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  1. #1
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    Baby It's Me the lp - a discussion

    ok - i think most everyone would agree this is a very high quality album from Diana. excellent production, perfect singing.

    BUT... hehehe

    do you really think it was the right sound and approach for 1977? none of the singles performed well on the charts. was that because motown squandered the opportunity or was the music, at the time, just not what the public wanted?

    with Saturday Night Fever coming right after this was released, i've always felt that the album was just not powerful enough to crack the dance market and easy listening/adult contemp just wasn't as hot.

    thoughts?

    now today, most fans really enjoy it. i actually like some of the EE remixes even better. the strings at the opening of Getting Ready For Love are marvelous and add SO much character to the record.

    I've also grown to really like the title track a lot. so fun and funky. wonder if it might have worked as a single?

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    BIM is a classy album, but to quote you sup it was the wrong sound and approach for 1977.
    "GRFL" is a fun swinging song, but to my ears sounded a little old fashioned when released as the lead single in 77. With the exception of perhaps "To Shy To Say", i don't think the album contained any real chart contenders which is by no means a reflection of it's quality. Did Diana ever make any tv appearances to promote the album?. There were certainly enough posters around.
    I think the public were hoping for another thumping, sexy sounding, trailblazing "Love Hangover". Instead they got a cute little pop song which sounded like it was recorded in 75.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    BIM is a classy album, but to quote you sup it was the wrong sound and approach for 1977.
    "GRFL" is a fun swinging song, but to my ears sounded a little old fashioned when released as the lead single in 77. With the exception of perhaps "To Shy To Say", i don't think the album contained any real chart contenders which is by no means a reflection of it's quality. Did Diana ever make any tv appearances to promote the album?. There were certainly enough posters around.
    I think the public were hoping for another thumping, sexy sounding, trailblazing "Love Hangover". Instead they got a cute little pop song which sounded like it was recorded in 75.
    "Classy" is a great word for this collection. I think "Too Shy To Say" and "Come In From The Rain" are two of the best ballads of her career. "Top of the World" is one of my favorites although I can see where it doesn't really sizzle like "The Boss" or the Chic recordings. Obviously, I found it much later than the time of its release but I think it is one of her strongest overall LPs.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    ok - i think most everyone would agree this is a very high quality album from Diana. excellent production, perfect singing.

    BUT... hehehe

    do you really think it was the right sound and approach for 1977? none of the singles performed well on the charts. was that because motown squandered the opportunity or was the music, at the time, just not what the public wanted?

    with Saturday Night Fever coming right after this was released, i've always felt that the album was just not powerful enough to crack the dance market and easy listening/adult contemp just wasn't as hot.

    thoughts?

    now today, most fans really enjoy it. i actually like some of the EE remixes even better. the strings at the opening of Getting Ready For Love are marvelous and add SO much character to the record.

    I've also grown to really like the title track a lot. so fun and funky. wonder if it might have worked as a single?
    It is one of her most consistent albums and one of my personal favorites. I love it from start to finish, but it was not an album with many obvious hit singles. I agree that the timing of the album was perhaps not ideal. Perhaps The Boss would have been a better choice with more commercial and uptempo material.
    It has always been a fan favorite, and it is has been one of my most played Ross albums over the past 40 years. Amazingly Diana herself never felt it to be one of her best efforts. Go figure.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I think the public were hoping for another thumping, sexy sounding, trailblazing "Love Hangover". Instead they got a cute little pop song which sounded like it was recorded in 75.
    great way to sum it up. this should have been released in 75. Top of the World, Getting Ready for Love and the others have a similar 70s pop/light dance sound and remind me a bit of the work the Sups were doing with Color My World Blue, It's all Been Said Before.

    yeah after the scorching sound of Hangover, this set was just too lightweight and innocuous

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    Amazingly Diana herself never felt it to be one of her best efforts. Go figure.
    wow! that's a bit surprising. even though not a huge commercial success, it's certainly an artistic one. She did keep Too Shy in her act a little longer but it seems she's never really revisited any of these tunes.

    I do love her Stolen Moments show but it might have been nice to mix it up a little more. it was so heavy with Billie songs. Too Shy would have been a beautiful addition. or maybe a jazz rendition of a song like The Same Love That Makes me Smile Makes Me Cry.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    It is one of her most consistent albums and one of my personal favorites. I love it from start to finish, but it was not an album with many obvious hit singles. I agree that the timing of the album was perhaps not ideal. Perhaps The Boss would have been a better choice with more commercial and uptempo material.
    It has always been a fan favorite, and it is has been one of my most played Ross albums over the past 40 years. Amazingly Diana herself never felt it to be one of her best efforts. Go figure.
    Suprising to hear that Diana wasn't too fond of it. She included three of its songs on her boxed set when those slots could have gone to something else. She must have really liked those three: GETTIN 'READY FOR LOVE, CONFIDE IN ME, and COME IN FROM THE RAIN.

