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  1. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    was reading online that the Boss single took a long time to peak on the charts. was released in may but peaked in Sept. Diana was on Tonight Show in mid summer and promoted it, helped push it further up charts.

    also i think It's My House was the wrong follow up single. it's an enjoyable one but it just sort of rambles. No One or maybe once in the morning could have been good follow ups.

    Licked is another candidate for a single
    I remember spending the summer of 1979 with my grandparents and hearing by chance that Diana was going to be on the Tonight Show that evening. The entire show was nice, although I didn't particularly care for her opening song, RIDIN' HIGH. It fit her type of show at the time but I never knew its source. But I loved her performances of THE BOSS and REACH OUT AND TOUCH.

    Re IT'S MY HOUSE, I was surprised that it was the next single. I would have gone with NO ONE GETS THE PRIZE. But as with her solo debut, I don't hear a lot of singles on this album. I think it is just that, a great album.

  2. #52
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    her live version of The Boss on Tonight show is probably one of her best live tv performances. man she sounds hot! excellent performance

    i agree - No one is probably the strongest follow up.

    but what about a ballad? sparkle could have worked maybe

  3. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    her live version of The Boss on Tonight show is probably one of her best live tv performances. man she sounds hot! excellent performance

    i agree - No one is probably the strongest follow up.

    but what about a ballad? sparkle could have worked maybe
    If I had to go with a ballad, I think ALL FOR ONE is more single-like. It might have done well on the r&b chart but I don't think it would have crossed over.

  4. #54
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    When this album is discussed, no one ever mentions “I’m in the world”. IMO she sings the hell out of this song. One of my favorites from this album. It’s a great song.

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    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    When this album is discussed, no one ever mentions “I’m in the world”. IMO she sings the hell out of this song. One of my favorites from this album. It’s a great song.
    you're right - that song rarely comes up in discussions. but it too is excellent. while i don't know if it would have held its own as a single, it's a superb closer to the lp

  6. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    was reading online that the Boss single took a long time to peak on the charts. was released in may but peaked in Sept. Diana was on Tonight Show in mid summer and promoted it, helped push it further up charts.
    Was THE BOSS released as a single a month before the album??

    This strikes me as odd as the album was released at the end of June [[ I believe) and it immediately made the disco chart, and eight weeks later was the #1 record there for two weeks. I would be very surprised to learn the club DJs ignored THE BOSS as a single for a full month of its release. The DJs were very astute as to new releases , very competitive, and very proud to be the breakers of the hottest dance tunes in their respective clubs. Word of a hot record spread like wildfire amongst them . That Diana Ross particularly would have a disco release go unnoticed by these guys, one the caliber of THE BOSS, seems hard to believe. imo.
    Last edited by Boogiedown; 01-08-2020 at 06:38 PM.

  7. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Was THE BOSS released as a single a month before the album??

    This strikes me as odd as the album was released at the end of June [[ I believe) and it immediately made the disco chart, and eight weeks later was the #1 record there for two weeks. I would be very surprised to learn the club DJs ignored THE BOSS as a single for a full month of its release. The DJs were very astute as to new releases , very competitive, and very proud to be the breakers of the hottest dance tunes in their respective clubs. Word of a hot record spread like wildfire amongst them . That Diana Ross particularly would have a disco release go unnoticed by these guys, one the caliber of THE BOSS, seems hard to believe. imo.
    Wikipedia has the single and album being released a day apart in May of 1979. Not sure if this is accurate, but it is how I remember it as well. I remember hearing the title track on the radio, and seeing the album in the stores that weekend.

  8. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    Wikipedia has the single and album being released a day apart in May of 1979. Not sure if this is accurate, but it is how I remember it as well. I remember hearing the title track on the radio, and seeing the album in the stores that weekend.
    Reese for fun I checked The Billboard charts and I see that THE BOSS entered the Billboard Hot 100 at @ #75 on July 14. That same week the LP was spending it's fifth week on the album chart , moving up three places to #36. That means the LP first charted on June 16. If released on May 23 [[wiki) her LP took 3 weeks to initially chart , and if the single was released at the same time , it took it six weeks to finally chart. Seems slow to me , but Diana's career was perhaps in a lull at this time?

