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  1. #1
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    Is Why Do Fools Fall in Love a good single?



    So how do you all really feel about Diana's first RCA single release, her cover of Why do Fools Fall in Love? it was a top ten hit. It's a good song, This version certainly has plenty of hooks and ear worms. But I find the production and music chintzy and hasn't aged well, like her Motown output of the 60s and 70s.

    I also think I understand why it was her first single on RCA. It was the beginning of next stage of her career. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were a big influence on her as a teen so I think maybe doing this song was an homage to the music that got her started singing and performing in the first place.

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    This was quite a surprise. 90 degree, if not 180 degree, turn! I liked it even if I was uncertain how it would fare. When it was played at a party, not long after it was released, it got a rousing response from my friends and other party-goers. I knew then it would do well. This was not just an R&B crowd.

    I agree with why you understand it was her first RCA single. It was a bold gamble, for sure. I now see, decades later, that she was expanding her reach as a global pop icon at RCA. Admittedly, the results were decidedly mixed and only sporadically stellar. Still, as someone pointed out in another thread
    Originally posted by Jobeterob: What she had to do was morph into the iconic artist that lasted forever - and it seems like she has done that.
    Last edited by lucky2012; 07-10-2021 at 10:54 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Spreadinglove21 View Post


    So how do you all really feel about Diana's first RCA single release, her cover of Why do Fools Fall in Love? it was a top ten hit. It's a good song, This version certainly has plenty of hooks and ear worms. But I find the production and music chintzy and hasn't aged well, like her Motown output of the 60s and 70s.

    I also think I understand why it was her first single on RCA. It was the beginning of next stage of her career. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were a big influence on her as a teen so I think maybe doing this song was an homage to the music that got her started singing and performing in the first place.
    It's a great song, and her version could have been pretty good had the production not being of such a karaoke standard. That awful introduction was probably the most inept i have ever heard on a Diana Ross record. It sounded like a 10 year old kid was on production duties. I just wish Quincy Jones had overseen the project. Ms Ross did it on a budget. I understand that. She wanted to keep costs down and increase revenue, and to that end it was a rip roaring success, but from an artistic point of view it was an unmitigated disaster.

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    its harmless fun. bright and bouncy.

    the kind of song that isn't going to get you first place in a karaoke competition but won't get you booed off either.

    I'd rank it with Linda Ronstadt's HEATWAVE ... how can you go wrong with covering that song ....
    but in the end , so what ....

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    My gran liked it......Nuff said!.......Definitely not

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    This is a dream song it’s fun as a water slide

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    I love this song so much it’s every thing fun

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    Now if we were discussing “Why [[Must We Fall In Love)”, that’s a praise worthy performance. . “Why Do Fools”....nah. A crowd pleaser for the casual Joe.

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    Of course! A hit and a big concert favorite to this day.

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    Absolutely! It is one of Diana’s biggest selling solo singles and was very well-received at the time of its release. I remember seeing Diana in concert in early 1982, just as Mirror, Mirror debuted as the follow up. WDFFIL got such a huge response she reprised it twice, keeping the audience up on their feet. Definitely a good choice…

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    As regards a crowd pleaser WDFFIL was probably a wise decision. She could have released a version of “Dancing Queen” and it would have scored in 81. It all comes down to musical integrity. It’s a long way from “Upside Down” To 50’s retreads, and i really
    can’t imagine another time when that song would have sold so well.
    By the time of “So Close” she was already losing the momentum she had generated with the sparkling “Boss” And “diana” sets.
    Wrong direction imo.

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    Dreadful decision to release a lame cover version as the first single of her 'new independent career'. Of all the songs on that album, 'Mirror Mirror' should have been the first single, if something even better couldn't have been found.

    Would not have been a big hit if it hadn't ridden on the coat-tails of the Chic singles & Endless Love.

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    Love it!

    One of my top 10 Diana singles [[even if it is at #10!)