    Myself, this became one of my favorite Diana albums from the day I purchased it. I played it every day and never skipped a track. Today I'm probably more likely to skip TOO SHY TO SAY if pressed for time but otherwise, I still love the album.

    To me, the material was varied enough to appeal to different audiences. You had the slightly jazzy GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE, the funky BABY IT'S ME, and the disco of YOUR LOVE IS SO GOOD FOR ME. Throughout, Diana's vocals were great. I can't really say anything bad about the album.

    Considering the album reached #18 on the chart, it is sad that the singles didn't do as well. But I read that there was some confusion over what single to release first. After GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE, I never heard any of the other songs on the radio. But I do recall a tv show with Raquel Welch as the guest. Every song she sang was from BABY IT'S ME.

    I also wonder if Motown might not have pushed the album as much because aside from TOO SHY TO SAY and maybe one other song, there were no Jobete copyrights on it.
    Last edited by reese; 08-21-2019 at 02:26 PM.

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    Too Shy to Say is such a graet song and Diana sings it beautifully.

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    I love this album — I feel like the Withers cover alone makes the album a stunner! Add in the gorgeous ballad performances and I feel like this is an underrated gem in her discography.

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    ^great point! the cover art was also stunning

    i think this album would have been perfect for 1975. or maybe even the early 80s. i think post the super-heavy disco years, it would have found more of a market

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    One of my favorites. I've been playing it often the past couple of months. [[Funny you would bring it up!) A classy pop album. Should have been released earlier. Like following ANMHE, following Love Hangover is difficult to imagine. Your Love Is So Good For Me was inadequate. [[I like it but it's my least favorite on the album). I love The Same Love That Made Me Laugh, Getting Ready For Love, Come In From The Rain, Too Shy To Say and Top of the World, in that order. I replace YLISGFM with Lovin, Livin', Givin' from Ross 78 on my playlist of BIM. Over the past couple of months, I've been thinking All Night Lover might have been a surprise retro-Supremes hit for Diana. I'm no Pop music market expert but I wonder if the public might not have welcomed a reminder of her Supremes hits in 1976-77. "Every time you hold me..." echoes "Now that I surrender..." on Where Did Our Love Go. For the same reason, I think Top of the World could also have been a successful single.

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    I think this may be my favorite Diana Ross album. I loved it since the day it was released. The wrong single was released first. “Top of the world” should have been the lead single followed by “You got it”. Even “All night lover”. could have been a single. I really thought “Your Love is so good” was going to be a big hit. “You got it” made it to number one on my local radio station weekly charts. I requested it so much. Lol. The album was a success! It did quite well for not having a really big hit single. It peaked at #18. Her 1st solo album with the #1 Ain’t no mountain” peaked at #19. I never hear anyone saying that album was not a success.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    After GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE, I never heard any of the other songs on the radio. But I do recall a tv show with Raquel Welch as the guest. Every song she sang was from BABY IT'S ME.
    That was The Muppet Show [[November 1978). Welch sang Baby It's Me and Confide in Me.


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    And here's Welch's Confide in Me

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    ^great point! the cover art was also stunning

    i think this album would have been perfect for 1975. or maybe even the early 80s. i think post the super-heavy disco years, it would have found more of a market
    I totally agree. It was a question of the wrong sound at the wrong time.
    Replace GRFL with something a little more current sounding and the album would have been perfect for 1981.. Perhaps in place of "To Love Again".
    The album bombed in the UK which given Diana's popularity at the time is very odd indeed.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I think the public were hoping for another thumping, sexy sounding, trailblazing "Love Hangover". Instead they got a cute little pop song which sounded like it was recorded in 75.
    Perhaps a case of "the one that got away".

    Apparently Hal David wanted Diana to record Don't Leave Me This Way as the follow-up to Hangover at the same session.

    However it overran and they hadn't time to cut DLMTW and another opportunity never eventuated.

    Which was all great news for Thelma Houston who was eventually given the track and soared to #1 with it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by vgalindo View Post
    The album was a success! It did quite well for not having a really big hit single. It peaked at #18. Her 1st solo album with the #1 Ain’t no mountain” peaked at #19. I never hear anyone saying that album was not a success.
    If the Greasy Lake figures are to be believed the first Diana Ross album sold 500k+ as opposed to 275k for Baby It's Me.

