Supremes Mono vs Stereo vs Single

[RanRan79]

With so much down time I'm all over the place with projects. I've now decided to add a frivolous one to the pile and I need the help of you Supremes fans. Would someone please tell me which tracks have different lead or background vocals or different mixes on the original released albums and singles, mono and stereo? I probably have most of them figured out, but I don't trust myself not to miss something. Your help is greatly appreciated.

[Sotosound]

I think that I can safely say that for all of the hits, the singles had mono mixes right up to “Floy Joy”.

Despite the mixes often being vastly different between mono and stereo, I’ve not spotted any lead vocal differences on any of these, however.

It’s also worth pointing out that up to and including the Reflections LP, the single mixes were probably just the standard mono album mixes. Thereafter, they were dedicated single mixes because the albums were only ever mixed in stereo.

I’m not aware of any mono single mixes that are different to the mono album mix where it exists.

I’m happy to be put right, however, since I’m not the font of all knowledge and there’s always new stuff to learn.

[sansradio]

Didn't "I Hear a Symphony" use different lead vocal takes for mono and stereo?

[Laurent]

Hi RanRan79,

You can check the site:

http://dianarosssupremes.free.fr/index.htm

at the Discography section [[album expanded). And by searching the word 'vocal' within the page using the tools of your browser you'll see the songs for which the mono and stereo versions are different. Well, you'll not only get this for the singles, but also for the singles! Different vocal versions were used for Buttered Popcorn and My Heart Can't Take It No More for example.

Hope it helps!

[sup_fan]

With so much down time I'm all over the place with projects. I've now decided to add a frivolous one to the pile and I need the help of you Supremes fans. Would someone please tell me which tracks have different lead or background vocals or different mixes on the original released albums and singles, mono and stereo? I probably have most of them figured out, but I don't trust myself not to miss something. Your help is greatly appreciated.

haha - you sound like me preparing another excel file with data and facts! lolol

yes that link to the DR page is marvelous. heavily detailed and great reading

so now that you can basically "check" that off your list, what's next? lol

[sup_fan]

actually that site doesn't include the 70s versions. at this point i don't believe they released mono lps. just the singles

Up the ladder - different mix for the mono single.

Bill when are you coming back - different mix and lead vocal on the 45 version

Everybody's got the right - i don't think there's much different between the lp and single other than the mix. but on Greatest Hits & Rare Classics, it's a totally different lead vocal and mix

Stoned love - different edit and mix on single

river deep - different edit and mix on single

Touch - different edit and mix on the single vs lp. then there's a promo 45 version? is that the same as the released 45 version?

Nathan jones - need some help with this one. i know that different version have some different synth sounds. in some it's more prominent. Like on the version on Greatest Hits & rare classics

you gotta have love - the different mix and extended version on the EE

Floy joy - there are several different edits of this and i think the 70s Anthology includes the unedited version which includes the cut music break after first verse.

Auto Sun - there are 3 versions now released. the single and lp are basically the same. then 2 versions have been released since with the missing

YWSSL - no differences

I Guess - no differences

Bad Weather - there's the longer version on the pink boxset. I have a bootleg too of what i think is an alt take of the song. different vocal by jean and a different mix. i've tried to listen to see if it was a live version but it ends like the extended pink box set version. so i don't think it's a live one

He's my man - there are several version of this one but the single and lp cut are essentially the same. the other versions were released later

Sup 75 - as you know from the EE there are alt versions of many of the tracks

Where do i go from here - the single version is on the LYG EE set. but drastically different

Walking - there are several version of this. There's the single and lp versions [[which aren't too different) then the unreleased versions on the EE set. PLUS there's a mix they used for Bandstand and Soul Train which is different from the released versions. Bandstand is longer than the ST version

HE lp - various alt versions on the EE set

Wheel - the single is a different mix from the lp. plus the alt version on the EE

Let Yourself Go - the single is a different mix from the lp. plus the version on the cassette issue of Greatest Hits & Rare Classics is different. George mentioned that he thought it was a better mix than the single mix. i'm not sure if it was an unreleased mix in the vault and therefore COULD have been used for the single. or if George and team did the mix themselves and just liked it better

MS&S lp - various alt versions on the EE set

[sup_fan]

i'm just reposting this amazing response from George several years ago. George - we love you!!

Hi Paul,

I checked in with George who is unable to respond on SDF at the moment, but asked me if I'd post an email response he had posted on one of the boards a few years ago answering some questions.

I'd like to add that it was George who first re-discovered the Diana Ross - Blue - tapes when doing Motown's first box set on Marvin Gaye. He is a good friend who still often consults on many projects. His knowledge of Motown/Ross/Supremes is incredible!