    It's just a great slice of pop - upbeat, bouncy and high-spirited and perfect for her debut single. It made me feel good.

    It was tailor-made for UK radio - I would hear it on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show and go to work with a smile on my face.

    It was the video with Diana dancing in the Las Vegas Streets which really made the record go BIG in the UK - one of her top 5 biggest selling singles here and it was #1 in both The Netherlands and Belgium.

    I love it just as it is.

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    We can debate artistic merits but it really didn’t ride the coattails of the The Boss or Diana 80. If it was just that, the single would have risen and dropped quickly.

    It stayed in the Billboard Top Pop 40 for 14 weeks. The Boss spent 9 weeks, Upside Down-17 weeks, I’m Coming Out-14 weeks, It’s My Turn-15 weeks, Endless Love-19 weeks. It was a big hit and the general public clearly did enjoy it. Also, Mirror Mirror, in my opinion, stands up to anything in her first or second Motown stints. Great track and great performance. It was played a lot on NYC radio when it was released.

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    WDFFIL had one benefit that most of Diana's most recent [[and superior) singles didn't have. A music video. Something that helped its' chart performance and chart longevity, especially outside the US.

    The one thing that was a positive of the RCA era was music videos for most singles.

    I can only imagine how much more successful songs like Upside Down or I'm Coming Out would have been with the benefit of the same.
    Last edited by Levi Stubbs Tears; 07-11-2021 at 08:24 AM.

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    I do think it's a great single. Not innovative or groundbreaking, but really enjoyable, bright, and very radio-friendly. It was a worldwide hit and Diana seems to like it. It's one of the few 80's songs she still performs to this day.


    It's a cover of a 50's song but it fitted early 80's radio formats perfectly. And, if we look closely, it started a trend: many 80's smash hits were cover songs or new songs inspired by the late '50s and '60s. Wham!, Phill Collins and many others did the same thing Diana started in 1981. Sometimes I think Diana does not get the credit she deserves. She was a visionary with her WDFFIL in 1981.


    For me, it stood well the test of time.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Spreadinglove21 View Post


    So how do you all really feel about Diana's first RCA single release, her cover of Why do Fools Fall in Love? it was a top ten hit. It's a good song, This version certainly has plenty of hooks and ear worms. But I find the production and music chintzy and hasn't aged well, like her Motown output of the 60s and 70s.

    I also think I understand why it was her first single on RCA. It was the beginning of next stage of her career. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were a big influence on her as a teen so I think maybe doing this song was an homage to the music that got her started singing and performing in the first place.
    This certainly wasn't what I expected after the Chic album or any of the Michael Masser ballads that came out sounding like old, previously unreleased recordings.

    Instead, it's a great and well-known melody, well-arranged, well-played, well-performed, and well-produced. All in all, a great track with an optimistic and bouncy feel to brighten up one's day.

    As a first single with RCA - Capitol in the UK - I can't really fault it, as it was just so sunny and fresh.

    It doesn't move pop music or soul music forward in any big way, but I doubt that it was meant to.

    Put simply, a great little pop record.

    That's a "Yes!" from me, by the way.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Deepdishus2001 View Post
    We can debate artistic merits but it really didn’t ride the coattails of the The Boss or Diana 80. If it was just that, the single would have risen and dropped quickly.

    It stayed in the Billboard Top Pop 40 for 14 weeks. The Boss spent 9 weeks, Upside Down-17 weeks, I’m Coming Out-14 weeks, It’s My Turn-15 weeks, Endless Love-19 weeks. It was a big hit and the general public clearly did enjoy it. Also, Mirror Mirror, in my opinion, stands up to anything in her first or second Motown stints. Great track and great performance. It was played a lot on NYC radio when it was released.
    Thanks for providing these chart statistics. While the momentum of her previous hits got WDFFIL airplay, that momentum did not lead to record sales. The public obviously enjoyed the record and responded with their wallets.