    Also , looking at the disco charts, THE BOSS first gets listed on three of the sixteen regional charts on 6/30 ...in LA, Philly , and ... DETROIT!! Each is citing it as being the 12 inch.

  9. #59
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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I remember spending the summer of 1979 with my grandparents and hearing by chance that Diana was going to be on the Tonight Show that evening. The entire show was nice, although I didn't particularly care for her opening song, RIDIN' HIGH. It fit her type of show at the time but I never knew its source. But I loved her performances of THE BOSS and REACH OUT AND TOUCH.

    Re IT'S MY HOUSE, I was surprised that it was the next single. I would have gone with NO ONE GETS THE PRIZE. But as with her solo debut, I don't hear a lot of singles on this album. I think it is just that, a great album.
    I heard several potential singles on there. I ain't been licked, No one gets the prize and Once in the morning could have all hit big with the right promotion. I agree that It's my house was the wrong choice as the 2nd single. Sparkle also had potential too. So many lost opportunities.

  10. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    When this album is discussed, no one ever mentions “I’m in the world”. IMO she sings the hell out of this song. One of my favorites from this album. It’s a great song.
    Her vocals on this are quite superb. One of my personal favorites too.

  11. #61
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Reese for fun I checked The Billboard charts and I see that THE BOSS entered the Billboard Hot 100 at @ #75 on July 14. That same week the LP was spending it's fifth week on the album chart , moving up three places to #36. That means the LP first charted on June 16. If released on May 23 [[wiki) her LP took 3 weeks to initially chart , and if the single was released at the same time , it took it six weeks to finally chart. Seems slow to me , but Diana's career was perhaps in a lull at this time?

    Also , looking at the disco charts, THE BOSS first gets listed on three of the sixteen regional charts on 6/30 ...in LA, Philly , and ... DETROIT!! Each is citing it as being the 12 inch.
    Diana's recording career was in a lull at this time. She hadn't had a major hit since LOVE HANGOVER three years before. I'm not sure if there is an average time it takes for a record's release and for it to chart. I would assume it depends on just how hot a record is.

    In the case of THE BOSS, I could see it taking longer to crack the charts. As it was, it only reached #19 pop, and #12 R&B. I've also read that since it was released around the time that Diana was starting to become independent, Motown reacted by not promoting it as strongly as they should have. They even released its only singles months apart: THE BOSS in May [[I think ) and IT'S MY HOUSE, not until the following October. Five months between releases seems long. It certainly didn't happen that much during her Supremes days. But maybe the second single was delayed because they will still trying to gain momentum on the first.

  12. #62
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    It's My House is currently used in a UK TV advert:

    https://www.notube.co/media/5c7d103946ad010400ade048

  13. #63
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Reese for fun I checked The Billboard charts and I see that THE BOSS entered the Billboard Hot 100 at @ #75 on July 14. That same week the LP was spending it's fifth week on the album chart , moving up three places to #36. That means the LP first charted on June 16. If released on May 23 [[wiki) her LP took 3 weeks to initially chart , and if the single was released at the same time , it took it six weeks to finally chart. Seems slow to me , but Diana's career was perhaps in a lull at this time?

    Also , looking at the disco charts, THE BOSS first gets listed on three of the sixteen regional charts on 6/30 ...in LA, Philly , and ... DETROIT!! Each is citing it as being the 12 inch.
    where does one find the full chart details for a song - either hot 100 or top 40? very interested to see the post-peak performance of many of the Sup and DR songs. recently saw a top 10 listing for late Dec 68 and Love Child was still in the top 10.

