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    Diana's "Baby It's Me".....

    Was doing a little digging through my albums yesterday and pulled this one in anticipation of it's deluxe treatment [[can't wait!). This is the album that contains one of my favorite Diana singles "Gettin' Ready for Love". I always loved the jazzy, snazzy sound; reminds me a bit of "Mr. Melody" by Natalie Cole.

    A few observations that I never noticed before: TWO songs are included from one Melissa Manchester. I've always loved Melissa's version of "Come in From the Rain" and never noticed before that Diana had covered it. I wonder if this was one of Carole Bayer Sager's first attempts to write without her [[then) husband?

    Also [[and it seems silly): Diana pretty much has the same pose on the cover of this LP as she does her next LP, "Ross". Check out the two: yes, there are obvious differences, but look at Diana's arm [[and elbow). A question [[for maybe George?): was the artist rendering on "Ross" bootlegged from "Baby, It's Me"? Or is this one of those things I'll have to wait for the liner notes to find out, LOL.

    Next: I see that [[via wiki) that Sherlie Matthews and Clydie King are credited on vocals, but Venetta Fields is not. Is this an oversight, or were all of the Blackberries on this LP?

    And LASTLY: Stevie has a song included on this LP, "Too Shy To Say". Stevie was H-O-T in 1977 [[with "Sir Duke" and "I Wish" reaching #1). I wonder why this wasn't released as a single? Was it ever considered?

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    The artist whose name I believe was Ricky Ricardo used the back photo from Diana Ross 76 as a model for the face on this painting. I'm not sure about the arm... I'm thinking he did this painting before "Baby It's Me" was released but I could be wrong. [[Did I just say that)?
    He gave this to Diana and she loved it. She said she wanted to use it as an album cover and she kept her word!
    Baby It's Me is a great album and we have some really good things to work with for an expanded edition!

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    Was doing a little digging through my albums yesterday and pulled this one in anticipation of it's deluxe treatment [[can't wait!). This is the album that contains one of my favorite Diana singles "Gettin' Ready for Love". I always loved the jazzy, snazzy sound; reminds me a bit of "Mr. Melody" by Natalie Cole.

    A few observations that I never noticed before: TWO songs are included from one Melissa Manchester. I've always loved Melissa's version of "Come in From the Rain" and never noticed before that Diana had covered it. I wonder if this was one of Carole Bayer Sager's first attempts to write without her [[then) husband?

    Also [[and it seems silly): Diana pretty much has the same pose on the cover of this LP as she does her next LP, "Ross". Check out the two: yes, there are obvious differences, but look at Diana's arm [[and elbow). A question [[for maybe George?): was the artist rendering on "Ross" bootlegged from "Baby, It's Me"? Or is this one of those things I'll have to wait for the liner notes to find out, LOL.

    Next: I see that [[via wiki) that Sherlie Matthews and Clydie King are credited on vocals, but Venetta Fields is not. Is this an oversight, or were all of the Blackberries on this LP?

    And LASTLY: Stevie has a song included on this LP, "Too Shy To Say". Stevie was H-O-T in 1977 [[with "Sir Duke" and "I Wish" reaching #1). I wonder why this wasn't released as a single? Was it ever considered?
    "Gettin' Ready for Love" was one of her all time best recordings in my opinion and the album, "Baby It's Me" was her BEST album ever. Every song was decent to good and they all flowed well together on that album. Richard Perry outdid himself with that one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by George Solomon View Post
    The artist whose name I believe was Ricky Ricardo used the back photo from Diana Ross 76 as a model for the face on this painting. I'm not sure about the arm... I'm thinking he did this painting before "Baby It's Me" was released but I could be wrong. [[Did I just say that)?
    He gave this to Diana and she loved it. She said she wanted to use it as an album cover and she kept her word!
    Baby It's Me is a great album and we have some really good things to work with for an expanded edition!
    George Solomon WRONG? Say it ain't so.

    One more question I forgot to add.....

