DR return to motown debut album

[Ollie9]

Diana gained a new audience with the "Diana 80" album..hip, street, funky and up to date..folks ate this new funky Diana up and this was built on the foundations that were laid with the super hot "The Boss"..why couldnt she see that this is what the audience were clambering for but instead went back to slushy over produced cheesy ballads on the "To Love Again" album..if she had carried on building on the momentum those two albums garnered im sure Diana would have sailed through the 80s...folks loved the new sexy, funky street Diana and for a short while it seemed like she had her finger on the pulse but then it slipped and she never quite got it back...ok there were a few moments at RCA "Missing You"..."Swept Away"..."Its Hard For Me To Say" and a couple more but I guess folks were miffed as to who Diana was trying to sell herself too...the fans she gained through being current she then lost when she went back to being "shmaltzy" and by the time her return to Motown came around it was BAM BAM BAM she wanted to be super hip again and it just didnt work with the fans.

Back in 81 that is exactly as i remember it mowsville. Friends who had never been particularly interested in her music before were suddenly digging this new funky Diana.
“Mirror “Mirror” was a grade one funk/rock track, that unfortunately was marooned on an album of bland, vanilla, dime a dozen type songs. WDFFIL was a novelty hit.
Her moment of being hip faded like a glorious sunset, never to be seen again.

[detmotownguy]

Back in 81 that is exactly as i remember it mowsville. Friends who had never been particularly interested in her music before were suddenly digging this new funky Diana.
“Mirror “Mirror” was a grade one funk/rock track, that unfortunately was marooned on an album of bland, vanilla, dime a dozen type songs. WDFFIL was a novelty hit.
Her moment of being hip faded like a glorious sunset, never to be seen again.

For what it is worth; Whites Records in the Detroit Renaissance Center had a decent display [[large poster) and ample supply of Ross 80 and sold quite well. Perfect marketing with the simple jeans and t shirt. She lost a Grammy [[Upside Down)to Stephanie Mills for Never Knew Love Like This Before. Diana's album spent one year on the American chart. Upside Down sold 1,000,000 units as did Mills. Interestingly, Ross' chart positions were somewhat higher than Mills. Was Ross cheated out of a Grammy for Upside Down?

"Upside Down" is listed at number 77 onBillboard's "Greatest Hot 100 Songs of All Time" [[1958-2015)

[Ollie9]

For what it is worth; Whites Records in the Detroit Renaissance Center had a decent display [[large poster) and ample supply of Ross 80 and sold quite well. Perfect marketing with the simple jeans and t shirt. She lost a Grammy [[Upside Down)to Stephanie Mills for Never Knew Love Like This Before. Diana's album spent one year on the American chart. Upside Down sold 1,000,000 units as did Mills. Interestingly, Ross' chart positions were somewhat higher than Mills. Was Ross cheated out of a Grammy for Upside Down?

"Upside Down" is listed at number 77 onBillboard's "Greatest Hot 100 Songs of All Time" [[1958-2015)

Interesting facts and figures. For me “Upside Down” being the more iconic song of the two should definitely have won. The same with “Endless Love”.
I also think “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” deserved some kind of recognition.

[Guy]

For what it is worth; Whites Records in the Detroit Renaissance Center had a decent display [[large poster) and ample supply of Ross 80 and sold quite well. Perfect marketing with the simple jeans and t shirt. She lost a Grammy [[Upside Down)to Stephanie Mills for Never Knew Love Like This Before. Diana's album spent one year on the American chart. Upside Down sold 1,000,000 units as did Mills. Interestingly, Ross' chart positions were somewhat higher than Mills. Was Ross cheated out of a Grammy for Upside Down?

Stephanie Mills beat Ross at her own game. "Never Knew Love Like This Before" is about as jubilant as R&B/Soul music came. Mills' vocal is exuberant and emotive, and the musical arrangement was very "pop." The song expresses all the positive sentiment that Ross has labored to incorporate into her image and persona as a recording artist -- before and after she got lost in the RCA wilderness. "Upside Down" is fantastic but an entirely different mood. Strictly a matter of taste. For whatever reason Grammy voters never favored Ross but she was often nominated.

[RanRan79]

Stephanie Mills beat Ross at her own game. "Never Knew Love Like This Before" is about as jubilant as R&B/Soul music came. Mills' vocal is exuberant and emotive, and the musical arrangement was very "pop." The song expresses all the positive sentiment that Ross has labored to incorporate into her image and persona as a recording artist -- before and after she got lost in the RCA wilderness. "Upside Down" is fantastic but an entirely different mood. Strictly a matter of taste. For whatever reason Grammy voters never favored Ross but she was often nominated.

