Who is singing background on Happy is a bumpy road????

**TYK1986** · 11-08-2011, 10:41 AM

Hello everyone am new here and is my first post. I read a lot on this forum but dont post cause my knowledge ain't that great about motown.

Someone on facebook asked a question about what your favourite 70's supremes song is. I awnsered Happy is a bumpy road. He replied back with it's a good song but mary and cindy are not singin background.
I always thought that the only song they dont sing background on is love and time.

So who is singing background? Is it mary and and cindy or some other girls.

Thanks for any information .

**Roger Polhill** · 11-08-2011, 05:53 PM

Hi TYKE, It was Clydie King along with Mary and Cindy.

smark21 · 11-08-2011, 09:30 PM

Shantelle Baker?

**redlabs** · 11-08-2011, 10:11 PM

welcome! this is from my favorite supremes 70s album!

**franjoy56** · 11-08-2011, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by smark21

Shantelle Baker?

Who is Shantell Baker.

smark21 · 11-08-2011, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by franjoy56

Who is Shantell Baker.

Read this thread: http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread...f-The-Supremes

**Jimi LaLumia** · 11-08-2011, 10:52 PM

she had 12 number one's with the Supremes in the 60's ; don't you remember her platinum album BAKERS DOZEN?

**TYK1986** · 11-09-2011, 09:46 AM

Hi Roger thanx for the info. So it is mary and cindy I can hear clearly :P.

**Roger Polhill** · 11-09-2011, 04:48 PM

Hi Tyk, it looks like I missread my information Clydie was on the A. side "Nathan Jones" sorry `bout that.

**TYK1986** · 11-09-2011, 05:01 PM

Thats ok . Thanks anyway Roger. Will just have to keep listening. Such a dissapointment if they were not on it.

**Roger Polhill** · 11-09-2011, 06:06 PM

TYK, I think you can take it that Mary and Cindy sang the backing vocals.

**BayouMotownMan** · 11-09-2011, 10:30 PM

There's more than just Mary and Cindy on this track. I can hear Mary and Cindy during the bridges but on the choruses there is another voice or two. Too bad Frank Wilson isn't on SDF.

This song is structured very similarly to Stoned Love which gives me the impression that it must have been considered for a single. It wound up as a B side

**TYK1986** · 11-10-2011, 10:28 AM

Thanx for the information Bayoumotownman

. I do hear mary and cindy too on most of the song so was bit confused when someone mentioned they are not on it. Maybe Klydie King who also sings on Nathan Jones sang alongside them.

Would have been great if it was released as a single.

**Jimi LaLumia** · 11-10-2011, 10:47 AM

should have been a single; and instead the fatal mistake was made; they released "Touch"

**BayouMotownMan** · 11-10-2011, 01:25 PM

I only hear another voice on the chorus [[If we try, try, try)

**jobeterob** · 11-10-2011, 01:56 PM

I'm surprised by this.

I always assumed by 1970 that they were just back to Mary and Cindy doing and whoever followed doing all the backgrounds; at least after Right On.........cuz I suppose a lot of that was just Jean.

But I suppose the Supremes were just like any other Motown group........the producers added what they thought was needed by whomever was around.

Still surprising.

**BayouMotownMan** · 11-10-2011, 04:18 PM

Mary and Cindy had a soft, pleasant blend. Many producers simply wanted a fuller sound so other voices were used in addition to or in place of

**TYK1986** · 11-10-2011, 05:54 PM

Thats what I thought. Just mary and cindy with sometime jean.

**captainjames** · 11-10-2011, 11:17 PM

AHHH definitely sound like Mary and I believe Cindy with somone else, maybe even Jean in the background as well ? Not sure about this one but, I do agree it should have been a single. Also, didn't Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations release this song as well ?

**TYK1986** · 11-11-2011, 08:06 AM

Would be great to find out that only mary, cindy and jean sang background!!!!!!

Btw didnt the four tops record this song as well.

**TMSG** · 11-11-2011, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by captainjames

Also, didn't Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations release this song as well ?

Are you referreing to "Happy" on the 1975 "The Thin Man" album?

**redlabs** · 11-11-2011, 09:35 AM

HERE COMES THE SUNRISE was considered for a single.

**Jimi LaLumia** · 11-11-2011, 05:32 PM

Sunrise would have been a fab single, and a HIT!!!..I'll never understand all the F ups that started to compound on top of each other

**rod_rick** · 11-12-2011, 08:30 PM

I always felt that Mary and Cindy blend was softer as well, until I heard what Cindy did with her few lines on "Love The One You're With". I came to the conclusion that if the producers wanted Mary and Cindy to sing full chest voice, they could have gotten that sound out of them. They the produces could also build the harmony different by having Jean sing the lower tones with Mary and Cindy belting the middle and top part of the harmony.

selinasian · 11-14-2011, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by BayouMotownMan

There's more than just Mary and Cindy on this track. I can hear Mary and Cindy during the bridges but on the choruses there is another voice or two. Too bad Frank Wilson isn't on SDF.

This song is structured very similarly to Stoned Love which gives me the impression that it must have been considered for a single. It wound up as a B side

Sherlie Matthews also claims to have sung on early 70s Supremes tracks along with Clydie King, so maybe she's on there too!