    The title of this album is "Baby, It's Me" and obviously the song "Baby, It's Me" was included on the LP, but was never [[to my knowledge) released as a lead single [[it was released as a "B" side). Is this the case of "was supposed to be", then for some mysterious reason, wasn't? If the lead single was "Gettin' Ready for Love", wouldn't that have been a more apt title for the LP?

    All things considered, this LP fared [[at #18) much better than albums like "Last Time I Saw Him" [[#52) and even her solo debut "Diana Ross" [[#19).

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    I'm curious as to how Richard Perry wound up producing Diana for an album project--and assume we'll find that out in the booklet essay for this set. He certainly had made a name for himself by 1976-77, but being that he wasn't an in-house Motown producer, it was unusual! They sound is certainly not typical Motown--but the songs are definitely suited to Diana. Though I've heard the singles from this album, I'm looking forward to exploring it as a whole!

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    was that #18 Pop chart or R&B chart?...
    I was shocked at the time, that there were no successful singles from this album...
    but I was equally distressd that the 70's Supremes were also being ignored by pop radio at the time...
    the Motown machine seemed to stop working during this period, because the records, both from Ross and the 70's Supremes, were fab, and deserved big success.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimi LaLumia View Post
    was that #18 Pop chart or R&B chart?...
    I was shocked at the time, that there were no successful singles from this album...
    but I was equally distressd that the 70's Supremes were also being ignored by pop radio at the time...
    the Motown machine seemed to stop working during this period, because the records, both from Ross and the 70's Supremes, were fab, and deserved big success.
    I don't know why the songs didn't chart higher, but you heard "I'm Gettin' Ready For Love" on the radio often in the Detroit Metro area in the Fall of '77. As for the Supremes, "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" and "High Energy" received radio airplay locally.

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    Jim- #18 Pop; #7 R & B.

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    Were there ANY big, successful charting albums from Motown around this time? I mentioned above, Stevie had two big singles that same year, but what else was going on within the company at this time? I just think this happens to be one of those over looked treasures.
    Last edited by marybrewster; 07-11-2012 at 12:31 AM.

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    To answer my own question, there were only FIVE lp's released by Motown in 1977. Yes, FIVE, one being a Stevie Wonder's greatest hits. So basically this LP was the BEST thing to come out of Hitsville in '77.

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    I wonder if we'll get those extra tracks that Andy found after the release of the expanded edition of Diana Ross '76 album. I'm excited to hear those. Plus I wonder if they'll give Baby It's Me the same treatment they gave Diana Ross '76 with the entire album on the second disc with different vocals and remixes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bradsupremes View Post
    I wonder if we'll get those extra tracks that Andy found after the release of the expanded edition of Diana Ross '76 album. I'm excited to hear those. Plus I wonder if they'll give Baby It's Me the same treatment they gave Diana Ross '76 with the entire album on the second disc with different vocals and remixes.
    Brad-

    Do you recall how many tracks Andy mentioned that they discovered from this "DR" session? I ask because, Motown released "Diana Ross" February 10, 1976 and "Baby, It's Me" on September 16, 1977. You'd think with a year and a half between original material releases that there would have been well more than 10 tracks recorded, the 10 tracks that made it onto "Baby". NOTE: I say "original material" as Motown released two albums on Diana between "DR" and "Baby": a greatest hits album and a live album.

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    And just an FYI: for those curious, the five albums Motown released in 1977 were:

    Live at the London Palladium - Marvin Gaye
    Baby It's Me - Diana Ross
    Looking Back - Anthology - Stevie Wonder
    Mandré - Mandré
    Big Time - Smokey Robinson

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    I remember in 1974 reading in Black Echoes magazine here in the UK that Richard Perry was working with Jean & Lynda. I never asked either of them about that. I'll check with Lynda tonight and update this.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ivyfield View Post
    I remember in 1974 reading in Black Echoes magazine here in the UK that Richard Perry was working with Jean & Lynda. I never asked either of them about that. I'll check with Lynda tonight and update this.
    That's a bit of news! Maybe I'm just pulling this out of my a$$, but wasn't Flo Ballard supposed to join Jean and Lynda? Wouldn't THAT have been something?