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    This is my favorite of all of Diana Ross' albums. In addition to the songs, I found the overall sound production [[being produced by Richard Perry) captured the elegance and classy sound of Diana's voice. It sounds so good from almost any speakers and is an experience to listen to through headphones. When listening to this, I always picture Diana in a small, intimate jazz club with dim lighting. I always considered this to be the album that places Diana on a level playing field with the top notch productions of Barbra Streisand. It is geared more to an older listening audience. If I skip over a song [[which is rare), it is usually "Too Shy to Say." I love the song, but it does interrupt the flow of the rest of the album for me.

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    Excellent album. I think the botched singles issue by Motown was the big problem. I'm starting to see Motown in the 70s as nearly completely inept. It's a testament to the strength of talent and a loyal fan base that the label managed to score any hits at all that decade, particularly after the move to LA.

    Ollie makes mention that the stuff was a bit outdated, but I disagree. I think at least half of the Baby It's Me album was a bit before it's time. I think the songs have a more early 80s [[80/81) feel to them as opposed to anything in the 70s.

    I think "Top Of the World" was the obvious choice as a first single. I would've followed it up with "Same Love". It was funky and danceable and in line with the current sounds. As good a song as "Gettin Ready" is, I think in order for it to work as a single it needed a serious remix. My favorite song on the album is probably "You Got It", which I keep in constant rotation on my ipod, but even that I wouldn't bank on as a big hit song. As a third single I probably would go with Lucky's suggestion of "All Night Lover" for the very same reasons he stated. While it doesn't jump out at me as an obvious hit, I think it had the potential to surprise people because it does sound like throwback Supremes. And as Diana was fond of saying at this point, the oldies but goodies thing was all the rage.

    The only song on the album that I dislike is "Your Love Is So Good For Me". I would've replaced it with my second fav from the sessions "Baby I Love Your Way". I used to not like the title cut either, but I've been listening to it more recently and I'm finding I'm liking it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    If the Greasy Lake figures are to be believed the first Diana Ross album sold 500k+ as opposed to 275k for Baby It's Me.
    Thank you for the information. I just remember at the time of release, all the record stores had this album on full display.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    ...As good a song as "Gettin Ready" is, I think in order for it to work as a single it needed a serious remix...As a third single I probably would go with Lucky's suggestion of "All Night Lover" for the very same reasons he stated. While it doesn't jump out at me as an obvious hit, I think it had the potential to surprise people because it does sound like throwback Supremes. And as Diana was fond of saying at this point, the oldies but goodies thing was all the rage.
    GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE has always been a fave of mine. But there is a remixed version that was released on Diana's 1983 ANTHOLOGY that is much better. It brings out the bass, adds some claps, and there is a longer fade.

    ALL NIGHT LOVE always reminded me of I HEAR A SYMPHONY.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Excellent album. I think the botched singles issue by Motown was the big problem. I'm starting to see Motown in the 70s as nearly completely inept. It's a testament to the strength of talent and a loyal fan base that the label managed to score any hits at all that decade, particularly after the move to LA.

    Ollie makes mention that the stuff was a bit outdated, but I disagree. I think at least half of the Baby It's Me album was a bit before it's time. I think the songs have a more early 80s [[80/81) feel to them as opposed to anything in the 70s.

    I think "Top Of the World" was the obvious choice as a first single. I would've followed it up with "Same Love". It was funky and danceable and in line with the current sounds. As good a song as "Gettin Ready" is, I think in order for it to work as a single it needed a serious remix. My favorite song on the album is probably "You Got It", which I keep in constant rotation on my ipod, but even that I wouldn't bank on as a big hit song. As a third single I probably would go with Lucky's suggestion of "All Night Lover" for the very same reasons he stated. While it doesn't jump out at me as an obvious hit, I think it had the potential to surprise people because it does sound like throwback Supremes. And as Diana was fond of saying at this point, the oldies but goodies thing was all the rage.

    The only song on the album that I dislike is "Your Love Is So Good For Me". I would've replaced it with my second fav from the sessions "Baby I Love Your Way". I used to not like the title cut either, but I've been listening to it more recently and I'm finding I'm liking it.
    The only song that i felt was a little old fashioned for the time is GRFL.
    As i posted, the album would have been perfect for an 81 release. I do agree that "Baby I Love Your Way" would have been a better choice then the rather bland YLISGFM. I remember seeing Diana in concert when YLISGFM had just been released as a single but it was not included in the act.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE has always been a fave of mine. But there is a remixed version that was released on Diana's 1983 ANTHOLOGY that is much better. It brings out the bass, adds some claps, and there is a longer fade.

