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    Diana Ross Silk Electric Album Thread

    Inspired by the comment of someone who apparently hates these threads, I figure why not start one devoted to SE? I did search the forum for a general Silk Electric thread and didn't find one, so...

    Love it? Hate it? Pros? Cons? Have at it...

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    When I first bought the album, I liked it and played it constantly. At the time, I really liked FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE, ANYWHERE YOU RUN TO, and I AM ME. I even thought TURN ME OVER was clever. But for me, it still paled considerably to her RCA debut. Press at the time said she was working with Michael McDonald so I was a bit disappointed that that didn't happen.

    Now I rarely play it unless I'm having a Diana-thon. I think the last time I played it in its entirety was when the recent expanded edition came out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    When I first bought the album, I liked it and played it constantly. At the time, I really liked FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE, ANYWHERE YOU RUN TO, and I AM ME. I even thought TURN ME OVER was clever. But for me, it still paled considerably to her RCA debut. Press at the time said she was working with Michael McDonald so I was a bit disappointed that that didn't happen.

    Now I rarely play it unless I'm having a Diana-thon. I think the last time I played it in its entirety was when the recent expanded edition came out.
    Wow, never thought about her working with Michael McDonald! Now that may have produced some wonderful results!

    I loved "Fool For Your Love" from the first spin. It took "Anywhere" years to grow on me, but it has since become a fav.

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    Love this album. It contains one of my all time favorite Ross songs- Muscles. Another favorite is the great “Love lies”. Songs like “Still in love”, and “In your arms” showcase great vocals. Although not the best lyrics, I like “Anywhere you run to”, there’s something irresistible about it for me. “I am me” is also a good track. “So close” is pretty good. One of the things I like about the album is that Diana sings backup to her lead vocals/ double tracks her lead vocals on a few songs. Perfect examples are Love Lies and Still in Love.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Wow, never thought about her working with Michael McDonald! Now that may have produced some wonderful results!

    I loved "Fool For Your Love" from the first spin. It took "Anywhere" years to grow on me, but it has since become a fav.
    One of my local dee-jays, Sunny Joe White, was a huge Diana fan. When SILK ELECTRIC was released, the first song he played was FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE. He kept saying "You've never heard Ross like this before!" That weekend, I bought the album and that was the first time I heard the actual first single, MUSCLES. I think I probably liked FOOL better but I was glad that MUSCLES went on to be a hit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Wow, never thought about her working with Michael McDonald! Now that may have produced some wonderful results!
    .
    You’ve heard the fruits of their collaboration—he co-penned “That’s How You Start Over” from her subsequent ROSS LP. IIRC, it’s also him on that churchy piano intro.

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    i've never hated it. while obviously not her strongest lp ever, i think it had some decent moments. IMO by this time Diana had 20+ years of singing. in the past she was always directed as to what style of song and how to sing. So I view SE as her saying "ok i was to experiment and pretty much do a different genre for every track." You have hard rock, r&b, reggae, doo wop, ballads, disco, novelty, pop.

    muscles is a hot track - imagine a full MJ produced album. for better or worse perhaps! maybe what makes Muscles work is that it's totally unique. that breathy muffled singing isn't really a great sound for her. perhaps 1 track is fine and it makes it work with the sensual lyric and steamy aspect

    love lies - this is ok but i find her singing a bit boring. imagine if a Michael Masser was producing it!

    So close - never been all that thrilled with this song. it's ok but surprised it was a single

    fool for your love - i don't hate this. kind of like muscles, i think it's ok for a 1x trick

    turn me over - i've always found this fun too!! especially since i remember when it was an lp and not a cd lol

    Who - this was a stronger song and could have been 2nd single

    still in love - pretty good. better than Love Lies and In your arms. but there's a ton of echo and reverb. but that is part of the era i guess

    in your arms - a Masser knock off and never delivers

    anywhere you run to - i like this one and often include in playlists. early 80s pop. could have been a single and done fairly well. but a bit predictable. for single 2 i would still say Who was more interesting and woudl have been more successful

    I am me - i like this one. for an album track i think it's fun

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    About to bring the wrath of Bluebrock down on my head but I'm one of the few here who really love the Silk Electric album.

    Surprisingly Muscles is one of my least favourite tracks on it - like most artists he kept his best songs for himself.

    I do like Fool For Your Love but it's hard to think that the US public would have been appreciative of this as a single.

    The wheels came off when So Close was chosen as the next single.

    I quite enjoyed it but it just wasn't good enough or contemporary as anything other than an album track.

