Right On

[sup_fan]

I love the 45 version. I think it would have worked as a follow-up single and given Frank Wilson more time to work on "Everybody's Got The Right To Love," which was probably a better fit for New Ways.

i like the 45 version too. Jean just rocks it a bit more and her added little bits just make the record pop

and i totally agree about Everybody. it was rushed and it shows. although the slow shuffle/sing along style IMO doesn't fit with anything on NW. there's a Four Tops song on Changing Times that was written by the same guy that wrote SL - Sing a Song to Yesterday. it too is a sing along groove but i could hear it done more like Thank Him For Today and with the bigger production style of SL and the rest of the NW album. perhaps something more rock and roll would have worked for Everybody - and give M and C the verses to sing solo like they did live. something like that would have given the song more interest.

[Thornton]

i like the 45 version too. Jean just rocks it a bit more and her added little bits just make the record pop

and i totally agree about Everybody. it was rushed and it shows. although the slow shuffle/sing along style IMO doesn't fit with anything on NW. there's a Four Tops song on Changing Times that was written by the same guy that wrote SL - Sing a Song to Yesterday. it too is a sing along groove but i could hear it done more like Thank Him For Today and with the bigger production style of SL and the rest of the NW album. perhaps something more rock and roll would have worked for Everybody - and give M and C the verses to sing solo like they did live. something like that would have given the song more interest.

I always preferred the live version of this song for the fact that Mary and Cindy had their own lines. Jean's vocal on the GH&RC version is also better than what was released in my opinion.

[daviddh]

thanks for all the insight to RO
maybe one day we will get a 70s Lost and Found
i think i used to have a cassette with Thats How Much You Made Me Love You
loved it. tape broke years ago

[daviddh]

i think we are all in agreement that EGTRTL is a weak single .nice a;bum cut but not top 40 ,imo
what would be your choice for the follow up to roof
nice to just see up the ladder to the roof sales at 1,147.00 million seller
my choice Life Beats
or Then We Can Try It Again

[RanRan79]

i think we are all in agreement that EGTRTL is a weak single .nice a;bum cut but not top 40 ,imo
what would be your choice for the follow up to roof
nice to just see up the ladder to the roof sales at 1,147.00 million seller
my choice Life Beats
or Then We Can Try It Again

But "Everybody" was a top 40 single, just missed the top 20 on the Hot 100 by one position, and both Cashbox and Record World had the song stalling a few spots short of the top 10.

My personal opinion is that the song needed a little something more to make it a worthy follow up to "Ladder". As is, it does make an excellent album track. There's just something missing. But many of the ingredients present- the sing a long style, the peace love and happiness theme, the bounciness, these were all very popular elements at the time. I think the track needed sprucing up. When it kicks up a notch around the 1:30 mark, to me that would have been a perfect place to really make the song boom. At that point the backing vocals really needed to kick up. If there was ever a time to bring in additional backing vocalists, this was it. Or better yet, have Mary, Jean and Cindy do the backgrounds together and then double them up to make a big chorale sound. Think Ray Stevens' "Everything Is Beautiful".

As is, the song did very well. We're probably harder on the song because it follows "Ladder". The expectations were high, similar to how we treat Diana's "Reach Out and Touch". That song put up really good numbers, yet it fell short of what was expected for Diana's debut single. "Right To Love" was a legitimate hit. It was even ranked as the 79th biggest R&B single of the year by Cashbox. But in my mind, with the changes I hear in my head, I think "Right To Love" could have hit number one with just a little more work.

[RanRan79]

That being said, had "Right" not been rushed onto the album at the last minute, of the songs that are on the album, I think "Bill" might have gotten my vote for the second single. I also could have voted for "Then We Can Try Again" and maybe even "The Loving Country". While I'm not a fan of "Wait a Minute", I could see it being the second single also.

Of the known outtakes at the time, I think "Stepping On My Dream" would have been a worthy second single, as would "The Day Will Come".

[sup_fan]

the main problem i have with Everybody is that it is too different from Ladder.

Ladder had a rocking beat [[just listen to the bongos going during the ending choruses) while Everybody just shuffles along

Ladder grew to an exciting and engaging climax with the ending choruses. Everybody never goes anywhere

Ladder has lush strings and glissandos leading into the choruses, the ethereal vocals. Everybody sound muddy and muted.

the song that best captures these elements is Loving Country. sonically, it and ladder are quite similar. you could have pretty easily cut LC down to make a single edit of it.

