What are you listening to right now [[Ross related,)

[sansradio]

Disco perfection, with that A &S production second to none. As much as i love it, i never thought it the right choice as lead single for the UK.
Diana clearly loves this album, so it’s baffling that other then the soundtrack of The Wiz , they never got together for another album.

What would your UK lead single choice have been?

[Ollie9]

What would your UK lead single choice have been?

Without doubt “Its My House”. The song did reasonably well, but by the time it was released as a single had stiff competition from another version. As lead single it could have been a sizeable hit. It’s still remembered fondly even today.
“I Ain't Been Licked” is another contender, but it’s title may have proved a stumbling block. Not quite sure if the term “been licked” originated from the UK or USA?.

[Ollie9]

Apparently the phrase to lick someone/thing into shape dates back to the Roman era. It is of course widely used as a boxing term.
I’m fairly sure the last time Diana performed “I Ain’t Been Licked” live was in 2004. I always think of it as the hit that never was.

[Ollie9]

The Answers Always Love - If only.

[Jaap]

I’m fairly sure the last time Diana performed “I Ain’t Been Licked” live was in 2004. I always think of it as the hit that never was.

Yes, it appeared just briefly in her setlist. Some reviewer, I think it was a Los Angeles newspaper, thought it was a new song and a quite fitting return after those difficult years. I love the 12 inch on the diana deluxe edition. Apparently the song is also a favorite of RuPaul, who used the song on their "sequel" to Mahogany, before they became famous.

[Ollie9]

Yes, it appeared just briefly in her setlist. Some reviewer, I think it was a Los Angeles newspaper, thought it was a new song and a quite fitting return after those difficult years. I love the 12 inch on the diana deluxe edition. Apparently the song is also a favorite of RuPaul, who used the song on their "sequel" to Mahogany, before they became famous.

It was certainly missing by the time she reached London. “All For One” is another classic song, with its lyrics as much relevant today as ever. Was Central Park” the last time she ever performed it live.?

[Ollie9]

Mary Wilson - Why Can’t We All Get Along”. Seems rather apt at the mo.

[Ollie9]

The Force Behind The Power - I know there are some who aren’t bowled over by it, but I think it a brilliant song with powerful lyrics. It sounds as fresh and reverent today as it did in 91.

[dickiemint]

I think FBTP was her strongest Lp from her return to Motown Years, I loved her Blame it on the Sun

[Ollie9]

I think FBTP was her strongest Lp from her return to Motown Years, I loved her Blame it on the Sun

The “Force Behind The Power” album is far more pop sounding then either “Take Me Higher” or “EDIAND”. It sold incredibly well across Europe, particularly in the UK.
She also scored further hits with the pop ballads ”Your Love” and “Best Years”. For this reason, perhaps it was a mistake to go more r&b with her next two albums when she had already found a winning formula.

[daviddh]

if the world would just dance
love this song

[nomis]

Playing Will Smiths greatest hits CD just heard Diana "Love Hangover" strings and bass sampled in " Freak This"..sounds great !

[Ollie9]

“In Your Heart” - The song has emerged as my most favourite from the album. Well, at the mo anyway. It’s so meaningful and relaxing sounding. I think it would have done better then “Thank You”. Very much a Diana Ross Song.

[Ollie9]

Only Love Can Conquer All - I was playing this song only this morning. Its lyrics now more then ever speak for so many during these very troubled times. I would love for her to include the song in her UK concerts.

[daviddh]

was listening to Supremes #1 cd
this cd has a good sound,...to me

[after you]

I’m listening to The HDH album her vocals are heaven

[nomis]

Dance group chaos in the cdb " birthday song " which samples the spoken parts of "ain't no mountain high enough" and a couple of vocal riffs

[daviddh]

just listenned to the new Turn Up The Sunshine. Love It

[Ollie9]

Summertime - On a wonderfully sunny morning here in the UK it just seemed the perfect song to play. Arguably one of of Diana’s finest vocal performances, not only for rca, but of her career.

[Ollie9]

Just In Case - I adore this simple, heartfelt ballad from the “Thank You” set. It’s like a comforting mug of hot chocolate on a cold winters day. I wonder if there’s any chance she might perform it this summer.?.

[Ollie9]

Your Love Is So Good For Me [[12 inch mix) - Enjoy the free and easy vibe of this joyous mix.
Surprised there aren’t more remixes of the song about.

[JLoveLamar]

Apparently the phrase to lick someone/thing into shape dates back to the Roman era. It is of course widely used as a boxing term.
I’m fairly sure the last time Diana performed “I Ain’t Been Licked” live was in 2004. I always think of it as the hit that never was.

I ain't been licked in a while, myself.

I've been listening to EDIAND, RHRAB and LTISH.

