The Only Time I'm Happy - The Supremes

[rovereab]

This song has just come up on shuffle play. I've not heard the song for a while and it was a lovely surprise. I feel that it really shows The Supremes to great effect along with the wonderful HDH skills and the Funk Bros.

Do others here like it too?

Simply Supreme!

[RanRan79]

I don't like it Rover. Never have. The ladies sing it just fine, but overall, it's too pop for my taste. It's definitely "girl group" material, when the Supremes were still sort of lumped in with others of the era. "Only Time", "I'm So Glad Heartaches Don't Last", "Mother Dear" and "Honey Boy" are the reason I don't rate More Hits as highly as a lot of fans do. I would have gladly replaced those four with vaulted cuts.

But as usual, it's always interesting to learn about the various likes and dislikes of the fandom. Sometimes it's incredible that we hardcore fans even exist, with the variety of likes and dislikes we have when it comes to the group and yet the Supremes somehow always give all of us enough to keep us firmly in their fan camp.

[floyjoy678]

I agree Ran although I do like "Honey Boy". I like "Mother Dear" okay but I prefer the version that was recorded in 1966. A lot of the fillers on More Hits sound like rush jobs.

[reese]

I like it a lot. It has that early innocent Supremes HDH sound that IMO, only surfaced on the WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO and MORE HITS albums.

However, it does seem like the girls could have done another take. There's a part on the last reading of the title where Mary sings the wrong note.

[RanRan79]

I agree Ran although I do like "Honey Boy". I like "Mother Dear" okay but I prefer the version that was recorded in 1966. A lot of the fillers on More Hits sound like rush jobs.

When Diana hits those hard "r"s in "su-geR" trying to sound like she wasn't still living in the projects at the time, it makes my flesh crawl. Lol But even worse is the absence of the handclaps that make Mary Wells' version my favorite. The Supremes' version sounds more stale without it.

Regarding "Mother Dear", I like the second version from 1965 much more than the released version on the album. However, "Mother Dear 66" is too me one of the best cuts the group did that didn't see the light of day for decades.

[sup_fan]

i like More Hits but seldom play it. not really sure why - this is all solid HDH production. i just tend to overlook it. and i have to say that the tunes don't get included in playlists like other album tracks

there is a teenage quality to song like Only Time I'm Happy, Honey Boy and Mother Dear. that's part of their appeal IMO

[Spreadinglove21]

I like Only Time I'm Happy--it's as if The Supremes were going for a Marvelettes sound as the vocals are girlish and not so smooth and polished. Given the lyrics of the song, that approach works. Nice album cut.

[Ollie9]

I have always really liked the song and think it could have been a hit. Mary is very prominent singing background, but can’t hear Flo at all.

[TNSUN]

Great song. With amped up production , it may have been a #1 Hit.

[daviddh]

Always liked it.
Classic album

[gman]

Honey Boy is the only song I never liked on MORE HITS...

[REDHOT]

I really like it. i most say, i like the whole album.

[jobucats]

Honey Boy is the only song I never liked on MORE HITS...

Although the More Hits is my favorite album, I must agree that "Honey Boy" is my least favorite followed by ...as I prepare for the attacks LOL..."Ask Any Girl." I didn't like the latter on the "Where Did I Love Go Album" and I was disappointed that it was included again on the MH album.

[Ollie9]

Although the More Hits is my favorite album, I must agree that "Honey Boy" is my least favorite followed by ...as I prepare for the attacks LOL..."Ask Any Girl." I didn't like the latter on the "Where Did I Love Go Album" and I was disappointed that it was included again on the MH album.

Totally agree regarding the rather silly “Honey Boy”, though Diana does sound totally committed to the song.
Totally disagree regarding “Ask Any Girl”. It’s a real group, effort containing all the elements that made me first fall in love with the Ross voice. Would definitely have been a hit had the timing been right......imo.

[DWSheffer]

followed by ...as I prepare for the attacks LOL..."Ask Any Girl."

"Ask Any Girl"?! Gasp, I'm clutching my pearls!! I like that song a lot, as well as "The Only Time I'm Happy", no real reasons in particular, I just enjoy them both!
Darin

[jobucats]

"Ask Any Girl"?! Gasp, I'm clutching my pearls!! I like that song a lot, as well as "The Only Time I'm Happy", no real reasons in particular, I just enjoy them both!
Darin

Darin, when you clutched your pearls, I believe you broke the necklace and the pearls plunged to the floor. Smile....

