I won’t apologize for yet another redux, for this one is well worth hearing again … and I haven’t played it for two years, so you’re ready to hear it again. Besides that, I am exhausted and ready for my bed, so it was either this or nothing.
Where were you and what were you doing in 1969? I had just graduated from high school, was debating what to do with my life. My dad wanted me to be the son he never had and follow in his footsteps, but I already knew that wasn’t what I wanted. That summer I spent working, saving money for … whatever … and tootling about in an old VW Beetle with my best friend Nidia Zamora, and none other than the Supremes blasting from the radio while I tried to ignore the future!
Someday We’ll Be Together Diana Ross, The Supremes
Someday we’ll be together
Say, say, say it again
Someday we’ll be together
Oh, yeah, oh yeah
You’re far away
From me my love
And just as sure my, my baby
As there are stars above
I wanna say, I wanna say, I wanna say
Someday we’ll be together
Yes we will, yes we will
Say, someday (some sweet day) we’ll be together
I know, I know, I know, I know
My love is yours, baby
Oh, right from the stars
You, you, you posses my soul now honey
And I know, I know you own my heart
And I wanna say:
Someday we’ll be together
Some sweet day we’ll be together
Yes we will, yes we will
Someday (tell everybody) we’ll be together
Yes we will, yes we will
Long time ago
My, my sweet thing
I made a big mistake, honey
I said, I said goodbye
Oh, oh baby
Ever, ever, ever since that day
Now, now all I wanna do is cry, cry
Hey, hey, hey
I long for you every night
Just to kiss your sweet, sweet lips
Hold you ever, ever so tight
And I wanna say
I apologize that I am once again re-duxing. The hour is late and my heart is heavy tonight, so please forgive me. I last played this one in August 2018, just over two years ago. It still resonates with me, and I hope you will enjoy it yet again, too.
Lionel Richie originally wrote this song and recorded it with Diana Ross in 1981. Lionel Richie had risen from saxophone player in the Commodores to lead vocalist and primary songwriter in the group. He was still with them when the movie, Endless Love, was being filmed and director Franco Zeffirelli asked him to write an instrumental theme along the lines of Henry Mancini’s theme from the 1971 film Love Story. Richie, who was eager to add “film soundtrack” to his resumé, used a piece of music he had written for the Commodores but was never recorded. But then Zeffirelli decided he wanted lyrics. And that it should be a duet, maybe with Diana Ross. So Richie’s assignment went from devising an instrumental theme song to composing and performing on a fully-formed duet with the most popular female vocalist in America. He was up for the challenge.
The movie did not do well, but the song, recorded under the Motown label, received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and won a Marquee Award in 1982 for Best Original Song.
In 1994, Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross recorded this for Vandross’ album Songs. It became Luther’s biggest hit, going to #2 in the US. I am a big fan of Luther Vandross, but tonight, as I listened to his and Mariah’s version, I found that I still preferred Lionel Richie and Shania’s. Somewhere along the line, Kenny Rogers even recorded it … is there a song around that he hasn’t recorded??? I did not listen to Kenny’s version. Three was enough for me.
Richie and Twain recorded their version in 2011, and the video you are about to watch was recorded in February 2012.
Endless Love Lionel Richie and Shania Twain
My love
There’s only you in my life
The only thing that’s right
My first love
You’re every breath I take
You’re every step I make
And I
I want to share
All my love with you
No one else will do
And your eyes (your eyes, your eyes)
They tell me how much you care
Oh, yes
You’ll always be
My endless love
Two hearts
Two hearts that beat as one
Our lives have just begun
And forever
I’ll hold you close in my arms
I can’t resist your charms
And I
I’d play the fool
For you, I’m sure
You know I don’t mind
(No, you know I don’t mind)
And yes
You mean the world to me
I know I’ve found in you
My endless love
And love
I’d play the fool
For you, I’m sure
You know I don’t mind
(Whoa, you know I don’t mind)
Oh, yes
You’d be the only one
Cause no, I can’t deny
This love I have inside
And I’ll give it all to you
My love (my love, my love)
Tonight I just thought we all needed something really upbeat, and I can’t think of a single song that is more upbeat than this one by The Supremes. I did play this one back in 2018, but … shhhhhhh … I won’t tell if you don’t!
This song was written for the 1967 movie The Happening, which starred Anthony Quinn, George Maharis, Michael Parks, Robert Walker Jr., and Faye Dunaway. The film flopped, but the song went to #1 in the US, giving The Supremes their 10th chart-topper in that country. The songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland co-wrote this with Frank DeVol, who was the musical director for the film.
