Supremes or Beatles: Who was better?

[loveblind]

I think the Supremes were like puppets..in the begining. As the group became more of a vehicle for DIana Ross, in the latter half the decade, Ross becomes a little more "Human". When she went solo, she was very different from what she was with the SUpremes. She stopped the giggling, the animated faces and became very sexy.

They [[Supremes/Ross) did what they had to to make it big when the other acts said "Hell No" [[That's where the puppet thing comes in)
The Beatles, Elvis and the Supremes were all at the top of their game, all very different entertainers, but prove, there really is room at the top for everyone.....But you gotta work very hard and make hard sacrifices~

[marv2]

I think the Supremes were like puppets..in the begining. As the group became more of a vehicle for DIana Ross, in the latter half the decade, Ross becomes a little more "Human". When she went solo, she was very different from what she was with the SUpremes. She stopped the giggling, the animated faces and became very sexy.

They [[Supremes/Ross) did what they had to to make it big when the other acts said "Hell No" [[That's where the puppet thing comes in)
The Beatles, Elvis and the Supremes were all at the top of their game, all very different entertainers, but prove, there really is room at the top for everyone.....But you gotta work very hard and make hard sacrifices~

Loveblind, I agree. Diana Ross describes herself as pretty much a puppet when explaining what was expected from her by Berry Gordy in clip I saw recently on Youtube from a program called the Actors Studio I believe? The group was use to promote Ross into a solo career. She pretty much stated that Berry would say things like "Now do this", "Get up there and make it happen"! She responded that she had to just do "it" , that she had to do "everything" or Berry would not be pleased.

[skooldem1]

Do you actually believe that all other Motown acts were defiant, did what they wanted, said what they wanted, and recorded only what they wanted to record? Or was it just Mary, Florence and Diana? The Supremes were no different than any other motown act. The were ALL employees.

[marv2]

Here it is. Please note that what I described above occurs at approx 3:55 in this clip:

[marv2]

Do you actually believe that all other Motown acts were defiant, did what they wanted, said what they wanted, and recorded only what they wanted to record? Or was it just Mary, Florence and Diana? The Supremes were no different than any other motown act. The were ALL employees.

I don't know about everyone, but David and Eddies were pretty defiant! hehehehehe...... Marvin Gaye became increasingly so as time went on. Martha asked for an accounting once that didn't go over very well with the company. Soooooo........

[skooldem1]

Did all other Motown acts do as they wished?

[marv2]

Yes, I am talking about mainstream and recording success.

That was my understanding too and yes it is an important "part" but just a segment of a professional entertainer's career. There have been countless "recording artists" that have had number one hit records and then drop completely off of the public's radar. In the case of Mary Wilson, she will once again be performing and singing in front of an appreciative and PAYING audience tonight! To me, that's successful when you consider she has been performing in front of audiences for 52 years now. Amazing!

[Roberta75]

Yes, I am talking about mainstream and recording success.

Mary is billed as "Mary Wilson of the Supremes" or "Mary Wilson Legendary Member of the Original Supremes" about 98% of the time in her billing.

The Supremes is always in her billing.

[marv2]

Mary is billed as "Mary Wilson of the Supremes" or "Mary Wilson Legendary Member of the Original Supremes" about 98% of the time in her billing.

The Supremes is always in her billing.

That is not true.

[Roberta75]

That is not true.

Yes it is.

[marv2]

Yes it is.

No it isn't. I cannot take you around to every concert hall and theater where Mary Wilson performs to show you her billing, but I can lead you to some form of example. Go to her website.

[marv2]

Then after you do that. Go to Youtube, type in her name "Mary Wilson" and scroll through the videos and note how they are titled. A few will say what you've said, but the majority will simply say "Mary Wilson". Let us know what you come up with. By that time it should be dinner time. LOL!!!!

[jobeterob]

Way back when, somebody said, the answer to this question is like comparing apples to oranges and it is. The Supremes and Beatles were great and they spawned some great solo artists.

Who cares what names they used? Some of them had to hook themselves to the name "Supremes" cuz things weren't so easy for them. So................what! That name game with the Supremes just embarrassed them all; there is a reason one of them just stays away from it all. But I say, just go for it and use it, if you were one, use the name...........it's only 50 years ago and the name "Supremes" still conjures three women standing in gowns, hands in the air, comin down for the "Stop" sign.

[kenneth]

No it isn't. I cannot take you around to every concert hall and theater where Mary Wilson performs to show you her billing, but I can lead you to some form of example. Go to her website.