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    Were there ANY big, successful charting albums from Motown around this time? I mentioned above, Stevie had two big singles that same year, but what else was going on within the company at this time? I just think this happens to be one of those over looked treasures.
    The Commodores album-"The Commodores" and "Commodores Live". They ruled Motown then.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    And just an FYI: for those curious, the five albums Motown released in 1977 were:

    Live at the London Palladium - Marvin Gaye
    Baby It's Me - Diana Ross
    Looking Back - Anthology - Stevie Wonder
    Mandré - Mandré
    Big Time - Smokey Robinson
    You left off two of Motown's biggest selling albums released in 1977, "The Commodores" and "Commodores Live". Both made it to #3 on the US Pop Charts.

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    High Inergy's debut lp also came out in 1977 and was a big hit. There were many Motown lps in 77. I seem to think Thelma and Jerry came out that year? By this time Motown was putting out products that wasn't selling, like Dynamic Supreriors, GC Cameron, Syreeta, etc

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    Brad-

    Do you recall how many tracks Andy mentioned that they discovered from this "DR" session? I ask because, Motown released "Diana Ross" February 10, 1976 and "Baby, It's Me" on September 16, 1977. You'd think with a year and a half between original material releases that there would have been well more than 10 tracks recorded, the 10 tracks that made it onto "Baby". NOTE: I say "original material" as Motown released two albums on Diana between "DR" and "Baby": a greatest hits album and a live album.
    I remember Andy saying something about 4 tracks that were recorded during the Diana Ross '76 sessions that he discovered after the expanded edition was released. I want to say they were produced by Jeffrey Bowen. Even though they fit within the time frame for Diana Ross '76, I assumed they will be included on the Baby It's Me expanded edition.

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    I was lucky enough, as a writer, to be on Motown reviewers mailing list, as I was already writing for a number of NY music magazines, so I got ALL those albums mentioned above, but none, except The Commodores, did anything ,in sales or airplay, worth talking about; I started recieving free Motown promos around the time of THE MOTOWN STORY 10 lp box set with the radio interview clips; I was thrilled when THAT showed up in the mail..I still have many of the white label Motown lps and the color vinyl promo 7 inch singles..
    and The Commodores succeeded, I thought, based on r&b radio's reaction to the actual songs and instant fan reaction, not so much any special promotions that Motown did..

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    The Commodores scored big.....three times in 1977 with "Easy", "Brick House" and "Too Hot To Trot"!

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    My apologies for my incorrect information regarding releases in 1977. I pulled the information off the internet, which obviously was wrong.

    Funny though, you look at the Motown releases in 1977 versus the releases in 1967 and it's like night and day. The "machine" had certainly slowed down.

    Back to "Baby, It's Me": it's amazing that this LP did so well on the charts with so few singles. Also: when you look at the individuals responsible for this release, it's like a "who's who" in the industry.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    My apologies for my incorrect information regarding releases in 1977. I pulled the information off the internet, which obviously was wrong.

    Funny though, you look at the Motown releases in 1977 versus the releases in 1967 and it's like night and day. The "machine" had certainly slowed down.