  14. #64
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Reese for fun I checked The Billboard charts and I see that THE BOSS entered the Billboard Hot 100 at @ #75 on July 14. That same week the LP was spending it's fifth week on the album chart , moving up three places to #36. That means the LP first charted on June 16. If released on May 23 [[wiki) her LP took 3 weeks to initially chart , and if the single was released at the same time , it took it six weeks to finally chart. Seems slow to me , but Diana's career was perhaps in a lull at this time?

    Also , looking at the disco charts, THE BOSS first gets listed on three of the sixteen regional charts on 6/30 ...in LA, Philly , and ... DETROIT!! Each is citing it as being the 12 inch.
    i wonder when motown released the 12" single? the lp version is essentially the same as the single. so DJ's might have been waiting to get the longer mix

  15. #65
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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    Diana's recording career was in a lull at this time. She hadn't had a major hit since LOVE HANGOVER three years before. I'm not sure if there is an average time it takes for a record's release and for it to chart. I would assume it depends on just how hot a record is.

    In the case of THE BOSS, I could see it taking longer to crack the charts. As it was, it only reached #19 pop, and #12 R&B. I've also read that since it was released around the time that Diana was starting to become independent, Motown reacted by not promoting it as strongly as they should have. They even released its only singles months apart: THE BOSS in May [[I think ) and IT'S MY HOUSE, not until the following October. Five months between releases seems long. It certainly didn't happen that much during her Supremes days. But maybe the second single was delayed because they will still trying to gain momentum on the first.
    good point about the lull. and motown was most certainly not the hotbed of disco output. while djs were always vying to be the first with a hot track, they also might not have been looking much at Diana or motown. at least right away. Like you said, it had been 3 years. Donna was putting out so much hot music and so guys might have been simply not paying as much attention or anticipating releases from DR or Motown

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    Are you referring to radio dj’s or club dj’s? The Boss album/all tracks went to number 1 on the Disco chart.

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    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    Are you referring to radio dj’s or club dj’s? The Boss album/all tracks went to number 1 on the Disco chart.
    i was thinking the club djs. yes the full lp went #1 on the dance charts but that was several months after the release. and even then only for 2 weeks.

  18. #68
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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    Diana's recording career was in a lull at this time. She hadn't had a major hit since LOVE HANGOVER three years before. I'm not sure if there is an average time it takes for a record's release and for it to chart. I would assume it depends on just how hot a record is.
    I think that largely sums up just why the record never really took off reese.. After the dismal failure of the The Wiz and Ross 78, Diana was no longer hot. It would take the release of diana to turn things around. That is why i feel The Boss would have been huge had it been the follow up album.
    From the teenager when the album was first released to the now much older man i understand and appreciate this album so much more than perhaps i did. The lyrics on songs such as All For One" and I'm In The World" speak to us all and Diana had rarely sung with such conviction.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I think that largely sums up just why the record never really took off reese.. After the dismal failure of the The Wiz and Ross 78, Diana was no longer hot. It would take the release of diana to turn things around. That is why i feel The Boss would have been huge had it been the follow up album.
    From the teenager when the album was first released to the now much older man i understand and appreciate this album so much more than perhaps i did. The lyrics on songs such as All For One" and I'm In The World" speak to us all and Diana had rarely sung with such conviction.
    I disagree Ollie. I think if the prior failures were an issue, diana80 wouldn't have been much bigger. This seems like a case of poor publicity, especially when you take into account two singles released five months apart. That's crazy. Donna was tearing it up with her singles being spaced apart two, maybe three months. Admittedly I am not a fan of the diana80, so in the spirit of transparency I must state that it's possible I'm just biased in favor of The Boss which I find to be an A+ type album, while my opinion of diana80 is that it's not even good enough- song for song- to wipe The Boss' ass...if albums had asses of course.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I disagree Ollie. I think if the prior failures were an issue, diana80 wouldn't have been much bigger. This seems like a case of poor publicity, especially when you take into account two singles released five months apart. That's crazy. Donna was tearing it up with her singles being spaced apart two, maybe three months. Admittedly I am not a fan of the diana80, so in the spirit of transparency I must state that it's possible I'm just biased in favor of The Boss which I find to be an A+ type album, while my opinion of diana80 is that it's not even good enough- song for song- to wipe The Boss' ass...if albums had asses of course.
    I do agree with you. The Boss is far superior to Diana 80. IMO. I really feel a lack of publicity and the wrong lead single was released. The reason the Diana 80 album was such a massive hit was because of the right lead single “Upside Down”. I was in high school at the time and the kids loved “Upside Down” and bought the album.

