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  1. #1
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    What Becomes of the Brokenhearted: Lost Supremes Hit?

    Had Motown not released the masterpiece of "Brokenhearted" on Jimmy Ruffin, would the Supremes version have done well? How well? Top 20, top 10, number one? Was it good but needed something extra to make it a hit?

    I think it was good enough to be a Supremes single, but it would've needed something extra in the track to push it up. I would've kept Diana's spoken intro and I would've had Flo join Diana and Mary in the background for some great harmonies.


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    i think the Sup version is a bit anemic - not the least of which is no Flo in the backgrounds. This was recorded in early July 66 when Flo was a no-show for recording sessions. Diana is actually doing backgrounds with Mary. then next day they did more recordings [[including You Can't Hurry Love) and Marlene was able to be in the studio with Mary.

    But overall the production just seems a bit thin to me. I do not think it would have been a hit in this format. Perhaps Top 20 but IMO that's not a hit for the Sups. Especially during the DMF years.

    Perhaps if the overall production was amped up and more lush

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    Absolutely not. Very weak production. And weak puny vocals.

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    Generous amount of "Supremes" being heard on this.
    A very sing-song, stroll-down-the-lane type delivery which lacks despair. This is not being sung by someone with much of a broken heart. Ending is curious.
    Last edited by Boogiedown; 04-09-2019 at 04:30 PM.

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    what's ironic is that the story goes that Diana LOVED this song and wanted to record it with the Sups. but the group didn't get to it until after it was a hit for Jimmy.

    now if the original WBOTBH track had been given to the supremes, and if M and F had done background work similar to the Jimmy version, perhaps it could have been considered.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    i think the Sup version is a bit anemic - not the least of which is no Flo in the backgrounds. This was recorded in early July 66 when Flo was a no-show for recording sessions. Diana is actually doing backgrounds with Mary. then next day they did more recordings [[including You Can't Hurry Love) and Marlene was able to be in the studio with Mary.

    But overall the production just seems a bit thin to me. I do not think it would have been a hit in this format. Perhaps Top 20 but IMO that's not a hit for the Sups. Especially during the DMF years.

    Perhaps if the overall production was amped up and more lush
    Yes, anemic is a good word for it. That's why I think the track needed to be beefed up. I love Diana on backing vocals, that's why I would've had Flo brought in to do it with Diana and Mary. The sound would've been that much better.

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    Another fave of mine from the LET THE SUNSHINE IN album, but I don't hear it as a single release. A strong album track, but that's it.

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    just laid back, wheres the funk bros, just to bland. imo.

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    I don't know if it's because my expectations were fairly low, but I thought the track was pretty good. The background vocals are better than I expected, Diana is pretty good, overall a nice track. Not as good as Jimmy's version though in my opinion. It is interesting that they did the spoken word intro that they cut out of Jimmy's version!

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    Nah, it was perfect for Jimmy than the Supremes.

  11. #11
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    The song they did best was Hey Western Union Man

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by TomatoTom123 View Post
    I don't know if it's because my expectations were fairly low, but I thought the track was pretty good. The background vocals are better than I expected, Diana is pretty good, overall a nice track. Not as good as Jimmy's version though in my opinion. It is interesting that they did the spoken word intro that they cut out of Jimmy's version!
    Jimmy owned this song. No one could get anywhere near his version, But Diana has a decent stab at it.

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    I love it...it at first was, and still remains one of my favorites on the LP...I was 10 when the LP came out....I'd never heard the song before. I didn't listen to a lot of radio yet, so often the Sup's cover versions were the first I'd heard of most songs. My 4 siblings were 16-24 yrs older and listened to pre Beatle pop/oldies...so if a cousin or a friends older sibling didn't play the orig record for me & it was a new song it slipped by me. I got my first transistor hand held radio for the holidays in 1969. I became obsessed with WABC...that was NYC's power top 40 station

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    Quote Originally Posted by jobeterob View Post
    The song they did best was Hey Western Union Man
    I agree; it's a gutsy, soulful performance from Miss Ross. She's utterly captivating when she sings in her lower register.

    When I was about 11, I was a full-fledged Dianamaniac; Let the Sunshine In was one of the two Supremes albums in my family's collection and I wore the grooves out. One day, my dad and I were in the barbershop and Jerry Butler's original came on their radio. I said, "Hey, that guy stole Diana Ross & The Supremes' song!" My dad chuckled and set me straight.

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    Yes I love "Hey Western Union Man" and Diana's vocal on it. One of my fav covers by the Supremes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Yes I love "Hey Western Union Man" and Diana's vocal on it. One of my fav covers by the Supremes.
    I love this one as well, even though Diana is noticeably hoarse. But I actually like that hoarse quality on songs such as this and STORMY.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I love this one as well, even though Diana is noticeably hoarse. But I actually like that hoarse quality on songs such as this and STORMY.
    Agree 100 percent.

  18. #18
    The melody was first recorded by the Isley Brothers on 21st Dec '65 and called 'Smile'. It remained in the vaults until 12th Jan '05!


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    The song was written specifically for Jimmy Ruffin who had been floundering at Motown and was about to be dropped. Diana Ross DID try to get the track for herself and Ruffin has talked about it.

    Apparently Diana went to BG demanding the song for herself. BG said he did not want to mess with the HDH productions which were putting the group into the stratosphere. WBOTB just didn't have the HDH sound. To appease Ross BG ordered producers Dean and Weatherspoon to record it on her which they did begrudgingly. Ruffin was furious as his release was held back.

