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  1. #1
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    Come See About Me - always intended as a single?

    CSAM is an excellent song and am so glad it was a single. but throughout the course of the Sups recording there are LOTS of great songs that COULD have been singles but maybe another song was hot and it just didn't quite make it out there [[Going Down 3rd Time for instance).

    So Baby Love was release Sept 17, 64. By 10/3, it was already on the charts and hit #1 on 10/31.

    motown rushed released CSAM due to the Nella Dodds situation. BL was #1 for 4 weeks and just started to descend in early Dec.

    So the question is, if the Nella Dodds competition wasn't ever there, would CSAM still have been released as a single, just later than when it was released?

    or by early Dec had some even stronger, hotter tracks been recorded and motown would have issued a new single NOT off of the WDOLG album. some contenders could have been:

    Back In My Arms - this was completed 12/1. certainly could have been rushed out as a single in early Dec

    The Only Time I'm Happy

    Any girl in love

    Who could even doubt my love

    it's all your fault

    oooweee baby [[although this is a Smokey recording so doubt it would have gotten the green light over an HDH)

  2. #2
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    I think it's possible Motown already had it's eye on the song as a follow up to "Baby Love", but were forced into the rush release.

    Of the songs you mention, I think only "Back In My Arms Again" and "It's All Your Fault" had any real chance of being the follow up to "Baby Love". "Back" obviously was destined for major hit. I do believe if "Fault" had been released after "Baby Love", and with a mix that added something more, it may have become the third #1 because it had that early element that the group was becoming known for. Released as a single at any other point- after "Come" or "Stop" or "Back"- and I don't think it would've worked. As much as I love "Any Girl In Love" and "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love", I don't think they would've continued the #1 hit streak.

  3. #3
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    I think Come See About Me was going to be released as a single sooner or later. It had hit written all over it. Of course at the start of the day I don't think Motown had fully realized what they had just created.

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    I wonder what BIMAA would have sounded like had it been released in December of 1964. There was additional augmentation done in Februrary of 1965 before it was released in April. Maybe it was that second recording session that gave it the treatment which later a made it the hit it was.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I think it's possible Motown already had it's eye on the song as a follow up to "Baby Love", but were forced into the rush release.

    Of the songs you mention, I think only "Back In My Arms Again" and "It's All Your Fault" had any real chance of being the follow up to "Baby Love". "Back" obviously was destined for major hit. I do believe if "Fault" had been released after "Baby Love", and with a mix that added something more, it may have become the third #1 because it had that early element that the group was becoming known for. Released as a single at any other point- after "Come" or "Stop" or "Back"- and I don't think it would've worked. As much as I love "Any Girl In Love" and "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love", I don't think they would've continued the #1 hit streak.
    It's all your fault seems to echo the original Baby Love. it might have been considered a follow up but yeah, i don't think it would have been a #1. it [[and the original Baby Love) just aren't as exciting. they're so simple, like WDOLG was. but Where was truly original. a carbon copy wouldn't have done as well as the simple thing was already done. the 2nd Baby Love built on the sound. as did CSAM.

  6. #6
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    It's All Your Fault seems quite repetitive; neither the lyrics nor the intensity of the singers or musicians change from the first few bars onward. It has some typical HDH elements, but there is no storyline; there is no development. When you hear the first 15 seconds, you've heard the whole song. Basically, it seems like the first draft of what became He's All I Got.

    What makes He's All I Got successful is that after the first two soundalike phrases, there is a third [["please call to him, tell him...") that presents something fresh and new, and it's the shift from one melody line to another, complementary line, that makes the song seem more complete.

    Too, the backgrounds in It's All Your Fault go nowhere, while in He's All I Got, the backgrounds, while similar, have several different components, and again it's the variations that give this some additional movement that adds interest.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by benross View Post
    It's All Your Fault seems quite repetitive; neither the lyrics nor the intensity of the singers or musicians change from the first few bars onward. It has some typical HDH elements, but there is no storyline; there is no development. When you hear the first 15 seconds, you've heard the whole song. Basically, it seems like the first draft of what became He's All I Got.

    What makes He's All I Got successful is that after the first two soundalike phrases, there is a third [["please call to him, tell him...") that presents something fresh and new, and it's the shift from one melody line to another, complementary line, that makes the song seem more complete.