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    Quote Originally Posted by vgalindo View Post
    I do agree with you. The Boss is far superior to Diana 80. IMO. I really feel a lack of publicity and the wrong lead single was released. The reason the Diana 80 album was such a massive hit was because of the right lead single “Upside Down”. I was in high school at the time and the kids loved “Upside Down” and bought the album.
    Additionally DIANA 80 came out just as the club scene was being told by the music establishment that their expensive scene was dead and over !! [[ nevermind that disco was nothin' but 'gay' music anyway ) , so along comes superstar Diana Ross saying, " It ain't quite over yet , and as far as disco being gay music , nonsense!!, but wink wink here's a song for ya'll anyway " [[ I'M COMING OUT) Whether Diana knew she was riding the last of the disco wave or not ,her timing was just right to be very well received by a hungry crowd and she benefited greatly.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    where does one find the full chart details for a song - either hot 100 or top 40? very interested to see the post-peak performance of many of the Sup and DR songs. recently saw a top 10 listing for late Dec 68 and Love Child was still in the top 10.
    here ya go sup_fan:

    If you have not visited this site , you are in for a real treat!! You can look up every Billboard magazine through the years and review the charts found therein if that kind of thing interests you .

    https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-06-30.pdf



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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    here ya go sup_fan:

    If you have not visited this site , you are in for a real treat!! You can look up every Billboard magazine through the years and review the charts found therein if that kind of thing interests you .

    https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-06-30.pdf


    thank you!!!! i can see i'll be expanding my Supremes spreadsheet lolol

  24. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by vgalindo View Post
    I do agree with you. The Boss is far superior to Diana 80. IMO. I really feel a lack of publicity and the wrong lead single was released. The reason the Diana 80 album was such a massive hit was because of the right lead single “Upside Down”. I was in high school at the time and the kids loved “Upside Down” and bought the album.
    i most definitely prefer Boss to diana but i've come to appreciate diana more in recent years. i never disliked it but found it more mechanical. missing the huge peaks of The Boss

    but the diana ross project blog has a very interesting review which helped open my eyes a bit more. in his review diana gets a 5/5 while Boss gets 4.5/5.

    of course the sounds of the 2 albums couldn't be more different. while both focus primarily on "dance" that's about where the similarities end. unless you want to also mention that both are wildly cohesive - which certainly helps them both stand out within the DR discography

    The Boss is a more gospel-infused disco while diana is more of a urban/streetwise disco.

    The Boss is big. huge productions, dramatic peaks, vocal gymnastics from Diana. the songs have an intriguing complexity. This is classic A&S with diana on vocals. althought it's also clear that Diana was collaborating with A&S on the message she was wanting to convey.

    diana is lean. deceptively simple products without the huge orchestrations. simple yet still powerful. like how WDOLG was an amazingly simple yet powerful/revolutionary song. there's restraint which some might say is harder to pull off successfully. this is classic Chic with diana on vocals.



    https://dianarossproject.wordpress.c...15/diana-1980/

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    I think "diana" had a bit of a bumpy start as well. If I remember correctly, Motown didn't release a single for a month. Initially they were going with I'M COMING OUT, then they switched to UPSIDE DOWN. I remember Diana appearing on a Bob Hope special and saying that she had a new album out called "diana." The set had the album plastered all over it, yet she didn't sing any of its songs.

