Ross , the best RCA tracks

[daviddh]

was thinking about Diana's RCA years, while there are songs i like and some i dont. here is my list of top Ross RCA tracks

that's how you start over
you do it
pieces of ice
swept away
missing you
chain reaction
im watching you
crimes of passion
summertime
hard for me to say
muscles
stranger in paradise
love lies
who
mirror
touch by touch
cross my heart
love will make it right
more and more

now your turn, name what you think are her best

[sophisticated_soul]

Chronologically:

Think I'm In Love
To Can Make It
Sweet Nothing's
Still In Love
Love Lies
That's How You Start Over
Let's Go Up
Up Front
Touch By Touch
Fight For It
Experience
Chain Reaction
I'm Watching You
Summertime
Cross My Heart
There Goes My Baby
It's Hard For Me To Say
Tell Me Again

[lucky2012]

If I limit myself to my top 10 favorite RCA tracks, they would be:

1. Missing You
2. Summertime
3. It's Hard For Me to Say
4. Chain Reaction
5. Mirror, Mirror
6. Swept Away
7. Touch by Touch
8. Let's Go Up
9. You Do It
10. Selfish One

Honorable Mentions: Telephone, Cross My Heart, Experience, That's How You Start Over

[Albator]

Let’s go up
Missing you
That’s how you start over
Pieces of ice
Swept away
Love will make it right
You do it
Telephone
Love or loneliness
Up front
Mirror mirror
Muscles
There goes my baby
Love lies

[JohnnyB]

If I limit myself to my top 10 favorite RCA tracks, they would be:

1. Missing You
2. Summertime
3. It's Hard For Me to Say
4. Chain Reaction
5. Mirror, Mirror
6. Swept Away
7. Touch by Touch
8. Let's Go Up
9. You Do It
10. Selfish One

Honorable Mentions: Telephone, Cross My Heart, Experience, That's How You Start Over

My RCA Top 20:

Mirror, Mirror
Muscles
Love Lies
Pieces Of Ice
Love Will Make It Right
You Do It
Let’s Go Up
Touch By Touch
Swept Away
Telephone
Fight For It
Missing You
All Of You
Chain Reaction
More And More
Experience
Selfish One
Cross My Heart
It’s Hard For Me To Say
Summertime

[Bluebrock]

was thinking about Diana's RCA years, while there are songs i like and some i dont. here is my list of top Ross RCA tracks

that's how you start over
you do it
pieces of ice
swept away
missing you
chain reaction
im watching you
crimes of passion
summertime
hard for me to say
muscles
stranger in paradise
love lies
who
mirror
touch by touch
cross my heart
love will make it right
more and more

now your turn, name what you think are her best

That is an excellent list David. Pretty much what i would pick with the exception of Pieces of ice which i would substitute for All of you or Love or loneliness.

[Ollie9]

I noticed that most of the lists contain a lot of the Gary Katz produced songs from ross.
With the exception of "Telephone" and "Missing You" i think they were the best recordings she ever made for RCA.
By adding another three songs from Katz and ditching "Upfront" and the god-awful "Girls" the album could have ended up being a real Ross classic.

[Bluebrock]

I noticed that most of the lists contain a lot of the Gary Katz produced songs from ross.
With the exception of "Telephone" and "Missing You" i think they were the best recordings she ever made for RCA.
By adding another three songs from Katz and ditching "Upfront" and the god-awful "Girls" the album could have ended up being a real Ross classic.

Totally agree. That pair of shockers spoil an otherwise consistent and understated album. If only they had ditched those two in favour of a couple of the canned tracks that were infinitely superior.

[sup_fan]

Haha I sort of like Girls. Not a classic but a fun song.

[JohnnyB]

Totally agree. That pair of shockers spoil an otherwise consistent and understated album. If only they had ditched those two in favour of a couple of the canned tracks that were infinitely superior.

I know my question is a little off-topic, but were the additional Ross tracks also Gary Katz productions or were they produced by someone else?

[Ollie9]

Haha I sort of like Girls. Not a classic but a fun song.

I will pretend i never read that lol. Seriously sup, how can you like it. Apart from not fitting in with the feel and style of the other songs on the album, the song is banal,corny,uninspired and dull......I would even go as far to say that it was a recording low point for Diana.