[lucky2012]

I ain't been licked in a while, myself.

I've been listening to EDIAND, RHRAB and LTISH.

Interesting list. None of them mentioned or discussed much here. RHRB doesn't get much love here but it's one of my favorites. I think it should have been titled Summertime because the songs and production are so right for a relaxing day at the beach. I really like EDIAND but have to be in a fairly upbeat mood to really listen to it. LTISH is one of my least favorite Ross albums, but I like the expanded edition [[thank you George & co.)

I listen to my own Ross/Supremes playlists every day. The last album I listened to recently was BIM [another favorite]

[daviddh]

Was listening to Thank You due to the albums Grammy nod.
Silk Elektra got some airplay as well.....
Love Who, love Lies

[Ollie9]

Interesting list. None of them mentioned or discussed much here. RHRB doesn't get much love here but it's one of my favorites. I think it should have been titled Summertime because the songs and production are so right for a relaxing day at the beach. I really like EDIAND but have to be in a fairly upbeat mood to really listen to it. LTISH is one of my least favorite Ross albums, but I like the expanded edition [[thank you George & co.)

I listen to my own Ross/Supremes playlists every day. The last album I listened to recently was BIM [another favorite]

The sheer quality of Diana’s vocals is for me what raises the “RHRAB” album above some of the others, it’s an album i tend to play more in the summer, with its light, breezy tracks seeming to suit that season more.
I share your thoughts regarding “EDIAND”. It’s a really good album, but the sad theme of so many of its songs can lead you to feel a little melancholy. The inspiring “Carry On” being the exception. A lost single methinks.
”LTISH” is of course a mixed bag containing some real gems. “No ones Gonna Be A Fool” would most likely have been a hit single, with the irresistible “Love Me” ranking alongside Diana’s best ballads of the 70’s.

[lucky2012]

The sheer quality of Diana’s vocals is for me what raises the “RHRAB” album above some of the others, it’s an album i tend to play more in the summer, with its light, breezy tracks seeming to suit that season more.
I share your thoughts regarding “EDIAND”. It’s a really good album, but the sad theme of so many of its songs can lead you to feel a little melancholy. The inspiring “Carry On” being the exception. A lost single methinks.
”LTISH” is of course a mixed bag containing some real gems. “No ones Gonna Be A Fool” would most likely have been a hit single, with the irresistible “Love Me” ranking alongside Diana’s best ballads of the 70’s.

We both appreciate RHRAB's summery qualities. Refreshing! I first thought her vocals were a bit breathy, but they totally fit the album. Favorites are It's Hard For Me To Say, Summertime, Selfish One, There Goes My Baby, & Cross My Heart. Shine has grown on me. Shock Waves is the only one I don't play. [Not a fan of her songwriting]
EDIAND for me is her most soulful album. Hard to listen to but I love her heartfelt vocals. Favorites are Not Over You Yet, Every Day Is a New Day, Until We Meet Again, He Lives in You. Carry On is growing on me.
Love Me is my favorite on LTISH. I like I'll Be Here When You Get Home and I Want To Go Back There Agan on the expanded edition. No One's Gonna Be a Fool forever is growing on me. It might have been a good follow up to Touch Me in The Morning.

[Ollie9]

We both appreciate RHRAB's summery qualities. Refreshing! I first thought her vocals were a bit breathy, but they totally fit the album. Favorites are It's Hard For Me To Say, Summertime, Selfish One, There Goes My Baby, & Cross My Heart. Shine has grown on me. Shock Waves is the only one I don't play. [Not a fan of her songwriting]
EDIAND for me is her most soulful album. Hard to listen to but I love her heartfelt vocals. Favorites are Not Over You Yet, Every Day Is a New Day, Until We Meet Again, He Lives in You. Carry On is growing on me.
Love Me is my favorite on LTISH. I like I'll Be Here When You Get Home and I Want To Go Back There Agan on the expanded edition. No One's Gonna Be a Fool forever is growing on me. It might have been a good follow up to Touch Me in The Morning.

Agree about “Shockwaves” being yet another one of those awful songs that spoilt so many of her rca albums.I find the rest of “RHR&B pleasant, if a little vanilla at times. Nice to listen to with a glass of something chilled.
Considering how popular Diana was/is in the UK, it’s surprising how both “Last Tine I Saw Him” And the beautiful “Love Me” stalled in the pop 30’s when released as singles.

[Jaap]

I loved RHR&B when it originally came out, and I still like it a lot, but I do find the music production a bit bland and generic, which is surprising as [most of] the album is produced by Tom Dowd. Perhaps he thought that would be a better fit for Ross's voice. "Shockwaves" is horrible, a Motown parody, prrrrrr....