    I hadn't heard any of the songs when I bought the album that weekend. To be honest, after the great album THE BOSS, I felt "diana" was a letdown. I was happy that Diana had such a successful album but it has never been a favorite of mine, although I have come to appreciate it more over the years.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guy View Post
    Also, "No One Gets The Prize" is not really a 'Ross' song because it does not celebrate positivity. I think that could have contributed to the moderate success of those tracks. They sound good but are not in league with 'I Will Survive' or 'Hot Stuff' in production, spirit or clarity.
    This is a strong remark , and the reason why I think "I ain't been licked" a better choice for a hit single. We'll never know.

    By the way, about "NOGTP", was she singing about her, Cher and Gene Simmons?

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    Quote Originally Posted by vgalindo View Post
    I do agree with you. The Boss is far superior to Diana 80. IMO. I really feel a lack of publicity and the wrong lead single was released. The reason the Diana 80 album was such a massive hit was because of the right lead single “Upside Down”. I was in high school at the time and the kids loved “Upside Down” and bought the album.
    Both are good albums. "diana" is more sophisticated and its themes are the quintessence of Ross. Those tracks capture her essence on an elemental level. "I'm Coming Out" is the truest 'Ross' song in her repetoire. If she is about positivity and its transformative power then it doesn't get any better than that [[or ANMHE or ROATSH). "Upside Down" is a rapturous disco update of the Supremes' sound and sentiment -- completely irresistible to the mainstream. Personally, I cannot get over the original Chic mix of "Tenderness." The beauty of the sound of her voice has never been more apparent than on "Friend to Friend."

    I feel like the songs on "The Boss" could have been successfully recorded by anyone -- Thelma Houston, Natalie Cole, Dionne Warwick, etc. No one could have breathed more life into the songs of "diana", or so successfully imbued it with their own essence, only Ross. Aretha has said that those songs were written for her but I can't even, and wouldnt want to, imagine them in her hands.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I disagree Ollie. I think if the prior failures were an issue, diana80 wouldn't have been much bigger. This seems like a case of poor publicity, especially when you take into account two singles released five months apart. That's crazy. Donna was tearing it up with her singles being spaced apart two, maybe three months. Admittedly I am not a fan of the diana80, so in the spirit of transparency I must state that it's possible I'm just biased in favor of The Boss which I find to be an A+ type album, while my opinion of diana80 is that it's not even good enough- song for song- to wipe The Boss' ass...if albums had asses of course.
    Perhaps it's just as well they don't Ran LOL.
    Like you, i prefer The Boss to diana although i think they are both great albums in their own way.
    As far as being commercial goes, i view diana as a more instantly accessible album which of course does not make it better in any way.
    I think The Boss took fans and joe public a little by surprise who were not quite sure what to make of it at first. It most certainly proved she could move with the times and to some degree changed the way she was perceived as a recording artist. In a sense it was the springboard that led to the incredible success of the diana set.
    I agree that singles being released 5 months apart did it no favours, but am not entirely convinced there was an Upside Down to be found on the album..

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    Very popular in the black and gay clubs - an underground masterpiece! Lots of it’s essence has been featured on FX’s “Pose”!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guy View Post
    Both are good albums. "diana" is more sophisticated and its themes are the quintessence of Ross. Those tracks capture her essence on an elemental level. "I'm Coming Out" is the truest 'Ross' song in her repetoire. If she is about positivity and its transformative power then it doesn't get any better than that [[or ANMHE or ROATSH). "Upside Down" is a rapturous disco update of the Supremes' sound and sentiment -- completely irresistible to the mainstream. Personally, I cannot get over the original Chic mix of "Tenderness." The beauty of the sound of her voice has never been more apparent than on "Friend to Friend."