    Back to "Baby, It's Me": it's amazing that this LP did so well on the charts with so few singles. Also: when you look at the individuals responsible for this release, it's like a "who's who" in the industry.
    I always felt that had "Baby It's Me" been recorded by one of the popular white female artists of that time like Olivia Neton-John, Helen Reddy, etc., perhaps the album would have fared even better. The music critics seem to forget that The Supremes and Diana's solo career was driven by pop/soul music. Because of Diana's ethnicity, too often she is classified as "soul/R&B". Pitted against Aretha, Gladys or even Patti Labelle, Diana's music doesn't compete fairly. She is a unique creation in that she sings "pop" music as effectively as any white female singer. Until Whitney came along, Diana practically stood alone in singing pop music with soul flourishes. It seemed that Top 40 radio didn't always know what to do with Diana's music, because as a black artist, her music did not fit into the soul genre comfortably either.
    Additionally, instead of looking at the pop or R&B charts, maybe it was the Adult Contemporary format that drove "Baby It's Me" album sales. She had two Top 10 A/C hits in "Gettin' Ready for Love" [[#8), "You Got It" [[#9) and Top 15 for "Top of the World". "Your Love is Good for Me" was also a Top 15 Dance hit as that genre was still developing in 1977. Though the initial tour dates for "Tour '78-'79" featured "Gettin' Ready for Love" and a couple of other "Baby It's Me" songs, the full blown tour would eventually showcase songs from "The Boss" instead. [[Besides the Universal Ampitheater date with the pink shoe and I believe the first time she popped out of the screen, I don't know how many shows she did that featured "Baby It's Me" material over "Ross '78" or "The Boss"). So I question if "Baby It's Me" ever benefited from extensive tour promotion the way "The Boss" eventually did.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bokiluis View Post
    I always felt that had "Baby It's Me" been recorded by one of the popular white female artists of that time like Olivia Neton-John, Helen Reddy, etc., perhaps the album would have fared even better. The music critics seem to forget that The Supremes and Diana's solo career was driven by pop/soul music. Because of Diana's ethnicity, too often she is classified as "soul/R&B". Pitted against Aretha, Gladys or even Patti Labelle, Diana's music doesn't compete fairly. She is a unique creation in that she sings "pop" music as effectively as any white female singer. Until Whitney came along, Diana practically stood alone in singing pop music with soul flourishes. It seemed that Top 40 radio didn't always know what to do with Diana's music, because as a black artist, her music did not fit into the soul genre comfortably either.
    Additionally, instead of looking at the pop or R&B charts, maybe it was the Adult Contemporary format that drove "Baby It's Me" album sales. She had two Top 10 A/C hits in "Gettin' Ready for Love" [[#8), "You Got It" [[#9) and Top 15 for "Top of the World". "Your Love is Good for Me" was also a Top 15 Dance hit as that genre was still developing in 1977. Though the initial tour dates for "Tour '78-'79" featured "Gettin' Ready for Love" and a couple of other "Baby It's Me" songs, the full blown tour would eventually showcase songs from "The Boss" instead. [[Besides the Universal Ampitheater date with the pink shoe and I believe the first time she popped out of the screen, I don't know how many shows she did that featured "Baby It's Me" material over "Ross '78" or "The Boss"). So I question if "Baby It's Me" ever benefited from extensive tour promotion the way "The Boss" eventually did.

    I don't think she toured to promote BABY IT'S ME. I don't remember any tv appearances either. I believe she started filming THE WIZ around the time of its release.

    When I saw her in April of 1979, she was only singing two songs from the album: TOO SHY TO SAY and GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE. I recall reading a review of a 1978 show that said she also performed ALL NIGHT LOVER.

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    I would love to see or hear a live version of "Gettin ready for Love". Did she ever sing "Come in from the rain" or "Confide in Me" live?

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    [QUOTE=reese;116548]I don't think she toured to promote BABY IT'S ME. I don't remember any tv appearances either. I believe she started filming THE WIZ around the time of its release.

    When I saw her in April of 1979, she was only singing two songs from the album: TOO SHY TO SAY and GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE. I recall reading a review of a 1978 show that said she also performed ALL NIGHT LOVER.[

    The Universal Ampitheater date was reviewed in Billboard. It referred to her singing and opening the show I believe with "Gettin' Ready for Love". It also stated that one of the other production elements was the big pink satin shoe,I think she sang "Where Did We Go Wrong" then....but, I am not completely sure what song she performed in the pink shoe.

    And you are right about her working on "The Wiz", IMDB list the principal shooting beginning on 3rd October 1977. "Baby It's Me" was released on 16 September 1977. If I recall correctly, the Universal Ampitheater date was in late August/early September which meant the first single, "Gettin' Ready for Love" was released the same day as the album.