[bradsupremes]

I agree that there needed to be something more exciting to follow "Up The Ladder To The Roof." I really enjoy "Everybody's Got The Right To Love" and the "say ah!" intro really grabs you, but it needed a better mix and the alternate Jean vocal was the better one to use. Motown should have used the mix that was later issued on Greatest Hits & Rare Classics.

That said, I think if there was to be an alternate single from Right On, I think "Then We Can Try Again" or "The Loving Country" would have been good choices. "The Loving Country" would need a edit though. The best alternates were shelved - "Steppin' On A Dream" and "The Day Will Come Between Sunday And Monday" would have made great singles especially the later. "Sunday And Monday" would have gone top 10 easily - it shared the same excitement of "Ladder." I really enjoy "Life Beats" but I think it would have fared the same as "Everybody" on the charts.

[Ollie9]

I really don't think there was another song featured on the album commercial enough to follow “Up The Ladder”. “Everybody’s Got The Right” was their best shot, proving a moderate hit. The rest of the album is pleasant enough, while nothing screams top twenty even.

[jim aka jtigre99]

Motown deciding on Everybody as the second single is understandable. It actually is similar in content and sound to Diana's Reach Out and Touch. Everybody could have used some finesse and tweaking before it was released, so you can tell it was a rush release. I liked Right On very much and loved The Loving Country and wished that had been a single but now with different ears, I can see it was an excellent album track but not a good single choice.
Plus Everybody and Reach did about the same with a #21 and #20 charting. Those numbers are similar to the chart action of many DRATS releases like Forever at #28, Some Things #30, Composer #27 and No Matter #31.
I wonder who was choosing singles as New Ways needed a second single after Stoned Love but got none even with some possibilities of Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music or Time To Break Down. Same with the High Energy with IGLMHDTW not being followed up with either High Energy or You're What's Missing. Why did Motown not follow up Stoned Love, the biggest hit or IGLMHDTW, a good comeback?
Also, I have wondered why they chose Touch as a follow up to Nathan Jones and the members here feel that was a nail in the Supremes' coffin because in 1971 it only went to #71. Diana also had an up & down chart action and I wonder why they chose Sleepin' in 1974 or Sorry Doesn't Always Make it Right in 1975. Sleepin' was similar to Touch as a departure in sound and it only made it to #70, similar numbers to Touch. Sorry didn't even make it to the top 100 Bilboard Pop chart or R&B chart.
I just wonder with all of the misfires for singles, who was picking the singles? Plus, why do we seem to focus more on the chart action of the 70's Supremes and and sound departures yet nothing is mentioned on some similar things for Diana? It seems someone at Motown didn't have their pulse on what to release for two acts that helped Motown become what it was.

[BobbyC]

I think Randy got it right when he called Everybody's Got the Right to Love a "dismal Dean Martin style singalong." I am shocked motown couldn't find a better followup to Up the Ladder

[marybrewster]

EGTRTL just sort of shuffles along. The opening "say ah, say yea" grabs you, but the rest is very oompa loompa. LADDER was so glorious with the harmonies and instrumentation; Life Beats or Try Again should have been the followup.

I am curious about Lou Stallman, the writer of EGTRTL. Anyone know much about him? I believe he was from New York, much like Vincent DiMirco. Lou authored "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" by the Royalettes, and later covered by Denise Williams.

Fun: Denise would also record "Free" written by Susaye Greene.

[daviddh]

On my 2024 wishlist.
70s lost n found

[Starguard4]

I love the 45 version. I think it would have worked as a follow-up single and given Frank Wilson more time to work on "Everybody's Got The Right To Love," which was probably a better fit for New Ways.

Oh no no no no !!

New Ways is my favorite post-DR Supes album, and I don't want it on there, thank you very much.

If any New Ways track needs to be kicked off, it's Is There A Place - the better fit would have been Life Beats, right after Wish I Were Your Mirror.