    Too, the backgrounds in It's All Your Fault go nowhere, while in He's All I Got, the backgrounds, while similar, have several different components, and again it's the variations that give this some additional movement that adds interest.
    excellent analysis Ben! and very true too. this is one that didn't make any album

    in my timeline, i've listed out when they recorded material and between WDOLG and end of year, there's relatively little new material. now i say "relatively" to mean there were dozens and dozens of songs. each month, there were a handful. but i would have thought with HDH devoting themselves to the Sups there would be tons of songs and lots ending up in the vault since there was only so much ability to release songs.

  8. #8
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    This is the probably old US/UK split again.

    Just as there were big differences in the performances of some songs for Diana in the two countries so there were for the Supremes.

    I could never understand why Come See is one of the group's most popular singles in the US.

    You could say it was more soulful than the first two #1s but to me it lacks their driving beat.

    The British public seem to have agreed for after two smashes WDOLG #3 and Baby Love #1, CSAM just managed to scrape into the UK top 30.

    Now I can only judge the records in retrospect so I suppose it's possible I may be influenced by the record's lack of success in the UK but to me it's just a pleasant song and not one I would listen to very often.

  9. #9
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    I love come see about me.
    Great groove.love the drum. i think the song would have been released early 65 .....which would have helped the More Hits album as it wasn't released until July.
    Wdolg album benefitted from being released along with the second single baby love and then CSAM.
    More hits wasn't released until NBH in july.no fourth single to drive in sales but one of their best albums

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by daviddh View Post
    I love come see about me.
    Great groove.love the drum. i think the song would have been released early 65 .....which would have helped the More Hits album as it wasn't released until July.
    Wdolg album benefitted from being released along with the second single baby love and then CSAM.
    More hits wasn't released until NBH in july.no fourth single to drive in sales but one of their best albums
    Me too. It's in my top 10 favorite Supremes singles. Different strokes i guess.

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    It is a comparatively tame composition especially when comparing it with what was yet to come.

    There's a strong "Supremes" [[as opposed to Diana Ross & The Supremes) component to CSAM that likely adds to the song's overall appeal. The back-up singing is not just mirroring Diana , Flo and Mary together sing their own separate lines and are almost equally as involved as Diana throughout the song. Its clearly a threesome singing. This might have added to this song's appeal as people at this time were just becoming familiar with the 3 girls via TV appearances, etc..

    Last edited by Boogiedown; 10-31-2020 at 03:22 PM.

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    Not surprisingly, I agree with Boogie. I liked the group when it was a group--but totally lost interest when it was just DR and anon backup singers.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BobbyC View Post
    Not surprisingly, I agree with Boogie. I liked the group when it was a group--but totally lost interest when it was just DR and anon backup singers.
    Who knew about the Andates in the 1960’s ??. I sure didn’t.

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    Circa I came to know the Supremes when they were breaking up in the late 70's. I never even heard the Supremes older stuff, with the exception of their oldies big hits, until the Youtube age. I listen to the late 60's stuff now and it sounds generic to me. I miss the identifiable voices

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    I think CSAM is absolutely wonderful.

    I loved WDOLG when it came out. BL was good but too similar to WDOLG. I decided to be a Supremes fan the first time I heard CSAM on the radio in 1964.

    My Top 5 Supremes songs are from the DMF-era: WDOLG, CSAM, Hangin' On, Symphony and Back In My Arms Again. The only DMC-era single in my Supremes Top 20 is Love Child.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I think it's possible Motown already had it's eye on the song as a follow up to "Baby Love", but were forced into the rush release.

    Of the songs you mention, I think only "Back In My Arms Again" and "It's All Your Fault" had any real chance of being the follow up to "Baby Love". "Back" obviously was destined for major hit. I do believe if "Fault" had been released after "Baby Love", and with a mix that added something more, it may have become the third #1 because it had that early element that the group was becoming known for. Released as a single at any other point- after "Come" or "Stop" or "Back"- and I don't think it would've worked. As much as I love "Any Girl In Love" and "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love", I don't think they would've continued the #1 hit streak.
    come see about me and baby love we’re finished practically simultaneously and presented to berry Gordy as their next two singles. Come see about me was to be first followed up by baby love. Gordy said you guys are crazy, baby love is the next single, added his few little changes, and told them come see about me to go next - it was always intended to be a single and HDH felt it was the stronger of the two! In the fall of 1964, it was a record to be dealt with. No “iffy” 45 could battle with the Beatles at the height of their popularity with the number one and number two spots for six weeks. Come see about me was a killer record for radio, it may not suit everyone’s taste, but it sounded like 1 million bucks on the radio and it’s chart activity was no fluke.

    i’ve never understood the attraction it’s all your fault, mother dear or the other choices mentioned for single release. I just don’t think they’d have seen much airplay or sales.

