comparing songs - Aint No Mountain vs Reach out And I'll Be There

[sup_fan]

let's chat about these two singles. are they interchangeable? if they had selected ROAIBT for the first lp, would it have become the iconic anthem that mountain did?

what about the different versions of ROAIBT? one has an instrumental break later, then there's the version on Ross 78.

is it just a cheap knockoff of Mountain or does it stand on it's own?

[PeaceNHarmony]

I loved 'RO' [[really, LOVE still) and I believe it stands on its own. But ... 'RO' for whatever reason does not have the uplifting crescendos that 'Ain't' does have. I don't have the musical knowledge to disseminate chord structures, etc in popular music, but going on emotion I'd say that 'RO' stands up as a great lp track but a less-than single. Good choice of discussion, SupFan!

[reese]

I wouldn't say it is a cheap knockoff of ANMHE but it was definitely inspired by its success. That said, I do agree that it stands on its own although I think of it more of a stellar album track than a hit single. But I gained a newfound appreciation when Diana sang it during the Return to Love tour. There was something much more passionate in her mature delivery.

[sup_fan]

while both end with a aural orgasmic workout, One major difference is the level each song begins at. Sure Mountain is soft at the very very beginning. but the softness is shattered with the first "Ahhhhh!!!" whereas Reach Out really begins almost prayer-like. practically solemn.

[TNSUN]

On the opening night of The RTL your in Philadelphia, I was present. ROIBT was a pleasant surprise. I have wondered whether Luther Vandross had requested it to be in the show.

[Spreadinglove21]

Both were great songs as originally recorded. However Ross' version of Ain't No Mountain was a great reinvention of the song and it made it her own. Her version of Reach Out I'll Be There, while interesting to listen to, just lacks the wow factor of her version of Mountain and does not hit the same highs as the original by The Four Tops.

[RanRan79]

I never get enough of "Aint No Mountain High Enough". Brilliant reinterpretation. Everything about it is absolutely perfect IMO. It's so different from Marvin and Tammi [[and even Supremes and Tempts) that it might as well be an entirely different song.

That's how I feel about ROIBT. I can't compare it to the 4 Tops because it's so incredibly different. Now, I do have to admit that for the first part of the song I'm kind of bored, but when she sings "looka here"...from that point forward I'm hooked. I play the song a lot and honestly I usually skip right to that part and go for it.

The "boring" part may have been why the song didn't put up numbers close to that of "Mountain". Although I guess the argument has to be made that the public was "turned off" by the attempt to repeat "Mountain" when I really think that was probably a once in a lifetime thing. Anything else was going to sound second rate, no matter how good it was.

Both have fantastic Ross vocals.

[Jaap]

I love this video by bassist Paul Thompson, discussing the two different versions of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" from a musical perspective.

[sup_fan]

I never get enough of "Aint No Mountain High Enough". Brilliant reinterpretation. Everything about it is absolutely perfect IMO. It's so different from Marvin and Tammi [[and even Supremes and Tempts) that it might as well be an entirely different song.

That's how I feel about ROIBT. I can't compare it to the 4 Tops because it's so incredibly different. Now, I do have to admit that for the first part of the song I'm kind of bored, but when she sings "looka here"...from that point forward I'm hooked. I play the song a lot and honestly I usually skip right to that part and go for it.

The "boring" part may have been why the song didn't put up numbers close to that of "Mountain". Although I guess the argument has to be made that the public was "turned off" by the attempt to repeat "Mountain" when I really think that was probably a once in a lifetime thing. Anything else was going to sound second rate, no matter how good it was.

Both have fantastic Ross vocals.

that's an interesting point about being "bored" with the lengthy intro. Mountain certainly has a long lead up to the climax but it's broken up along the way w the Ahhhhs and other parts. it's almost like it's revving up the engines throughout - each time the song does drop back down but not to the original level. it keeps building until it erupts

with RO, it's a long slow steady build. it lacks the tension and excitement of the ups and down of Mountain.