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    Why Do Fools Fall In Love came out about a month after I purchased my very first album by the Supremes and is the first 45 that I ever bought. I loved it the first time that I heard it. To me it was a throwback to her earlier days with the Supremes. I never tire of hearing it when it's played or when she sings it in concert. The song sits nicely in her songbook. My parents bought me the album for my birthday in October and I still have it and its still one of my favorite albums by her.
    Last edited by SatansBlues; 07-11-2021 at 07:56 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SatansBlues View Post
    Why Do Fools Fall In Love came out about a month after I purchased my very first album by the Supremes and is the first 45 that I ever bought. I loved it the first time that I heard it. To me it was a throwback to her earlier days with the Supremes. I never tire of hearing it when it's played or when she sings it in concert. The song sits nicely in her songbook. My parents bought me the album for my birthday in October and I still have it and its still one of my favorite albums by her.
    What wonderful memories for you, SB! Thanks for sharing. I hope you and your family are well.

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    Horrible version of this great song. The most karaoke sounding song she's ever recorded, until a few of the I Love You cuts. I've made my displeasure of "Pieces Of Ice" well known in the forum. I think I can actually say I'd rather listen to "Ice" than "Fools". The execution is almost horrible. Diana sounds weak and the track matches it. I would've gone with "Mirror" as the first single if I only have what we have released to go on. But I do think "Fools" had the potential to be a good move. Had Diana decided to go with a funky track, one where she could really sink her teeth into the lyrics, the song could've been killer. This pop fluff sucks.

    But it did put money in her account. And there's apparently people who are quite fond of it. As mentioned in the "Nothing But Heartaches" thread, chart position does not preclude a song from being good. I'll offer "Fools" as an example of the same thing on the other side of the coin. Hit status and seller does not equate good music. But I'm glad somebody likes it. Me? There are a number of other Diana RCA tunes that I fondly play.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Nitro2015 View Post
    I do think it's a great single. Not innovative or groundbreaking, but really enjoyable, bright, and very radio-friendly. It was a worldwide hit and Diana seems to like it. It's one of the few 80's songs she still performs to this day.


    It's a cover of a 50's song but it fitted early 80's radio formats perfectly. And, if we look closely, it started a trend: many 80's smash hits were cover songs or new songs inspired by the late '50s and '60s. Wham!, Phill Collins and many others did the same thing Diana started in 1981. Sometimes I think Diana does not get the credit she deserves. She was a visionary with her WDFFIL in 1981.


    For me, it stood well the test of time.
    I don't know if I would give Diana credit for the start of that "trend". That was the nature of music. All throughout the 50s and 60s artists were covering popular tunes of the 30s and 40s. And then the 60s and 70s crowd were covering popular tunes of the 50s and 60s. Disco has a number of disco-fied 50s and 60s tunes. The 80s wouldn't have been any different without Diana covering "Fools".

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I don't know if I would give Diana credit for the start of that "trend". That was the nature of music. All throughout the 50s and 60s artists were covering popular tunes of the 30s and 40s. And then the 60s and 70s crowd were covering popular tunes of the 50s and 60s. Disco has a number of disco-fied 50s and 60s tunes. The 80s wouldn't have been any different without Diana covering "Fools".
    I have the impression pop music as we know today really started in the 1960s... I think the 1980s was the first decade in pop music that retro songs started to score big.

    In the 1960s or 1970s artists could cover songs from previous decades, but it wasn't really a pop music trend or a commercial trick.

    Probably you do have a point, Diana wasn't the sole reason for the 80's trend of retro songs with a contemporary feel dominating radio but she was one of the first, if not the first, superstar to do it. And it was a bold and controversial move in her career.

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    interesting the added cheering on the video version at the end ....


    what does Diana say at the very end ? "hey , keep that"....?