According to Lamont Dozier …
“We wrote it because of the title. Frank DeVol, it was his music that had to do a lot with that. He had partial music already written, so we took that feeling that he had and added our own interpretation and added melodies and whatever we had to do to make it a pop song. That’s why you’ll find his name on the credits, because he was responsible for some of the music.”
This was The Supremes last hit released under the name “The Supremes.” Later in 1967, they became “Diana Ross & the Supremes.” They reverted back to “The Supremes” in 1970 when Ross left the group.
So now, how ’bout I shut up and just play the song …
The Happening The Supremes
Hey! Life, look at me, I can see the reality,
‘Cause when you shook me, took me outta my world, I woke up.
Suddenly I just woke up to The Happening.
When you find that you left the future behind.
‘Cause when you got a tender love you don’t take care of,
then you better beware of,
The Happening.
One day you’re up, when you turn around,
You find your world is tumbling down.
It happened to me and it can happen to you.
I was sure, I felt secure until love took a detour.
Yeah! Riding high on top of the world, it happened.
Suddenly it just happened,
I saw my dreams torn apart
when love walked away from my heart.
And when you lose a precious love you need to guide you
something happens inside you,
The Happening.
Now I see life for what it is.
It’s not of dreams, it’s not of bliss.
It happened to me and it can happen to you
And then it happened.
Oo, and then it happened.
Oo, and then it happened.
Is it real? Is it fake?
Is this game of life a mistake?
‘Cause when I lost the love I thought was mine for certain,
Suddenly it starts hurtin’.
I saw the light too late when that fickle finger of fate.
Yeah! It came and broke my pretty balloon,
I woke up, suddenly I just woke up, so sure,
I felt secure until love took a detour.
‘Cause when you got a tender love you don’t take care of,
then you better beware of,
The Happening.
The Happening.
I received a request to play this song on this date by a friend who wishes to remain anonymous. Never let it be said that I don’t aim to please! It didn’t hurt that I happen to like this song, too.
Released in 1973 on the Motown label, this song was written by ballad lyricist Ron Miller and songwriter/producer Michael Masser. It was Diana Ross’ first hit produced by Masser; he continued to produce more songs for her over the years.
Ross felt that this song was too difficult for her and recorded several takes on it. In a documentary about her, Masser said that she tried very hard to “get the vocals right for this particular song” and that it was a “draining experience.” As it happened, it became her longest-charting Pop record and also became her first #1 Adult Contemporary hit.
Miller explained how the song came together:
“I had already dreamed up this title, ‘Touch Me in the Morning,’ but I didn’t have the vaguest idea what it meant … So I analyzed Diane as a person. I said, ‘Well, this girl is out on her own now. She’s an adult and a movie star. She’s also a contemporary woman and … much more liberal about expressing her sexual values. Whereas once upon a time, only a man could say something like that, now a liberated woman like Diane could. However, though she’s ostensibly a sophisticated woman, she’s still crying inside to be touched in the morning.’ It was just a very cold, calculated and wonderful job of crafting.”
It marked a turning point in the career of Diana Ross, reinvigorating her singing career, coming immediately after her Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in her acting debut, Lady Sings the Blues.
Touch Me in the Morning Diana Ross
Touch me in the morning
Then just walk away
We don’t have tomorrow
But we had yesterday
Wasn’t it me who said that Nothing good’s gonna last forever?
And wasn’t it me who said, Let’s just be glad for the time together?
It must’ve been hard to tell me
That you’ve given all you had to give
I can understand you’re feeling that way
Everybody’s got their life to live
Well, I can say goodbye in the cold morning light
But I can’t watch love die in the warmth of the night
If I’ve got to be strong
Don’t you know I need to have tonight when you’re gone?
Till you go I need to lie here and think about
The last time that you’ll touch me in the morning
Then just close the door
Leave me as you found me, empty like before
Wasn’t it yesterday We used to laugh at the wind behind us?
Didn’t we run away and hope that time wouldn’t try to find us (Didn’t we run)
Didn’t we take each other to a place where no one’s ever been?
Yeah, I really need you near me tonight
‘Cause you’ll never take me there again
Let me watch you go with the sun in my eyes
We’ve seen how love can grow
Now we’ll see how it dies
If I’ve got to be strong
Don’t you know I need to have tonight when you’re gone?