One of my all-time favorite Ross songs is on LTISH, namely "I Heard A Love Song [But You Never Made a Sound]" -- just LOOOOOVE that song.

Jaap

[lucky2012]

I loved RHR&B when it originally came out, and I still like it a lot, but I do find the music production a bit bland and generic, which is surprising as [most of] the album is produced by Tom Dowd. Perhaps he thought that would be a better fit for Ross's voice. "Shockwaves" is horrible, a Motown parody, prrrrrr....

One of my all-time favorite Ross songs is on LTISH, namely "I Heard A Love Song [But You Never Made a Sound]" -- just LOOOOOVE that song.

Jaap

I was surprised, too, by Tom Dowd's production. I would have expected the album and album title to reflect his history with Atlantic R&B and Aretha. It might have been a unique and special Ross album.

I also love I Heard A Love Song. I can imagine it as the lead single and title track of the album.

[daviddh]

There are some gems on Red Hot.

[Ollie9]

There are some gems on Red Hot.

There are indeed. “Summertime”, “Cross My Heart”, “Hard For Me To Say” And “Shine” being great tracks that still sound fresh today.
Songs not so fond of being the rather limp “Dirty Looks”, “Tell Mama” [[which I don’t think suits Diana’s voice) and the incredibly bland “Shock Waves”.
I wish they had included the quaintly playful “You’ve Got What It Takes” on the album. Perhaps instead of “SW”

[daviddh]

I likes stranger in paradise

[JLoveLamar]

SHOCKWAVES is my top 3 favorite songs on RHRAB. I love it so much. I wish they would release the video.

[sansradio]

Just listened to "Let the Music Play" [alternate mix] from A' Go-Go​ expanded [which, incidentally, I prefer marginally to Dionne's original].

[Bluebrock]

Apparently the phrase to lick someone/thing into shape dates back to the Roman era. It is of course widely used as a boxing term.
I’m fairly sure the last time Diana performed “I Ain’t Been Licked” live was in 2004. I always think of it as the hit that never was.

Diana herself loved the song too. She wanted it to be the 2nd single but was overruled. i still maintain it is one of her great lost hits. She never sounded better. You could tell she believed in this song.

[Bluebrock]

There are indeed. “Summertime”, “Cross My Heart”, “Hard For Me To Say” And “Shine” being great tracks that still sound fresh today.
Songs not so fond of being the rather limp “Dirty Looks”, “Tell Mama” [[which I don’t think suits Diana’s voice) and the incredibly bland “Shock Waves”.
I wish they had included the quaintly playful “You’ve Got What It Takes” on the album. Perhaps instead of “SW”

It was an uneven album. It contained some of her finest work such as the four gems you mentioned, and it also contained a few absolute stinkers such as shockwaves and Mr Lee. This album could have been an absolute classic with a few adjustments.

[sup_fan]

Diana herself loved the song too. She wanted it to be the 2nd single but was overruled. i still maintain it is one of her great lost hits. She never sounded better. You could tell she believed in this song.

interesting! the album is so full of high quality songs practically any one could have been a single. except IMO It's My House. it's a very cool song but it rambles. doesn't go anywhere. after the bridge you have that nice solid repeat of the chorus but then it just drifts. it's the weakest [[relatively) song on the album. probably a hot song to grind and dance to on the dance floor but not a radio-friendly single.

If The Boss [[the single) had topped the charts, then i think Licked could have been a good follow up. But i think No One is a bit stronger of a song.

we all know how Diana really REALLY likes those feel-good anthems. frankly to her detriment

[daviddh]

I think the Boss could be her best album

[Bluebrock]

I think the Boss could be her best album

It is her very best album in my opinion. Everyone involved in the project was at the top of their game. It really should have been a huge success but Motown had got wind of the fact that she was considering leaving the Company and they did not promote it quite as much as they should have.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Like Reese [[above), I just started working my way through each and every one of Diana Ross & The Supremes 2-disc Motown-Select Expanded CD sets. I started with "I Hear A Symphony" last night; tonight it's the "Where Did Our Love Go" set. Tomorrow I'll back up to "Meet The Supremes". Then, caught up, I'll proceed forward in order -- including single-disc-only "Liverpool", "Country", "Sam Cooke", etc. It's amazing what Harry, George, Andy, and Keith accomplished with these fantastic Expanded reisues -- every one of them a Motown collector's dream come true.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Like Reese [[above), I just started working my way through each and every one of Diana Ross & The Supremes 2-disc Motown-Select Expanded CD sets. I started with "I Hear A Symphony" last night; tonight it's the "Where Did Our Love Go" set. Tomorrow I'll back up to "Meet The Supremes". Then, caught up, I'll proceed forward in order -- including single-disc-only "Liverpool", "Country", "Sam Cooke", etc. It's amazing what Harry, George, Andy, and Keith accomplished with these fantastic Expanded reisues -- every one of them a Motown collector's dream come true.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

