Vincent DiMirco

**marybrewster** · 06-14-2024, 09:29 AM

.....wrote at least two songs that the Supremes recorded: UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF and THANK HIM FOR TODAY.

LADDER was recorded in January, 1970. THANK HIM was recorded in June, 1970.

Do you think they were written at the same time? Or with the success of LADDER, was Vincent recruited to write another "hit"? Should THANK HIM have been released as a single?

**sup_fan** · 06-14-2024, 10:03 AM

the track for Thank Him was recorded on January 16 so well before Ladder was released and a hit.

i wonder how they found DiMirco? did he submit a tune or tunes to motown? did he know someone? of course whatever he submitted would have been totally different in sound to what we got as final products. so which song really "clicked" with Frank and others and then maybe led them to finding out more about him?

Thank Him is a great tune and could have make a strong single. but I would sort of lump it in with Going Down for the Third Time - it got lost in a sea of other great [[or greater) tunes. Stone Love is one of the best recordings by any group during any era at motown - period! it really is just perfection. for the follow up single, you sort of are in a situation like Diana got in with Mountain. how on earth do you follow up SL? Together We Can Make is a stellar track too. is it strong enough to be the f/u? or do you release Together first, let it be a huge hit and THEN do SL? Thank Him is great too but i don't know if it's quite as powerful as Together.

what about this for potential single releases?

Ladder
Loving Country
Together
SL
Nathan

that would take you through 1971 with all solid huge hits. I think if Ladder had gotten a picture sleeve, a bit strong in-store promotion, it would have gone a few notches higher. LC and Together both could have been top 10s too. SL definitely would have been a #1. Nathan [[if you maybe tweak a few things) could have easily gone top 10 too.

after NJ, i don't know. I think you need to pivot and change it up. you've had all of these huge, lush big productions. maybe something like Here Comes the Rise would have worked or a single version of This is the Story.

but if they'd stayed with Frank as producer, it would be time to mix it up. Tears Left Over has a funkiness that is a great change and maybe [[like what Frank did with Eddie kendricks) a more R&B/Funk sound would have really clicked

**marybrewster** · 06-14-2024, 10:34 AM

I stand corrected on the recording dates; thank you! I assume then they were written around the same time? As far as DiMirco, wasn't he described as "some kid from New York/Jersey"? Wasn't he actually in his teens? That would put him in his late 60s/early 70s today. Anyway.....

LOVING COUNTRY has a LADDER feel. Don't both songs open basically the same; COME WITH ME.....COME GO WITH ME? TOO similar? I've probably asked this 1000 times: who is singing the falsetto at opening of LOVING COUNTRY? Is it Cindy? And what is she singing? "Come with me"? I'm still convinced it's Mary singing "Pretty baby".....lol.

**sup_fan** · 06-14-2024, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by marybrewster

I stand corrected on the recording dates; thank you! I assume then they were written around the same time? As far as DiMirco, wasn't he described as "some kid from New York/Jersey"? Wasn't he actually in his teens? That would put him in his late 60s/early 70s today. Anyway.....

LOVING COUNTRY has a LADDER feel. Don't both songs open basically the same; COME WITH ME.....COME GO WITH ME? TOO similar? I've probably asked this 1000 times: who is singing the falsetto at opening of LOVING COUNTRY? Is it Cindy? And what is she singing? "Come with me"? I'm still convinced it's Mary singing "Pretty baby".....lol.

haha - there's are definitely similarities between Ladder and LC, both being produced by Frank. I loved the ethereal effect he got with the vocals, the lush orchestration on top of the solid motown groove.

some think it was one of the As [[maybe Louvain?) doing that high intro? It might be. it might be cindy in falsetto

**kenneth** · 06-15-2024, 10:16 AM

@Mary,

I also remember reading he was a teenager at the time, and Puerto Rican, from the New York area.

I can't verify this is him but from the musical staff logo, it would appear it might be. Still, he would've been in his late 20s, not a teenager, when "Up the Ladder to the Roof" came out, if this is indeed him.

https://www.monterafuneralhome.com/m...9198/index.php

It also appears he was a recording artist in his own right.

https://www.discogs.com/master/724071-Vincent-DiMirco-I-Can-Make-It-Alone-Come-Clean

It also appears he had a number of other writer's credits, though the various releases and versions of "Ladder" dominate the list.

https://www.discogs.com/artist/62397...Credits&page=3

**rod_rick** · 06-15-2024, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by sup_fan

haha - there's are definitely similarities between Ladder and LC, both being produced by Frank. I loved the ethereal effect he got with the vocals, the lush orchestration on top of the solid motown groove.

some think it was one of the As [[maybe Louvain?) doing that high intro? It might be. it might be cindy in falsetto

Don't quote me but I thought I read that Lovain said it was Cindy, and after hearing Cindy sing "My Tribute" on PTL it could be Cindy, but agin don't quote me on that high note at the beginning of Loving Country.

**sup_fan** · 06-16-2024, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by rod_rick

Don't quote me but I thought I read that Lovain said it was Cindy, and after hearing Cindy sing "My Tribute" on PTL it could be Cindy, but agin don't quote me on that high note at the beginning of Loving Country.

i definitely think it could be Cindy. her high notes definitely sound different than Louvain's. Louvain did the high notes on Love Child and those are crazy powerful. here on LC it's more ethereal and angelic. could definitely be Cindy