    I'm only now noticing this same bouncy rhythm sound on WHY DO FOOLS as others from about that same period ... that was first [?] started by WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES





    was there a term for this style??
    Last edited by Boogiedown; 07-12-2021 at 02:24 AM.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Horrible version of this great song. The most karaoke sounding song she's ever recorded, until a few of the I Love You cuts. I've made my displeasure of "Pieces Of Ice" well known in the forum. I think I can actually say I'd rather listen to "Ice" than "Fools". The execution is almost horrible. Diana sounds weak and the track matches it. I would've gone with "Mirror" as the first single if I only have what we have released to go on. But I do think "Fools" had the potential to be a good move. Had Diana decided to go with a funky track, one where she could really sink her teeth into the lyrics, the song could've been killer. This pop fluff sucks.

    But it did put money in her account. And there's apparently people who are quite fond of it. As mentioned in the "Nothing But Heartaches" thread, chart position does not preclude a song from being good. I'll offer "Fools" as an example of the same thing on the other side of the coin. Hit status and seller does not equate good music. But I'm glad somebody likes it. Me? There are a number of other Diana RCA tunes that I fondly play.
    Agree 100% Ran. I guess like “I Will Survive”, it’s a song peeps are familiar with. It will always make for a good singalong no matter what. I had assumed when she was handed creative control by rca that she was really going to spread her musical wings. Instead we got a sickly 50’s retread...Hmmm.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnnyB View Post
    Thanks for providing these chart statistics. While the momentum of her previous hits got WDFFIL airplay, that momentum did not lead to record sales. The public obviously enjoyed the record and responded with their wallets.
    You’re welcome. It was just to provide some clarity. The single was a big hit and the album went platinum plus. Again, artistic merit can always be debated. As they say one person’s trash is another’s treasure. There just seems to be a lot of attempts to correct or disparage each other’s opinions here sometimes.

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    Horrible my —— it’s a great song and only a true Diana Ross hater would spew such venom why even talk to crazy this is a great song one can always tell who the haters are enjoy your hated day with a little bit of Arthritis lol

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    I think Diana Ross did a credible job on the song. Remember the times, we were just a few years away from the 70's where there was a revival of the 50's with shows like Happy Days and movie like Grease. Both Diana Ross and Mary Wilson cited Frankie Lymon as an influence, Wilson pantomimed to their song I am not a Juvenille Delinquent when she met Florence at a talent show. Why wouldn't Miss Ross want to pay homage to a major influence on her? I much prefer Mirror, Mirror as a single which had a lot more weight and contemporary sound but taking in the times, I can see why she chose it. It certainly was very pleasant and much better than some of her RCA releases. Enjoyable.

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    Quote Originally Posted by after you View Post
    only a true Diana Ross hater would spew such venom .... enjoy your hated day with a little bit of Arthritis lol
    Wow.... 'Spreadin' Love'...

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    Angry

    Quote Originally Posted by Levi Stubbs Tears View Post
    Wow.... 'Spreadin' Love'...
    Lol. Agreed.

    There's a great old Bo Diddley song called "Who Do You Love?" but, happily, I've not come across one called "Who Do You Hate?", which is a sentiment that I can't empathise with.

    One post here could also do with a touch of Victor Borge's 'Phonetic punctuation'.

    Also, all this thread is about really is whether or not members like a song. Not really a reason to get nasty with anyone.
    Last edited by Sotosound; 07-12-2021 at 12:58 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sotosound View Post
    Lol. Agreed.

    Also, all this post is about really is whether or not members like a song. Not really a reason to get nasty with anyone.
    Agreed.

    Also, I only just noticed the OP is called 'spreadinglove' lol

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    Quote Originally Posted by jim aka jtigre99 View Post
    I think Diana Ross did a credible job on the song. Remember the times, we were just a few years away from the 70's where there was a revival of the 50's with shows like Happy Days and movie like Grease. Both Diana Ross and Mary Wilson cited Frankie Lymon as an influence, Wilson pantomimed to their song I am not a Juvenille Delinquent when she met Florence at a talent show. Why wouldn't Miss Ross want to pay homage to a major influence on her? I much prefer Mirror, Mirror as a single which had a lot more weight and contemporary sound but taking in the times, I can see why she chose it. It certainly was very pleasant and much better than some of her RCA releases. Enjoyable.
    The idea of Ross starting off the next phase of her career with a 50s throwback was a bit genius IMO. It's the execution that bugs me. "Fools" was an important part of her early music love. Previously I've offered in the forum the opinion that "There Goes My Baby" would've made an even better single than "Fools", but either one, being important to the Ross story, makes sense.

