Originally Posted by
benross
This song seems to fit with The Marvelettes' image, not The Supremes' image. It was made for a teenager who would be forever a teenager and nothing more. It was made for a group destined to split up within a few years. Even at this point, I think Berry Gordy and Diana Ross believed that she would be around for quite some time, and they were wise in not releasing this one.
Although the latter group did record Mother Dear and You Can't Hurry Love [["mama said") among other songs tailored for a teenage narrator, most of their songs were age adaptable, so Diana or Mary could sing them will into their 60s or 70s with a straight face. But if this song had been released as a single -- and if it had been a hit -- it's difficult to imagine them singing it through, even, their 20s, let alone their later years.
The Jackson Five looked foolish singing some of their early hits just three or four years after they were released, as the lyrics were no longer even slightly age-appropriate, and, of course, Michael was no longer able to reach the notes.
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