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    [QUOTE=Bokiluis;116551]
    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I don't think she toured to promote BABY IT'S ME. I don't remember any tv appearances either. I believe she started filming THE WIZ around the time of its release.

    When I saw her in April of 1979, she was only singing two songs from the album: TOO SHY TO SAY and GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE. I recall reading a review of a 1978 show that said she also performed ALL NIGHT LOVER.[

    The Universal Ampitheater date was reviewed in Billboard. It referred to her singing and opening the show I believe with "Gettin' Ready for Love". It also stated that one of the other production elements was the big pink satin shoe,I think she sang "Where Did We Go Wrong" then....but, I am not completely sure what song she performed in the pink shoe.

    And you are right about her working on "The Wiz", IMDB list the principal shooting beginning on 3rd October 1977. "Baby It's Me" was released on 16 September 1977. If I recall correctly, the Universal Ampitheater date was in late August/early September which meant the first single, "Gettin' Ready for Love" was released the same day as the album.
    From what I've read, she performed TO LOVE AGAIN in the pink shoe. Did she play the Universal Ampitheater in 1977? I thought that engagement was in 1978, when she released ROSS,and was profiled on a Barbara Walters special.

    In Taborrelli's [[sp) last book, I believe he mentioned that BABY IT'S ME was released without the benefit of a lead single. Some wanted GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE, but YOUR LOVE IS SO GOOD FOR ME was getting attention as well.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    My apologies for my incorrect information regarding releases in 1977. I pulled the information off the internet, which obviously was wrong.

    Funny though, you look at the Motown releases in 1977 versus the releases in 1967 and it's like night and day. The "machine" had certainly slowed down.

    Back to "Baby, It's Me": it's amazing that this LP did so well on the charts with so few singles. Also: when you look at the individuals responsible for this release, it's like a "who's who" in the industry.
    There were four [[4) singles pulled from that album. That was plenty!

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    The lp was successful and Gettin' Ready For Love was a moderate aka forgettable hit record.

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    I was told by Motown execs that it was Mr. Gordy who really wanted "Gettin' Ready For Love" even though radio was hot on other tracks from the album. Many at Motown believed that "Top Of The World" or "Your Love Is So Good For Me" were shoe ins for the top ten as they were being heavily requested by programmers from the beginning. It was a month before a single was released. Still, "Gettin' Ready" is a really good record that I feel should have charted higher. I think of all of her albums this one has the most varied opinions on which singles should have been pulled. "Your Love Is So Good For Me" earned Diana a Grammy nomination while it was still an album cut. That also happened for her in 1971 when "I Love You [[Call Me) from "Everything Is Everything" was nominated when three strong singles from "Surrender" were ignored. But, I guess that is another subject...

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    Quote Originally Posted by George Solomon View Post
    I was told by Motown execs that it was Mr. Gordy who really wanted "Gettin' Ready For Love" even though radio was hot on other tracks from the album. Many at Motown believed that "Top Of The World" or "Your Love Is So Good For Me" were shoe ins for the top ten as they were being heavily requested by programmers from the beginning. It was a month before a single was released. Still, "Gettin' Ready" is a really good record that I feel should have charted higher. I think of all of her albums this one has the most varied opinions on which singles should have been pulled. "Your Love Is So Good For Me" earned Diana a Grammy nomination while it was still an album cut. That also happened for her in 1971 when "I Love You [[Call Me) from "Everything Is Everything" was nominated when three strong singles from "Surrender" were ignored. But, I guess that is another subject...
    I'm always facinated with learning about the writers of these songs, especially writers I am not familar with.

    "Gettin' Ready For Love" was written by Franne Golde and Tom Snow. I did a little digging and found that Franne went on to write hits for the movie soundtracks "The Bodyguard", "Beverly Hills Cop II" and "Selena" [[she wrote Selena's hit "Dreaming of You"). She also wrote for Dennis Edwards [["Don't Look Any Further") as well as Jody Watley, Pussycat Dolls, Jessica Simpson, and Christina Aguilera.