[jobeterob]

I’m pretty sure a Canadian artist released EGTRTL before the Supremes and because of Canadian content requirements, it got a lot of radio play

I’ve looked for it online and can’t find it

[Boogiedown]

I’m pretty sure a Canadian artist released EGTRTL before the Supremes and because of Canadian content requirements, it got a lot of radio play

I’ve looked for it online and can’t find it

good one!!



easy to hear how someone thought Jean should do a version of it.

[carlo]

Thanks for posting the original version of EGTRTL. I can imagine Petula Clark doing a good cover of it, at that time.

[Ollie9]

Thanks for posting the original version of EGTRTL. I can imagine Petula Clark doing a good cover of it, at that time.

Not really my thing, but agree the voice and arrangement very Petula Clark.

[sup_fan]

Motown deciding on Everybody as the second single is understandable. It actually is similar in content and sound to Diana's Reach Out and Touch. Everybody could have used some finesse and tweaking before it was released, so you can tell it was a rush release. I liked Right On very much and loved The Loving Country and wished that had been a single but now with different ears, I can see it was an excellent album track but not a good single choice.
Plus Everybody and Reach did about the same with a #21 and #20 charting. Those numbers are similar to the chart action of many DRATS releases like Forever at #28, Some Things #30, Composer #27 and No Matter #31.
I wonder who was choosing singles as New Ways needed a second single after Stoned Love but got none even with some possibilities of Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music or Time To Break Down. Same with the High Energy with IGLMHDTW not being followed up with either High Energy or You're What's Missing. Why did Motown not follow up Stoned Love, the biggest hit or IGLMHDTW, a good comeback?
Also, I have wondered why they chose Touch as a follow up to Nathan Jones and the members here feel that was a nail in the Supremes' coffin because in 1971 it only went to #71. Diana also had an up & down chart action and I wonder why they chose Sleepin' in 1974 or Sorry Doesn't Always Make it Right in 1975. Sleepin' was similar to Touch as a departure in sound and it only made it to #70, similar numbers to Touch. Sorry didn't even make it to the top 100 Bilboard Pop chart or R&B chart.
I just wonder with all of the misfires for singles, who was picking the singles? Plus, why do we seem to focus more on the chart action of the 70's Supremes and and sound departures yet nothing is mentioned on some similar things for Diana? It seems someone at Motown didn't have their pulse on what to release for two acts that helped Motown become what it was.

my guess is the decision was made to move onto new music. NJ was about finished at this time and it's likely that Frank thought this was a super cool song and innovative. it would be a natural follow up to SL and go as high or higher. so rather than focusing on the New Ways album they moved on

with Walking, i think it's the same thing. the HE album is great and all but Walking is by far the standout. it was catchy, developed a new and fresh sound for the girls. the other disco tracks [[Only You, Keep Me Moving) are nice enough but not nearly as exciting or catchy. HE is totally different in sound and style - too much of an abrupt departure from Walking. plus the Susaye lead wouldn't have been allowed by Mary or Pedro. Missing is ok but not special enough and too different from Walking too

so the Hollands probably thought "great - we've hit on a sound here with Walking. let's jump to a new album based off of that" and you got Let Yourself Go. LYG should have been the lead single and the follow up.

[Stax_of_Motown]

My favourite track, which doesn't seem to have been mentioned, is "You Move Me", for me the vocals and instrumentation are superb.

I have the vinyl but would also like on CD but it is a crazy price everywhere. The main problem is my being in the UK, shipping costs from US [[$18 - $50 on Discogs) added on top, and possibly import duty and VAT, make it just too expensive to justify.

[Thornton]

Oh no no no no !!

New Ways is my favorite post-DR Supes album, and I don't want it on there, thank you very much.

If any New Ways track needs to be kicked off, it's Is There A Place - the better fit would have been Life Beats, right after Wish I Were Your Mirror.

This is why I love these discussions; we all have our own ideal album in mind. I do agree that Life Beats would have fit well on New Ways.

[sup_fan]

This is why I love these discussions; we all have our own ideal album in mind. I do agree that Life Beats would have fit well on New Ways.

and i don't think it would have fit there lol. the NW tracks had a bigger, bolder rock sound combined with a symphonic, almost operatic, element. Life Beats is so different. IMO Life Beats might have worked on the Touch lp in place of Time and Love, which is glaringly out of place there. while not a fav song of mine, it's bigness and brashness seems to fit more in the NW set.