And now from George Solomon:
I pitched the idea of Greatest Hits and Rare Classics to be collections of hits, unreleased and rare tracks from artists that didn’t have a CD compilation on the market. My main interest was releasing a great compilation on the 70’s Supremes. I got approval to go ahead with each CD except The Supremes. I was told that they didn’t feel there was enough sales potential in the 70’s group and we would just do a straight reissue of the 10 song vinyl collection, “At Their Best”. After much pleading on my part I finally got a green light on the 70’s group. With each CD, I was told I could have only two photos and no liner notes. [[I was eventually allowed one paragraph per CD).
The first 3 to be mastered were Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston and The Supremes. [[All containing several songs from the vaults) As we were finishing the Supremes master, a memo was issued stating that NO UNRELEASED MATERIAL COULD BE ISSUED. I was told the finished masters had to be scrapped and we could only proceed with the remaining artists using only released material. Once again, I lost my Supremes collection. Again, I pleaded, if I could re-master the CD’s in ONE DAY replacing the unreleased tracks with other rarities could we proceed? [[I believe, I was on my knees at the time.) The results are the released CD’s. With the Supremes, I had such a hard time choosing tracks that I varied the CD and the cassette. This wasn’t a ploy to make people have to buy both. It was for the fans who would WANT to have both. The casual buyer wouldn’t care as long as they got the hits they wanted. As with every collection many fans questioned the track list. Remember, that “Right On” “Touch” and “Floy Joy” were already issued on CD and I just got approval to do “New Ways”, so I used very few tracks from those LP’s. I got a definite “no” on Jimmy Webb and all of the remaining albums [[with the exception of MAYBE “High Energy”). That is how I chose the tracks.
I really liked this collection and I’d like to thank everyone for the mostly very positive feedback. And by the way, The Supremes and Rare Earth were the biggest sellers in the whole series.

If you care, here is the original track list for the Supremes master that still sits in the Motown vaults.

Original Greatest Hits and Rare Classics
All tracks or mixes available on CD for the first time [[1991)

Up the Ladder [[mono mix)
Life Beats [[mono mix) *
Everybody’s Got The Right [[alt vocal mono mix) *
Stoned Love [[mono mix)
Nathan Jones [[mono mix)
If I Were Your Woman *
Floy Joy [[unedited) *
Automatically Sunshine [[alternate) *
Remote Control *
Make It With You *
Never Can Say Goodbye *
Tossin' & Turnin' [[edit) *
Paradise *
Love Train [[remix) *
Bad Weather [[ext fade) *
I Had To Fall In Love [[edit)-Jean *
The Shoop Shoop Song *
The Sha La Bandit [[alternate) *
Bend A Little *
I’m Gonna Let My Heart [[alternate) *
You’re My Driving Wheel [[alt edit) *
Another Life From Now-Scherrie
You Danced My Heart Around The Stars-Mary *

• unreleased track or mix

Thanks for caring – George Solomon

Hi guys,

I emailed George again, [[who is on a cruise in Hawaii, and therefore not able to respond on the site in a timely manner). Again, his response is below. Many of the cassette versions were used on other collections since, because we knew the cassette would become more of a rarity as time goes on. One of the items he didn't mention is the extended "Floy Joy," from the cassette edition which we used on the Supremes 40th Anniversary Box Set.

I would like to add one final thought, the people George worked with at Motown back then are not the same people Harry or myself work with today.

and now, FROM GEORGE SOLOMON:
Here are the tracks that were different on the Greatest Hits and Rare Classics cassette.

EVERYBODY'S GOT THE RIGHT TO LOVE - The CD had an alternate mono mix with a completely different lead vocal by Jean. The cassette version had yet another mono mix with the released vocal. The cassette version can now be found on "The Supremes 70's Anthology". I feel both of these mono single mixes were superior to the one that was released. This record could have been much bigger.
There is still yet another mono single mix of this song in the vaults that combines both of Jean's vocals.

TOUCH - The cassette included an alternate mono single mix. Listen for Cindy's alternate "Oh baby" after the first verse. Also, Cindy's "Talk to me, talk to me" was eliminated from this mix and Jean's vocal was punched out at the fade. This mix is still unavailable any place else. I personally didn't like any of the mono single mixes of "Touch". This was another great record that I think failed because of an inferior single mix and edit.

AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - I believe I used the released LP mix on the cassette. The CD had an alternate mono extended mix. The full stereo alternate mix can be found on "The 70's Anthology".

IT'S ALL BEEN SAID BEFORE & WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE - Both were on the cassette but not on the CD. Both were the LP mixes. The single mix of "Where Do I Go From Here" is still unavailable on CD and there is an alternate lead vocal by Scherrie on "It's All Been Said Before" still in the vaults.

HIGH ENERGY - This was a single edit of a mix that eventually came out in its entirety on "The 70's Anthology". The original lead vocal by Scherrie is still unreleased.