    The UK should have gone with Still In Love, In Your Arms, Love Lies or even Who as a single - I always look on Still In Love as one of the big ones that got away. Even Anywhere You Run To shows Diana in great form.

    It's always hard to predict but certainly any of these would have been sizable UK hits in nthe mid-70s.

    The public must have had a certain respect for SE for it was certified Gold for sales of 500k+.

    For me a grossly under-rated album.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    About to bring the wrath of Bluebrock down on my head but I'm one of the few here who really love the Silk Electric album.

    Surprisingly Muscles is one of my least favourite tracks on it - like most artists he kept his best songs for himself.

    I do like Fool For Your Love but it's hard to think that the US public would have been appreciative of this as a single.

    The wheels came off when So Close was chosen as the next single.

    I quite enjoyed it but it just wasn't good enough or contemporary as anything other than an album track.

    The UK should have gone with Still In Love, In Your Arms, Love Lies or even Who as a single - I always look on Still In Love as one of the big ones that got away. Even Anywhere You Run To shows Diana in great form.

    It's always hard to predict but certainly any of these would have been sizable UK hits in nthe mid-70s.

    The public must have had a certain respect for SE for it was certified Gold for sales of 500k+.

    For me a grossly under-rated album.
    haha - i've teased Blue about this album too. But one of his greatest traits [[unlike some others on here) is his ability to appreciate other opinions and value everyone's different view points

    i once gave him the "desert island" scenario and his choice of being stuck there with Last Time I Saw Him or Silk Electric lololol

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    I love this album. I played it a lot when it was first released. “Love Lies”, and “Still in love“ are two of my favorite Ross ballads. “ Muscles“ was a great hit at the time. A lot of non Ross fans that I talked to really liked the song “ Muscles“.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    About to bring the wrath of Bluebrock down on my head but I'm one of the few here who really love the Silk Electric album.

    Surprisingly Muscles is one of my least favourite tracks on it - like most artists he kept his best songs for himself.

    I do like Fool For Your Love but it's hard to think that the US public would have been appreciative of this as a single.

    The wheels came off when So Close was chosen as the next single.

    I quite enjoyed it but it just wasn't good enough or contemporary as anything other than an album track.

    The UK should have gone with Still In Love, In Your Arms, Love Lies or even Who as a single - I always look on Still In Love as one of the big ones that got away. Even Anywhere You Run To shows Diana in great form.

    It's always hard to predict but certainly any of these would have been sizable UK hits in nthe mid-70s.

    The public must have had a certain respect for SE for it was certified Gold for sales of 500k+.

    For me a grossly under-rated album.
    Ha ha. You will never incur my wrath. I know you are an admirer of this album and i totally respect your opinions on all things Ross related.
    The best i can say about Silk Electric is that it is a slight improvement upon Why do fools.
    I do love Muscles, and i have always said Love Lies is one of the great "lost" Diana singles, but this album does contain my two least favorite tracks of all time, namely Fool for your lovin' and I am me. I detest this pair of turkeys, and i am amazed they get so much love on here. It just goes to show that variety is indeed the spice of life.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    haha - i've teased Blue about this album too. But one of his greatest traits [[unlike some others on here) is his ability to appreciate other opinions and value everyone's different view points

    i once gave him the "desert island" scenario and his choice of being stuck there with Last Time I Saw Him or Silk Electric lololol
    I remember that only too well Sup Fan. Not sure what my response was that day. Today i am perhaps leaning towards Silk Electric, if only because there are a couple of good tunes amid the dross. I still maintain her vocals were substandard on Silk as well as Fools. I wish someone in the studio had the balls to tell her to put some emotion into her delivery. She needed a swift kick up the backside [[not literally of course) to get the kind of committed vocal performances she had recently done on The Boss, Diana and To love again. Listening to her vocals on those albums it is hard to believe it is the same woman delivering lack lustre vocals on Fools and Silk.

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    I suppose my appreciation for this album is purely nostalgic at this point. To me, it symbolizes that last breath of hedonism that was mainly coming out of New York at the time - before AIDS really hit and Andy Warhol was still a thing...the cover art of course, was a huge selling point for many. I’m not a huge fan of ”Muscles” aside from the vocal layering which is pretty ingenious. The ballads on here are the winners. “In Your Arms” stands out. It’s haunting and doesn’t turn to schmaltz like the Teddy/Whitney version does. I actually think it holds up much better. Masser was great for Diana but a lot of their work together seems to syrupy looking back after almost forty years. “So Close” doesn’t do much for me although, like “Muscles”, having that combination of Ross’s lead and more than adept backing vocalists [[Luther Vandross and Cissy Houston, in this case) gives it a little pizazz.