Till you go I need to hold you until the time
Your hands reach out and touch me
In the morning (Mornings where blue and gold and we could feel one another living)
Then just walk away (We walked with a dream to hold and we could take what the world was giving)
We don’t have tomorrow (There’s no tomorrow here, there’s only love and the time to chase it)
But we had yesterday
(But yesterday’s gone my love, there’s only now and it’s time to face it) touch me in the morning
I hadn’t even thought of a song for tonight, likely there wouldn’t have been one, as I’m still a bit under the weather and very tired. But then I read Keith’s post about Motown, and the documentary movie Hitsville: The Making of Motown, and suddenly I was in the mood for some Motown Sound! I really thought I had played this one just a couple of weeks ago, but I find that I didn’t … must have gotten sidetracked.
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough is an R&B/soul song written by the husband/wife songwriting team of Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla label, a division of Motown. Nick Ashford was inspired by an experience when he first moved to New York. He was walking down a Manhattan thoroughfare, determined that New York City would not get the best of him; the words “Ain’t no mountain high enough” popped into his head.
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell recorded the original version, which peaked at #19 US in 1967. Uriel Jones of The Funk Brothers, who played the drums on Gaye and Terrell’s original version, recalled …
“Ashford and Simpson had written the song and they always came to the studio with charts. This time was no exception; they came with the song fully written out. The lyrics were written out too. They were one of the few producers and writers who had full charts and made us work from them. They knew 95 percent what they wanted to hear. Johnny Bristol and Harvey Fuqua were the actual producers in charge of the recording. We did the rhythm track first, then they put the horns on second. Then they recorded Tammi Terrell’s vocal, then they did Marvin Gaye’s next. Each vocal was done separately, the singer in the studio with the producer on their own, and they put it all together at the end. You know, I never heard the finished song until I switched on the radio and it was playing.”
British soul singer Dusty Springfield wanted to record the song but Ashford & Simpson declined, hoping it would give them access to the Detroit-based label. As Valerie Simpson later recalled, “We played that song for her (Springfield) but wouldn’t give it to her, because we wanted to hold that back. We felt like that could be our entry to Motown.”
Diana Ross & The Supremes recorded a version of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough which was more faithful to the Terrell-Gaye original version as a duet with The Temptations. That song was an album cut from a joint LP released by Motown Records in 1968 on the two superstar groups, titled Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations.
In spring 1970, after the Top 20 success of her first solo single, Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand), Ashford and Simpson had Ross re-record “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”.
Motown chief Berry Gordy did not like the record upon first hearing it. He hated the spoken-word passages and wanted the song to begin with the climactic chorus/bridge. It was not until radio stations nationwide were editing their own versions and adding it to their playlists that Ashford and Simpson were able to convince Gordy to release an edited three-minute version as a single. Ross’ version of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” rose up to number one on both the pop and R&B singles charts. Ross received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
I prefer the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell version, but the Diana Ross version is good, as well, so I proffer both!
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell
Listen baby, ain’t no mountain high
Ain’t no valley low, ain’t no river wide enough baby
If you need me call me no matter where you are
No matter how far don’t worry baby
Just call my name I’ll be there in a hurry
You don’t have to worry
‘Cause baby there ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe
Remember the day I set you free
I told you you could always count on me darling
From that day on, I made a vow
I’ll be there when you want me
Some way, some how
‘Cause baby there ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe
Oh no darling
No wind, no rain
Or winters cold can stop me baby, na na baby
‘Cause you are my goal
If you’re ever in trouble
I’ll be there on the double
Just send for me, oh baby, ha
My love is alive
Way down in my heart
Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand
I’ll be there on the double
Just as fast as I can
Don’t you know that there
Ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe
Don’tcha know that there
Ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
Ain’t mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
I wish I could take credit for tonight’s song, but alas … I cannot. Once again, our friend Ellen has taken me to task for not making note of the anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s death yesterday, but at the same time, she gave me a way out, noting that I could possibly redeem myself by recognizing Mr. Gaye’s birthday today! (I swear that woman is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to music!) She was even so kind as to make a couple of recommendations, and thus tonight’s song … You Are Everything.
Thank you, Ellen … and remember, the job offer is still open!
This song, written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed, was originally recorded by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics in 1971. Then in 1974, Motown singing duo, Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye recorded the song, and that is the version I am sharing tonight, in honour of what would have been Marvin Gaye’s 80th birthday. Wow — where do the years go?