    ALL NIGHT LOVE always reminded me of I HEAR A SYMPHONY.
    I agree reese, the remix makes for a stronger sounding song altogether. It was also included on a 79 UK compilation album.

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    ^good to know. i didn't realize the 83 Anthology version was different. will need to check it out

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I totally agree. It was a question of the wrong sound at the wrong time.
    Replace GRFL with something a little more current sounding and the album would have been perfect for 1981.. Perhaps in place of "To Love Again".
    The album bombed in the UK which given Diana's popularity at the time is very odd indeed.
    It actually sold far more copies than you have been led to believe. True enough it failed to crack the top 50 album chart, but it bubbled under for several months and sold more copies than some of the charted albums.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    It actually sold far more copies than you have been led to believe. True enough it failed to crack the top 50 album chart, but it bubbled under for several months and sold more copies than some of the charted albums.
    Considering Diana was the Whitney Houston of the 70's, i still find it amazing that the album did not chart in the UK at all. It also sold relatively poorly in many other countries. I do remember the advertising posters [[which were everywhere) did not mention Diana's name. With lack of any tv promo was this a huge mistake?.
    It's all rather baffling and sad as overall this was a solid album. The cover alone should have pushed it up the charts lol...........Very sophisticated.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    Considering Diana was the Whitney Houston of the 70's, i still find it amazing that the album did not chart in the UK at all. It also sold relatively poorly in many other countries. I do remember the advertising posters [[which were everywhere) did not mention Diana's name. With lack of any tv promo was this a huge mistake?.
    It's all rather baffling and sad as overall this was a solid album. The cover alone should have pushed it up the charts lol...........Very sophisticated.
    Agreed on the cover. Skrebneski + Diana + MAGIC!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    The album bombed in the UK which given Diana's popularity at the time is very odd indeed.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    It actually sold far more copies than you have been led to believe. True enough it failed to crack the top 50 album chart, but it bubbled under for several months and sold more copies than some of the charted albums.
    Diana was of course primarily a singles artist in the UK aside from any greatest hits albums which flew off the shelves and while she had several big selling albums many didn't do so well.

    Given the success of Upside Down, My Old Piano and I'm Coming Out, the diana album for example did surprisingly "badly" only reaching #12.

    However Baby It's Me sold better than many of those which did chart.

    As Bluebrock has indicated Baby It's Me had a really strange sales pattern.

    The UK Chart only extended to a top 50 at the time but from October through to December 1977 Baby It's Me was just under this each week without managing to garner enough sales to break into it.

    The BMRB compiled a monthly album chart exclusively for the record companies [[either top 100 or top 200 can't remember) but Diana was in the top 100 for those three months!

    Being even near the bottom of the top 100 for December THE big selling month could mean sales of 40/50k!

    The figure I have heard for cross counter sales was around 85k - chicken feed for our US friends of course - but a fair enough figure and well above the 60k mark required for the Silver Disc.

    Interestingly Gallup was pushing to take over the chart franchise even at this date and from March - December 1978 piloted a weekly sales Top 100.

    The first of these was for 18 March and Top Of The World which had been on release since February and presumably selling was at #62 subsequently falling and later Your Love Is So Good For Me made #72.

    Neither showed up in the BMRB Top 50.

    As usual I'm seem to be at odds with the majority - not overkeen on BIM possibly because it was following the excellent 1976 Diana Ross album and seemed a bit lightweight.

    There was the disagreement over the lead single with Berry insisting on Gettin' Ready For Love. Had another track been a bigger hit then the album could have done better but who's to know.

    How would You Got It, Your Love Is So Good For Me or Top Of The World have fared as the first single? - all nice but not really earth shattering.

    It would have been interesting to see how the US Public would have reacted to All Night Lover my personal favourite track and surely worth taking a punt on.

    Certainly Diana was vocally on form on BIM but the songs weren't strong enough imo.

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    It's also been noted in books as well as here that Motown rather bungled the single releases from this lp with, I think, overlapping releases or something of that sort. I'd have to look that up to be sure ...

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    Quote Originally Posted by PeaceNHarmony View Post
    It's also been noted in books as well as here that Motown rather bungled the single releases from this lp with, I think, overlapping releases or something of that sort. I'd have to look that up to be sure ...
    I think this might have been the album that Motown released with ads saying something like "There are so many hits here it is hard to just pick one." I have to look at J. Randy's book to be sure. But I think radio hopped on YOUR LOVE IS SO GOOD FOR ME, but Berry wanted GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE. By the time they released YLISGFM, momentum had passed.

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    I also adore this album as well as VS's stunning photographs. I'll have to check the mix on the 1983 "Anthology".