[jobucats]

Totally disagree regarding “Ask Any Girl”. It’s a real group, effort containing all the elements that made me first fall in love with the Ross voice. Would definitely have been a hit had the timing been right......imo.

Oillie, I remember as a young kid hearing this song, I was mostly put off by what my ears were hearing...please note, this is the way my ear/hearing is wired. It always sounded like Mary & Florence's oohs causing frequencies that made them sound 'off.' From my musical research, it has to do with the way the frequencies are working together that add another 'tone' or 'pitch' to the sound. It's similar to some stops [[buttons) on organs which, when engaged, cause an additional tone/pitch to be heard. So their voices are not really out of tune; however, just on this song some of their oos produce an additional subtle pitch.
Another example of this is Diana's "No One Gets the Prize". On the intro, when she is bellowing out that 'ah or ize' phrase and she goes real high, I can hear other slight pitches/frequencies mixed in with the main one she is singing. By the way, that's one of my favorite vocal intros of hers.

[sup_fan]

Oillie, I remember as a young kid hearing this song, I was mostly put off by what my ears were hearing...please note, this is the way my ear/hearing is wired. It always sounded like Mary & Florence's oohs causing frequencies that made them sound 'off.' From my musical research, it has to do with the way the frequencies are working together that add another 'tone' or 'pitch' to the sound. It's similar to some stops [[buttons) on organs which, when engaged, cause an additional tone/pitch to be heard. So their voices are not really out of tune; however, just on this song some of their oos produce an additional subtle pitch.
Another example of this is Diana's "No One Gets the Prize". On the intro, when she is bellowing out that 'ah or ize' phrase and she goes real high, I can hear other slight pitches/frequencies mixed in with the main one she is singing. By the way, that's one of my favorite vocal intros of hers.

i found the violin intro to be a bit odd upon first hearing. it's not a particularly pop intro or a typical instrument. the rest of the song is really strong.

but i do agree that using it twice wasn't necessary.

this is my speculation but i wonder if there were some issues with the flip side of CSAM. Always In My Heart is a title from another song and i wondered if there were some copyright issues. when it appears on Sing HDH it's You're Gone But always in my heart. i can't image though that ANYONE in their right mind would opt to open an album with the dreadful Always. someone once described it as music appropriate for the march to the guillotine lol. as if it could have been playing in the background as Marie Antionette ascended the steps to the blade! lol

[vgalindo]

Although the More Hits is my favorite album, I must agree that "Honey Boy" is my least favorite followed by ...as I prepare for the attacks LOL..."Ask Any Girl." I didn't like the latter on the "Where Did I Love Go Album" and I was disappointed that it was included again on the MH album.

I totally agree with you. It’s probably my favorite album of the original trio. However they included the dreadful “Ask Any Girl”. And like you I also didn’t like it on the “Where did our love go”album. And I also really like “The only time I’m happy”

[Ollie9]

i can't image though that ANYONE in their right mind would opt to open an album with the dreadful Always. someone once described it as music appropriate for the march to the guillotine lol. as if it could have been playing in the background as Marie Antionette ascended the steps to the blade! lol

With its compelling beat, it has an almost hypnotic quality to it that would have worked well for anyone being sent to their death.

[johnjeb]

Although the More Hits is my favorite album, I must agree that "Honey Boy" is my least favorite followed by ...as I prepare for the attacks LOL..."Ask Any Girl." I didn't like the latter on the "Where Did I Love Go Album" and I was disappointed that it was included again on the MH album.

jobucats, thank you for coming out of the closet on this! I, too, have disliked “Ask Any Girl” from the moment I heard it in 1964. I couldn’t believe it when it also appeared on More Hits. The only blessing is their placement on their respective albums. I could lift the needle off the WDOLG album before that dreaded song played. Likewise I could place the needle for the MH album right on NBH and enjoy the other songs.

I don’t know why that song never grabbed me. I wondered if it’s the slow intro. All my Supremes friends love the song. I recall when a high school classmate, knowing I was a Supremes fan, told me he bought the WDOLG album, I mentioned my dislike of AAG. Even he, a casual fan, said he liked it.

But nice to see there are a few of us who share an opposing position to this song. I was beginning to think I was the only one.

Now, how do we all feel about Tony Martin’s “Ask Any Man”?