[lucky2012]

^ Diana's recording low points [[for me) include all her self-penned tracks:
Girls, I Am Me, Shockwaves, with the exception [[maybe) of Work That Body.

[sup_fan]

I will pretend i never read that lol. Seriously sup, how can you like it. Apart from not fitting in with the feel and style of the other songs on the album, the song is banal,corny,uninspired and dull......I would even go as far to say that it was a recording low point for Diana.

lolol i don't know - i think it's kinda fun. clearly it's a throwaway track on the album and yes, it could have used a bit more work to make it more solid.

but this was the 80s! imagine a video for this!

[sup_fan]

here's my list

Mirror mirror
muscles
why do fools
sweet nothings
turn me over - just found it an entertaining way to end the side!!
it's never too late
shine
selfish one
there goes my baby
summertime
who
anywhere you run to
missing you
touch by touch
its your move
all of you
chain reaction
crime of passion

[daviddh]

I noticed that most of the lists contain a lot of the Gary Katz produced songs from ross.
With the exception of "Telephone" and "Missing You" i think they were the best recordings she ever made for RCA.
By adding another three songs from Katz and ditching "Upfront" and the god-awful "Girls" the album could have ended up being a real Ross classic.

agreed to bad we cant get the out takes from these sessions,i think there are 4 left in the vault

[daviddh]

I know my question is a little off-topic, but were the additional Ross tracks also Gary Katz productions or were they produced by someone else?

good question and since they have not been released I am not sure if anyone knows for sure. I think one was called Maybe, I think a cover of a old girls group song, the other two titles escape me, but I think Stay with me tonight,Full Moon. damn I am getting old.i ued to remember this stuff. this expanded collection is one I like to see happen

[JohnnyB]

good question and since they have not been released I am not sure if anyone knows for sure. I think one was called Maybe, I think a cover of a old girls group song, the other two titles escape me, but I think Stay with me tonight,Full Moon. damn I am getting old.i ued to remember this stuff. this expanded collection is one I like to see happen

You remember it well! The tracks were Full Moon, Maybe and Sleep With Me Tonight. People have stated SWMT is the same song Patti LaBelle released in 1986 and Maybe may be [[pun intended) a remake, especially considering Diana chose multiple cover songs from the 50’s and 60’s during the RCA years...

[reese]

My top 10 faves from the RCA years [[as of today):

MIRROR, MIRROR
FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE
MISSING YOU
TELEPHONE
SWEPT AWAY
CHAIN REACTION
EXPERIENCE
DIRTY LOOKS
ITS HARD FOR ME TO SAY
SHOCKWAVES

[daviddh]

i think Maybe was a cover of the Chordettes song

[daviddh]

^ Diana's recording low points [[for me) include all her self-penned tracks:
Girls, I Am Me, Shockwaves, with the exception [[maybe) of Work That Body.

I would add Up Front. what a chessey mess for a woman , then in her 40s. it ruined the entire lp for me ,lol

[thommg]

^ Diana's recording low points [[for me) include all her self-penned tracks:
Girls, I Am Me, Shockwaves, with the exception [[maybe) of Work That Body.

Does this mean that you like Turn Me Over?

[lucky2012]

Does this mean that you like Turn Me Over?

Lol. So low that it was below my radar.
Besides, I don't think it was self-penned [[?)

[Bluebrock]

I know my question is a little off-topic, but were the additional Ross tracks also Gary Katz productions or were they produced by someone else?

I am not sure without checking. I think there were 4 tracks in total. The album was originally going to be a 10 track album, but was cut back to 8.

[Bluebrock]

I would add Up Front. what a chessey mess for a woman , then in her 40s. it ruined the entire lp for me ,lol

Totally agree again. Awful song.

[Bluebrock]

You remember it well! The tracks were Full Moon, Maybe and Sleep With Me Tonight. People have stated SWMT is the same song Patti LaBelle released in 1986 and Maybe may be [[pun intended) a remake, especially considering Diana chose multiple cover songs from the 50’s and 60’s during the RCA years...

I thought there was a 4th one Johnny, but maybe i am remembering incorrectly.

[Bluebrock]

^ Diana's recording low points [[for me) include all her self-penned tracks:
Girls, I Am Me, Shockwaves, with the exception [[maybe) of Work That Body.

I would include Work That Body in that list of shockers. Fool for your lovin' also belongs there.

