Search - Diana Ross & the Supremes :: The Supremes Sing Motown

Classic Supremes

ianphillips@uk.dreamcast.com | 04/30/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The music for this album was recorded over nearly four years' time ("Remove This Doubt" originally to have been a single before "Where Did Our Love Go"). Many people figured it consisted of leftovers from the previous album, "Supremes A Go Go," which went to number one, and some of the songs actually were intended for that album, but the collection overall was pulled together from what Motown felt was the best of the Supremes' unreleased recordings produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland at that point. "(You're Gone) But Always In My Heart" was a new title for "Always In My Heart," the backside of "Come See About Me," but it is exactly the same recording (and it's on the album because I reminded Motown it had been left off "More Hits By The Supremes). This album doesn't have the immediacy of "A Go Go," which was recorded as a true album, but it's still enjoyable. By the way, "Love Is In Our Hearts" appeared on the mono version of the L.P. in a different take."

First highlight of 1967

T. A. Shepherd | Palmdale, Ca. 93550 | 05/30/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I had been collecting The Supremes' work since the Love Light single in late 1963 and each new single and Long Player showed a progressive state in their growth as entertainers and recording sessions. This album was originally titled "The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland" and was the first musical highlight of 1967. Surrounding their (at the time) two latest number one hits, "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone" were tracks that proved to be songs left in the can from as early as 1964. Always In My Heart (original 45 title) had been released in December of 1964 on the flip side of Come See About Me and Remove This Doubt was recorded probably at the same session as Ask Any Girl in 1964. It is obvious that the covers I Guess I'll Always Love You (Isley Brothers), Heat Wave, and It's The Same Old Song (Four Tops) were leftover sessions from Supremes A Go-Go. These were rather lackluster and were done better by the original artists. On the other hand, There's No Stopping Us Now and Going Down For The Third Time are a prime example of killer B's that every Motown fan had come to expect. On Going Down, Diana took out her Gospel roots and shook the rafters like a Clara Ward-gone-mad, showing she could holler like the rest of 'em. On There's No Stopping Us, she pulled down the famous Don Adams cliche from then popular TV series "Get Smart" with the "would you believe" adlibbed in just the right spot (how does she do it?). From the symphonic arrangement of "Remove This Doubt" to the lilting run-through of "Love Is In Our Hearts" and the reggae-like guitar plucking in "I'll Turn To Stone", here are five Motown classics I'll never forget! Most of these tunes, especially the B-sides are better in their original mono form and can be obtained on the Box Set (Going Down and There's No Stopping Us)and 1995 anthology (Remove This Doubt). The album's current hits You Keep Me Hanging On and Love Is Here were very much in step with what was happening musically at the time, with artists trying things no one else had dreamed of. The almost reggae treatment of "I'll Turn To Stone" puts the ladies years ahead of their time, giving their arrangement of the song the edge over the Four Tops' version. This album proves that The Supremes were the first Motown act to show this much progress to this point. Despite the fact that a lot of these tracks were recorded previously, they fit right in with the more advanced tracks from late 1966. The album couldn't have been put together better."

THE CLASSIC SOUND OF MOTOWN

ianphillips@uk.dreamcast.com | BOLTON, LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND | 06/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An excellent soul album with every track being an ultimate classic. The album begins with the classic "You Keep Me Hanging On" which features Ross' soaring,soulful and highly emotional voice. "Always In My Heart"is nearly almost as memroable as is a questionably never released as a single track,"Remove This Doubt". Ross is as ever on top form as she seemingly effortlessly sings through these tracks with this particular album being one of the highlights of her time with The Supremes. Also particularly good is another classic hit "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone", "Theres No Stopping Us Now" and "I Guess I'll Always Love You". Slightly below the other classic album, "A GO-GO" in 1966 but still excellent on the whole and one of the best of the high amount of albums Ross did with The Supremes. A classic!"