    Diana has a reputation by some for being a weak singer, which is ridiculous if one really pays attention to her recorded as well as live work. She has a thin voice, which people erroneously equate with weakness. This song did her no favors in that regard. It's almost a different singer from The Boss to diana80 to "Fools". I just can't stand it. But in the end can one argue against it too hard, considering the fact that it was a big hit and it's still- apparently- a crowd pleaser? This just isn't the Diana Ross I particular prefer.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I just can't stand it. But in the end can one argue against it too hard, considering the fact that it was a big hit and it's still- apparently- a crowd pleaser? This just isn't the Diana Ross I particular prefer.
    Nicely put. As with you, it’s not the Diana i prefer, but if there are folks who enjoy it then all is good and well. The song certainly possesses the marmite factor.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sotosound View Post
    Also, all this post is about really is whether or not members like a song. Not really a reason to get nasty with anyone.
    The unhinged will find any reason to get nasty. The block button comes in handy and I utilized it on that particular screename [[as well as it's more senior status alter ego) as soon as it became apparent that it's job in the forum was to disrupt, not bring forth healthy discussions on the subject of music as it relates to the Supremes and it's members.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    The idea of Ross starting off the next phase of her career with a 50s throwback was a bit genius IMO. It's the execution that bugs me. "Fools" was an important part of her early music love. Previously I've offered in the forum the opinion that "There Goes My Baby" would've made an even better single than "Fools", but either one, being important to the Ross story, makes sense.
    I never thought of Diana's THERE GOES MY BABY as any more than a decent album track. But I think an updated rendition, similar to what Donna Summer did with it, might have been nice to hear.

    Re FOOLS, I wasn't knocked out by it upon first listen but I ended up liking it. It is a nice rendition and was a nice way to start off the RCA era.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I never thought of Diana's THERE GOES MY BABY as any more than a decent album track. But I think an updated rendition, similar to what Donna Summer did with it, might have been nice to hear.

    Re FOOLS, I wasn't knocked out by it upon first listen but I ended up liking it. It is a nice rendition and was a nice way to start off the RCA era.
    Regarding "There Goes My Baby", I wasn't referring to the version Diana eventually cut. As much as I like the version on RHRAB, I think Diana's "Fools" is a better choice of single. I think if Diana had cut "There Goes" in 1981 she could've made a hit out of it had she funked it up.

    Four On the Floor did this in 1979. I don't suggest that Diana do a knock off of this, but just an idea of making the song up tempo and kind of funky. I think it would've worked.


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    It wasn't one of my favorites and I often skip it when it's playing.

    But it is monster concert favorite to this day.

    It was a big hit.

    It's a nice enough song, did well, I'm sure she's very happy with it all.

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    I don’t care for WDFFIL, but it was an international hit, so, yes it was “good” but if I never heard it again, I’d be just fine.

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    It’s not really about any one getting nasty it’s about the nasty trashing her music and it’s always the same ones so who’s nasty cheers and enjoy life

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    I loved WDFFIL cause it was such a real happy song and a great video. Just fun fun fun IMO. I still like it when Diana does it in her concerts.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Roberta75 View Post
    I loved WDFFIL cause it was such a real happy song and a great video. Just fun fun fun IMO. I still like it when Diana does it in her concerts.
    it DOES seem to enjoy a bouncy fun reception in her shows, I’m glad you and so many others love it. I think I might have received better had my expectations for some thing more like her previous recent hits not been so strong.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Levi Stubbs Tears View Post
    Dreadful decision to release a lame cover version as the first single of her 'new independent career'. Of all the songs on that album, 'Mirror Mirror' should have been the first single, if something even better couldn't have been found.