    Also - Happy Friday! I ain't gonna let no sour milk dampen this thread! Let's keep it going!

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    another good point brought up here that she did little to promote the album. were there any tv performances of the material? During this time she was doing her "evening with..." show and that frankly seemed to be more of a tribute to her as an artist that a promotional vehicle for her latest work. Unlike the HBO special of her Caesar show in 80 promoting The Boss. Many of that albums tracks were in the show, the album image was used too.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    another good point brought up here that she did little to promote the album. were there any tv performances of the material? During this time she was doing her "evening with..." show and that frankly seemed to be more of a tribute to her as an artist that a promotional vehicle for her latest work. Unlike the HBO special of her Caesar show in 80 promoting The Boss. Many of that albums tracks were in the show, the album image was used too.
    By the time BABY IT'S ME came out, Diana was preparing for THE WIZ. I don't think she sang any of its material on tv, aside from a very brief snippet of GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE shown during the Barbara Walters Special in 1978 and TOO SHY TO SAY during the HBO special.

    But this wasn't unusual. Diana didn't promote most of her solo material with tv spots.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    Diana was of course primarily a singles artist in the UK aside from any greatest hits albums which flew off the shelves and while she had several big selling albums many didn't do so well.

    Given the success of Upside Down, My Old Piano and I'm Coming Out, the diana album for example did surprisingly "badly" only reaching #12.

    However Baby It's Me sold better than many of those which did chart.

    As Bluebrock has indicated Baby It's Me had a really strange sales pattern.

    The UK Chart only extended to a top 50 at the time but from October through to December 1977 Baby It's Me was just under this each week without managing to garner enough sales to break into it.

    The BMRB compiled a monthly album chart exclusively for the record companies [[either top 100 or top 200 can't remember) but Diana was in the top 100 for those three months!

    Being even near the bottom of the top 100 for December THE big selling month could mean sales of 40/50k!

    The figure I have heard for cross counter sales was around 85k - chicken feed for our US friends of course - but a fair enough figure and well above the 60k mark required for the Silver Disc.

    Interestingly Gallup was pushing to take over the chart franchise even at this date and from March - December 1978 piloted a weekly sales Top 100.

    The first of these was for 18 March and Top Of The World which had been on release since February and presumably selling was at #62 subsequently falling and later Your Love Is So Good For Me made #72.

    Neither showed up in the BMRB Top 50.

    As usual I'm seem to be at odds with the majority - not overkeen on BIM possibly because it was following the excellent 1976 Diana Ross album and seemed a bit lightweight.

    There was the disagreement over the lead single with Berry insisting on Gettin' Ready For Love. Had another track been a bigger hit then the album could have done better but who's to know.

    How would You Got It, Your Love Is So Good For Me or Top Of The World have fared as the first single? - all nice but not really earth shattering.

    It would have been interesting to see how the US Public would have reacted to All Night Lover my personal favourite track and surely worth taking a punt on.

    Certainly Diana was vocally on form on BIM but the songs weren't strong enough imo.
    Thanks for the information Florence, all very interesting.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I think this might have been the album that Motown released with ads saying something like "There are so many hits here it is hard to just pick one." I have to look at J. Randy's book to be sure. But I think radio hopped on YOUR LOVE IS SO GOOD FOR ME, but Berry wanted GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE. By the time they released YLISGFM, momentum had passed.
    I do believe that's the single-release mixup I've heard about.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    Diana was of course primarily a singles artist in the UK aside from any greatest hits albums which flew off the shelves and while she had several big selling albums many didn't do so well.

    Given the success of Upside Down, My Old Piano and I'm Coming Out, the diana album for example did surprisingly "badly" only reaching #12.

    However Baby It's Me sold better than many of those which did chart.

    As Bluebrock has indicated Baby It's Me had a really strange sales pattern.

    The UK Chart only extended to a top 50 at the time but from October through to December 1977 Baby It's Me was just under this each week without managing to garner enough sales to break into it.

    The BMRB compiled a monthly album chart exclusively for the record companies [[either top 100 or top 200 can't remember) but Diana was in the top 100 for those three months!

    Being even near the bottom of the top 100 for December THE big selling month could mean sales of 40/50k!

    The figure I have heard for cross counter sales was around 85k - chicken feed for our US friends of course - but a fair enough figure and well above the 60k mark required for the Silver Disc.

    Interestingly Gallup was pushing to take over the chart franchise even at this date and from March - December 1978 piloted a weekly sales Top 100.

    The first of these was for 18 March and Top Of The World which had been on release since February and presumably selling was at #62 subsequently falling and later Your Love Is So Good For Me made #72.