[Albator]

It seems you all agree about "Up Front" being a noisy dull track.
Back in 83, it was my favorite on the LP. It's not anymore, but I still like it a lot except the "brrrrrrrr near to the end. I feel the same about the "drrrrrrrrr shockwaves".
Overall it's a strong energetic performance


"Up front" is typical of Diana philosophy concerning relationship with men in the the 80's.


"Girl" is awful but it's not that awful, she has done worse.

[Jaap]

I know my question is a little off-topic, but were the additional Ross tracks also Gary Katz productions or were they produced by someone else?

The first five -- side A and first track of side B -- were produced by Gary Katz. "Love or Loneliness" and "Up Front" were produced by Ray Parker Jr, and "Girls" was produced by Ross herself. The album's lyrics sheet [[the first time to be included on a Ross album?) actually shows more lyrics for "Girls" than Ross actually sings. I love the album, even though it is indeed quite inconsistent and appears to be unfinished. Back in 1983, I love the Ray Parker Jr. produced songs, though they don't seem to age well... they sound very dated now.

[daviddh]

I like Ross more now and think it was better than the others...if only Up Front and Girls could be replaced. I like Girls better than Up Front.. the album is just missing that gem

[daviddh]

All Of You was a really good track

[Bluebrock]

I like Ross more now and think it was better than the others...if only Up Front and Girls could be replaced. I like Girls better than Up Front.. the album is just missing that gem

I agree. I was somewhat underwhelmed when i first heard it, but as i listened to it more i realised what a thoroughly decent album it was. A definite improvement upon her previous pair of offerings. If they had binned Girls and Upfront in favour of a couple of the canned tracks we would have been looking at one of her best ever albums.

[Albator]

This album is still my favorite. I bought it just a few month after Silk and I was relieved that she was as good as her LP covers were LOL


I like the way she sings here, very reserved, restrained, except "Love or loneliness" where she does it with her "Supremes" voice

[daviddh]

I agree. I was somewhat underwhelmed when i first heard it, but as i listened to it more i realised what a thoroughly decent album it was. A definite improvement upon her previous pair of offerings. If they had binned Girls and Upfront in favour of a couple of the canned tracks we would have been looking at one of her best ever albums.

Maybe one day we will get an expanded edition

[alanconnor_1]

I know my question is a little off-topic, but were the additional Ross tracks also Gary Katz productions or were they produced by someone else?

I asked him in person about this and he said he only did the 5 tracks with her. I heard that Maybe was a Tom O’ Dowd production. Not sure about the other two.

My RCA favourites:

Work That Body
Two Can Make It
Who
Still In Love
Muscles
Anywhere You Run To
Pieces Of Ice
That’s How You Start Over
Love Will Make It Right
You Do It
Girls [[you’re all mad, this is a lovely little song)
Love Or Lonliness
Fight For It
Swept Away
Nobody Makes Me Crazy Like You Do
Touch By Touch
Crime Of Passion
I’m Watching You
More And More
Eaten Alive
Shockwaves
Summertime
Dirty Looks

[gman]

I only purchased Swept Away and Eaten Alive albums....I didn't like what I heard off the others enough to buy them....there are some songs on both LPS I don't like, but SA and Touch By Touch are 2 of my fav 80's Ross songs....and I like Experience...I have the RCA Hits CD and a Dutch import of RCA mixed material too....other than Blue I did not buy any DR after Eaten Alive

[Albator]

I asked him in person about this and he said he only did the 5 tracks with her. I heard that Maybe was a Tom O’ Dowd production. Not sure about the other two.

This is very unlikely. During her stay at RCA, she wanted to control her production costs and if there is so much self-produced titles, it is because the money was coming back to her. If she had bought the services of a major like Dowd, we would have the songs on the album or even the next one.

[alanconnor_1]

I only purchased Swept Away and Eaten Alive albums....I didn't like what I heard off the others enough to buy them....there are some songs on both LPS I don't like, but SA and Touch By Touch are 2 of my fav 80's Ross songs....and I like Experience...I have the RCA Hits CD and a Dutch import of RCA mixed material too....other than Blue I did not buy any DR after Eaten Alive

That RCA Hits CD was a joke. Aside from the fact they were remastered, which was nice, the person who compiled it made some real oversights and picked bizarre album cuts.