    Would not have been a big hit if it hadn't ridden on the coat-tails of the Chic singles & Endless Love.
    I have to disagree with you. I was disappointed in this record when it came out and I still don’t care for it, but it doesn’t make me cringe. I don’t think it was riding the coattails of anything because the public responded strongly with record sales. Songs that road coattails are in and out of love which rose quickly and dropped immediately, ditto I’m living in shame. Those songs received a lot of AirPlay because of the coattails, but the public did not respond with purchases in kind. Why do you fools did very well in the sales department. Surprisingly well. By the 80s, Radiohead a lot more information at their fingertips to gauge which songs to continue to play. Work that body, was a gigantic disappointment after that long string of hits. Folks weren’t buying it.

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    Whatever your opinion of WDFFIL's artistic merit - and we can respect each other's opinion - the bottom line was the public loved it and in fact still do.

    Interestingly in two countries in which Diana didn't have a prolific chart career, Germany and [[perhaps surprisingly) Australia Fools was one of those records which did go top 20.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheMotownManiac View Post
    Work that body, was a gigantic disappointment after that long string of hits. Folks weren’t buying it.
    The UK adored “Work That Body reaching number #7 on the pop charts. It did a lot better here then “Mirror Mirror” with the Uk never really embracing that rock sound.
    I remember it being all over the airwaves in 82, also making the top ten in Ireland.
    It was the cloying “So Close” that brought the string of hits to an abrupt end.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    Whatever your opinion of WDFFIL's artistic merit - and we can respect each other's opinion - the bottom line was the public loved it and in fact still do.

    Interestingly in two countries in which Diana didn't have a prolific chart career, Germany and [[perhaps surprisingly) Australia Fools was one of those records which did go top 20.
    And in the Netherlands, Why Do Fools Fall In Love is her first and only #1 [[not counting "A Brand New Day" which was also a #1 here). The song was very popular at the time, yet nowadays you never hear it on the radio anymore, while other Ross songs are played regularly [[including the new single "Thank You"). I loved WDFFIL when it came out [[also because of the very joyful music video), but in retrospect I find it too MOR/Adult contemporary, particularly indeed when comparing it to The Boss and diana, which really re-established Ross as a major recording star.

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    Quote Originally Posted by florence View Post
    Whatever your opinion of WDFFIL's artistic merit - and we can respect each other's opinion - the bottom line was the public loved it and in fact still do.

    Interestingly in two countries in which Diana didn't have a prolific chart career, Germany and [[perhaps surprisingly) Australia Fools was one of those records which did go top 20.
    Not sure that is still the case Florence. I have not heard Fools on the radio for over 20 years. It is true to say Ms Ross still loves to perform it and will no doubt continue to do so, but i don't think the general public yearn to hear it unlike some of her classic hits which continue to be played regularly. It has not aged well in my opinion.
    However we will continue to be treated to it along with the equally awful i will survive simply because Ms Ross loves to sing those songs, and they are easy songs for her to perform. It doesn't matter if us long term fans yearn for something different. The only changes to her live set will be 2 or 3 songs from the new album. Of course she will add a couple of UK favourites for the tour next year, but don't expect many if any "surprises" that we all would love to hear

