]

Yes. The song is amazing. One of my favorites. But I disagree Mary...it does sound very 1980’s, and I would be surprised to see it in a 2019 film unless it was intentionally 80’s themed.

I remember when I first heard it back in the 80s I thought it sounded like the theme to a movie. A big power ballad!

[Roberta75]

Yes. The song is amazing. One of my favorites. But I disagree Mary...it does sound very 1980’s, and I would be surprised to see it in a 2019 film unless it was intentionally 80’s themed.

I think Marys wish of getting "You Danced my heart around the Stars" to be used as a soundtrack for one of todays current action films is real funny and a bit off imo.

[sup_fan]

I have the cassette version. I don't know if all of these songs were on it.

The cassette was totally different from the camera. The cd included a variety of rare tracks from some of the lps. The cassette ended up being all of the single A sides although some where different from the released versions. Let yourself go was a different mix

[marv2]

The cassette was totally different from the camera. The cd included a variety of rare tracks from some of the lps. The cassette ended up being all of the single A sides although some where different from the released versions. Let yourself go was a different mix

Thank you Sup_fan. Remember that sort of interim period between vinyl and CD's when most music was offered on cassettes? I did not buy my first CD player until 1990 so I was buying cassettes for a while there. I need to find the CD version.

[marv2]

I still feel that to date, this is Mary's finest taped performance. I have seen some really wonderful Mary solo concert performances over the years...this song was never performed..."Red Hot" may have been a commercial failure as a single, but live the arrangement was close to the superior 12" version in structure, and it worked really well...there were nights when Stoned Love, Reflections and Someday We'll Be Together were great... How Lucky Can You Get? was always a high point. I also thought Piano In The Dark and We Can Work It Out were both great choices for her.

Mary use to open her shows with "We Can Work it Out" [[the Stevie Wonder version) and tear it up. "Piano In the Dark" and "Coming Out of the Dark" were great additions to her shows in the early 90s.

[marv2]

I hope Mary does include "You Danced My Heart Around the Stars" to her Symphony concert and Up Close/Jazz concert set lists.

[detmotownguy]

Hey Marv! Speaking of "Piano" isn't Mary good friends w Brenda Russell?

[marv2]

Hey Marv! Speaking of "Piano" isn't Mary good friends w Brenda Russell?

Yes, Brenda is one of her best friends. Mary is in one of Brenda's videos "Walking in New York".

[detmotownguy]

That's right. Was a fun video to watch.

[marybrewster]

It's probably just me, but I always thought this song would make for good closing credits of a James Bond movie.

[detmotownguy]

No you are right, was thinking the exact same.

[gman]

Mary Wilsons performance is the selling point here.. with the staging of the background orchestration crescendo's and lulls, it works well and packs a wallop. Vocally and arrangement wise, it is miles beyond anything recorded and released on her at the time, or even to date.....the lyric is a bit sugary, so you either like the lyric or don't....to me, it sounds like there's something intentionally very Jim Steinman-esque / Meat Loaf worthy "very big" going on here....and Mary is owning it...perhaps it needed to be the 1 "way over the top" track so common on theme /concept/ epic LP's with the remaining songs in different, lighter more commercial pop radio happy styles?

[johnjeb]

I've heard this song before and seen the full performance clip before, as well. This time the song "You Light Up My Life" popped into my head. Maybe Mary's song could have been a radio hit for the same reason[[s) Debbie Boone's song was - a catchy easy-listening tune. It's a decent enough song and Mary does a nice job overall. It's a shame it didn't get released by Mary, or anyone, for that matter.

[sup_fan]

Thank you Sup_fan. Remember that sort of interim period between vinyl and CD's when most music was offered on cassettes? I did not buy my first CD player until 1990 so I was buying cassettes for a while there. I need to find the CD version.

the content on the cd has mostly been made available in other releases.

Everybody - this is a alt version with a totally different lead vocal from Jean

Automatically - this is the alt version with the instrumental break added back in. but it differs from the alt version on the Pink box set

Bad Weather - has an extended fade

IGLMHDTW - this is an alt edit of the original Russ Terrana version

Driving Wheel - this is an alt edited version

Then there's the 3 solo releases from Jean and Scherrie. The cassette also included Had To Fall In Love and then 2 Scherrie tunes. Fly was one and was the other When I Looked At Your Face? the cd include Face and then Another Life From Now.

[marv2]

It's probably just me, but I always thought this song would make for good closing credits of a James Bond movie.

It does have that James Bond Movie Theme vibe to it. I also like Mary's idea of a super hero movie, a Superman/Lois Lane scene.

[sup_fan]

to me this doesn't sound like a Bond or superhero movie song. those were big, massive power songs. Marches and power songs for heros. And for Bond there's always a bit of a sinister tone to the music.

But it does belong in a mega-romance or tear jerker movie from the 80s. the lyric is rather melancholy so it would be the music at a highly dramatic point in the film. During a montage [[the 80s loved montages lolol) of the heartbroken lovers that are separated by time and space from one another and seems like nothing will allow them to meet again. Or a Terms Of Endearment 5 hankie movie during the montage when the star that isn't sick is forlornly walking through the house of the sick star and remembering all those great times together lololol

[marv2]

to me this doesn't sound like a Bond or superhero movie song. those were big, massive power songs. Marches and power songs for heros. And for Bond there's always a bit of a sinister tone to the music.

But it does belong in a mega-romance or tear jerker movie from the 80s. the lyric is rather melancholy so it would be the music at a highly dramatic point in the film. During a montage [[the 80s loved montages lolol) of the heartbroken lovers that are separated by time and space from one another and seems like nothing will allow them to meet again. Or a Terms Of Endearment 5 hankie movie during the montage when the star that isn't sick is forlornly walking through the house of the sick star and remembering all those great times together lololol

It sounds like you just wrote an outline for a movie script! hehehehehehehehe!