YOU'RE MY DRIVING WHEEL - I used the alternate promo lead vocal, which has since come out on CD on the Supremes Box and The Supremes Gold.

LET YOURSELF GO - This was an alternate [[and in my opinion) much better single edit than the released version.

FLY - Scherrie's solo single wasn't included on the CD. Instead I used "Another Life From Now".

I still stand by my decision to vary the CD and cassette and I think most of the fans were happy about it. The Motown execs were not! Even though they signed off on both versions [[I couldn't get anything released without a signature on the track list) they became upset when some retailers complained about the differences. I wasn't "fired" because I was never officially a Motown employee but in truth it did compromise my position. It was very difficult in the early 90's. [[I think Andy would agree it's still often difficult) to get things done exactly the way you know they should be.

One funny story....I produced a "Best Of The Supremes & 4 Tops" CD. When I went to approve the artwork I found a picture of Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations on the cover. [[It was the back photo of TCB) When I gently pointed out that not only was it the wrong group of Supremes but the wrong male group all together, I was told that I was being overly picky and no one would notice that but me! Ultimately, I got it changed, but these are the little "challenges" that came up constantly. So, even today when you see these little mistakes on the reissue's you better believe that it wasn't Andy, Harry or myself being negligent. Sometimes these things just slip through the cracks and we get as frustrated as you do. I'm just really very happy that there is still an audience for these wonderful recordings and there are still great releases yet to come!

[RanRan79]

Thanks everyone for your responses!

[RanRan79]

haha - you sound like me preparing another excel file with data and facts! lolol

yes that link to the DR page is marvelous. heavily detailed and great reading

so now that you can basically "check" that off your list, what's next? lol

Sup, nobody can sound like you my friend. When everyone else is counting sheep to fall asleep, you count Supremes.

My goal was to do some better organizing of my Supremes playlists. I don't know if you saw the post I made some time back about how I organize my Supremes music on my laptop. I break the group down into four phases: Flo, DRATS, Jean, and Scherrie. Each folder contains the original released albums and any subsequently released tracks that fall within the timeline of each album. There's also folders for the live stuff I've collected over the years. Anyway, I find much of the mono stuff to be inferior in sound to the stereo stuff. I chalk that up to the technology of today being manufactured to get the best out of a stereo sound since mono isn't a thing anymore [[or if it is, it isn't very big anymore). So I tend to skip past a lot of the mono stuff, but I know there are some cuts which are different from mono to stereo and I don't want to overlook anything in that situation. So that's basically what my inquiry was about.

Next on the list? It should be cleaning out the garage, but that probably won't happen until the fall when it's not stifling hot inside the garage. Maybe the closets? I'm getting depressed now.

[sup_fan]

haha glad we all could help

I pretty much use my itunes account and ipod/iphone [[yes i still have an old thumbwheel ipod lololol) as my music library. total song library for everything is 15,000+ songs. everything from supremes to classical to rock etc etc

I've done more with "Grant's now the producer" with my playlists. I've made my own version of lps that were, frankly, lacking. like Cream of the crop or Sunshine or even NWBLS.

Also i've collected all of the "Sessions" into playlists. so all of the tracks, alt versions, etc done for the High Energy recordings or Country Western & Pop or whatever. If there are stereo and mono versions, they go in there too. allows you to listen to all of the content around a project, which can be quite interesting too.

[RanRan79]

I use itunes also. You do the same thing I do with regards to sessions. I compose the folders into original album and sessions. Even the unreleased albums get their own folder with sessions. And I have the sessions ordered by date. Between the expanded booklets and DFTMC, putting the songs in session order has been fairly easy. I wish the earliest sessions with Barbara had dates. I think- without looking- the earliest date I have is a possible April recording session for "Buttered Popcorn", and that's just the month, no day. I just checked, the earliest full date I have is Jun 3rd for "Baby Don't Go". Would love to order those earliest of songs based on when they were recorded exactly.

Anyway, I also follow this same method for the other artists I have vast collections for. Motown wise, I've done this for Marvin Gaye, Martha and the Vandellas and the Tempts. Actually, in answer to your question of what's next, I probably should give each of those a good going over to see if I'm missing anything or if there's new information about recordings.

[sup_fan]

i need to get back to work on my Supremes timeline files. I've been doing them while at the office during slow periods. And it was easy because most of the EE booklets were scannable and i had them on my iphone

but the books for pink box set, TITS and LYG sets are not scannable and therefore i've not had the chance to pull them in for recording dates and all. Now that I'm working from home, i could pull in the info

[sup_fan]

I only did the Billboard data for the US Pop chart. if i get bored enough, i could always add in the R&B lolol

i have thought about adding in the Disco charts. there wouldn't be all that much to do and given my interest in the HE and MSS sets, would be worthwhile