What percent of LOVE HANGOVER's success do you credit to Ross herself??

[RanRan79]

I would have thought the massive success of “Love Hangover” would have provided some indication as to what direction might work well.
It’s true disco hadn’t exploded, but it was steadily gaining momentum. The sophistication of BIM” would have been better suited to 81 as opposed to 77.

In a way, I think disco was forced down the throat of the masses. By that I mean to say, as Sup says everyone and their mother was releasing something disco, that it wasn't that the public only wanted disco, the industry decided to a large degree that disco is what they would give the public, which of course was all about money. Still, during disco's reign, other types of music were successful and hitting big.

So I said that to say, when it comes to BIM, I don't think it was a misstep at all. Granted, if I were in on the decision making, after "Hangover" I probably would have had Diana do a dance album. But looking at BIM, not only was it a critical success, it really is a damn good album. And it put up pretty good numbers, despite the travesty of promotion. Because Motown completely screwed up promotion and single releases, markets were often left to choose their own "singles", and some of the songs were well received in certain markets. There was a place for BIM in the general public's music consumption judging off of these elements. So imagine had the album actually been properly promoted and the singles given a schedule that wasn't created by someone coked up, I think it would have been an easy top 10 million seller.

[sup_fan]

In a way, I think disco was forced down the throat of the masses. By that I mean to say, as Sup says everyone and their mother was releasing something disco, that it wasn't that the public only wanted disco, the industry decided to a large degree that disco is what they would give the public, which of course was all about money. Still, during disco's reign, other types of music were successful and hitting big.

So I said that to say, when it comes to BIM, I don't think it was a misstep at all. Granted, if I were in on the decision making, after "Hangover" I probably would have had Diana do a dance album. But looking at BIM, not only was it a critical success, it really is a damn good album. And it put up pretty good numbers, despite the travesty of promotion. Because Motown completely screwed up promotion and single releases, markets were often left to choose their own "singles", and some of the songs were well received in certain markets. There was a place for BIM in the general public's music consumption judging off of these elements. So imagine had the album actually been properly promoted and the singles given a schedule that wasn't created by someone coked up, I think it would have been an easy top 10 million seller.

of course this sort of falls into our "what is a hit" discussion. BIM was successful in the general sense but us fans of course want everything to go to #1. and given the quality of the music on BIM, it should have had high chart numbers.

yes there were other tunes still getting chart action while Sat Night Fev was exploding. you also had You Light Up My Life overtaking everything on the charts in fall 77. SNF hit in Dec and then the Bee Gees and the soundtrack basically overtook everything through mid 78. you then have Grease and it's soundtrack in summer 78 and then chic and Le Freak exploding in Dec 78

during this time there was certainly other music. hell Anne Murray had a #1 one with You Needed Me in Nov 78. Commodores had Three Times A Lady, Hot Blooded by Foreigner. Hot Child in the City, Kiss you all over.

maybe part of the problem is the BIM set is too safe. Getting Ready for Love, Top of the World are nice pop tunes but as i pointed out above, they aren't reinventing Diana Ross. Your Love Is So Good is a pretty good dance tune but it's nowhere near as inventive as LH nor as aggressive of a dance track as Let Yourself Go by the Sups or Best of My Love or Stayin' Alive or I Feel Love which came out just months prior to the BIM set.

[Ollie9]

In a way, I think disco was forced down the throat of the masses. By that I mean to say, as Sup says everyone and their mother was releasing something disco, that it wasn't that the public only wanted disco, the industry decided to a large degree that disco is what they would give the public, which of course was all about money. Still, during disco's reign, other types of music were successful and hitting big.

So I said that to say, when it comes to BIM, I don't think it was a misstep at all. Granted, if I were in on the decision making, after "Hangover" I probably would have had Diana do a dance album. But looking at BIM, not only was it a critical success, it really is a damn good album. And it put up pretty good numbers, despite the travesty of promotion. Because Motown completely screwed up promotion and single releases, markets were often left to choose their own "singles", and some of the songs were well received in certain markets. There was a place for BIM in the general public's music consumption judging off of these elements. So imagine had the album actually been properly promoted and the singles given a schedule that wasn't created by someone coked up, I think it would have been an easy top 10 million seller.

Although “BIM” is a fine album, i don’t hear any top ten hits. This is where the problem lay, and i assume why the intended follow up was abandoned.
A dance follow up to “Love Hangover” would have served her much better at that point in time, with Motown once again quite clueless as regards career strategy.

