Why the Suprmes declined-proof!

[Jimi LaLumia]

Agreed... but by this point, it was all stop and start, a revolving door,and not a real hit in sight..

[marv2]

I don't really know what Lynda sounds like that much.

I did some research once on which of the "other Supremes" was most successful on the Charts and as I recall Scherrie was the most successful and then Lynda. A shame Jean didn't do better because she has a great voice for those years 1970 to 1972.

As we have all come to learn, the charts are just a small [[and now inconsequential) measure of success . Look at the whole picture in terms of an artists' career to determine true success.

That Jean did not do better was mostly up to Jean! She had the power to pursue a substantial solo career ,but may have elected not to. There is no shame there.

[jillfoster]

The singing wasn't that bad; the background was good; the backing musicians were terrible.

This is why Live in Japan sold 732 copies.

732? Where do you get your info? Mine is number 924, and I bought it 8 weeks after release.

[Jimi LaLumia]

I just checked, I have #0018!..who knows if they sent them out in sequence, or order fillers just pulled at random..

[captainjames]

I think it would have been wise for Gordy to keep Jean as a solo artist instead of a Supreme. [[1) After Jean left it became a Oh no whose next ? And does anyone remember how long it took for them to get a record out after that ? [[2) Motown would have been able to be more creative with her as a solo artist than in the group.


It is really a shame that the Jimmy Webb album bombed because there were two songs on that LP that Jean really excelled on.

[jobeterob]

It seemed like about 3 years between releases and by 1975, they were history.

5:30 Plane and When Can Brown Begin were good for me; but I remember Rolling Stone loved All I Want.

I just know that Live In Japan was one of the Hip O hard sells; it just didn't happen.

[Jimi LaLumia]

the album is just dreadful..

[Koach]

I loved Silent Voices from that album.

[captainjames]

I think a couple of songs on the LP captured the real Jean; Especially "When Can Brown Begin" and "Once In The Morning". I have always loved "5:30 Plane" though. I think this may have been the first time Mary got the opportunity to sing a solo alone.

I hated the artwork for the LP but, I think Jean was still lost in the mix of between Diana and trying to be her ownself until Jimmy Webb took them to another level. This Lp kind of stretch their wings a bit.

[kenneth]

I think a couple of songs on the LP captured the real Jean; Especially "When Can Brown Begin" and "Once In The Morning". I have always loved "5:30 Plane" though. I think this may have been the first time Mary got the opportunity to sing a solo alone.

But Mary doesn't have a lead on "5:30 Plane" does she? It's entirely Jean on the vocal.

Maybe you meant the album was the first time Mary got a solo spot...but I don't think that's true either. This was after "Touch" and "Floy Joy" after all, so she was even singing on singles.

[Jimi LaLumia]

when I said the album was dreadful, I meant "Live in Japan"; "Jmmy Webb" was not dreadful, it just didn't jell the way this type of concept album would have needed to

[thaperson]

In all fairness to Jean, Berry wanted her out of the group moments after the Diana Ross farewell show ended. And Wilson demanding Terrell staying is what allegedly caused Berry to wash his hands of the group.

Does anyone know if Jean knew that at the time? If so, that would burst my bubble. I'm sure it was a dream gig for her upon accepting, but when the harsh reality set in, it was a different story. It's not fun knowing your not wanted.

[blueskies]

I played it twice and threw it in a box. The Live in Japan album is awful IMO.

Yep, that one is pretty stanky. I'm like you, Roberta.... only one listen through [[which I gritted my teeth) and in the box it went not to see the light of day....maybe ever again. You were brave....you gave it 2 listens! Maybe you couldn't believe what you heard the first time and needed a reality check the second time around!

[captainjames]

What I meant was "Touch" and "Floy Joy" Mary shares the lead with Jean. On The Jimmy Webb album Mary has "I keep It Hid" all by herself.
"I Keep It Hid" is not one of my favorite songs on the LP but I think Jimmy Webb reached a spot in Mary that no one had done before. He would have been good for her if this LP had of taken off. Still my favorites on the LP are "When Can Brown Begin" and "Once In The Morning but you can't help liking "5:30 Plane". Good stuff for Jean.

But Mary doesn't have a lead on "5:30 Plane" does she? It's entirely Jean on the vocal.

Maybe you meant the album was the first time Mary got a solo spot...but I don't think that's true either. This was after "Touch" and "Floy Joy" after all, so she was even singing on singles.

[Jimi LaLumia]

Mary got a lead from time to time, like "Come And Get These Memories" on 'A Go Go"

[Roberta75]

Yep, that one is pretty stanky. I'm like you, Roberta.... only one listen through [[which I gritted my teeth) and in the box it went not to see the light of day....maybe ever again. You were brave....you gave it 2 listens! Maybe you couldn't believe what you heard the first time and needed a reality check the second time around!

I only played it twice blueskies cause I payed Hipo Select a lot of money for it. Whatever were they thinking releasing Live in Japan and whatever was I thinking spending my hard earned money on it. LOL

Roberta

[Jimi LaLumia]

I do, however, look forward to a release[[perhaps package deal) of "Mary Wilson"[["Red Hot") and "Partners"[[Scherrie & Susaye); those two are musts to bring everything thus far to a satisfying conclusion; 2012, perhaps??

[jobeterob]

Live in Japan was a mistake to release; it was just a waste of time and energy that could have been devoted to albums that warrant being re-released.