    ”Who” is pretty basic end-of-an-era disco and “Still In Love” and “Love Lies” are solid and hold up relatively well although I don’t find her vocals to be as inspiring as they were on her last two big albums at Motown or even on “To Love Again”. NOT a fan of “Fool For Your Love”. “I Am Me” isn’t terrible and has a nice Reggae feel. I wonder if anyone has ever covered it? “It’s My House” was done by a handful of reggae artists.

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    i do completely get your point that she's only half-hearted singing on much of the material here. But same with Ross 83. That's How You Start Over is quite lackluster - although at the fade you FINALLY hear her ad lib and let lose a little.

    Now i like the title track to Why Do Fools. I think she sounds good, it's fun and a fresh take on a classic. and the "getting back to my roots" thing sort of works too. Now as a follow up to Upside Down, I'm coming, it's my turn and endless love - yes i can see it's a bit incongruous.

    Mirror mirror, as i've said before, was the best track on that Lp. and had the entire effort been guided by that producer and sound, i would argue that she did a good job evolving her style and persona for a new label in a new decade [[give or take a year). And Work That Body's backing track and sound works wonderfully. the lyric are just too silly. but had it been rewritten as a song about romance or love, it might have been a big and enduring hit too.

    Sweet surrender is another song that comes very close. she does sound quite seductive on it. i like this one too

    two can make it, think i'm in love, never too late - fine enough for album tracks. but all needed a bit more ooomph in her vocals. i get your point that she's just a bit too lazy when producing herself. And if you were building a solid and cohesive album around Mirror mirror - Sweet surrender and reworked Work That Body fit in. not sure Two, Think or Never really do. they're too light and airy. maybe Think I'm In Love could

    SE suffers from horrible production values but i still like the album. had she not decided to climb into the bottom of an abandoned well and record from inside there, it would have come off much better. Frankly Muscles could fit onto the Mirror Mirror album i was describing. and maybe a toned down Fool For Your Love with a cleaner, nicer vocal. Have a hard hitting, urban r&b/Rock album. Then do a more traditionally pop album

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    haha - i've teased Blue about this album too. But one of his greatest traits [[unlike some others on here) is his ability to appreciate other opinions and value everyone's different view points

    i once gave him the "desert island" scenario and his choice of being stuck there with Last Time I Saw Him or Silk Electric lololol
    I was very curious about Bluebrock's choice but it looks like he's just replied!

    SE is not a favorite. I had been just a tiny bit concerned with WDFFIL but looked forward to the next album. Then I became more concerned.
    After I got over my disappointment, helped somewhat by Ross'83, I never played the whole album again.
    Can't believe it's almost 40 years later! With sheltering-in-place, I have no real excuse not to re-listen. I always did like Still in Love and Who and Fool For Your Love [[so different for Ross!). And I include In Your Arms in my playlist of To Love Again/Michael Masser songs. [[I prefer Diana's version to Whitney's and Teddy's).

    I get why people liked Muscles but I was underwhelmed. I'm glad it did well. Second single choices for me would be Still in Love or Who.

    I never play So Close or I Am Me.

    I don't know which album [[SE or LTISH) would be my DIT [[desert island torture). Actually, my real DIT would be WO!
    Last edited by lucky2012; 04-13-2020 at 04:54 PM.

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    ^ we had a thread going a few weeks ago but it sort of died off. Was asking what "quarantine album" you wanted to explore. didn't have to be a bad one you never listen to. but more what album, for whatever reason, isn't played much and you should dust it off

    for me, i rarely listen to LSTB although i love many of her full performances on it. i just don't listen to all of the movie segments and other tracks.

    also don't listen much to Force. so figured maybe i should while i'm finding some cleaning project to do. lol

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    I actually liked this album for the most part ....
    Love lies.
    Who
    So close
    Anywhere you run to
    I wished there was a better follow up to muscles.....
    Much better than the previous...
    Not sure how to explain this as I am not a music person but..
    The sound at times comes off ....thin....or echo.....not sure what word I want to use

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    ^maybe what you're trying to say is that her voice is mixed too much in with the backing track. think maybe like how M and F were sort of blurred into the instrumental backing?

    she was also heavily echoed on it too

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    Quote Originally Posted by lucky2012 View Post
    I was very curious about Bluebrock's choice but it looks like he's just replied!

