Baby It's Me the lp - a discussion

[thommg]

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.

I don't have that Anthology. Is this mix different from the Alternate Mix on the digital only release of the album?

[Bluebrock]

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.

I gave the album another spin yesterday. It remains a beautifully constructed and performed set of songs. The only song that left me slightly underwhelmed at the time was Your Love Is So Good For Me, and i feel exactly the same way about it now. Wonderfully consistent album.

[Ollie9]

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."

Good Post. I'm sure BIM has been discussed many times over, but i'm still finding lots of info about the album i personally never knew. This is what makes this forum so worth while..
As regards BIM release dates, it would seem motown screwed up yet again. I did not realise this until your post. So many further hit singles Diana might have had with a little more planning and care. I would say this dates back to 1970.
YLISGFM did indeed receive quite a lot of attention, so it makes sense it should have been the lead single in the USA.
Anyway, who needs hit singles when the product is this good lol. It's like saying "Brown Baby" is rubbish just because it would never have been a hit.
Sadly, and imo the quality of music released by Diana 81- 87 suffered when she appeared more concerned about being trendy then releasing good music. Something no one could ever say about "Baby It's Me".

[daviddh]

And where is the BIM expanded release. Hmmm.
What a let down from universal.

[Bluebrock]

And where is the BIM expanded release. Hmmm.
What a let down from universal.

It was supposed to be finally released on physical cd this year. Ditto Sings songs from the Wiz. Ditto Ross78 . Ditto Reflections.
Whether we ever get to see /hear them is unclear, but we must not give up hope.

[daviddh]

Sorry to say Bluebrock
I have given up on universal. Here we are with the motown documentary n nothing. Sad. They have let us down.
Severaly disapointed