[sup_fan]

Although “BIM” is a fine album, i don’t hear any top ten hits. This is where the problem lay, and i assume why the intended follow up was abandoned.
A dance follow up to “Love Hangover” would have served her much better at that point in time, with Motown once again quite clueless as regards career strategy.

the sort of tried that with One Love In My Lifetime. out of the cuts on DR 76 that's about the closest thing to another disco tune. and of course there's the story that Don't Leave Me This Way was intended not only for DR but as the LH follow up. that would have been perfect. she went into the studios to do more recording with Hal Davis and the only tunes i'm aware of are Lovin, Livin, Givin, Sweet Summertime Lovin, For Once In My Life and What You Gave Me.

seems like Hal either same up with a gem or a dud. he did Dancing machine for the J5, LH and Don't leave me this way but then he did these other tracks for DR, the Mary Wilson album.

[Ollie9]

the sort of tried that with One Love In My Lifetime. out of the cuts on DR 76 that's about the closest thing to another disco tune.

I was thinking something a little more driving then “One Love In My Lifetime”.

[sup_fan]

I was thinking something a little more driving then “One Love In My Lifetime”.

i don't disagree that One Love isn't the most iconic of songs. but i think it could have charted higher than it did. one of the problems is that the single was remixed and included an additional instrumental break while current a chorus or a verse or something. i think it just got too much "instrumental"

also the other voice on the track is a bit odd. maybe they should have just dubbed diana in and had her do both.

i don't think this would ever have been a #1 but should have gone a bit higher than the 25 it achieved. the track is an exciting one

[Ollie9]

i don't disagree that One Love isn't the most iconic of songs. but i think it could have charted higher than it did. one of the problems is that the single was remixed and included an additional instrumental break while current a chorus or a verse or something. i think it just got too much "instrumental"

also the other voice on the track is a bit odd. maybe they should have just dubbed diana in and had her do both.

i don't think this would ever have been a #1 but should have gone a bit higher than the 25 it achieved. the track is an exciting one

I hate the instrumental break on the single version, but don’t think the song had potential to climb much higher.
I really wish BIM had contained a killer dance track. “Your Love Is So Good For Me” is pleasant enough but nothing more. The 12inch version at least had some oomph.

[sup_fan]

I hate the instrumental break on the single version, but don’t think the song had potential to climb much higher.
I really wish BIM had contained a killer dance track. “Your Love Is So Good For Me” is pleasant enough but nothing more. The 12inch version at least had some oomph.

agree. YLISGFM is fine but relatively generic. there's nothing generic about LH. similarly with the Sups. I think Where Do I Go From Here is nice enough but any group could have sung it. whereas Walking, Let Yourself Go - that was a sound. something specific to Scherrie and the Sups.

maybe that's one of the problems with Diana. probably her most identifiable sound during these years was her big, gushy ballad - Mahogany, TMITM, I Thought It Took, etc. LH is so great but it's not a sound. it's a 1-off. and the rest of the Hal Davis tunes were pretty generic. and also typical motown filler.

then she shifts to Richard Perry. totally different approach and sound. then skipping Ross 78 which is mostly useless, she shifts to A&S. now we're dealing with gospel-infused disco and r&b. then off to the chic organization for a totally different sound with diana 80 - very urban, hip. then back to Masser.

[RanRan79]

Although “BIM” is a fine album, i don’t hear any top ten hits. This is where the problem lay, and i assume why the intended follow up was abandoned.
A dance follow up to “Love Hangover” would have served her much better at that point in time, with Motown once again quite clueless as regards career strategy.

I think all the singles- minus "Your Love"- had top 10 potential. Ross78 as a dance album after BIM could have been huge.

[Ollie9]

I think all the singles- minus "Your Love"- had top 10 potential. Ross78 as a dance album after BIM could have been huge.

I disagree. I love the album, but don’t hear any obvious hit singles. “Gettin’ Ready For Love” was played to death on the radio, and danced to on a prime time pop show here in the UK. Still it only scraped into the 20’s.
”I think “Summertime Lovin” pretty dreadful and not worthy of one of the world’s premiere female singers of that time.
I agree with sup that the material the Hollands were producing on Diana was schlock when compared to what they had done with the 70’s Supremes.

[sup_fan]

I disagree. I love the album, but don’t hear any obvious hit singles. “Gettin’ Ready For Love” was played to death on the radio, and danced to on a prime time pop show here in the UK. Still it only scraped into the 20’s.
”I think “Summertime Lovin” pretty dreadful and not worthy of one of the world’s premiere female singers of that time.
I agree with sup that the material the Hollands were producing on Diana was schlock when compared to what they had done with the 70’s Supremes.

haha - whoa we agree on something Ollie jk

i've said it before. the BIM project is lovely but just not what was happening at that time. it has a more traditional, innocent pop sound. and things were getting too hot in 77 and into 78. hell DR had just been moaning and groaning about her love hangover and then comes out with these innocuous little pop ditties about getting ready for lover and being at the top of the world.

i think BIM being released in 75 would have been magical. same with the Sups doing the Ivey Woodford tunes like Can't Stop a Girl and Color My World. all of those are just excellent 70s pop. but right time, right place.