    Tom, like Franne, has had an a amazing career, writing for Better Midler, Dolly Parton, Olivia Newton John, The Pointer Sisters [["He's So Shy"), Denise Williams [["Let's Hear it for the Boy") and.....Barbra Streisand!

    You don't suppose the connection with Babs is the reason Berry pushed for "Gettin' Ready for Love"?

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    Oh, and did I mention, that of all of the songs Diana Ross has recorded over the years [[thousands!), "Gettin' Ready for Love" is one of the songs that Mary Brewster has actually performed on stage?

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    Loved Gettin Ready for Love and Top of the World probably my fave from the album-could still give me chills!

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    Berry made the right call in releasing "Gettin' Ready for Love". It was a great record, the best Diane has sounded in years. It may have been too sophisticated for a radio era that included the "Bay City Rollers" and "the Barkays".

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    Was doing a little digging through my albums yesterday and pulled this one in anticipation of it's deluxe treatment [[can't wait!). This is the album that contains one of my favorite Diana singles "Gettin' Ready for Love". I always loved the jazzy, snazzy sound; reminds me a bit of "Mr. Melody" by Natalie Cole.

    A few observations that I never noticed before: TWO songs are included from one Melissa Manchester. I've always loved Melissa's version of "Come in From the Rain" and never noticed before that Diana had covered it. I wonder if this was one of Carole Bayer Sager's first attempts to write without her [[then) husband?

    Also [[and it seems silly): Diana pretty much has the same pose on the cover of this LP as she does her next LP, "Ross". Check out the two: yes, there are obvious differences, but look at Diana's arm [[and elbow). A question [[for maybe George?): was the artist rendering on "Ross" bootlegged from "Baby, It's Me"? Or is this one of those things I'll have to wait for the liner notes to find out, LOL.

    Next: I see that [[via wiki) that Sherlie Matthews and Clydie King are credited on vocals, but Venetta Fields is not. Is this an oversight, or were all of the Blackberries on this LP?

    And LASTLY: Stevie has a song included on this LP, "Too Shy To Say". Stevie was H-O-T in 1977 [[with "Sir Duke" and "I Wish" reaching #1). I wonder why this wasn't released as a single? Was it ever considered?
    "Too Shy to Say" was a very popular album cut. I believe it has been covered by a number of smooth jazz artists. It was the same with "Blame it On the Sun". When Diana performed during the "Here and Now" tour she said that people thought it was a new song. But I think the average Stevie fan knew that song as well.

    I remain a big Stevie fan. Only having trouble connecting with "A Time to Love". There are okay moments on that album, but not one track is a necessity for me. And with each of Stevie's studio albums, I have a "must play" track or tow or three or four. But "A Time to Love" just hasn't moved me.

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    It's a great all-around album, and a pleasant departure from the Motown machine. Producer Richard Perry did a very nice job on this album.

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    Her best album but an odd first single.

    There were so many songs that jumped out at you as singles........but not Gettin Ready For Love. All Night Lover was obvious; so was Top of the World.

    I would not have chosen Your Love Is So Good For Me but I supposed it was another obvious single.

    I would have chosen The Same Love That Made Me Laugh; and I would have chosen Lovely Day off I Love You as well.

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    "I'm Gettin' Ready for Love" was not odd in any way. It was the best record on an album of many good songs. It was fresh. It was jazzy. It sounded like Diane was channeling the Supremes and Billie Holiday at the same time. It got a lot of airplay in our area. I am not sure if that were the case elsewhere. I do believe that once it is re-released and if it were promoted at all to the mainstream market, that you might hear it again on the radio today. It still sounds fresh!

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    Quote Originally Posted by jobeterob View Post
    Her best album but an odd first single.

    There were so many songs that jumped out at you as singles........but not Gettin Ready For Love.
    I disagree. "I'm Gettin' Ready For Love" was a good choice in 1978, especially since the disco thing was in full swing. That song was also very in style with one of her other 70s hits "Last Time I Saw Him".

    I also think "Your Love Is So Good For Me" was another good single. At least they both were a nice change from those sappy ballads!