Released as the second UK single from their Diana & Marvin album, the song reached #5 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1974, and also became the first official Motown single to be awarded with silver disc for sales in excess of 200,000 copies. It also reached #13 on the Dutch charts and #20 on the Irish Singles Chart. It was never released as a single in the U.S. I wonder why?
Sadly, Mr. Gaye’s life and career were cut short one day shy of what would have been his 45th birthday when, on April 1, 1984, Gaye’s father, Marvin Gay Sr., fatally shot him at their house in the West Adams district of Los Angeles. Yet another whose music enriches us, his life ended far too soon.
You Are Evrything Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye
Today I saw somebody
Who looked just like you
He walked like you do
I thought it was you
As he turned the corner
I called out your name
I felt so ashamed
When it wasn’t you
Wasn’t you
You are everything
And everything is you
Oh, you are everything
And everything is you
‘Cause you are everything
And everything is you
How can I forget
When each face that I see
Brings back memories
Of being with you
I just can’t go on
Living life as I do
Comparing each girl with you
Knowing they just won’t do
They’re not you
‘Cause you are everything
And everything is you
Oh, you are everything
And everything is you
You are everything
And everything is you
Several nights ago I was planning a Supreme’s song, but got side-tracked, and now I cannot remember which one it was that I was planning for that night. So, after a quick overview of some of their best songs, I settled tonight on this one, Where Did Our Love Go.
Written and produced by Motown’s main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, this one was the first single by the Supremes to go to the number-one position in the U.S. in 1964. It was also the first of five Supremes songs in a row to reach number one (the others being “Baby Love”, “Come See About Me”, “Stop! In the Name of Love”, and “Back in My Arms Again”).
According to Lamont Dozier …
“I originally cut this track with the Marvelettes in mind. In fact, I cut it in Gladys Horton’s key, the lead singer, which was much lower than Diana Ross’. At that time, at Motown, the policy was that the songwriters had to pay for the tracks we cut if it didn’t get recorded by one of their artists. It never entered my mind that the Marvelettes wouldn’t like the song. I had the chorus and went to the office to talk with Gladys and played it for her. She said, ‘Oh, honey, we don’t do stuff like that. And it’s the worst thing I ever heard.’ She was adamant about it. I was shocked.
I knew I was in deep trouble if I didn’t hurry and get someone to do the song because I wasn’t about to pay for the track. I went through the Motown artist roster and went all the way to the bottom of the list and there were the Supremes, better known in those days as the ‘no hit Supremes.’ I told them it was tailor made for them, knowing that they had nothing going on at the time and needed a song. Much to my surprise, they said no. Gladys (Horton of the Marvelettes) told them I was looking for someone to record it. I wasn’t giving up. Brian (Holland), Eddie (Holland) and I finally persuaded them to do it, convincing them that it was their saving grace and they couldn’t refuse it. We had already had Top 40 hits with Martha & the Vandellas but they hadn’t had recordings of any significance yet.
They were so annoyed that they agreed to do it that, in the studio, they had a really bad attitude. Diana (Ross) said it was in the wrong key, that it was too low. (Of course it was – I wrote it in Gladys’ key.) Since the track was already cut, she had to sing it in that key and she’d never sung that low before. It turned out that her bad attitude and the low key were exactly what the song needed! I’d worked out intricate background vocals but the girls refused to learn them. Finally I said, ‘Just sing ‘Baby, baby, baby’.’ It worked to their advantage and worked perfectly.
They didn’t necessarily agree. Diana and I were throwing obscenities back and forth and she went running to Berry (Gordy, Jr.) and told him I said something off-color about him. He came down to the studio to see what was wrong and while he was there, he asked to hear the song. He thought it was really good, but said that he didn’t know if it was a hit, but that he thought it would be Top 10.
The song was released and flew up the charts to #1. From then on, one hit followed another. It was the first of 13 consecutive #1s we did on the Supremes. The next time the Hollands and I saw the girls was at the airport. They were getting off a plane with their Yorkshire terriers, in mink stoles. We started laughing. It was so funny to see them turn into stars overnight.”
Where Did Our Love Go The Supremes
Baby, baby, baby don’t leave me
Ooh, please don’t leave me all by myself
I’ve got this burning, burning, yearning feelin’ inside me
Ooh, deep inside me and it hurts so bad
You came into my heart (baby, baby) so tenderly
With a burning love (baby, baby)
That stings like a bee (baby, baby)
Now that I surrender (baby, baby) so helplessly
You now want to leave (baby, baby)
Ooh, you wanna leave me (baby, baby)
Ooh (baby, baby)
Baby, baby, where did our love go?