    SE is not a favorite. I had been just a tiny bit concerned with WDFFIL but looked forward to the next album. Then I became more concerned.
    After I got over my disappointment, helped somewhat by Ross'83, I never played the whole album again.
    Can't believe it's almost 40 years later! With sheltering-in-place, I have no real excuse not to re-listen. I always did like Still in Love and Who and Fool For Your Love [[so different for Ross!). And I include In Your Arms in my playlist of To Love Again/Michael Masser songs. [[I prefer Diana's version to Whitney's and Teddy's).

    I get why people liked Muscles but I was underwhelmed. I'm glad it did well. Second single choices for me would be Still in Love or Who.

    I never play So Close or I Am Me.

    I don't know which album [[SE or LTISH) would be my DIT [[desert island torture). Actually, my real DIT would be WO!
    Last time i saw him and silk electric are all time classics if you compare them with the disaster that was Workin' overtime. That realĺy was the all time low point in her career alongside the dire I love you.
    Much as we love Diana she did come out with a few absolute stinkers.

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    Thumbs down

    Apart from”Muscles” and “Love Lies”, i think the album is complete crap.
    in-fact it’s the only D.R album I don’t own. I remember the album receiving awful reviews from most of the uk music press at the time of it’s release.
    As regards desert islands, i would happily take “Last Time” or even “I Love You” over this dull, badly produced mishmash of an album.............Pass.

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    Bluebrock.i totally respect your opinion but this time....I'd take SE over Last Time I Saw Him any day

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    I can't remember the songs on this album, but I do remember "Muscles" got a lot of radio airplay in Denver where I was at that time.

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    i'd take SE set on auto repeat over Eaten Alive lol. or WO

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    i'd take SE set on auto repeat over Eaten Alive lol. or WO
    Eaten Alive would have been a great album had Barry not featured himself so prominently. The title track was truly awful, but a good remix might have saved it. I know you don't rate the album and that of course is your right, but i always enjoy it for the most part on the rare occasions i actually play it.
    I am totally with you on Workin' Overtime, and so is she for that matter!

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    "Who" should have been released as a single. Today, it holds up as a pop song with a cool beat.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    Eaten Alive would have been a great album had Barry not featured himself so prominently. The title track was truly awful, but a good remix might have saved it. I know you don't rate the album and that of course is your right, but i always enjoy it for the most part on the rare occasions i actually play it.
    Unlike Silk Electric, there was a decent album there waiting to get out. The production on EA screams Bee Gees a little to loudly lending the album a cool, icy feel.
    With “diana” her instincts were spot on and the album became a lot less Chic and more Ross. If only those instincts had come into play with EA and the album had been entirely remixed. The overall results might have proved a lot less clinical sounding.
    When all is said and done though i think EA a decent effort and one she can be proud of.

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    I do think much of Diana's RCA output is harshly judged.

    Eaten Alive is another great album.

    I do agree that there is a heavy Bee Gees' influence but as I'm a Bee Gees fan it doesn't bother me so much.

    The worst song is the simply awful title track - I don't believe MJ ever did Diana any favours with any of his songs - Eaten Alive is for me one of the two worst singles she ever released [[One More Chance being the other) and unfortunately it killed the album.

    You've gotta wonder what might have happened had Chain Reaction been the lead single - whatever your opinion of it, it had something, after all it was a #1 hit in countries on four different Continents.

    As usual the record company in the UK didn't do it any favours but the record exploded out of the clubs and discos and was a deserved smash.

    Those were happy days - after the tragedy of Upside Down missing #1 at the last minute it was so exciting to hear Diana all over Radio One and trumpeted as the UK's #1!

    It was fairly certain Reaction was going to the top after Diana had been outselling the current #1 by Billy Ocean at the end of the previous week and nearly overtook him but after the experience of Abba edging Upside Down out there was also a nervousness.

    At that stage the new UK chart was revealed on a Tuesday lunch-time but we had a friend who was the mangeress of a chart return shop in town and they received the new chart early in the morning so she phoned us with the great news.

    We had a bottle of champers on ice in the fridge and a very happy Tuesday night was had!!

    Anyway, Experience is a nice ballad perhaps though too similar to Dionne's Hearbreaker.

    More And More was a good B-side to Chain Reaction and the perfect vehicle for Diana, and there are great performances on I'm Watching You, Love On The Line and the R'n'B tinged Oh Teacher

    But the kernel of the album is the stunning trio of I Love Being In Love [[With You) a beautiful ballad, the magnificent raw sounding Crime Of Passion and another compelling performance by Diana on Don't Give Up On Each Other - I play those 3 tracks on repeat ad nauseam!