    Neither showed up in the BMRB Top 50.

    As usual I'm seem to be at odds with the majority - not overkeen on BIM possibly because it was following the excellent 1976 Diana Ross album and seemed a bit lightweight.

    There was the disagreement over the lead single with Berry insisting on Gettin' Ready For Love. Had another track been a bigger hit then the album could have done better but who's to know.

    How would You Got It, Your Love Is So Good For Me or Top Of The World have fared as the first single? - all nice but not really earth shattering.

    It would have been interesting to see how the US Public would have reacted to All Night Lover my personal favourite track and surely worth taking a punt on.

    Certainly Diana was vocally on form on BIM but the songs weren't strong enough imo.
    Most interesting Florence. You certainly know your stuff. Thank you for your input.

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    I really enjoy the expanded BIM, but like others was disappointed it did not get a physical release. I think for the most part the right songs were chosen for the album, but really like "Country John" and "Baby I Love Your Way" The songs not used for BIM would have been perfect for Ross 78.
    It would appear Diana never promoted any of the songs on tv and only very briefly performed GRFL in concert. This lack of promotion surely held it back to some degree..
    I remember a review of Diana's concert at The London Palladium in 78 where the critic mentions that it was odd for a singer not to promote their latest single. The single in case being "Your Love Is So Good For Me". It would be interesting to know which of the BIM songs Diana preferred?. I'm guessing "To Shy To Say" would be one of them as she performed it on her HBO special.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE has always been a fave of mine. But there is a remixed version that was released on Diana's 1983 ANTHOLOGY that is much better. It brings out the bass, adds some claps, and there is a longer fade.

    ALL NIGHT LOVE always reminded me of I HEAR A SYMPHONY.
    Thanks for the info Reese. I now have to add tracking down a copy of the Anthology to my to do list.

    "All Night Lover" reminds me of several different Supremes songs rolled into one. Lol

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    The only song that i felt was a little old fashioned for the time is GRFL.
    As i posted, the album would have been perfect for an 81 release. I do agree that "Baby I Love Your Way" would have been a better choice then the rather bland YLISGFM. I remember seeing Diana in concert when YLISGFM had just been released as a single but it was not included in the act.
    I went back and read your original post and I see now you were only referring to "Gettin Ready". My mistake. But I definitely agree that the album would've been perfect for an 1981 release. Listen to some of the stuff Perry did on the Pointers around that time. I definitely hear elements of some of what he did with Diana on Baby It's Me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I think this might have been the album that Motown released with ads saying something like "There are so many hits here it is hard to just pick one." I have to look at J. Randy's book to be sure. But I think radio hopped on YOUR LOVE IS SO GOOD FOR ME, but Berry wanted GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE. By the time they released YLISGFM, momentum had passed.
    This from the Baby It's Me expanded booklet:

    "Baby It's Me is released on September 16, 1977, and radio stations across the country jump on the album. With no advance single release it becomes a free for all for program directors. Motown's trade ads targeted to radio boast, "This is an album so full of great songs you'll have a hard time picking a favorite!" Indeed it is- WBLS, New York's number one station, quickly adds "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh" and "You Got It"; within a few weeks they also pick up "Baby It's Me" and "All Night Lover". In the discotheques, "Top of the World" and "Your Love Is So Good For Me" are hot items while adult contemporary stations favor the ballads, "Too Shy To Say", "Confide In Me" and "Come In From The Rain".

    "The album is out for a whole month without an official single when Motown finally released "Gettin Ready For Love"...airplay is strong in Los Angeles but erratic in other markets, as it doesn't quite fit the "disco" format of most contemporary radio stations. Some executives at the company argue that had the album led with one of the dance tracks, a major hit would have been more likely and perhaps "Gettin Ready For Love" would have scored higher as a future release.

    "Meanwhile, "Your Love Is So Good For Me" is Grammy nominated as an album cut for Best Female Rhythm and Blues Performance...Motown still doesn't issue a single version of "Your Love Is So Good For Me" until late January 1978 as the Baby It's Me album is falling off the charts. The song is remixed with a completely different drum track and issues on a 12" [[available on diana Deluxe Edition) and a 7" edited version, but the momentum is lost and the record doesn't reach the top forty on the pop charts. Promotional copies of "Top Of The World" are pressed but the song never receives an official single release. It isn't until April of 1978 that Motown takes one more shot at a hit single with "You Got It" and though the song receives excellent reviews from the trade magazines and goes top ten on the Adult Contemporary chart, it also fails to find pop success."