    Back in my arms again, as released, was quite a departure from what the new super group has been releasing So I understand going with stop! first - if that was the reason they did that. It also could be the back of my arms again just wasn’t finished yet, and I’m glad they held it back because it is a stupendous record and I went out of my mind when it came out I couldn’t play it enough. Of the five hits, it was neck and neck with baby love as my favorite. I hear a Symphony trounced all of them, then you can’t hurry love trounced that, then I hear a Symphony took over again, and in the late 1990s you can’t hurry love took over for good with symphony and back in my arms again nipping at his heels

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheMotownManiac View Post
    come see about me and baby love we’re finished practically simultaneously and presented to berry Gordy as their next two singles. Come see about me was to be first followed up by baby love. Gordy said you guys are crazy, baby love is the next single, added his few little changes, and told them come see about me to go next - it was always intended to be a single and HDH felt it was the stronger of the two! In the fall of 1964, it was a record to be dealt with. No “iffy” 45 could battle with the Beatles at the height of their popularity with the number one and number two spots for six weeks. Come see about me was a killer record for radio, it may not suit everyone’s taste, but it sounded like 1 million bucks on the radio and it’s chart activity was no fluke.

    i’ve never understood the attraction it’s all your fault, mother dear or the other choices mentioned for single release. I just don’t think they’d have seen much airplay or sales.

    Back in my arms again, as released, was quite a departure from what the new super group has been releasing So I understand going with stop! first - if that was the reason they did that. It also could be the back of my arms again just wasn’t finished yet, and I’m glad they held it back because it is a stupendous record and I went out of my mind when it came out I couldn’t play it enough. Of the five hits, it was neck and neck with baby love as my favorite. I hear a Symphony trounced all of them, then you can’t hurry love trounced that, then I hear a Symphony took over again, and in the late 1990s you can’t hurry love took over for good with symphony and back in my arms again nipping at his heels
    great info Maniac! i think i vaguely remember that story now that you've mentioned it. of course i agree that CSAM is an excellent single and very deserving of being a hit

    what is interesting is that CSAM more mirrors WDOLG than BL does. and motown would typically try to release a copy cat song to build off the success of the first.

    the clomping intro is similar between the two. Also the structure of the lead and bg vocals are very similar.

    in WDOLG Diana sings each of her phrases and in the rests M and F chime in with the Baby Baby. they bounce back and forth

    in CSAM this structure is repeated although M and F parts are bigger and more a part of the story than just saying "baby baby"

    BL is really pretty much a totally different song structure. sure it utilizes the soft, low, kittenish sexy lead delivery of diana. it doesn't really have a "clomping" introduction. the phrasing and structure between lead and bg is totally different too. obviously it's a great song but it is quite different from it's predecessor

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    great info Maniac! i think i vaguely remember that story now that you've mentioned it. of course i agree that CSAM is an excellent single and very deserving of being a hit

    what is interesting is that CSAM more mirrors WDOLG than BL does. and motown would typically try to release a copy cat song to build off the success of the first.

    the clomping intro is similar between the two. Also the structure of the lead and bg vocals are very similar.

    in WDOLG Diana sings each of her phrases and in the rests M and F chime in with the Baby Baby. they bounce back and forth

    in CSAM this structure is repeated although M and F parts are bigger and more a part of the story than just saying "baby baby"

    BL is really pretty much a totally different song structure. sure it utilizes the soft, low, kittenish sexy lead delivery of diana. it doesn't really have a "clomping" introduction. the phrasing and structure between lead and bg is totally different too. obviously it's a great song but it is quite different from it's predecessor
    your comparisons are spot on, but I think that once Barry heard baby love, all his other axioms just flew out the window because it was just such a homerun. It hasn’t aged well, so people who weren’t around in 1964 will never be able to understand the impact it had but it was gigantic clearly the most important record of their career. People born in the 70s and after often scratch their heads at the popularity of baby love, but for its time, it was a mega hit of epic proportion’s. I’ve always thought that it would’ve lasted at number one for six or seven weeks if the album wasn’t out and come see about me didn’t get rush released. Not that long ago, People born in the 70s and after often scratch their heads at the popularity of baby love, but for its time, it was a mega hit of epic proportion‘s. I’ve always thought that it would’ve lasted at number one for six or seven weeks if the album wasn’t out and come see about me didn’t get rush released. Not that long ago,Brian Holland made a similar statement. Baby love is what drove the mega album sales have where did our love go much like you can’t hurry love did for Supremes Agogo.