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheMotownManiac View Post
    I have to disagree with you. I was disappointed in this record when it came out and I still don’t care for it, but it doesn’t make me cringe. I don’t think it was riding the coattails of anything because the public responded strongly with record sales. Songs that road coattails are in and out of love which rose quickly and dropped immediately, ditto I’m living in shame. Those songs received a lot of AirPlay because of the coattails, but the public did not respond with purchases in kind. Why do you fools did very well in the sales department. Surprisingly well. By the 80s, Radiohead a lot more information at their fingertips to gauge which songs to continue to play. Work that body, was a gigantic disappointment after that long string of hits. Folks weren’t buying it.
    I'm not so sure about that. Cash Box, which tallied it's positions based on sales, ranked "Fools" at #7, "Shame" at #8 and "In and Out" at #10. Additionally, for "Fools" to have been some big seller in the US, I can find no gold or platinum certification. The album went platinum but it appears the single failed to hit gold status. Of course, as has happened in the Diana Ross discography a few times, the song may have sold exceptionally well in other parts of the world. I don't know exactly how songs ride on the coattails of the ones before it, so I'm not arguing that point. I just don't see much evidence that supports the claim that people ran out and bought "Fools" in some dramatic fashion, compared to some others. I would also offer that "Fools" isn't any more present in the conscious of the general public​ than either "Shame" or "In and Out".

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    I was wondering what the competition was on the Top 40 at the time: It was still a pretty good period for Top 40 , some big records, big names :



    CASH
    BOX TOP 100 SINGLES
    November 28, 1981


    1 PHYSICAL--- OLIVIA NEWTON -JOHN [[MCA -51182) 1 9
    2 PRIVATE EYES ---DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES [[RCA PB -12296) 2 14
    3 WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU--- FOREIGNER [[Atlantic 3868) 4 8
    4 ARTHUR'S THEME [[BEST THAT YOU CAN DO)--- CHRISTOPHER CROSS [[Warner Bros. WBS 49787) 3 16
    5 HERE I AM--- AIR SUPPLY [[Arista AS 0626) 7 11
    6
    START ME UP--- ROLLING STONES [[Rolling Stones/Atlantic RS 21003) 5 15
    7
    OH NO--- COMMODORES [[Motown M 1527F) 8 11
    8
    EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES IS MAGIC ---THE POLICE [[A&M 2371) 9 10
    9
    YOUNG TURKS ---ROD STEWART [[Warner Bros. WBS 49843) 15 7
    10
    WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE?---DIANA ROSS [[RCA PB -12349)


    RCA was doing pretty good : Besides Diana Ross:
    Two H&O records in the Top 40, #2 and I CAN"T GO FOR THAT racing up at #22, Rick Springfield their current hot property at #12, and a surprise hit, HOOKED ON CLASSICS entering the Top 40 at #33 , and Ronnie Milsap at #39.


    Added:

    The Four Tops are also on here #14 --- WHEN SHE WAS MY GIRL
    Rick James now drops off with SUPERFREAK

    and ENDLESS LOVE is still on the Top 40 @ #38 , just now falling from last week's position of #6

    ......so yes i think some coat-tailing here is a fair observation
    Last edited by Boogiedown; 07-13-2021 at 01:19 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    The idea of Ross starting off the next phase of her career with a 50s throwback was a bit genius IMO. It's the execution that bugs me. "Fools" was an important part of her early music love. Previously I've offered in the forum the opinion that "There Goes My Baby" would've made an even better single than "Fools", but either one, being important to the Ross story, makes sense.

    Diana has a reputation by some for being a weak singer, which is ridiculous if one really pays attention to her recorded as well as live work. She has a thin voice, which people erroneously equate with weakness. This song did her no favors in that regard. It's almost a different singer from The Boss to diana80 to "Fools". I just can't stand it. But in the end can one argue against it too hard, considering the fact that it was a big hit and it's still- apparently- a crowd pleaser? This just isn't the Diana Ross I particular prefer.
    On the one hand, I agree that the idea of Diana Ross starting the next phase of her career with a 50s throwback was a bit genius.
    On the other hand, I could argue that it was just taking the easy way out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by after you View Post
    Horrible my —— it’s a great song and only a true Diana Ross hater would spew such venom why even talk to crazy this is a great song one can always tell who the haters are enjoy your hated day with a little bit of Arthritis lol
    You really must learn to improve your insults.
    Your remark wasn't addressed to me, but I, for one, am proud of every arthritic bone in my body.
    What on earth do they teach you in school in Canada?

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