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    This from the Baby It's Me expanded booklet:

    "Baby It's Me is released on September 16, 1977, and radio stations across the country jump on the album. With no advance single release it becomes a free for all for program directors. Motown's trade ads targeted to radio boast, "This is an album so full of great songs you'll have a hard time picking a favorite!" Indeed it is- WBLS, New York's number one station, quickly adds "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh" and "You Got It"; within a few weeks they also pick up "Baby It's Me" and "All Night Lover". In the discotheques, "Top of the World" and "Your Love Is So Good For Me" are hot items while adult contemporary stations favor the ballads, "Too Shy To Say", "Confide In Me" and "Come In From The Rain".

    "The album is out for a whole month without an official single when Motown finally released "Gettin Ready For Love"...airplay is strong in Los Angeles but erratic in other markets, as it doesn't quite fit the "disco" format of most contemporary radio stations. Some executives at the company argue that had the album led with one of the dance tracks, a major hit would have been more likely and perhaps "Gettin Ready For Love" would have scored higher as a future release.

    "Meanwhile, "Your Love Is So Good For Me" is Grammy nominated as an album cut for Best Female Rhythm and Blues Performance...Motown still doesn't issue a single version of "Your Love Is So Good For Me" until late January 1978 as the Baby It's Me album is falling off the charts. The song is remixed with a completely different drum track and issues on a 12" [[available on diana Deluxe Edition) and a 7" edited version, but the momentum is lost and the record doesn't reach the top forty on the pop charts. Promotional copies of "Top Of The World" are pressed but the song never receives an official single release. It isn't until April of 1978 that Motown takes one more shot at a hit single with "You Got It" and though the song receives excellent reviews from the trade magazines and goes top ten on the Adult Contemporary chart, it also fails to find pop success."
    This reads like a record company that has no idea what they're doing. If the name Motown is removed, along with other identifying factors like Ross and the title of the album, nobody would guess that this is the same label that was ruling the 60s. No one would figure this is the same label that had multiple songs in the top 10 or all of the top 5 [[I can't remember what the actual trivia is) at some point in the 60s.

    How is an album by DIANA ROSS- one of the biggest superstars in the entire world- on the streets for a whole month without a single release? I'm not sure which was the dumber move: no single release from Baby It's Me for a whole month or releasing only two singles from The Boss like six months apart. Any idiot can examine the 70s Supremes and see that Motown screwed up the opportunity to keep such a big name circulating toward the top of the charts for an additional decade. There were a lot of mistakes made by Motown when it comes to the 70s Supremes. But the more I learn the more I start to realize that where some fans attempt to make what happened with the 70s Supremes mostly personal toward the group, and Mary in particular, the truth is that Motown was slowly inching it's way to being a nearly incompetent record label. The reason why Diana was often able to transcend this incompetence by eventually scoring a massive hit song or album is because of her position as queen of the label. If any other female singer were higher on the totem pole than she, Diana wouldn't have scored half as much because the few people at the company who knew what they were doing wouldn't have been in her corner, but would instead have been doing the bidding of someone else.

    Motown was a hot mess at this point.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I really enjoy the expanded BIM, but like others was disappointed it did not get a physical release. I think for the most part the right songs were chosen for the album, but really like "Country John" and "Baby I Love Your Way" The songs not used for BIM would have been perfect for Ross 78.
    It would appear Diana never promoted any of the songs on tv and only very briefly performed GRFL in concert. This lack of promotion surely held it back to some degree..
    I remember a review of Diana's concert at The London Palladium in 78 where the critic mentions that it was odd for a singer not to promote their latest single. The single in case being "Your Love Is So Good For Me". It would be interesting to know which of the BIM songs Diana preferred?. I'm guessing "To Shy To Say" would be one of them as she performed it on her HBO special.
    I enjoyed the expanded version also, but was disappointed in the canned tracks, other than "Baby I Love Your Way", which I was excited to get an alternate of. I wonder why the Diana/Billy Preston duet didn't make the expanded edition? I figure it will be on Ross 78.

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    If I had to have just one album by Diana Ross, this would be the one. Great album in my opinion.

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    Good choice, Marv. I would choose this album for any of my friends who aren't into Diana Ross or Motown at all but want to at least get an idea of why I love her so much.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Excellent album. I think the botched singles issue by Motown was the big problem. I'm starting to see Motown in the 70s as nearly completely inept. It's a testament to the strength of talent and a loyal fan base that the label managed to score any hits at all that decade, particularly after the move to LA.

    Ollie makes mention that the stuff was a bit outdated, but I disagree. I think at least half of the Baby It's Me album was a bit before it's time. I think the songs have a more early 80s [[80/81) feel to them as opposed to anything in the 70s.