I believe her recent concert DVD is credited to "Mary Wilson of the Supremes." But for a long time, just like Florence, she was forbidden to refer to the Supremes in her billing or publicity. I believe eventually she gained half ownership of the name so could use it then. I'm sure she has mixed feelings about billing herself as "of the Supremes," in any event. Regardless of the name recognition value, I'm sure she'd rather be recognized as just "Mary Wilson."

[Jimi LaLumia]

as to Florence and Mary having trouble as solo recording acts, the answer is simple;
MATERIAL!..and PRODUCTION!..they didn't have H/D/H or Ashford & Simpson delivering custom made hits and productions to them..
and if anyone thinks that Diana Ross could have had hits with "Red Hot' or "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It" with the same production, etc..think again..those tunes wouldn't have even been album filler, let alone singles material for Ross...
Mary did foolishly walk away from "Holiday", which John Jellybean Benitez then gave to Madonna..but most of the material provided to Mary and Flo was decidedly inferior..

[marv2]

as to Florence and Mary having trouble as solo recording acts, the answer is simple;
MATERIAL!..and PRODUCTION!..they didn't have H/D/H or Ashford & Simpson delivering custom made hits and productions to them..
and if anyone thinks that Diana Ross could have had hits with "Red Hot' or "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It" with the same production, etc..think again..those tunes wouldn't have even been album filler, let alone singles material for Ross...
Mary did foolishly walk away from "Holiday", which John Jellybean Benitez then gave to Madonna..but most of the material provided to Mary and Flo was decidedly inferior..

BAM! Now that's the end of that subject..........case closed! LOL!!!!

[loveblind]

I don't know about everyone, but David and Eddies were pretty defiant! hehehehehe...... Marvin Gaye became increasingly so as time went on. Martha asked for an accounting once that didn't go over very well with the company. Soooooo........

Martha was a rebel as was Marvin. The Four Tops hardly every rehearsed,Mary Wells always did her own thing even down to the blonde wigs...Nobody dared to direct Jr. Walker and certain members of the Temptations often rebelled..Ross & The Supremes did what they were told and Gordy loved it, Smokey was also one that never rocked the boat and they were rewarded.

During the filming of Mahagany..Ross began to rebel. After that project, A lot changed between Ross and Motown. She began to control her path more.

[smark21]

as to Florence and Mary having trouble as solo recording acts, the answer is simple;
MATERIAL!..and PRODUCTION!..they didn't have H/D/H or Ashford & Simpson delivering custom made hits and productions to them..
and if anyone thinks that Diana Ross could have had hits with "Red Hot' or "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It" with the same production, etc..think again..those tunes wouldn't have even been album filler, let alone singles material for Ross...
Mary did foolishly walk away from "Holiday", which John Jellybean Benitez then gave to Madonna..but most of the material provided to Mary and Flo was decidedly inferior..

I highly doubt Mary would have had a hit if she had recorded Holiday. That song was meant for a thin voice singer with a girlish delivery like Madonna at that stage of her career. Mary Wilson does not have a fluffy dance pop type of voice.

[marv2]

Martha was a rebel as was Marvin. The Four Tops hardly every rehearsed,Mary Wells always did her own thing even down to the blonde wigs...Nobody dared to direct Jr. Walker and certain members of the Temptations often rebelled..Ross & The Supremes did what they were told and Gordy loved it, Smokey was also one that never rocked the boat and they were rewarded.

During the filming of Mahagany..Ross began to rebel. After that project, A lot changed between Ross and Motown. She began to control her path more.

Oh yeah I Martha was a rebel, she gave me one of her cigarettes she use to roll herself right out of her purse! hehehehehe! She was not one to be played with. A great lady, smart, Worldly, down to Earth, tough, brilliant, talented, caring and a Detroit Sister from her heart!

When Florence rebelled they didn't know how to handle it. They all started finding fault and "things" wrong with Florence never owning up to the fact that what was going on was causing her to rebel.

Marvin Gaye was very much a rebel also. They had to conjole, pet and sometimes beg him to go onstage at times.

The Four Tops were older, mature guys by the time they came to Motown, so they could not be intimidated.

[jobeterob]

Excellent points Jim. No one could have made a hit out of the songs Mary and Florence recorded on their own; no Madonna, no Diana Ross; Whitney Houston and Beyonce would have ditched those songs. They were generally inferior.

Now, there were some Mary leads or co-leads that had a chance that either Motown or the group decided not to pursue; but by that time, the Supremes were viewed pretty much as a thing of the past and maybe even if they had been released as singles, they may not have been successful.