    It was so frustrating that no-one realised the potential of Crime Of Passion.

    It was a big shock that Experience didn't do that well but I'm convinced had Passion been the follow-up to Reaction it would have gone at least top 5.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    I do think much of Diana's RCA output is harshly judged.

    Eaten Alive is another great album.

    I do agree that there is a heavy Bee Gees' influence but as I'm a Bee Gees fan it doesn't bother me so much.

    The worst song is the simply awful title track - I don't believe MJ ever did Diana any favours with any of his songs - Eaten Alive is for me one of the two worst singles she ever released [[One More Chance being the other) and unfortunately it killed the album.

    You've gotta wonder what might have happened had Chain Reaction been the lead single - whatever your opinion of it, it had something, after all it was a #1 hit in countries on four different Continents.

    As usual the record company in the UK didn't do it any favours but the record exploded out of the clubs and discos and was a deserved smash.

    Those were happy days - after the tragedy of Upside Down missing #1 at the last minute it was so exciting to hear Diana all over Radio One and trumpeted as the UK's #1!

    It was fairly certain Reaction was going to the top after Diana had been outselling the current #1 by Billy Ocean at the end of the previous week and nearly overtook him but after the experience of Abba edging Upside Down out there was also a nervousness.

    At that stage the new UK chart was revealed on a Tuesday lunch-time but we had a friend who was the mangeress of a chart return shop in town and they received the new chart early in the morning so she phoned us with the great news.

    We had a bottle of champers on ice in the fridge and a very happy Tuesday night was had!!

    Anyway, Experience is a nice ballad perhaps though too similar to Dionne's Hearbreaker.

    More And More was a good B-side to Chain Reaction and the perfect vehicle for Diana, and there are great performances on I'm Watching You, Love On The Line and the R'n'B tinged Oh Teacher

    But the kernel of the album is the stunning trio of I Love Being In Love [[With You) a beautiful ballad, the magnificent raw sounding Crime Of Passion and another compelling performance by Diana on Don't Give Up On Each Other - I play those 3 tracks on repeat ad nauseam!

    It was so frustrating that no-one realised the potential of Crime Of Passion.

    It was a big shock that Experience didn't do that well but I'm convinced had Passion been the follow-up to Reaction it would have gone at least top 5.
    Very well worded post Florence, and i agree with almost everything you say. Glad it is not just me who heard such hit potential in Crimes of passion. I could not believe they went with Experience. It is a lovely song, but never a major hit single.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    Last time i saw him and silk electric are all time classics if you compare them with the disaster that was Workin' overtime. That realĺy was the all time low point in her career alongside the dire I love you.
    Much as we love Diana she did come out with a few absolute stinkers.
    I have to rate Workin' Overtime as Diana's worst album, sadly.
    As for I Love You, it could have been very nice. I liked the song choices and I though Diana delivered most of the songs well. The production and the mixing is what completely ruins the album.

    I am so glad that Diana will be releasing a new album. I would not want I Love You to be her final release.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    Very well worded post Florence, and i agree with almost everything you say. Glad it is not just me who heard such hit potential in Crimes of passion. I could not believe they went with Experience. It is a lovely song, but never a major hit single.
    i'll definitely agree with you and Florence that EA had potential to be a strong album. the two biggest sins it commits are 1) the ear piercing combo of Diana's naturally nasal singing tone and the BeeGee nasal falsettos and 2) the idiotic production idea to bury and muffle Diana's vocals. Whether it was the mixing of the vocals or producer instruction to sing so breathy and whimpy, i don't know. More and More had the potential to be a lovely jazzy ballad. but her strangled vocals make her sound weak and off pitch. Crime of Passion is a track I sort of like but basically it's a BeeGees song from the 70s set to 80s synthesizer and drum machine.

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    Silk Electric was a pretty awful album really, with a cover to match..

    I liked Muscles and it was top 5 or 10 downunder but I was doing a little bit of DJ'ing at the time and people always seemed a bit bored dancing to it. I did play 'Who' a few times too but that didn't exactly have the greatest groove either. I'm not sure if 'Who' was a single down here or if i just thought it was the next best song.

    Since some of you are also talking about 'Eaten Alive', well I have to say - even though it might not have been as good an album as 'Guilty' or 'Heartbreaker' - at least it has some cohesion [[unlike 90% of Diana's RCA output) - well... apart from the bizarre title track anyway.

    And since Chain Reaction was the #1 song of the year for 1986 down here, it gets bonus points for that. Not sure Diana ever managed another top ten hit in Australia.
    Last edited by Levi Stubbs Tears; 04-14-2020 at 10:51 AM.

