[REMOVE ADS]




Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 50 of 64
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    6,831
    Rep Power
    392

    In the 80's, These Guys LOVED Their Divas! But Where's Diana?

    In the mid-80's, 1986 and 1987 specifically, the air waves were filled with duets between male acts [[oddly enough, all white) and "divas" [[oddly enough, all non-white).

    1985:

    Bryan Adams and Tina Turner

    1986:

    Michael McDonald and Patti LaBelle
    Steve Winwood and Chaka
    Eddie Money and Ronnie Spector

    1987:

    George Michael and Aretha
    Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield [[okay, Dusty was white, but has there been another like her with as much soul?)

    Honorable Mention:

    1985:

    Elton John [[and Stevie) with Gladys and Dionne.

    I wonder why Diana never jumped on the bandwagon?

    Who would a good counterpart have been? And please, Larry Hagman does not count.
    Last edited by marybrewster; 02-25-2020 at 02:44 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Posts
    827
    Rep Power
    110
    I don't understand, since she did something big with Julio Iglesias in 1984 called All Of You.
    Last edited by Albator; 02-25-2020 at 03:04 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    892
    Rep Power
    146
    Maybe the fact that she already recorded the most successful duet of all time with Endless Love, then recorded a duet with the biggest international artist in the world - Julio Iglesias, she felt like that was enough.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    6,831
    Rep Power
    392
    Quote Originally Posted by Albator View Post
    I don't understand, since she did something big with Julio Iglesias in 1984 caller All Of You.
    Good call. I had forgotten about that one. But I was thinking more like Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross? The Boss and THE Boss? LOL.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    6,831
    Rep Power
    392
    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    Maybe the fact that she already recorded the most successful duet of all time with Endless Love, then recorded a duet with the biggest international artist in the world - Julio Iglesias, she felt like that was enough.
    Very well could be. Just seemed like the above mentioned pairings were a bit out there; you've got a 20-something Bryan Adams with a 40-something Tina; same with George and Aretha. Thought it might be fun to speculate who Diana could have done a duet with.

    I guess not.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    892
    Rep Power
    146
    She did record a duet with Al B. Sure. Who was the hot new thing on the scene. But he is black, and that may have been in 1990. So not sure this applies to your question.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    4,001
    Rep Power
    262
    I think Diana Ross and AL B Sure would have been a good duet.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    892
    Rep Power
    146
    Quote Originally Posted by captainjames View Post
    I think Diana Ross and AL B Sure would have been a good duet.
    ??? They did record a duet and it was very good and a big hit.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    892
    Rep Power
    146
    Although not billed as, or technically a duet. Chain Reaction sounds like a duet with Diana and Barry Gibb.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    2,271
    Rep Power
    203
    Not quite. It did top at #4 on the r&b charts but failed to chart in the top 100 charts.
    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    ??? They did record a duet and it was very good and a big hit.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    1,773
    Rep Power
    187
    Quote Originally Posted by blackguy69 View Post
    Not quite. It did top at #4 on the r&b charts but failed to chart in the top 100 charts.
    It was a very big hit on the R&B charts.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    927
    Rep Power
    187
    Millie Jackson and Elton John 1983[[?) "ACT OF WAR"....I know it was released in the UK I don't know about here in the USA....both my copies of the 12" are promo imports.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    2,271
    Rep Power
    203
    But it didn’t chart on the top 100
    Quote Originally Posted by vgalindo View Post
    It was a very big hit on the R&B charts.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    43,221
    Rep Power
    600
    This was so nice and probably my favorite duet of the 80s:


  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    43,221
    Rep Power
    600
    Then Dionne came back in 1987 with this great one with Jeffrey Osborne:


  16. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    43,221
    Rep Power
    600
    Dionne and Glenn Jones, "Finders of Lost Loves" from 1985. It was used as the theme of a television show, but I can't remember the name at the moment:


  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    6,340
    Rep Power
    346
    Quote Originally Posted by blackguy69 View Post
    But it didn’t chart on the top 100
    Why can’t We just be happy for her instead of being negative?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    43,221
    Rep Power
    600
    This was a very popular song by Patti LaBelle and Bobby Womack from 1984:


