i agree with your points! plus yes
half the fun here is to think about what COULD have happened
I wonder when this "dictate" from Berry that Diana is the official lead singer came about. was it right before WDOLG? was it earlier? it's mentioned in a lot of books but the exact timing seems hazy. after summer of 61, we really don't have either F or M handling many leads. At least based on what we've received in the EEs. of course motown might not have saved the leads, erasing them or recording over them.
so by 62, diana was the lead singer. but you're point is spot on that M and F were used more and used effectively to add to the songs. just like the other thread i started on here about how some songs really utilized the group.
on the WDOLG album you have:
*the shared leads on the chorus of Breathtaking
*Flo's lead on the outro of Long Gone
*extensive 3-part harmony on Kiss of Fire, Come See, Baby Love, I'm giving you your freedom, Breathtaking
*the brief individual lines on the bridge of BAby Love
on More hits you still have extensive 3 part harmonies and a lot of group interplay in the songs. With Symphony you have 3 part but there's less group interplay. A go Go at least has a mary lead but that's it
on the Specialty albums, they at least almost always recorded a track that features M and F
*Country - mary on sunset, shared leads on Makes no diff
*liverpool - flo lead on I Saw Him, Mary co-lead on You Really Got a hold
*Sam cooke - Flo on Good news, mary does brief intro line on Chain Gang
*There's a place - flo on People, mary on our day
*Xmas - Flo on Silent Night and O Holy Night, mary on Christmas Song
*R&H - mary on Falling in love, flo on Manhattan
Bookmarks