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    I have to admit that Silk Electric is not one of my favorite Diana albums. I applaud her veering into a more rock area but it was not really what I wanted to hear from her. Also, I don't think the mixing on the album did her any favors. There was too much echo and the voice mixed into the band a bit too much for me. Turn Me over was cute for an LP but I wish there had been one more song instead. Love Lies was my favorite track and I think it should have been a single. Regarding Muscles, and Eaten Alive [[since that has been mentioned), I wish Michael Jackson's contributions were not so gimmicky. I never really cared for Muscles because it seemed to stop and start throughout the song and didn't feel so cohesive to me. Eaten Alive was a better track but I much preferred the rest of that album [[one of my favorites of hers, though I agree that they should have downplayed the Bee Gee's on it).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Levi Stubbs Tears View Post
    Silk Electric was a pretty awful album really, with a cover to match..

    I liked Muscles and it was top 5 or 10 downunder but I was doing a little bit of DJ'ing at the time and people always seemed a bit bored dancing to it. I did play 'Who' a few times too but that didn't exactly have the greatest groove either. I'm not sure if 'Who' was a single down here or if i just thought it was the next best song.

    Since some of you are also talking about 'Eaten Alive', well I have to say - even though it might not have been as good an album as 'Guilty' or 'Heartbreaker' - at least it has some cohesion [[unlike 90% of Diana's RCA output) - well... apart from the bizarre title track anyway.

    And since Chain Reaction was the #1 song of the year for 1986 down here, it gets bonus points for that. Not sure Diana ever managed another top ten hit in Australia.
    I thought the cover was the best thing about it! It was like opening a box of chocolates only to find someone had already eaten the best ones.
    Luxury packaging with very little edible content inside!

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    I have to agree Love Lies and Who were the best tracks from SE. Not a bad album .not great but I expect better from DR.
    eaten Alive. Agree. Less Bee Gees. More Ross and replaced title track.
    Love Crimes of Passion.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    i'll definitely agree with you and Florence that EA had potential to be a strong album. the two biggest sins it commits are 1) the ear piercing combo of Diana's naturally nasal singing tone and the BeeGee nasal falsettos and 2) the idiotic production idea to bury and muffle Diana's vocals. Whether it was the mixing of the vocals or producer instruction to sing so breathy and whimpy, i don't know. More and More had the potential to be a lovely jazzy ballad. but her strangled vocals make her sound weak and off pitch. Crime of Passion is a track I sort of like but basically it's a BeeGees song from the 70s set to 80s synthesizer and drum machine.
    Although i do quite like it, i think your assessment of the album is spot on sup.
    I was playing the remastered version this morning. “Chain Reaction” aside, i really don’t think there are any other runaway hits to be had.
    Perhaps they should have re-released EA as the follow up to CR with a club type remix. Brought Diana’s vocals to the fore and toned down MJ and BG. If nothing else the video provided great entertainment.

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    I've always liked the album [[as I have stated in the many threads about the lp before this one) though I do wish Diana's voice had been featured more prominently in the mix.

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    I have not heard Eaten Alive album nor Silk Electric for 30 years. From what I remember of those albums, I never want to hear them again.
    Last edited by Circa 1824; 04-15-2020 at 07:23 AM.

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    I also love the Andy Warhol cover.

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    Quote Originally Posted by PeaceNHarmony View Post
    I also love the Andy Warhol cover.
    i like the warhol too but sort of felt a bit cheated that it's a gatefold of just the same image again and again. maybe the inner two could have done something more.

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    Interesting to see people still appreciating this album almost 40 years after it was realised. What would Diana think? Amazement probably! According to Tarraborrelli, most of the songs were outtakes from the WDFFIL sessions of mid 1981, which had already been rejected by RCA. She just send them back again, one year on! She had already been paid - $20m for 7 albums over 7 years - why spend any more of that money on more recording studio time than was necessary? Hence the one M Jackson song, recorded in a morning. The cover cost $100000, but that was probably seen as money well spent. She was putting it out because she was legally contracted to do so. The content was irrelevant. She couldn’t have cared less. But some fans still claim to like this drivel. Weird.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    i like the warhol too but sort of felt a bit cheated that it's a gatefold of just the same image again and again. maybe the inner two could have done something more.
    But that's the point of Warhol. He repeats the same image but only slightly changes the color and the size. That's why it is such a brilliant album cover.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rafalle View Post
    Interesting to see people still appreciating this album almost 40 years after it was realised. What would Diana think? Amazement probably! According to Tarraborrelli, most of the songs were outtakes from the WDFFIL sessions of mid 1981, which had already been rejected by RCA. She just send them back again, one year on! She had already been paid - $20m for 7 albums over 7 years - why spend any more of that money on more recording studio time than was necessary? Hence the one M Jackson song, recorded in a morning. The cover cost $100000, but that was probably seen as money well spent. She was putting it out because she was legally contracted to do so. The content was irrelevant. She couldn’t have cared less. But some fans still claim to like this drivel. Weird.
    I guess Warhol pop art is never going to come cheap. It’s a shame more of the budget was not spent on the music itself.