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    i think the uber fans here are more scratching their heads regarding BL than the general public lol. we tend to be oversaturated with it. but the general public i think still appreciates it. sure - maybe they don't realize the hugeness of it or the culture impact at the time. but it [[and Stop) seem to be among the most iconic of all their songs

    since then music has become so much less cute. protests, ghetto life, drugs, death and more often find center stage in today's music. but there's a simple agelessness of BL. it speaks to something we all have in common

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    Didn't della Nodd need permission from HDH to record their song.
    Didn't the boys know she was stealing the song...

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    I think “CSAM” an excellent record that has a real group feel to it. It’s a song Diana appears to still enjoy performing even today.
    ’Baby Love’ underscored its popularity and lasting appeal when it reached number 12 on the UK pop chart and 16 in Ireland ten years after its original release.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheMotownManiac View Post
    No “iffy” 45 could battle with the Beatles at the height of their popularity with the number one and number two spots for six weeks. Come see about me was a killer record for radio, it may not suit everyone’s taste, but it sounded like 1 million bucks on the radio and it’s chart activity was no fluke.
    This really is an amazing feat. The Supremes were #1 for one week - Dec. 13-18 - and were then knocked down to #2 all the while The Beatles I FEEL FINE held the #1 spot for three weeks. On the fourth week The Supremes pushed them off and returned to #1 for an additional week Jan 10-16.


    Also interesting: The Supremes recorded COME SEE ABOUT ME in German!! How/why in the world??


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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogiedown View Post
    This really is an amazing feat. The Supremes were #1 for one week - Dec. 13-18 - and were then knocked down to #2 all the while The Beatles I FEEL FINE held the #1 spot for three weeks. On the fourth week The Supremes pushed them off and returned to #1 for an additional week Jan 10-16.


    Also interesting: The Supremes recorded COME SEE ABOUT ME in German!! How/why in the world??

    I am guessing it’s because Motown felt that come see about me was as strong as baby love, and since that is so big internationally, they thought they would try the next one in German. I don’t know if it was a success or not, I am guessing it was not because they didn’t do it again.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
    I think “CSAM” an excellent record that has a real group feel to it. It’s a song Diana appears to still enjoy performing even today.
    ’Baby Love’ underscored its popularity and lasting appeal when it reached number 12 on the UK pop chart and 16 in Ireland ten years after its original release.
    Yes, ask the UK public to name one song by the Supremes and the vast majority would say Baby Love.

    More popular than Where Did Our Love Go but I think it was the reverse in the US.

    Interestingly although Baby Love was always their signature tune in the UK in the digital era it's You Can't Hurry Love which is now their most popular track.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    Yes, ask the UK public to name one song by the Supremes and the vast majority would say Baby Love.

    More popular than Where Did Our Love Go but I think it was the reverse in the US.

    Interestingly although Baby Love was always their signature tune in the UK in the digital era it's You Can't Hurry Love which is now their most popular track.
    Regarding YCHL, l’m not really surprised by its popularity in this digital age. There has been a sprinkling of cover versions over the years with Phil Collins taking it all the way to Number 1 spot seventeen years after the Supremes original was released.

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    "Come See About Me" is a perfect example of what made the Supremes so popular. Simple, yet some how earnest lyrics by HDH; the brilliance of the Funks; Diana's beautiful lead; Flo and Mary's gorgeous harmonies. To top it off, it's the song they perform for their first nationwide-everybody at home watching TV-exposure, showing them each in all their visual beauty, conveying their unique personalities, and hearing that they sound as good live as they do on record. "Come" isn't a song I play often. I find that most of the big hits don't get a ton of play by me because they are overplayed. Plus I think hits are good for the casual listener. A lot of times for us die hards, it's the deep cuts that get the most play. Certainly the case for me. But even my grandma loved "Come See About Me", and she didn't listen to secular music, for the most part.

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    It took me completely by surprise when Nella Dodds covered it; I never saw the song as more than a strong album track.

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