As you guys list the songs on the Jimmy Webb album, it reminds me that a lot on that album warranted much greater success than it got. The second side is shrill and needed to be dropped back a couple of notches ~ very much like they dropped Diana Ross's voice for Where Did Our Love Go from that shrill sound of the early 60's.

But there were several good songs - All I Want, 530 Plane, I Keep It Hid, When Can Brown Begin, Once in the Morning, Tossin and Turnin etc.

Things just got very messed up for the Supremes after 1972; everything went wrong from management to direction to revolving group members to no releases for long periods and most of all fighting amongst the group. Any positive momentum went down the tube.

I could never figure out why they would throw I Guess I'll Miss the Man on to this CD after songs like Floy Joy and Touch and yet, have the whole rest of this album clearly not fit with I Guess I'll Miss the Man. I would have left the song off the album and pushed 530 Plane pretty hard. It seems to me that there was no direction for the group, just a bunch of running in various directions; Berry was likely consumed by Lady Sings the Blues and the massive success of that movie. It is hard to care about a fading group when there is a lot of dissention and when they had a fairly illiterate manager that didn't have a clue what he was doing.

[johnjeb]

I only played it twice blueskies cause I payed Hipo Select a lot of money for it. Whatever were they thinking releasing Live in Japan and whatever was I thinking spending my hard earned money on it. LOL

Roberta

Roberta, I knew better than to buy that CD. I own the vinyl!!!

I traded Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is..." LP for the Supremes Japan Quadrophonic vinyl from a die-hard fan who had traded with a friend from the UK prior. I knew the LP was only so-so but I had to have it for the "collection". I couldn't imagine he would want to part with it, I figured I got the better deal. Oh how I have often wished I had kept the Marvin Gaye LP. lol

[Jimi LaLumia]

especially since "I Guess .." was the biggest stiff of all' why include it on an album, when it shouldn't have been a single in the first place?...and 'shrill',sadly is a very fitting word to describe some of Jean's vocal work on "Webb", and I am transfixed by Jean's work on the first three albums, and the duets with the Four Tops..after that, the downward spiraL..

[luke]

Some people and maybe the minority feel that Jimmy Webb was surpeme-and Im one of them. I dont think the group ever fully recovered when Cindy left. It was almost like the public could accept her and embrace her after Florence but then dont mess with her. I think Cindy leaving was the biggest mistake Mary[[Pedro) ever made.

[captainjames]

Sorry, I was speaking "70's" Supreme songs

Mary got a lead from time to time, like "Come And Get These Memories" on 'A Go Go"

[captainjames]

..............and I will agree to that 100%

Some people and maybe the minority feel that Jimmy Webb was surpeme-and Im one of them. I dont think the group ever fully recovered when Cindy left. It was almost like the public could accept her and embrace her after Florence but then dont mess with her. I think Cindy leaving was the biggest mistake Mary[[Pedro) ever made.

[ejluther]

I could never figure out why they would throw I Guess I'll Miss the Man on to this CD after songs like Floy Joy and Touch and yet, have the whole rest of this album clearly not fit with I Guess I'll Miss the Man.

From what I've read it's because of the MOTOWN-backed musical, PIPPIN [[the musical "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" is from) and that they wanted to promote the musical via a Supremes single so they put it on the Jimmy Webb LP.

The only United States single from the album, the opening track "I Guess I'll Miss the Man", was not actually part of the Jimmy Webb project. Instead, it was a song from the Motown-financed Broadway production of Pippin. Once released, the song, and the album, failed to generate radio play and sales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sup..._by_Jimmy_Webb
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pippin_[[musical)

My least favorite thing about the Jimmy Webb LP is the cover - that shot would have been fine as the back or inner sleeve but not as the front, IMO. It's the only Supremes LP of any era to not feature the ladies themselves in some fashion [[photograph or drawing), yes? Well, except for the 70's collection, AT THEIR BEST, I suppose...

[BayouMotownMan]

Jean's last performance with the Supremes, and Lynda's, was at Magic Mountain in California, August 1973. I was at every show and even though the Ross hits were out they were sold-out most nights and did encores. Jean was incredible vocally and she and Mary got ovations. Mary did a bit at the end of Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You where she'd hit a note and take the mike away to let her rich alto voice fill the arena. The crowd usually went crazy over this. It was a magical week for me.

I too like the Live In Japan lp and Jean Terrell absolutely blew on Somewhere. Far more soulful and effective than Diana to my ears. Though the spoken interlude about love and peace is hokey, it sort of fit. The instrumentals on this lp are poor and Lynda does sound a little overbearing in the background at times. By then her solo numbers were removed, so....

By the time the ladies did this performance in Japan, Jean had let it be known to Mary and Motown that she was unhappy and wanted out of the group. Two months later, she and Lynda were gone. So why release a product on a group that only had one member.

[drewschultz88]

To each their own, because I honestly dig this. I've always liked Jean's vocals, especially on the Tops / Supremes records. She sounds soulful to me, and it's always impressive to hear a singer who is just as capable of delivering live on the spot as they can in the studio.

[Penny]

Rick, I just love when you post here. You actually know stuff and were there at times unlike others here who pretend. Thank you for taking the time to share with those of us who loved those Supremes and Motown so much.

Up to my eyebrows in Avon;
Penny