    I think "Top Of the World" was the obvious choice as a first single. I would've followed it up with "Same Love". It was funky and danceable and in line with the current sounds. As good a song as "Gettin Ready" is, I think in order for it to work as a single it needed a serious remix. My favorite song on the album is probably "You Got It", which I keep in constant rotation on my ipod, but even that I wouldn't bank on as a big hit song. As a third single I probably would go with Lucky's suggestion of "All Night Lover" for the very same reasons he stated. While it doesn't jump out at me as an obvious hit, I think it had the potential to surprise people because it does sound like throwback Supremes. And as Diana was fond of saying at this point, the oldies but goodies thing was all the rage.

    The only song on the album that I dislike is "Your Love Is So Good For Me". I would've replaced it with my second fav from the sessions "Baby I Love Your Way". I used to not like the title cut either, but I've been listening to it more recently and I'm finding I'm liking it.
    Being more of a 70's Sups and Wilson fan I only bought a few of Ross' records. When I picked up BIM album at my friends record store in Detroit [[Shays House of Music), the cover didn't appeal to me - seemed kinda dark. The photo needed to be brought out front more - personal opinion. So in order to be fair, while cleaning up my office at work I will listen to it. However, I have heard Too Shy that is real nice and GRFL sounded good on the radio. Here goes.....

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I really enjoy the expanded BIM, but like others was disappointed it did not get a physical release. I think for the most part the right songs were chosen for the album, but really like "Country John" and "Baby I Love Your Way" The songs not used for BIM would have been perfect for Ross 78.
    It would appear Diana never promoted any of the songs on tv and only very briefly performed GRFL in concert. This lack of promotion surely held it back to some degree..
    I remember a review of Diana's concert at The London Palladium in 78 where the critic mentions that it was odd for a singer not to promote their latest single. The single in case being "Your Love Is So Good For Me". It would be interesting to know which of the BIM songs Diana preferred?. I'm guessing "To Shy To Say" would be one of them as she performed it on her HBO special.
    Her favorite song from the album was Confide in me.

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    This was my second ROSS album as my first was DR76. Still a favorite. But this lp came about a year plus after. It was to long of an absence in pop music and basically linda rondstat n donna summers were now red hot. Diana has to reclaim her spot .
    Usually motown would have had a follow up but nothing.they dropped the ball. As usual with motown ..we get everything at once or nothing at all.
    Finally the album arrives n no promotion.
    Nothing. I see Diana on the tonight show and she sings Lady is. A Tramp.omg!!!!!!!
    Motown screws up the pr. But not the first time.
    A great album that should have been marketed properly ....could have done something. I think Diana n motown dropped the ball on this gem.
    I loved GRFL. Only Your love has not held up well but I do recall raquel Welch performing many of the songs on tv.
    Still a fav.clasdic RoSS

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    If I had to have just one album by Diana Ross, this would be the one. Great album in my opinion.
    Hi Marv:
    I listened to the album for the first time today. Not too exciting. BUT... 4 songs caught my attention; GRFL, TOO Shy, Confide, Your Love is So Good and Come in From the Rain. Outstanding vocals on Too Shy. I like the energy on GRFL.

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    Quote Originally Posted by detmotownguy View Post
    Hi Marv:
    I listened to the album for the first time today. Not too exciting. BUT... 4 songs caught my attention; GRFL, TOO Shy, Confide, Your Love is So Good and Come in From the Rain. Outstanding vocals on Too Shy. I like the energy on GRFL.
    I have not listened to the entire album in any format since the late 70s. I've heard a song or two from it since.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    This reads like a record company that has no idea what they're doing. If the name Motown is removed, along with other identifying factors like Ross and the title of the album, nobody would guess that this is the same label that was ruling the 60s.

    How is an album by DIANA ROSS- one of the biggest superstars in the entire world- on the streets for a whole month without a single release? There were a lot of mistakes made by Motown when it comes to the 70s Supremes. But the more I learn the more I start to realize that where some fans attempt to make what happened with the 70s Supremes mostly personal toward the group, and Mary in particular, the truth is that Motown was slowly inching it's way to being a nearly incompetent record label.

    Motown was a hot mess at this point.
    I totally agree with these statements. And who was managing Diana's career at this point? It reeks of incompetence. What happened to the 70's Supremes was happening to many Motown acts. The ship had no captain! When Gordy started concentrating on movies the record division really suffered.

    Baby It's Me is one of the classiest discs released by Ms. Ross, from song selection to cover. I don't think there is a mediocre cut on the entire album. One of my favorites from this collection is Same Love That Made Me Laugh.

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