    I feel like the songs on "The Boss" could have been successfully recorded by anyone -- Thelma Houston, Natalie Cole, Dionne Warwick, etc. No one could have breathed more life into the songs of "diana", or so successfully imbued it with their own essence, only Ross. Aretha has said that those songs were written for her but I can't even, and wouldnt want to, imagine them in her hands.
    This is an in-depth analysis to isolate the essence of Miss Ross's spirit.
    I think you're right, but over time, there's more richness and variation to be found in "The Boss". In some ways, "The Boss" is more like "Baby is me".

    Ut seems, Aretha Franklin used to tell a lot of stories

  31. #81
    Quote Originally Posted by smallworld View Post
    I'm leaning towards the first, vinyl sourced video as the correct edit. Hopefully, someone who owns the single can [[dis)confirm.
    The first vinyl sourced video is the real edit, but with skips in the audio. The good news is you can get the single edit of "No One Gets The Prize" on CD. It's available on a CD released in 1998 which was part of a series of 21 CDs called "Motown: The History". Here's a link with the full tracklist of the series: https://www.discogs.com/Various-Moto...lease/12981859

    The CD itself is titled "Late Seventies Volume Two - Cruisin' [[1978-1979)"

    Note's from that link: All discs were sold individually and exclusively through Britannia Music Club as when they were released [[between 1997 and 1998).
    If the whole 21 CD's were purchased then Britannia sent a FREE Motown designed cardboard box to house them in [[see images) and an additional FREE CD "Motown - The History - The Love Songs [[1959 - 1989)" 2CD to accompany the box set. [[This CD does not fit into that box).
    Last edited by Buttered Popcorn and so forth; 01-13-2020 at 06:48 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Albator View Post
    This is an in-depth analysis to isolate the essence of Miss Ross's spirit.
    I think you're right, but over time, there's more richness and variation to be found in "The Boss". In some ways, "The Boss" is more like "Baby is me".

    Ut seems, Aretha Franklin used to tell a lot of stories
    It's the opposite for me. I enjoy both. There may have even been a point where I liked "The Boss" more. But now I am all-in for "diana." Over the years, I have been increasingly impressed with the songs that missed me the first go-round. I now truly appreciate the unbridled exuberance of "My Old Piano" and "Have Fun [[Again)." Her creative expression is so unique and I think "diana" captures it as much as any of her recorded output.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guy View Post
    It's the opposite for me. I enjoy both. There may have even been a point where I liked "The Boss" more. But now I am all-in for "diana." Over the years, I have been increasingly impressed with the songs that missed me the first go-round. I now truly appreciate the unbridled exuberance of "My Old Piano" and "Have Fun [[Again)." Her creative expression is so unique and I think "diana" captures it as much as any of her recorded output.
    I agree that she has seldom sung with such gay abandon as on those two albums.
    For me her performances on diana are a little more stylized then on The Boss.
    The positive message songs and exuberant vocals on TB imo encapsulates what Diana is all about.

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    while driving they just played “it’s my house” on the radio. That is a great song . It’s one of her best known r&b songs. So mellow, so funky, and so cool.