Agree 100 percent. And the fact that Diana never won a Grammy is a travesty, but I cannot make a case for "Upside" over "Never". Never.

[RanRan79]

For what it is worth; Whites Records in the Detroit Renaissance Center had a decent display [[large poster) and ample supply of Ross 80 and sold quite well. Perfect marketing with the simple jeans and t shirt. She lost a Grammy [[Upside Down)to Stephanie Mills for Never Knew Love Like This Before. Diana's album spent one year on the American chart. Upside Down sold 1,000,000 units as did Mills. Interestingly, Ross' chart positions were somewhat higher than Mills. Was Ross cheated out of a Grammy for Upside Down?

"Upside Down" is listed at number 77 onBillboard's "Greatest Hot 100 Songs of All Time" [[1958-2015)

IMO this was not a case of Diana being robbed. "Never Knew Love Like This Before" is just a more well done song IMO. Diana's "Upside Down" was funky, danceable and simple. Nothing complicated. Sort of reminiscent of those very early Supremes hits in the sense that it was easy to sing along to. I just don't think it could stand a chance up against Stephanie's "Never", a song I absolutely love btw.

The right woman won.

[sup_fan]

IMO this was not a case of Diana being robbed. "Never Knew Love Like This Before" is just a more well done song IMO. Diana's "Upside Down" was funky, danceable and simple. Nothing complicated. Sort of reminiscent of those very early Supremes hits in the sense that it was easy to sing along to. I just don't think it could stand a chance up against Stephanie's "Never", a song I absolutely love btw.

The right woman won.

maybe for best song, but what about best album? should diana 80 have won? was it even nominated?

[reese]

maybe for best song, but what about best album? should diana 80 have won? was it even nominated?

Diana's only Grammy nomination that year was for the single UPSIDE DOWN. She fared better at the American Music Awards where she won Favorite Soul Female and Favorite Soul Single.

At the time, I was pissed that Stephanie Mills won over Diana. I just knew Diana was going to nab the award. But as the years have passed, I have to admit that like others above had said, the right woman won. In hindsight, I can also admit that I like all of the other nominated recordings more than UPSIDE DOWN [[I'll leave Minnie Riperton's album out since I've never heard it).

UPSIDE DOWN had a nice vocal and a groove that was catchy but I don't think there was anything especially outstanding about it. In truth, I could say the same about the "diana" album. I think is a nice piece of work but in my personal Diana list, many of her other albums come before it.

[detmotownguy]

maybe for best song, but what about best album? should diana 80 have won? was it even nominated?

Wasn't nominated. Source: http://www.awardsandshows.com/featur...-1981-229.html
Singles:
Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female
The nominees were:

• Stephanie Mills - Never Knew Love Like This Before Lyrics
• Aretha Franklin - Can't Turn You Loose
• Minnie Riperton - Love Lives Forever
• Roberta Flack - Roberta Flack featuring Donny Hathaway
• Diana Ross - Upside Down Lyrics

[TheMotownManiac]

For what it is worth; Whites Records in the Detroit Renaissance Center had a decent display [[large poster) and ample supply of Ross 80 and sold quite well. Perfect marketing with the simple jeans and t shirt. She lost a Grammy [[Upside Down)to Stephanie Mills for Never Knew Love Like This Before. Diana's album spent one year on the American chart. Upside Down sold 1,000,000 units as did Mills. Interestingly, Ross' chart positions were somewhat higher than Mills. Was Ross cheated out of a Grammy for Upside Down?

"Upside Down" is listed at number 77 onBillboard's "Greatest Hot 100 Songs of All Time" [[1958-2015)

i think Ross has been cheated, but not this time. The award is for vocal, and Mill’s vocal is simply stronger and more intricate that what was required of Ross. I bought Mill’s 45 the first time I heard it. A Grammy for best R&B record, I think definitely belonged to upside down it was a brilliant 45.

[sup_fan]

i think Ross has been cheated, but not this time. The award is for vocal, and Mill’s vocal is simply stronger and more intricate that what was required of Ross. I bought Mill’s 45 the first time I heard it. A Grammy for best R&B record, I think definitely belonged to upside down it was a brilliant 45.

it would depend on the Grammy category. for best R&B vocal performance - no i don't think UD is the best. for "song of the year" that might be a different story. the song simply became a phenomenon. also UD as part of the overall set of diana 80 has more stylistic and artistic impact IMO than UD just by itself. therefore the album should have been nominated