Sing Rodgers & Hart

[sup_fan]

I definitely noticed there were times during the R&H cuts that Flo is on the bottom. I suspect it is here that she might have been having some vocal issues. But it all does come across so beautifully.

One of the mysteries for me is "Good News". Why in the world is Diana doing the lower part of the harmony and Mary on top. The backing vocal would've sounded so much better with them reversed. Trying something different maybe? I don't know.

typically parts are written so that there is some logic in the progression of notes a singer sings. Just because Mary is the alto doesn't mean that in every chord of every song she sings the bottom note. to do so would be crazy hard for the singer because they might have to make unusual or especially difficult vocal jumps from note to note. you write out each part so that the 1) have an appropriate progression and 2) the 3 parts form the chords.

There are parts in Back In My Arms Again during the choruses where Diana and Mary sing the same notes, where Mary sings below Diana and where Mary actually sings above Diana. Technically, Flo is singing the "tonic" of the chord during the chorus except she isn't singing it low but rather high. the tonic is the root of the chord, the base. but it isn't always the bass.

[RanRan79]

typically parts are written so that there is some logic in the progression of notes a singer sings. Just because Mary is the alto doesn't mean that in every chord of every song she sings the bottom note. to do so would be crazy hard for the singer because they might have to make unusual or especially difficult vocal jumps from note to note. you write out each part so that the 1) have an appropriate progression and 2) the 3 parts form the chords.

There are parts in Back In My Arms Again during the choruses where Diana and Mary sing the same notes, where Mary sings below Diana and where Mary actually sings above Diana. Technically, Flo is singing the "tonic" of the chord during the chorus except she isn't singing it low but rather high. the tonic is the root of the chord, the base. but it isn't always the bass.

My point being the background vocals on "Good News" aren't among their best. Mary is shouting over Diana, when the harmony would've sounded better the other way around. Not necessarily that Diana should've shouted, but Mary definitely shouldn't have been shouting. I am not a fan of Mary shouting, the Farewell album being another case of this.

[sup_fan]

My point being the background vocals on "Good News" aren't among their best. Mary is shouting over Diana, when the harmony would've sounded better the other way around. Not necessarily that Diana should've shouted, but Mary definitely shouldn't have been shouting. I am not a fan of Mary shouting, the Farewell album being another case of this.

i just listened to Good News again and i don't hear mary on the top note. I do hear Mary louder in the background than Diana. But it definitely sounds like Mary is singing the bottom, Flo's lead lines are in the middle and Diana is above with the soprano background.

Mary's voice is VERY prominent in the bg for Good News. the overall mixing of the song isn't as polished as other sup work at the time. most likely that's the influence of recording this on the west coast.

my understanding of Motown history is that motown engineers jimmyrigged a multi track recording system well ahead of others doing this. that allowed them to control and balance much more of the music