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    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    while driving they just played “it’s my house” on the radio. That is a great song . It’s one of her best known r&b songs. So mellow, so funky, and so cool.
    "It's My House" remains very popular in the UK. People still remember it and love it's laid back vibe. Diana i would assume retains an affection for the song as it and The Boss are the only two songs she still performs from the album.......Unfortunately.
    It appears there are no songs in existence that were recorded for the project and left off the final release. Unless anyone knows different of course???.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    "It's My House" remains very popular in the UK. People still remember it and love it's laid back vibe. Diana i would assume retains an affection for the song as it and The Boss are the only two songs she still performs from the album.......Unfortunately.
    It appears there are no songs in existence that were recorded for the project and left off the final release. Unless anyone knows different of course???.
    I was told by an unofficial source years ago that two outtakes existed, but i have since been told by a more reliable source that only 8 songs were completed.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    I was told by an unofficial source years ago that two outtakes existed, but i have since been told by a more reliable source that only 8 songs were completed.
    Thank You for the information.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    i wonder when motown released the 12" single? the lp version is essentially the same as the single. so DJ's might have been waiting to get the longer mix
    I suspect that the 12" was released at the end of June, when the song broke on the regional disco charts as such . The chart listing originated as THE BOSS 12", but at some later point the chart listing was modified to include the entirety of the album.
    12 inchers were next to mandatory by this time if a label wanted the djs to play their record, as this was their go-to format. By this time DJs were even expecting two copies from their record pools of each song in 12" format so they could mix/extend/customize the song .
    I bought a club's entire library and remember specifically, amongst many others packaged in the same way , two of Diana's THE BOSS being stuffed into a single jacket. I also remember their being labeled with the commercial blue label labeling. I don't think THE BOSS had a US pressing that was labeled as "promo" or stickered with a white label. [[?)
    Last edited by Boogiedown; 01-18-2020 at 03:29 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I've also read that since it was released around the time that Diana was starting to become independent, Motown reacted by not promoting it as strongly as they should have. .
    Do you imagine that Berry was none too happy that Diana sought out ex-Motowners Ashford and Simpson [[ .... or did they approach her ??) to conduct the entirety of this album? And in the making process, it was recorded in NYC , not in Motown studios and not using Motown musicians/talents? Did he therefore at some level hope it would fail?

    [[To rub salt in the wound , soon thereafter A&S would do a similar project for ...............Gladys Knight and the Pips.)

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    Even if unreleased tracks don’t exist, I’d still think there are alternate takes of the released songs from the album. I’d like to hear them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guy View Post
    It's the opposite for me. I enjoy both. There may have even been a point where I liked "The Boss" more. But now I am all-in for "diana." Over the years, I have been increasingly impressed with the songs that missed me the first go-round. I now truly appreciate the unbridled exuberance of "My Old Piano" and "Have Fun [[Again)." Her creative expression is so unique and I think "diana" captures it as much as any of her recorded output.
    do you like the Chic mix?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Do you imagine that Berry was none too happy that Diana sought out ex-Motowners Ashford and Simpson [[ .... or did they approach her ??) to conduct the entirety of this album? And in the making process, it was recorded in NYC , not in Motown studios and not using Motown musicians/talents? Did he therefore at some level hope it would fail?

    [[To rub salt in the wound , soon thereafter A&S would do a similar project for ...............Gladys Knight and the Pips.)
    Not sure how Diana and A&S reunited. But they had recently gotten together for some new material for THE WIZ soundtrack so maybe it started there. Berry might very well have been put out just by the fact that Diana had started her own company and started making her own decisions. I think THE BOSS was the first album on which he had little or nothing to do with.

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    The music press and fans alike recognise The Boss as one of Diana's finest recordings ever. The sheer quality of the vocals and production sound as fresh and relevant today as the year it was recorded. In short it has stood the test of time.
    What a snub that it's 40th anniversary passed by without so much as a whisper to mark the occasion.
    Following on from the massive success of the dance remix of TB single, it would have seemed fitting for another song from the album to be given the remix treatment. "Once In The Morning would have been a perfect candidate.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    Not sure how Diana and A&S reunited. But they had recently gotten together for some new material for THE WIZ soundtrack so maybe it started there. Berry might very well have been put out just by the fact that Diana had started her own company and started making her own decisions. I think THE BOSS was the first album on which he had little or nothing to do with.
    Looking into this WIZ connection , what a curious thing . Ashford and Simpson were brought in to contribute this one song? [[why?) And then it wasn't used ??



    would never peg this as an A&S song.

    thinkin' back on that old song:
    WHERE DID I GO WRONG
    by Karen.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Looking into this WIZ connection , what a curious thing . Ashford and Simpson were brought in to contribute this one song? [[why?) And then it wasn't used ??



    would never peg this as an A&S song.

    thinkin' back on that old song:
    WHERE DID I GO WRONG
    by Karen.
    They also did CAN I GO ON?, which ended up being the first words out of Dorothy's mouth

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    They also did CAN I GO ON?, which ended up being the first words out of Dorothy's mouth
    oh ! Let's listen to that!:





    oh that's well written . I like it a lot . Sort of overlaps their other song.