[Ollie9]

haha - whoa we agree on something Ollie jk

i've said it before. the BIM project is lovely but just not what was happening at that time. it has a more traditional, innocent pop sound. and things were getting too hot in 77 and into 78. hell DR had just been moaning and groaning about her love hangover and then comes out with these innocuous little pop ditties about getting ready for lover and being at the top of the world.

i think BIM being released in 75 would have been magical. same with the Sups doing the Ivey Woodford tunes like Can't Stop a Girl and Color My World. all of those are just excellent 70s pop. but right time, right place.

As long as it doesn’t get to be a habit lol.
Although for various reasons not commercially successful, MS&S remains a slick and sophisticated album that still sounds contemporary today.
I’ve always found it odd that in comparison Diana was recording such dated material as “Fire Don’t Burn”, and “Never Light That Old Flame”, being far removed from the contemporary groove of the Supremes.

[sup_fan]

As long as it doesn’t get to be a habit lol.
Although for various reasons not commercially successful, MS&S remains a slick and sophisticated album that still sounds contemporary today.
I’ve always found it odd that in comparison Diana was recording such dated material as “Fire Don’t Burn”, and “Never Light That Old Flame”, being far removed from the contemporary groove of the Supremes.

maybe since diana had such a strong public image they didn't want to stray too far. her Masser produced songs are almost torchsong-like. sure they did a hard left with LH but overall things were pretty standard.

the sups on the other hand had nowhere to go but up. they were so far from the public vision in 76 that they could have sung something X rated and few would have even noticed. So once they hit with Walking, it seems the Hollands used that as an opportunity to really dive in with some amazing material. and of course they were well familiar with Scherrie's voice from the Invictus years.

[Boogiedown]

In a way, I think disco was forced down the throat of the masses. By that I mean to say, as Sup says everyone and their mother was releasing something disco, that it wasn't that the public only wanted disco, the industry decided to a large degree that disco is what they would give the public, which of course was all about money. Still, during disco's reign, other types of music were successful and hitting big.

So I said that to say, when it comes to BIM, I don't think it was a misstep at all. Granted, if I were in on the decision making, after "Hangover" I probably would have had Diana do a dance album. But looking at BIM, not only was it a critical success, it really is a damn good album. And it put up pretty good numbers, despite the travesty of promotion. Because Motown completely screwed up promotion and single releases, markets were often left to choose their own "singles", and some of the songs were well received in certain markets. There was a place for BIM in the general public's music consumption judging off of these elements. So imagine had the album actually been properly promoted and the singles given a schedule that wasn't created by someone coked up, I think it would have been an easy top 10 million seller.

Disco was centered around a very limited demographic ... 18- 23 year-old gays There were plenty of record buyers who couldn't care less about dancing in a club [including many 18-23 year old gays.] The disco crowd was looking for the new ...and there were plenty of new artists to fill the need. Someone like Diana Ross was welcome to the party ...but only if she delivers in the process. To go full-tilt disco would've been a high career risk should she fail. She'd come across as a desperate has-been. Even if successful, there were plenty of older fans who weren't hungry for her to go that route....don't want to alienate them.

Diana got very lucky. She landed some good disco.
Plenty didn't. Aretha. Elton. Mary Wilson.

Originally Posted by Boogiedown

So once in the studio and when her engine got properly lubed, did Diana start to feel it?? Did she apply her A game??
JLoveLamar
If those moans of ecstasy at the beginning are any indication, I'd definitely say she felt it

hee haw!
What was her liquor of choice that Hal Davis primed her with that session?

[midnightman]

Disco was centered around a very limited demographic ... 18- 23 year-old gays There were plenty of record buyers who couldn't care less about dancing in a club [including many 18-23 year old gays.] The disco crowd was looking for the new ...and there were plenty of new artists to fill the need. Someone like Diana Ross was welcome to the party ...but only if she delivers in the process. To go full-tilt disco would've been a high career risk should she fail. She'd come across as a desperate has-been. Even if successful, there were plenty of older fans who weren't hungry for her to go that route....don't want to alienate them.

Diana got very lucky. She landed some good disco.
Plenty didn't. Aretha. Elton. Mary Wilson.




hee haw!
What was her liquor of choice that Hal Davis primed her with that session?

Courvoiser