Ooh, don’t you want me?
Don’t you want me no more (baby, baby)?
Ooh, baby
Baby, baby, where did our love go?
And all your promises of a love forevermore!
I’ve got this burning, burning, yearning feelin’ inside me
Ooh, deep inside me, and it hurts so bad
Before you won my heart (baby, baby)
You were a perfect guy
But now that you got me
You wanna leave me behind (baby, baby)
Ooh, baby
Baby, baby, baby don’t leave me
Ooh, please don’t leave me all by myself (baby, baby)
Ooh baby, baby, baby
Where were you and what were you doing in 1969? I had just graduated from high school, was debating what to do with my life. My dad wanted me to be the son he never had and follow in his footsteps, but I already knew that wasn’t what I wanted. That summer I spent working, saving money for … whatever … and tootling about in an old VW Beetle with my best friend Nidia Zamora, and none other than the Supremes blasting from the radio while I tried to ignore the future!
Someday We’ll Be Together Diana Ross, The Supremes
Someday we’ll be together
Say, say, say it again
Someday we’ll be together
Oh, yeah, oh yeah
You’re far away
From me my love
And just as sure my, my baby
As there are stars above
I wanna say, I wanna say, I wanna say
Someday we’ll be together
Yes we will, yes we will
Say, someday (some sweet day) we’ll be together
I know, I know, I know, I know
My love is yours, baby
Oh, right from the stars
You, you, you posses my soul now honey
And I know, I know you own my heart
And I wanna say:
Someday we’ll be together
Some sweet day we’ll be together
Yes we will, yes we will
Someday (tell everybody) we’ll be together
Yes we will, yes we will
Long time ago
My, my sweet thing
I made a big mistake, honey
I said, I said goodbye
Oh, oh baby
Ever, ever, ever since that day
Now, now all I wanna do is cry, cry
Hey, hey, hey
I long for you every night
Just to kiss your sweet, sweet lips
Hold you ever, ever so tight
And I wanna say
Lionel Richie originally wrote this song and recorded it with Diana Ross in 1981. Lionel Richie had risen from saxophone player in the Commodores to lead vocalist and primary songwriter in the group. He was still with them when the movie, Endless Love, was being filmed and director Franco Zeffirelli asked him to write an instrumental theme along the lines of Henry Mancini’s theme from the 1971 film Love Story. Richie, who was eager to add “film soundtrack” to his resumé, used a piece of music he had written for the Commodores but was never recorded. But then Zeffirelli decided he wanted lyrics. And that it should be a duet, maybe with Diana Ross. So Richie’s assignment went from devising an instrumental theme song to composing and performing on a fully-formed duet with the most popular female vocalist in America. He was up for the challenge.
The movie did not do well, but the song, recorded under the Motown label, received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and won a Marquee Award in 1982 for Best Original Song.
In 1994, Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross recorded this for Vandross’ album Songs. It became Luther’s biggest hit, going to #2 in the US. I am a big fan of Luther Vandross, but tonight, as I listened to his and Mariah’s version, I found that I still preferred Lionel Richie and Shania’s. Somewhere along the line, Kenny Rogers even recorded it … is there a song around that he hasn’t recorded??? I did not listen to Kenny’s version. Three was enough for me.
Richie and Twain recorded their version in 2011, and the video you are about to watch was recorded in February 2012.
Endless Love Lionel Richie and Shania Twain
My love
There’s only you in my life
The only thing that’s right
My first love
You’re every breath I take
You’re every step I make
And I
I want to share
All my love with you
No one else will do
And your eyes (your eyes, your eyes)
They tell me how much you care
Oh, yes
You’ll always be
My endless love
Two hearts
Two hearts that beat as one
Our lives have just begun
And forever
I’ll hold you close in my arms
I can’t resist your charms
And I
I’d play the fool
For you, I’m sure
You know I don’t mind
(No, you know I don’t mind)
And yes
You mean the world to me
I know I’ve found in you
My endless love
And love
I’d play the fool
For you, I’m sure
You know I don’t mind
(Whoa, you know I don’t mind)
Oh, yes
You’d be the only one
Cause no, I can’t deny
This love I have inside
And I’ll give it all to you
My love (my love, my love)