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    Yes, but that’s the point: Diana was hoping to get away with releasing an album [[only because she was obliged to) with almost no time or money spent on producing it. And even hoping to make a bit of money back through releasing singles [[« So Close » is so dreadful that it should never have been recorded, never mind released as a single) and B sides which she had co-written. It is evident that she cared nothing for the quality of what she put out nor for what the long suffering fans would make of it. God knows what the execs at RCA must have thought of her shenanigans, but I think it’s safe to say that word got out that she was basically swindling them... and the movie moguls she was courting to fund her Josephine Baker project took note - Diana promises everything, but delivers nothing worth having once the dosh is in her account!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jaap View Post
    But that's the point of Warhol. He repeats the same image but only slightly changes the color and the size. That's why it is such a brilliant album cover.
    oh i get that about warhol. and i think the paintings are amazing. I just don't know that i would have used 4 full images on the lp set. maybe the two outer sides of the gatefold jacket would be that. then on the inner 2 panels something else. or some treatment of the images. maybe one side is a grid pattern of all 4 images over and over. or maybe another pic of something

    i just think using 4 images as the only graphics was a bit much

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rafalle View Post
    Yes, but that’s the point: Diana was hoping to get away with releasing an album [[only because she was obliged to) with almost no time or money spent on producing it. And even hoping to make a bit of money back through releasing singles [[« So Close » is so dreadful that it should never have been recorded, never mind released as a single) and B sides which she had co-written. It is evident that she cared nothing for the quality of what she put out nor for what the long suffering fans would make of it. God knows what the execs at RCA must have thought of her shenanigans, but I think it’s safe to say that word got out that she was basically swindling them... and the movie moguls she was courting to fund her Josephine Baker project took note - Diana promises everything, but delivers nothing worth having once the dosh is in her account!
    that's a rather harsh criticism but not fully without some merit.

    i think the problem with most of the tracks are 1) lazy singing and 2) buried vocals/echoey vocals. Had she really committed herself to singing her best or had a producer that could push her to deliver, the results could have been so much better. While some songs are less intriguing that others [[not a huge fan of So Close) the backing tracks, musicians, music, etc are quite good. obviously they're of the time period with lots of synthesizer and drum machines and all. that's ok.

    odd that she took the time to assemble good qualify tracks for the most part and then didn't bother with singing at a level comparable to the rest

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    I do think much of Diana's RCA output is harshly judged.

    Eaten Alive is another great album.

    I do agree that there is a heavy Bee Gees' influence but as I'm a Bee Gees fan it doesn't bother me so much.

    The worst song is the simply awful title track - I don't believe MJ ever did Diana any favours with any of his songs - Eaten Alive is for me one of the two worst singles she ever released [[One More Chance being the other) and unfortunately it killed the album.

    You've gotta wonder what might have happened had Chain Reaction been the lead single - whatever your opinion of it, it had something, after all it was a #1 hit in countries on four different Continents.

    As usual the record company in the UK didn't do it any favours but the record exploded out of the clubs and discos and was a deserved smash.

    Those were happy days - after the tragedy of Upside Down missing #1 at the last minute it was so exciting to hear Diana all over Radio One and trumpeted as the UK's #1!

    It was fairly certain Reaction was going to the top after Diana had been outselling the current #1 by Billy Ocean at the end of the previous week and nearly overtook him but after the experience of Abba edging Upside Down out there was also a nervousness.

    At that stage the new UK chart was revealed on a Tuesday lunch-time but we had a friend who was the mangeress of a chart return shop in town and they received the new chart early in the morning so she phoned us with the great news.

    We had a bottle of champers on ice in the fridge and a very happy Tuesday night was had!!

    Anyway, Experience is a nice ballad perhaps though too similar to Dionne's Hearbreaker.