  19. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    43,221
    Rep Power
    600
    Aretha Franklin and the Four Tops duet of "I Wanna Make It Up to You" knocked me completely out when I first heard it. From her "Jump to It" album:


  20. #20
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    43,221
    Rep Power
    600
    Tina Turner Duet with Robert Cray) 634 5789 from 1986:

    Last edited by marv2; 02-26-2020 at 01:13 AM.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    6,060
    Rep Power
    185
    Quote Originally Posted by Roberta75 View Post
    Why can’t We just be happy for her instead of being negative?
    Good point Roberta. He appears to think it only applies to Mary. One rule for one. One rule for another.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    1,773
    Rep Power
    187
    Quote Originally Posted by Roberta75 View Post
    Why can’t We just be happy for her instead of being negative?
    Thank you Roberta! Half these songs they are listing also didn’t hit the the top 100. But I guess Diana Ross is held you a higher standard. He would be over the moon if Mary had a top 5 R&B hit.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    4,970
    Rep Power
    378
    I really don't see why blackguy is being perceived as being negative. He was just correctly pointing out that "No Matter What You Do" could hardly be considered a huge hit. I have always loved the song, but would imagine outside this forum few people even remember it.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    809
    Rep Power
    165
    Don't forget Diana had first choice at Islands In The Stream with Barry Gibb but luckily for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton turned it down.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    892
    Rep Power
    146
    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I really don't see why blackguy is being perceived as being negative. He was just correctly pointing out that "No Matter What You Do" could hardly be considered a huge hit. I have always loved the song, but would imagine outside this forum few people even remember it.
    You would be wrong. The audience for that song remembers it well. Not just Ross fans as you’d like to believe. It disgust me that when it comes to a black/urban song, it is not deemed successful unless it crosses over. To point out that a top 5 hit on the R&B chart wasn’t successful, on a “Soulful” website is crazy.

  26. #26
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Posts
    827
    Rep Power
    110
    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I really don't see why blackguy is being perceived as being negative. He was just correctly pointing out that "No Matter What You Do" could hardly be considered a huge hit. I have always loved the song, but would imagine outside this forum few people even remember it.
    this bother me for some time. If a top 5 hit isn’t remembered, what does it mean to have a hit in the R&B charts

    Swept away, Eaten alive, Workin overtime, No matter what you do, were hits but they it seems they were not hit at all.

  27. #27
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    2,271
    Rep Power
    203
    That wasn’t a negative comment . I just stated it’s chart position and got a negative response back. some of you are acting like a child that just discovered there’s no Santa Claus

  28. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    6,340
    Rep Power
    346
    Quote Originally Posted by blackguy69 View Post
    That wasn’t a negative comment . I just stated it’s chart position and got a negative response back. some of you are acting like a child that just discovered there’s no Santa Claus
    merry Christmas dear.❤️

  29. #29
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    2,271
    Rep Power
    203
    And have a happy new year my dear
    Quote Originally Posted by Roberta75 View Post
    merry Christmas dear.❤️

  30. #30
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    2,271
    Rep Power
    203
    He isn’t wrong few people know that song outside her fan base. Now , Its my House is a different story. It peaked at #27 on the r&b charts and never chatted on the top 100 charts. It was a #1 dance hit and it was wildly popular. It just depends on the song.
    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    You would be wrong. The audience for that song remembers it well. Not just Ross fans as you’d like to believe. It disgust me that when it comes to a black/urban song, it is not deemed successful unless it crosses over. To point out that a top 5 hit on the R&B chart wasn’t successful, on a “Soulful” website is crazy.

  31. #31
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    892
    Rep Power
    146
    What you are missing is that this isn’t a solo Diana Ross song, that only her fan base would remember. This is a duet. So not only is there the Ross fan base, but there is also the Al B. Sure fan base. In addition to them, there are the fans of the “Quiet Storm” radio format, which was extremely popular in the 80’s and 90’s when this song was charting. So I stand by the fact that this song is known by more than Diana Ross fans.

