Just a couple weeks ago, I reviewed HEAVEN MUST HAVE SENT YOU: THE HOLLAND/DOZIER/HOLLAND STORY (you can read my review here). Jeff Meyerson commented that he used to own The Supremes Sing Hollard-Dozier-Holland. And, that of course, trigged my memories of owning and listening to a vinyl album of The Supremes Sing Hollard-Dozier-Holland, too. In the early 1980s, I sold our vinyl record collection and converted to music CDs. But I never replaced The Supremes Sing Hollard-Dozier-Holland...until now!
When Jeff jogged my memory, I did a quick Internet search and found a music CD that included The Supremes Sing Hollard-Dozier-Holland as well as More Hits By the Supremes. The price was right and within days I was listening to this great music! How many of these songs are your favorites? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
Diana Ross-My least favorite Motown artist. A lot of great songs here though. You Keep Me Hanging On and Stop In the Name of Love are probably my two favorites here.
Steve, the affair between Berry Gordy and Diana Ross was legendary.
I just wanted to give the same answer … 🙂
The other songs I don’t remember at all.
I also preferred the Crystals and the Shirelles …
Wolf, Motown had an incredible number of talented groups and artists!
Good music but not great music.
Jerry, like Steve I preferred other Motown artists and groups: The Temptations, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and Martha Reeves and The Vandellas.
My first thought when I read the set list: “I don’t remember the Supremes singing any songs about James Dean.” 😂. Well, it is early in the morning.
This set doesn’t include my favorite Diana Ross & the Supremes songs: “Forever Came Today” and “Reflections.” Of the songs here, “Back in My Arms Again” and “Love Is Here” are my favorites. However, my very favorite Supremes songs are the first few they had after Diana Ross left the group: “Stoned Love,” “Up the Ladder to the Roof,” and “Nathan Jones.”
Deb, I hope you and your family are safe and sound after Hurricane Laura. The early video footage of the impact of Laura on Louisiana looks scary!
We’re fine—thank God! Laura made landfall about 200 miles to the west of us, and all we’re getting is some isolated Qi d gusts and showers. In fact, Julia in Baton Rouge is dealing with a bit stronger weather because BR is closer to the eye—but she’s fine too. I don’t wish bad weather on anyone, but I feel we paid our dues with Katrina.
Deb, the early video footage on THE WEATHER CHANNEL looked bad. I’m glad you and your family are safe and sound! Western NY is going to get some remnants of Laura on Saturday: heavy rain and wind!
This list has me questioning my memory. I thought I was a big Supremes fan, but maybe I thought so because I was a big fan of Motown in general. I only have a certain memory of six of these songs. My favorite is “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” but that might be because I loved the Vanilla Fudge version.
Michael, my memory recalls Vanilla Fudge’s version of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”–all 7 minutes and 20 seconds!–being played on FM radio on a steady basis back in 1967. An “edited” (shortened) version of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” was released for AM radio play, too.
Most of these draw a blank with me too, but such was the old LP format. A couple of tracks would be extracted for 45 rpm play, the rest would round out the album.I have the greatest hits in two 20th Century Masters CD collections.
Fred, I have those 20th Century Master collections around here somewhere. As I recall, those CDs remastered the early Diana Ross and The Supremes songs.
Ross seemed like such an unlikable person it kind of ruined a lot of their music for me. But I will never forget the summer of ’64 leaning out a window in New Hope, PA where I had a summer job, and hearing Where Did Our Love Go coming out of car radios at a very quick pace. Even though the Supremes were not that different from other Motown groups, there was something that made them stand apart. I have few specific memories of hearing a song, but that is one of them.
Patti, Berry Gordy made sure The Supremes got the best songs by the best Motown songwriters with the best musicians. He also marketed the group on television which spurred record sales and ticket sales at their concerts.
Good choice! I am obviously the only one who remembers “Going Down For the Third Time,” which I liked a lot when I listened to the H-D-H album, but which was never released as a single. (Checking their discography on Wikipedia, I see it was the flip side of “Reflections.”) At the time, “You Can’t Hurry Love” (later covered by Phil Collins) was my favorite, but I do like “Reflections” (used effectively over the title sequence of a favorite show, CHINA BEACH) and “Love is Here and Now You’re Gone” and the ironic “Love Child” (since Diana did indeed have a “love child” herself with Berry Gordy).
There are some classic lyrics in Supremes’ songs, like “Love is just an itching in my heart, and baby, I can’t scratch it.”
And from a song you (or at least I) never hear these days, “I’m Living in Shame”:
“Came a telegram,
Mama passed away while making homemade jam.”
Patti, you are so right about things like that. I remember going with my father to a customer’s house one evening (he was a Branch Manager at Electrolux then) and hearing “Chapel of Love” in the car for the first time. Sometimes you hear a song and think to yourself, either this is going to be a hit or this person (or group) is going to be big.. For me, I remember “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” by The Doors, “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore” by the Young Rascals, and “That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be” by Carly Simon, for three which come to mind.
Jeff, I was also a big fan of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. I was crushed by Tammi Terrell’s tragic death. And, like you and Patti, I remember the Sixties with cars going by on the street blasting songs on those amped up car radio systems with oversize speakers.
I have the same memory for “Hey Jude”—I had spent the weekend with my cousins and my uncle was driving me back home. I think he stopped for fish and chips (I was still in England then), anyway the car was stopped and the radio was on (I think BBC One) and the DJ said “Here’s the latest from the Beatles” and my cousins and I were so excited! I loved it then and I loved it now. “Dah-dah-dah-da-da-da-dah/Hey Jude.”
Let me agree that the Supremes were not my favorite Motown group, always a toss up between The Temptations and The Four Tops.
LOVE the Supremes! Now THIS is classic rock!
On one of my visits to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, there was a big exhibit on the Supremes – including costumes. I knew Diana Ross was very petite but I had no idea the rest of the ladies were also small. I might have been able to fit into those outfits when I was in grade school.
Beth, I remember thinking the same thing when I saw THE SUPREMES exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!
I like the big hits they had, a simple 10-15 greatest hits album would be fine, the rest: meh. Hope Deb is okay.
Rick, I have a couple GREATEST HITS collections of THE SUPREMES’ songs (with variant track lists). I’m concerned about friends in California with everything burning and the dangerous air quality. Fortunately, Patrick moved out of San Jose weeks ago and is now a nomad. He’s in Colorado right now driving his way across America. Patrick hopes to reach Western NY by Thanksgiving.
There are several big wildfires here in Oregon too, George. We’ve got plenty of smoke in the air. Glad to see Deb is okay.
Rick, my sister in Tucson, AZ says their air quality is horrible because of the California fires!