B]Like Reese [[above), I just started working my way through each and every one of Diana Ross & The Supremes 2-disc Motown-Select Expanded CD sets. I started with "I Hear A Symphony" last night; tonight it's the "Where Did Our Love Go" set. Tomorrow I'll back up to "Meet The Supremes". Then, caught up, I'll proceed forward in order -- including single-disc-only "Liverpool", "Country", "Sam Cooke", etc. It's amazing what Harry, George, Andy, and Keith accomplished with these fantastic Expanded reisues -- every one of them a Motown collector's dream

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Over the past couple of months, I have been listening to the Supremes albums in chronological order. This past weekend, I made it up through the first disc of FAREWELL.

Reese, great minds must run in the same channel! Like you, I just started working my way through each and every one of Diana Ross & The Supremes 2-disc Motown-Select Expanded CD sets. I started with "I Hear A Symphony" last night; tonight it's the "Where Did Our Love Go" set. Tomorrow I'll back up to "Meet The Supremes". Then, once caught up, I'll proceed forward in order -- including single-disc-only "Liverpool", "Country", "Sam Cooke", etc. It's amazing what Harry, George, Andy, and Keith accomplished with those fantastic Expanded reisues -- every one of them a Motown collector's dream come true.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Like Reese [[above), I just started working my way through each and every one of Diana Ross & The Supremes 2-disc Motown-Select Expanded CD sets. I started with "I Hear A Symphony" last night; tonight it's the "Where Did Our Love Go" set. Tomorrow I'll back up to "Meet The Supremes". Then, caught up, I'll proceed forward in order -- including single-disc-only "Liverpool", "Country", "Sam Cooke", etc. It's amazing what Harry, George, Andy, and Keith accomplished with these fantastic Expanded reisues -- every one of them a Motown collector's dream come true.

[Lowell]

Administrator test by Lowell. Please ignore.

[sup_fan]

It is her very best album in my opinion. Everyone involved in the project was at the top of their game. It really should have been a huge success but Motown had got wind of the fact that she was considering leaving the Company and they did not promote it quite as much as they should have.

agree that it really is the most cohesive album, with thoughtful intelligent songs, outstanding production and the strongest vocals by diana. I do wonder if the "disco sucks" movement had anything to do with it underperforming. the big rally/riot in Chicago was in July or Aug of 79, right when this set was really hitting the charts

[Ollie9]

It was an uneven album. It contained some of her finest work such as the four gems you mentioned, and it also contained a few absolute stinkers such as shockwaves and Mr Lee. This album could have been an absolute classic with a few adjustments.

Seens to be the theme to so many of Diana’s rca albums. I don’t mind “Mr Lee” but it really was a seriously perverse choice for single release. Perhaps the thinking behind it being it might have proved another “WDFFIL”
I’m guessing it remained a UK only release. We’re we being punished for some unknown reason?.

[sup_fan]

Seens to be the theme to so many of Diana’s rca albums. I don’t mind “Mr Lee” but it really was a seriously perverse choice for single release. Perhaps the thinking behind it being it might have proved another “WDFFIL”
I’m guessing it remained a UK only release. We’re we being punished for some unknown reason?.

yeah it's clear Diana really wasn't looking at making significant artistic statements at RCA. seems like she was really just going through the motions "Ok it's time to do another album, what tracks are sitting around? have we received anything new from various producers or writers?"

other than the EA album [[which is dreadful) there was never an attempt to craft a cohesive project. Ross 83 is sort of close with Katz handling the majority of the tunes.

[Ollie9]

yeah it's clear Diana really wasn't looking at making significant artistic statements at RCA. seems like she was really just going through the motions "Ok it's time to do another album, what tracks are sitting around? have we received anything new from various producers or writers?"

other than the EA album [[which is dreadful) there was never an attempt to craft a cohesive project. Ross 83 is sort of close with Katz handling the majority of the tunes.

I tend to agree. It appeared mostly as to who could provide the hit as opposed to any artistic statement being made. I certainly think it impacted on the way the media and general public came to view her music.
Perhaps she just never possessed the inclination of a Marvin or Stevie as regards album concepts.

[sup_fan]

I tend to agree. It appeared mostly as to who could provide the hit as opposed to any artistic statement being made. I certainly think it impacted on the way the media and general public came to view her music.
Perhaps she just never possessed the inclination of a Marvin or Stevie as regards album concepts.

fans have talked about how she flipped her wig over Ross 78. how she was really ticked off that they released such a lackluster set. and it's not that 1 producer had to handle the entire album. but that there was a least some general idea or concept. or sound she was focusing on.