DR produced by Smokey

[sup_fan]

I have never understood why “I Second That Emotion” was ignored for single release in the USA. It was far more commercial sounding than “The Weight” as proved by its top twenty chart position here in the UK.

ISTE wasn't on Together. Why Must We Fall in Love is IMO clearly the standout on the album. it's head and shoulders above just about everything else. but if they were looking for another potential single from the Together set, maybe Stubborn Kind of Fellow? Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing is very nice but that was probably too recent of a hit for Marvin and Tammi.

i don't think The Weight is terrible, given that really most of the album is mediocre covers.

[Ollie9]

ISTE wasn't on Together. Why Must We Fall in Love is IMO clearly the standout on the album. it's head and shoulders above just about everything else. but if they were looking for another potential single from the Together set, maybe Stubborn Kind of Fellow? Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing is very nice but that was probably too recent of a hit for Marvin and Tammi.

i don't think The Weight is terrible, given that really most of the album is mediocre covers.

“Why Must We Fall In Love” didn’t chart nearly as high as “I Second That Emotion” when released as a single here in the UK. Although I love both songs, “ISTE” is for me slightly the superior and better remembered song, at least in GB.

[RanRan79]

“Why Must We Fall In Love” didn’t chart nearly as high as “I Second That Emotion” when released as a single here in the UK. Although I love both songs, “ISTE” is for me slightly the superior and better remembered song, at least in GB.

I do not like the Supremes/Tempts version of "Emotion" at all. Never have. On the other hand, I've loved "Why" since the first time I heard it and it's always boggled my mind that it wasn't a single, while "The Weight" [[which is almost horrible to my ears) got the single release.

One thing to consider about "Emotion" as a single in the States vs in the UK: in the UK Smokey and the Miracles' version could probably be best described as a "mild hit" for them. The Supremes and the The Tempts, both being much bigger in the UK than the Miracles, would probably be guaranteed a bigger hit with the song because of their name and the fact that the song didn't exactly light the charts on fire, relatively speaking. On the other hand, the Miracles version was a major hit in the US, and quite frankly, the Supremes and Tempts didn't do anything particularly noteworthy with it. It sounds exactly like what it was: a cover version. Releasing it in the US would have been one more stupid decision on Motown's part.

The two groups' version of "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" was far more inventive, with both groups making the song their own, that I agree with Supfan that even it made more sense as a single than "The Weight" and "Emotion".

[Ollie9]

I do not like the Supremes/Tempts version of "Emotion" at all. Never have. On the other hand, I've loved "Why" since the first time I heard it and it's always boggled my mind that it wasn't a single, while "The Weight" [[which is almost horrible to my ears) got the single release.

One thing to consider about "Emotion" as a single in the States vs in the UK: in the UK Smokey and the Miracles' version could probably be best described as a "mild hit" for them. The Supremes and the The Tempts, both being much bigger in the UK than the Miracles, would probably be guaranteed a bigger hit with the song because of their name and the fact that the song didn't exactly light the charts on fire, relatively speaking. On the other hand, the Miracles version was a major hit in the US, and quite frankly, the Supremes and Tempts didn't do anything particularly noteworthy with it. It sounds exactly like what it was: a cover version. Releasing it in the US would have been one more stupid decision on Motown's part.

The two groups' version of "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" was far more inventive, with both groups making the song their own, that I agree with Supfan that even it made more sense as a single than "The Weight" and "Emotion".

I hadn’t realised Smokey & The Miracles had scored such a big hit with the song in the USA which would explain its non release.
I think Diana and Eddie do a brilliant job on “I Second That Emotion”, preferring it to the Miracles original version.
Realistically, almost anything would have made for a better single release then “The Weight” although it happens to be my favourite version of the song.

[RanRan79]

I hadn’t realised Smokey & The Miracles had scored such a big hit with the song in the USA which would explain its non release.
I think Diana and Eddie do a brilliant job on “I Second That Emotion”, preferring it to the Miracles original version.
Realistically, almost anything would have made for a better single release then “The Weight” although it happens to be my favourite version of the song.

Yeah, the Miracles' version was really big here. I've always loved it. One of my fav Miracles cuts.

Also keep in mind that when the single was released in the UK, for some odd reason it was pulled from the nearly year old Join album rather than the current Together. Very odd move.

My favorite version of "The Weight" is Aretha's. That was the version I was most familiar with. When I finally heard the version by the Supremes and the Tempts, I wanted to choke everybody who had anything to do with it: the singers, the producer, the label execs, everybody.