    More And More was a good B-side to Chain Reaction and the perfect vehicle for Diana, and there are great performances on I'm Watching You, Love On The Line and the R'n'B tinged Oh Teacher

    But the kernel of the album is the stunning trio of I Love Being In Love [[With You) a beautiful ballad, the magnificent raw sounding Crime Of Passion and another compelling performance by Diana on Don't Give Up On Each Other - I play those 3 tracks on repeat ad nauseam!

    It was so frustrating that no-one realised the potential of Crime Of Passion.

    It was a big shock that Experience didn't do that well but I'm convinced had Passion been the follow-up to Reaction it would have gone at least top 5.
    I am surprised you hate One More Chance so much Florence. Whilst i would not rate it amongst her best she does put in a tour de force vocal performance.
    I can think of several singles i dislike much more than this. How about So close, pieces of ice, upfront, shockwaves, Mr Lee, Workin' Overtime, and worst of all Old Funky Rolls.
    I would also include Why do fools and Work that body despite their popularity with many.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rafalle View Post
    Yes, but that’s the point: Diana was hoping to get away with releasing an album [[only because she was obliged to) with almost no time or money spent on producing it. And even hoping to make a bit of money back through releasing singles [[« So Close » is so dreadful that it should never have been recorded, never mind released as a single) and B sides which she had co-written. It is evident that she cared nothing for the quality of what she put out nor for what the long suffering fans would make of it. God knows what the execs at RCA must have thought of her shenanigans, but I think it’s safe to say that word got out that she was basically swindling them... and the movie moguls she was courting to fund her Josephine Baker project took note - Diana promises everything, but delivers nothing worth having once the dosh is in her account!
    I have to agree with much of what you say. I wouldn't say that she didn't care nothing for the quality of what she put out, but money was most certainly more important to her at that point than releasing quality music.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluebrock View Post
    I am surprised you hate One More Chance so much Florence. Whilst i would not rate it amongst her best she does put in a tour de force vocal performance.
    I can think of several singles i dislike much more than this. How about So close, pieces of ice, upfront, shockwaves, Mr Lee, Workin' Overtime, and worst of all Old Funky Rolls.
    I would also include Why do fools and Work that body despite their popularity with many.
    What can you say except "different strokes for different folks"?

    To me Chance is just one big cacophony of sound and the US and UK public voted with their feet although from what you've said EMI in the UK probably didn't put much effort into promoting it.

    Crying My Heart Out For You would probably have done much better had it been released first from To Love Again although for me the stand out candidate was Stay With Me - that for me is one of Diana's biggest "lost" singles in the UK.

    The album did okay in the UK - it hung around the middle of the chart for a couple of months but a big hit woud have made all the difference.

    I personally liked Shockwaves - Diana had a let down after Chain Reaction but considering it got airplay on Radio 1 it was surprising SW wasn't at least a middling hit.

    The others I would agree with except the two big hits.

    As a one off Fools was inspired - a great fun pop record no doubt cemented by the video and it was one of Diana's top 5 biggest selling songs here. [[Leave it out of your UK repetoire at your peril, Diana!).

    Work That Body went down a bomb in the clubs - it has a really compelling beat to it.

    Then again while most rave about Lady aside from recognising that Diana produced a tour de force and was robbed of an Oscar, the music just leaves me cold.

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    It’s interesting how as Diana Ross fans our personal tastes can vary so wildly. I have always thought Diana’s singing on the LSTB soundtrack to be superlative. I prefer many of her interpretations to the BH originals......and that’s a hard act to follow.
    Regarding worst single choices.... For me the honour goes to “So Close”. What was she thinking.
    Last edited by Ollie9; 04-17-2020 at 06:56 AM.

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    I’ve always guessed that she was simply recording the kind of stuff that she had enjoyed best when she was a teenager. Speaking personally, the music that I liked when I was 15 has become the music that I appreciate most of all, all these years later. She had wanted to cover « Why Do Fools » as far back as at least 1976, but Berry [[wisely, in my opinion) judged that it wouldn’t fit with her sophisticated, worldly image. First thing she did when she was finally free was record it. Unfortunately, she didn’t recognise that it sold on the back of « Endless Love » and massive radio airplay and TV appearances. Trying to repeat a fluke was never a good idea, but unfortunately she carried on with 50s style codswallop [[eg « Mr Lee ») for the rest of the decade. I love the fact that she was doing what she wanted to do, but I also think it’s sad that there was no one close enough to her to just say no sometimes. Fortunately, it looks like Tracey is in that role now, and voila, the quality control is back on, and the non stop hits [[even if it’s only remixes and it’s only in the Dance Charts) are back too!

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