  32. #32
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    1,773
    Rep Power
    187
    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    What you are missing is that this isn’t a solo Diana Ross song, that only her fan base would remember. This is a duet. So not only is there the Ross fan base, but there is also the Al B. Sure fan base. In addition to them, there are the fans of the “Quiet Storm” radio format, which was extremely popular in the 80’s and 90’s when this song was charting. So I stand by the fact that this song is known by more than Diana Ross fans.
    I agree. When this song was out it was very popular with everyone I knew. Everyone who loves R&B music knows this song.

  33. #33
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    43,221
    Rep Power
    600
    Quote Originally Posted by blackguy69 View Post
    Not quite. It did top at #4 on the r&b charts but failed to chart in the top 100 charts.
    It was a weak, weak record. The people that bought it did so on the basis of Al B. Sure's popularity at the time.

  34. #34
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Posts
    827
    Rep Power
    110
    Quote Originally Posted by Albator View Post
    this bother me for some time. If a top 5 hit isn’t remembered, what does it mean to have a hit in the R&B charts

    Swept away, Eaten alive, Workin overtime, No matter what you do, were hits but they it seems they were not hit at all.
    No answers but I have at least two songs that did poorly on the main pop chart but managed to get Gold certification [[1 million, at that time)

    - "Close the door", Teddy Pendergrass, #25 pop, #1 R&B
    - "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else", The Jones Girls, #38 pop, #5 R&B



  35. #35
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    892
    Rep Power
    146
    Quote Originally Posted by Albator View Post
    this bother me for some time. If a top 5 hit isn’t remembered, what does it mean to have a hit in the R&B charts

    Swept away, Eaten alive, Workin overtime, No matter what you do, were hits but they it seems they were not hit at all.
    Swept Away was definitely a hit. Top 20 on the pop chart, #3 on R&B chart, and #1 on the dance chart.

  36. #36
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    1,773
    Rep Power
    187
    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    It was a weak, weak record. The people that bought it did so on the basis of Al B. Sure's popularity at the time.
    You would say that. Lol 😂

  37. #37
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    8,761
    Rep Power
    391
    Quote Originally Posted by Albator View Post
    this bother me for some time. If a top 5 hit isn’t remembered, what does it mean to have a hit in the R&B charts

    Swept away, Eaten alive, Workin overtime, No matter what you do, were hits but they it seems they were not hit at all.
    if you look at some of the Supremes' songs, they fit this too. Love Is Here is probably not one of the most immediately recognizable hits. If you went out to the general public, most might say they've never heard it. And yet My World Is Empty has been much more enduring. Reflections too.

    But i bet if you asked people to name one of the first [[if not the first) super duets between two mega groups that sold zillions, the avg person would never say I'm Gonna Make You Love Me.

    hard to say why 1 song sticks with the general public's memory and others don't. it isn't solely on chart ranking or even sales.

  38. #38
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    913
    Rep Power
    192
    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    She did record a duet with Al B. Sure. Who was the hot new thing on the scene. But he is black, and that may have been in 1990. So not sure this applies to your question.
    I would love to hear the story behind the Al B. Sure duet. I am sure she declined many duet opportunities in the 80s and 90s, and I do not understand how or why she picked this one.

    I love the song. I think she sounds wonderful in that sonic setting. Her performance was listless but her voice was lustrous. I recall the age difference being an issue given the very romantic lyrical content. I hoped that she would record in that vein on her own full-length project.

  39. #39
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    4,970
    Rep Power
    378
    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    You would be wrong. The audience for that song remembers it well. Not just Ross fans as you’d like to believe. It disgust me that when it comes to a black/urban song, it is not deemed successful unless it crosses over. To point out that a top 5 hit on the R&B chart wasn’t successful, on a “Soulful” website is crazy.
    In my post i was referring to mainstream pop success so i stand by what i say. The song could never be considered a huge Diana Ross hit. Comparatively few [[not all) would remember a song that did quite well on the R&B chart thirty years ago yet was a complete and utter flop on the pop charts. Most of joe public have simply never heard it, and those that did have simply forgotten about it. I don't believe the song was even featured on any r&b compilation albums. So be disgusted all you like dear, that's my opinion.