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    Marv and Soulster I agree with both of you this is the Diana I wanted to hear. I like her ballads but I was tired of them too. I have no idea why Chain Reaction was not huge it was much better than Why Do Fools fall In Love! I dont know how that record sold so much! When I saw the video for Chain Reaction I just knew it would be a hit in the US although I read it was one of her biggest selling singles overseas.

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    Quote Originally Posted by stephanie View Post
    Marv and Soulster I agree with both of you this is the Diana I wanted to hear. I like her ballads but I was tired of them too. I have no idea why Chain Reaction was not huge it was much better than Why Do Fools fall In Love! I dont know how that record sold so much! When I saw the video for Chain Reaction I just knew it would be a hit in the US although I read it was one of her biggest selling singles overseas.
    Stephanie thanks and I felt the same way [[and you know how I feel about Diane....hehehehehe...). That song got my attention and made me listen to her. The way she rattled off those lyrics in rapid-fire style showed us again that she was no amateur. She was cooking and she knew it. "I'm Getting Ready for Love" was a regional hit and would have been even bigger had she toured and did television to promote it. After you hear that as the first song on the album, you are ready to settle in for a very cohesive album. That fact is what made "Baby It's Me" different from just about every album Motown released on her up to that point in the 70's. I'll say it again, Richard Perry out did himself and deserves a lot more recognition than he receives.
    Last edited by marv2; 07-16-2012 at 06:18 PM.

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    Just listen to the song LOL! She is at her all time coolest, light-headed melodic self here! This is jazz-pop or pop/jazz:

    Last edited by marv2; 07-16-2012 at 08:11 PM.

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    One of the big Diana hits that surprises me is Why Do Fools Fall in Love; it is a huge hit in concert and sold a lot of records........but it never comes up high amongst fan favorites.

    The song that would have made this album a bigger hit was All Night Lover. I believe Rolling Stone suggested it was too much like her Supremes hits for Berry to want it out there as a single.

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    Quote Originally Posted by stephanie View Post
    Marv and Soulster I agree with both of you this is the Diana I wanted to hear. I like her ballads but I was tired of them too.
    I'd have to say Ross was too. That's why she went after producers and writers that weren't part of the Motown machine. She wanted to change up her sound. Richard Perry was the first attempt, Chic the second, and getting a new record contract with RCA was the third.

    BTW, I think "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" is vastly superior over "Chain Reaction". Just my opinion.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    "I'm Getting Ready for Love" was a regional hit and would have been even bigger had she toured and did television to promote it.
    It was not a regional hit. It got up to #16 on Billboard's Soul Singles chart, #27 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles. I also heard it on the radio out here in the west.

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    I think it's a great song. It is one of those examples of the singer being matched up to the right song. She is masterful and her talent shines on this track. I agree, it is a great adult collection of songs. You can pretty much play it from beginning to end. One of my favorites is "Confide in Me".

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    Quote Originally Posted by soulster View Post
    It was not a regional hit. It got up to #16 on Billboard's Soul Singles chart, #27 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles. I also heard it on the radio out here in the west.
    You mean it was not a regional hit out West. In the North Central/Great Lakes region, it was a hit! I don't have the charts to show you, but I have a clear memory of how well that song was received and played by various radio stations.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    You mean it was not a regional hit out West. In the North Central/Great Lakes region, it was a hit! I don't have the charts to show you, but I have a clear memory of how well that song was received and played by various radio stations.
    If I see that it was on the Billboard charts, that means it was a national hit. A regional hit means that it was not popular anywhere else except in small areas of the country.

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    Regional hits can help a record at least show up on Billboard.. during the Latin Freestyle explosion on the East Coast in the late 80's[[Cover Girls, Alisha, Sweet Sensation, SaFire, etc) many singles would be #1 in NY and the tri state area , which helped the records climb into the 80's or lower 70's on the national Hot 100 even though they weren't getting airplay hardly anywhere else.. sort of like the early Supremes singles that were big in Detroit and no where else but still managed to squeeze into the lowest regions of the Hot 100

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