    Dean and Weatherspoon did not want Ross on the song, they wanted Ruffin. So they apparently instructed Ross to do the sleepy, non-emotional delivery she did to sabotage it. Sure enough BG rejected it, said it might make an lp cut but was not a hit for her. Ruffin got the release and got his first major hit record which became the biggest selling single for Motown in 1966. Ross began working on more HDH material, YCHL and YKMHO.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BayouMotownMan View Post
    The song was written specifically for Jimmy Ruffin who had been floundering at Motown and was about to be dropped. Diana Ross DID try to get the track for herself and Ruffin has talked about it.

    Apparently Diana went to BG demanding the song for herself. BG said he did not want to mess with the HDH productions which were putting the group into the stratosphere. WBOTB just didn't have the HDH sound. To appease Ross BG ordered producers Dean and Weatherspoon to record it on her which they did begrudgingly. Ruffin was furious as his release was held back.

    Dean and Weatherspoon did not want Ross on the song, they wanted Ruffin. So they apparently instructed Ross to do the sleepy, non-emotional delivery she did to sabotage it? Sure enough BG rejected it, said it might make an lp cut but was not a hit for her. Ruffin got the release and got his first major hit record which became the biggest selling single for Motown in 1966. Ross began working on more HDH material, YCHL and YKMHO.
    I do not mean to come across as confrontational; however, what is the source for this background story. "Diana went to BG demanding the song for herself", "appease Ross", "sabotage it". It's an interesting premise, yet it contains some loaded words and phrases.

    The DRATS version, in my opinion, is rather blah sounding and maybe there was a lot of back and forth that went on when the song was out for grabs. How would Diana had known about the song being out there for the taking since apparently [[according to the explanation), Dean and Weatherspoon did not want her on the song in the first place?

    Again, I don't mean to discount what you shared; I just was wondering what is the source. I always enjoy your insights.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by jobucats View Post
    I do not mean to come across as confrontational; however, what is the source for this background story. "Diana went to BG demanding the song for herself", "appease Ross", "sabotage it". It's an interesting premise, yet it contains some loaded words and phrases.

    The DRATS version, in my opinion, is rather blah sounding and maybe there was a lot of back and forth that went on when the song was out for grabs. How would Diana had known about the song being out there for the taking since apparently [[according to the explanation), Dean and Weatherspoon did not want her on the song in the first place?

    Again, I don't mean to discount what you shared; I just was wondering what is the source. I always enjoy your insights.
    The source is Jimmy himself, he gave an interview in the UK where he revealed this story. In fact he talked about it more than once. As I recall he ended the story by saying "Quality won out and my version was the one released."

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    Quote Originally Posted by BayouMotownMan View Post
    The source is Jimmy himself, he gave an interview in the UK where he revealed this story. In fact he talked about it more than once. As I recall he ended the story by saying "Quality won out and my version was the one released."
    Thanks, BayouMotownMan! His version was indeed the best.

  23. #23
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    I would agree with BayouMotownMan and say, yes indeed, it was Jimmy Ruffin himself who told this story.

    If memory is serving me well, it was for a Motown TV documentary from many years ago - and compiled I believe, here in the UK.

    Apologies, can't think exactly which programme it was, just at the moment. Maybe someone can identify, and even find a clip?

    Jimmy Ruffin gave an account to the effect that "Miss Ross then heard the song and immediately wanted to record it herself".

    I think Jimmy Ruffin's melancholy, world weary voice was always much better suited to the soulful melody and lyrical mood of the song, than the light, sweeter toned voice of Diana Ross.

    Again from memory, but wasn't the song originally intended for The Spinners?
    Last edited by westgrandboulevard; 04-12-2019 at 06:30 PM.

  24. #24
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    The memory is starting to work...

    I think the clip of Jimmy Ruffin was featured in 'The Motown Story', from the 1990s.

    Introduced by Paul Gambaccini, the programme featured interviews with Berry Gordy, Esther Gordy Edwards, artists, musicians, songwriters and producers, in addition to clips of many famous Motown songs.

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    Quote Originally Posted by copley View Post
    The melody was first recorded by the Isley Brothers on 21st Dec '65 and called 'Smile'. It remained in the vaults until 12th Jan '05!

    Learn something new everyday!

  26. #26
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    Diana's voice on What Becomes is toooo girlish and young to sound convincing.

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    Remind me please, what compilation was Smile on?

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    Quote Originally Posted by BayouMotownMan View Post
    Remind me please, what compilation was Smile on?
    Motown Sings Motown Treasures Hip-O-Select ‎– B0003619-02

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    But didn't Jimmy also say in the intro voice-over for The Motown Story that the song was prepared for the Spinners and that he heard it when he was recording at Motown & asked the writers if he might record it as he really needed a hit? DFTMC indicates that Jimmy's recording of the song was finished on February 28, 1966 and The Supremes on July 8, 1966.
    What Becomes of the Brokenhearted [[ Soul 35022A) was released on June 3, 1966.

  30. #30
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    Luckyluckyme...

    Yes, your recollection from 'The Motown Story' does sound correct .

    The story goes that Jimmy Ruffin persuaded the writers/producers to let him try the song.

    'What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted' was certainly in the shops before the Supremes version was finished.

    The Isley Brothers version, same band track but with different lyrics, was obviously recorded for assessment, but Jimmy Ruffin's version was then felt to be the best.

    I've not seen any evidence that The Spinners actually had a chance to record it themselves?

    For everyone involved - the songwriters, the producers and Jimmy Ruffin - 'What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted' was a career best.

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by BayouMotownMan View Post
    Remind me please, what compilation was Smile on?
    Also The Motown Anthology

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motown-Anth...s=music&sr=1-2

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    So me thinks Jimmy joined the "Diana Ross Was Always Up to Something" group and put together this anecdote that he had no idea would one day be debunked by the release of recording session data. This is why, while I have no doubt that Diana was something else back in the day, I take Diana Ross stories of that time period with a grain of salt.

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