  40. #40
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    43,221
    Rep Power
    600
    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    In my post i was referring to mainstream pop success so i stand by what i say. The song could never be considered a huge Diana Ross hit. Comparatively few [[not all) would remember a song that did quite well on the R&B chart thirty years ago yet was a complete and utter flop on the pop charts. Most of joe public have simply never heard it, and those that did have simply forgotten about it. I don't believe the song was even featured on any r&b compilation albums. So be disgusted all you like dear, that's my opinion.
    The truth is that many people no longer even remember Al. B. Sure. You have to really help them to remember him. I even think he may have been a subject for "Unsung".

  41. #41
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Posts
    20
    Rep Power
    0
    I am about one more comment away from exposing you and your pathetic life. I know exactly who you are and thinking of you [[in any context) makes me want to throw up. You are a worthless human being, but if you think I cannot reveal your personal problems, financial issues etc....

    Test Me!

    And for the record. Al B Sure narrated Unsung.

  42. #42
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    8,644
    Rep Power
    525
    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post

    I wonder why Diana never jumped on the bandwagon?

    Who would a good counterpart have been? And please, Larry Hagman does not count.
    Wonder why? Because she was too busy recording "Pieces Of Ice" rather than look at what was trendy and then put her stamp on it.

    She did do the duet with Julio Iglesias, which was a beautiful song. It's actually one of the handful of Diana RCA tunes that I keep in constant rotation. And of course she has what is probably the duet of the decade in "Endless Love", so one might argue she started the trend.

    As for good counterparts, gotta start with Lionel. I think there was magic and chemistry between their voices that could've given us a few more classic duets. And then there's the obvious Michael Jackson. I so enjoy watching and listening to them on "Rock With You" on Diana's special. Of course he's present on "Muscles" and "Eaten Alive", but I really think a true duet between them would've been gold. I love Siedah Garrett, and she was perfect for "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", but I think that would've also been a great duet for MJ and Ross.

    Peabo Bryson gets a vote. What if Diana had done something with Kool And the Gang, singing with JT? Christopher Cross might have been good with Diana. Phil Collins might have been an interesting pairing. Prince too. Ray Parker Jr would've been good. Stevie Wonder would've been a dream.

    Instead we would get Al B Sure.

  43. #43
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    8,644
    Rep Power
    525
    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    Good call. I had forgotten about that one. But I was thinking more like Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross? The Boss and THE Boss? LOL.
    That would've been an excellent idea, at least from a marketing perspective!

  44. #44
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    8,644
    Rep Power
    525
    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I really don't see why blackguy is being perceived as being negative. He was just correctly pointing out that "No Matter What You Do" could hardly be considered a huge hit. I have always loved the song, but would imagine outside this forum few people even remember it.
    I don't know why they come for BG. He's always so fair.

    Regarding "No Matter", for the song to hit #4 it was getting a ton of airplay...somewhere. I barely remember it. To me the song just isn't that memorable. But a #4 hit is not a small feat.

  45. #45
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    8,644
    Rep Power
    525
    Quote Originally Posted by khansperac View Post
    You would be wrong. The audience for that song remembers it well. Not just Ross fans as you’d like to believe. It disgust me that when it comes to a black/urban song, it is not deemed successful unless it crosses over. To point out that a top 5 hit on the R&B chart wasn’t successful, on a “Soulful” website is crazy.
    Unfortunately, if it's Black, it's viewed as less than. It's a fact of life. To those of us who grew up on R&B radio, we know a huge hit when we hear it. As I said before, #4 R&B is not a small feat. However, I do think the song is largely forgotten. Al B Sure has other songs that are remembered much better. And obviously Diana does too.

  46. #46
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    2,036
    Rep Power
    213
    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Wonder why? Because she was too busy recording "Pieces Of Ice" rather than look at what was trendy and then put her stamp on it.

    She did do the duet with Julio Iglesias, which was a beautiful song. It's actually one of the handful of Diana RCA tunes that I keep in constant rotation. And of course she has what is probably the duet of the decade in "Endless Love", so one might argue she started the trend.

