I like Vikki Carrs version of the song better. She just does a better job with the lyrics and sounds warmer, more sincere than all that phony emoting and yelping going on in the Ross version.
I like Vikki Carrs version of the song better. She just does a better job with the lyrics and sounds warmer, more sincere than all that phony emoting and yelping going on in the Ross version.
Wish marv2 would just stick to good posts [[eg Motown picnic footage, excellent) instead of wading into every catfight going on here. Think most people would agree these type of contributions simply diminish his standing on here.
Thanks for the tip Roberta.
Actually, it all went downhill when I deigned to mention that I thought Vikki Carr's version was better [[And so is Marvin and Tammi's). And you told me that I just trash everything Diana does, which is not true, because "It's My Turn" and "Remember Me" are two of the most sublime records around, and I've said that many times on this forum. I'm honest with my opinions, good and bad. And I have perspective. I can separate Diana's music with the fact that I don't think she is a good person. They are two different issues.
Roberta take your own advise when dealing with Jillfoster. She's in the same category as Marv2. They both thrive off of bashing Diana Ross, and simply come in threads about her to stir the pot and cause drama, their posts tend to be idiotic and childish. Like Jill knows enough about Diana Ross to have the opinion that she's not a good person. I mean seriously? As if DR owes her money or something. Marv and Jill both need to get a life. Anytime something nice or positive is written about Diana, they find their way in to say something completely negative. They both remind me of the spoiled child in the mall that throws a fit and continues to perform to get more attention. I think we're all better off to just ignore them both and not respond to ANYTHING that they post about. It will make for a much better and peaceful Soulful Detroit.
The great thing about Ain't No Mountain High Enough is The Ashford And Simpson's production on it,and Diana's sexy speaking voice just makes it fit,this is Diana and Ashford and Simpson at they're best,what a great song,[[to me)
Please stay positive
I make all kinds of contributions in various areas, but you wouldn't know that since you only look at Diana Ross threads. The reason I say she is not a good person is because I don't feel drunk drivers are good people. And anytime that something good is said about Diana I come into the thread and say something negative? There are currently 6 threads about Diana on the first page of the Motown forum. I have posted in ONE of them. Get a grip, bitch.
Last edited by jillfoster; 10-01-2012 at 03:07 AM.
Do not feed the trolls this morning. Let them starve to death.
I was always reminded of Isaac Hayes' version of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" when I heard the full version of Diana's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"...
RedHot I have to agree with you - the fact that Ashford and Simpson are not only the songwriting teams for this song for Marvin and Tammi and Diana but they produced both versions as well. They had good ears for making good music and finding that just right hook to make it a hit. Love it Love it Love it
Thinking back to 1970, back in Philly, when the song came on, as a fifteen year old, my associates and I thought the song intro was corny and made fun of it. There was a Diana TV special in 1976 which made me take notice of the song as it played well on the small screen. In 1980 the HBO special made me appreciate Ms. Ross as the superstar that she is, and I started really liking it. Having seen Ms. Ross a number of times after that, I look forward to that part of the show where she does the song. I must also say that that I am a huge A+S fan. Therefore, the creativity to take a song that was released only 3 years earlier and was a huge hit, and rework it, required tremendous courage, especially since, Reach Out and Touch, may not have generated the sales that Motown was looking for. The bottom line is that yes it was an outstanding production, easily in the top 5 of A+S productions. But who could have delivered the spoken word segment? In it's 6:22 glory it is a masterpiece, and it's not too shabby in it's edited form either.
Who remember The Supremes And The Temptations doing the Marvin Gay And Tammi Terrell version of Ain't No Mountain High Enough,?i must say,they sound great together,
Please stay positive
There is some big radio station in NY that runs a Top 500 or so of all time and ANMHE has topped it many times.
I listen to my own playlists in the car, but last week I listened to CBS FM Oldies Station for a while and they played Upside Down by Diana Ross. I remember being surprised because CBS FM moved its oldies audience forward into the eighties and removed much of the sixties music from its format and just about all of the fifties music. I guess it worked because they are the number two station in NYC.
Well, Mountain used to be near the top of The WCBS-FM TOP 500 Oldies list, but it is no longer there. On the last list which was played on Labor Day Weekend, Ain't No Mountain came in at 393.
For many years, In The Still Of The Night was the number one record on the list. In recent years, Hey Jude has been on top of the list.
I don't put much faith in lists - especially, the so called bible, BILLBOARD. WCBS format has progressively moved forward playing eighties music as oldies, abandoning fifties music and limiting sixties music. I don't know, but I suspect that this top 500 list is compiled by the station itself to fit its format and current audience who thinks of eighties and ninties music as oldies. So . as I said above. AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN, which used to be in the top ten of this list, is now number 393.
Here is the link for WCBS-FM TOP 500 Oldies
You are so right Roberta. The human [[?) Wiki should write his own book of "perceptions". I didn't realize how a mouse in any given situation could live so long not to mention memorize every radio playlist in NYC. Where does one find the time. Someone of that caliber belongs in Guinness.
On what release did the short stereo version first appear?
I had the privilege of seeing Diana Ross during her initial tour as a solo act, just at the time Ain't No Mountain High Enough was settling into the #1 spot. I don't recall if she had any background singers; there were two male singer/dancers who performed with her on The Rhythm of Life, but she sang most, if not all, of the other songs, including Reflections, by herself. Her performance of the song that night was exuberant, perfect in every respect, and it gave her act a triumphant finale.
I also appreciate Claudine Longet's version of the song. Despite the fact that it is recorded mostly in French, it has an emotional resonance, urgency and vulnerability that register. Claudine's version of I'll Be There on the same album is also quite enjoyable.
Of course I very much liked the original version by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, but because the two interpretations are quite different, I cannot compare them line by line and say which is the superior version.
But I remember that I was absolutely stunned when I first heard Diana's studio performance, and that initial live presentation was overwhelmingly joyful for both her and her audience. Everyone knew in that moment that hers would be a long, highly successful, career. There was no question whatsoever.
^ A memorable event for you! I, too, can appreciate and enjoy the Diana and Marvin & Tammi versions equally. Gotta check out Claudine Longet's interpretation.
Last edited by lucky2012; 01-02-2020 at 03:58 PM.
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