    Is that A&S singing the song at the start perhaps that Dorothy is reacting to ?
    Last edited by Boogiedown; 01-19-2020 at 03:06 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    oh ! Let's listen to that!:





    oh that's well written . I like it a lot . Sort of overlaps their other song.

    Is that A&S singing the song at the start perhaps that Dorothy is reacting to ?
    Right before this, Dorothy was attending a family dinner and they all started singing THE FEELING WE ONCE HAD, led by Aunt Em [[Theresa Merritt). Feeling alone, Dorothy excuses herself and goes into the kitchen where she sings CAN I GO ON?

    A&S aren't listed amongst the soundtrack's vocalists credits so I assume they aren't on there. Interestingly enough though, their former partner Joshie Armstead is.

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    thanks Reese!

    Diana Ross looks terrible [[blah!) in this scene , I assume on purpose. If you were to ask me what part she was playing , I might guess Aunt Em! I'm guessing by the end of the movie Dorothy has reinvented herself ...


    As for Ashford and Simpson getting involved, I'd like to imagine it being just a New York kind of thing. Maybe Quincy Jones is out on the town , having dinner , and he runs into the couple, and just through small talk , they discuss the project he's doing and he mentions that there are a couple of holes in the storyline that need some musical fill in. Perhaps he invites them to drop by if they are so inclined to check it out ...and they do! The results were a couple of songs where one gets used and the other doesn't.

    Just fanciful speculation , but I don't otherwise see how/why A&S were brought in??
    Last edited by Boogiedown; 01-22-2020 at 02:53 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    thanks Reese!

    Diana Ross looks terrible [[blah!) in this scene , I assume on purpose. If you were to ask me what part she was playing , I might guess Aunt Em! I'm guessing by the end of the movie Dorothy has reinvented herself ...


    As for Ashford and Simpson getting involved, I'd like to imagine it being just a New York kind of thing. Maybe Quincy Jones is out on the town , having dinner , and he runs into the couple, and just through small talk , they discuss the project he's doing and he mentions that there are a couple of holes in the storyline that need some musical fill in. Perhaps he invites them to drop by if they are so inclined to check it out ...and they do! The results were a couple of songs where one gets used and the other doesn't.

    Just fanciful speculation , but I don't otherwise see how/why A&S were brought in??
    In the booklet that came with the soundtrack album, Quincy Jones wrote that he knew he would need some collaborators for some new material and he thought of A&S. He also wrote how Diana and Richard Pryor [[!) came over to A&S's home and really helped them through one of the writing sessions.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    Looking into this WIZ connection , what a curious thing . Ashford and Simpson were brought in to contribute this one song? [[why?) And then it wasn't used ??



    would never peg this as an A&S song.

    thinkin' back on that old song:
    WHERE DID I GO WRONG
    by Karen.

    The song was cut after the sneak previews. In Bloomington, the sold out theater for the sneak was restless and there was a steady stream of folks coming and going for food, a cig or to pee. When Is Yhis What Feeling Gets began, I swear a hundred people got up for some reason as they just couldn’t stand one more dull ballad. It remains one if the worst films I’ve ever seen, though there are a very few good moments when I go from cringing to liking. VERY few. You know A movie stinks when the theme song for the movie which has been specially written gets cut before release. I’m happy it has found an audience and am jealous of those who actually like it, but I can’t watch it all the way through in one sitting.

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