    As for good counterparts, gotta start with Lionel. I think there was magic and chemistry between their voices that could've given us a few more classic duets. And then there's the obvious Michael Jackson. I so enjoy watching and listening to them on "Rock With You" on Diana's special. Of course he's present on "Muscles" and "Eaten Alive", but I really think a true duet between them would've been gold. I love Siedah Garrett, and she was perfect for "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", but I think that would've also been a great duet for MJ and Ross.

    Peabo Bryson gets a vote. What if Diana had done something with Kool And the Gang, singing with JT? Christopher Cross might have been good with Diana. Phil Collins might have been an interesting pairing. Prince too. Ray Parker Jr would've been good. Stevie Wonder would've been a dream.

    Instead we would get Al B Sure.
    great line! Thanks for the laugh.

  47. #47
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    8,644
    Rep Power
    525
    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    In my post i was referring to mainstream pop success so i stand by what i say. The song could never be considered a huge Diana Ross hit. Comparatively few [[not all) would remember a song that did quite well on the R&B chart thirty years ago yet was a complete and utter flop on the pop charts. Most of joe public have simply never heard it, and those that did have simply forgotten about it. I don't believe the song was even featured on any r&b compilation albums. So be disgusted all you like dear, that's my opinion.
    I know you don't mean any disrespect with your comment Ollie, but I have to say I take exception to it and the disregard for the "40 million" plus Black people [[and others who love R&B and listened faithfully to radio stations that played that kind of music) who consumed the songs that made the R&B chart, both by radio and by sales. If you buy into the notion that only what white people or pop music fans consume is memorable or noteworthy you're certainly entitled to that opinion. But as someone who is Black and grew up in the Black community, steeped in the culture, and was once a faithful listener to some of the nation's leading radio stations devoted to r&b music, I can tell you, there are indeed songs that are MASSIVELY popular but were not successful outside the genre.

    Take Stephanie Mills' "I Feel Good All Over". Number one r&b hit in 1987. Find me a Black person born between 1940 and 1983 who cannot sing at least the chorus to this song, and that would be a Black person who was not listening to r&b radio in 1987. Stephanie can step on any stage, anywhere, with a sizable Black audience and turn the place out doing this one song alone. Yet "I Feel Good All Over" didn't chart at all on the Hot 100. All that means is that a segment of society felt it, while other segments didn't get it.

    It does suck to be told that a song popular with one segment of society doesn't carry the same weight as another song popular with another segment of society, especially when there are countless songs popular with non r&b loving folks that most Black people have never heard nor find memorable. As I said before, I doubt this is the way you've thought about this. Hopefully you get the other side of this and understand it better.

  48. #48
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    8,644
    Rep Power
    525
    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    The truth is that many people no longer even remember Al. B. Sure. You have to really help them to remember him. I even think he may have been a subject for "Unsung".
    What makes you believe that? Al B Sure had some of the biggest hits of the New Jack Swing era. He may not be making current hits now, but his songs are on the soundtrack of many folks lives. He is very much remembered. Him and his unibrow.

  49. #49
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    8,644
    Rep Power
    525
    Quote Originally Posted by MotownGold View Post
    I am about one more comment away from exposing you and your pathetic life. I know exactly who you are and thinking of you [[in any context) makes me want to throw up. You are a worthless human being, but if you think I cannot reveal your personal problems, financial issues etc....

    Test Me!

    And for the record. Al B Sure narrated Unsung.
    Maybe you should step away from the forum for awhile. There isn't anything going on in Soulful Detroit that should have you wanting to throw up or reveal posters personal business. Nothing you can tell us about any given poster would be as disgusting as you revealing it. Y'all doing too much.

  50. #50
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    8,644
    Rep Power
    525
    Quote Originally Posted by TheMotownManiac View Post
    great line! Thanks for the laugh.
    Anytime my friend.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

[REMOVE ADS]

Ralph Terrana
MODERATOR

Welcome to Soulful Detroit! Kindly Consider Turning Off Your Ad BlockingX
Soulful Detroit is a free service that relies on revenue from ad display [regrettably] and donations. We notice that you are using an ad-blocking program that prevents us from earning revenue during your visit.
Ads are REMOVED for Members who donate to Soulful Detroit. [You must be logged in for ads to disappear]
DONATE HERE »
And have Ads removed.