Added: 3 years ago
From: MeetTheSupremes
Views: 13,999
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:

All Comments (135)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • i love version 3, its similar to 4, some of the words are sung in a different order but version 3 is the best, out of all the unrelesed Supremes recording i got in the late 90's most of them have been released except some disney stuff and live show in Germany and some early stuff and version 3 of this song

  • I have loved the Supremes since I was a teenager in the 1960s, and I love them all. But, the comments on these postings are sometimes so comical, indicating that what makes the record successful or distinctive is a single backup singer. The Supremes were all talented, but the group took off when Diana Ross assumed the lead singer role. She has had an almost 50 year career, achieving successes unknown before her. So, trying to diminish that accomplishment is futile.

  • FLO IS LOUD AND CLEAR. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL VOICE

  • That is MY FLO on back up! WHAT a VOICE

  • Comment removed

  • Miss TWTR, Trying So Hard to be a Bad Ass, Silly Little Cuban Stewardess, At your age, The only "Ass Wiping" will be done by the Home Care Nurse looking after you

  • listening to the audio directly into the tape acapella sytle makes me feel as though I were actuially in the recording studio with them... there are surely some ghosts in thatt Motown Museum. Diana should be asked to listen to these early tracks, but I feel they would only upset her

  • I'm tired of thinkin I own all the Supremes early songs and then I come across another one. Lol

  • @soulsista1220 LOL, I know the feeling! I think I pretty much have their entire discography :D

  • @MeetTheSupremes .....u think. Lol

  • @soulsista1220 the same can be said about heir tv apearances, they seem to be, thank God.. endless. So many from Japan, Mexico, brazil, Italy Puerto Rico. and countless local tv interviews.

  • They were all pretty girls! this is so lovely and classic sounding!

  • they all sound so wonderful here!

  • Isn't it funny how the beat back then was "cha cha cha".

  • Wow, who is singing lead? I know that can't be Diana Ross is it?

  • @Koolson1 Yes it is Diana singing lead. This was recorded somewhere between 1962 and 1964, Flo and Mary are on backing.

  • @MeetTheSupremes; Thank you very much. 

  • @Koolson1 Sometimes I think that I'm losing my mind on these sites when people say things like, "That can't be Diane Ross, is it?" Of COURSE, that's Diane singing in the SUPREMES! Younger people today just don't realize that THE SUPRMES were a GROUP and that all three ladies evolved musicaly throughout their reign on the music charts (not just Diane!). To answer your question, YES, that's Diane, Mary, and Flo, the group that I fell in love with in 1963 with "Lovelight" and "Breath Taking Guy."

  • @kurtsupreme; I am so sorry for not knowing is that was Diana. The lead vocals does not sound anything like Ms. Ross... The vocals, sound more full and natural then I've ever heard her in other early recordings. But, I do understand, your point and thank you for taking the time to set it straight for us all. God bless!!

  • @Koolson1 Thank you for your kind response.......I know that I'm not always as patient as I should be with people who are not as familiar with the history and music of THE SUPREMES as I am. This is a relatively early recording of the legendary trio when they were still trying to define their sound. This was before they hit big with "Where Did Our Love Go" where Diane's voice was brought down into a lower key and she was encouraged to add the cooing style that became the trademark of the trio.

  • @kurtsupreme You are so welcome.... Hey I like to learn all new things. (smile) Thanks once again.

  • i have version 3 of this somewhere, its a little different

  • Aren't the harmonies at 1:38 the same we hear on "Your kiss of fire"??

  • @HyruleanaZeldin You noticed that too. Good observation.

  • i never heard this song before but i love it! :-)

  • @adryan108 Yes check the description for why lol =P I love it too! Should have been released originally. Thanks for commenting.

    Have a merry christmas

    - JLG | JonathanLGardner

  • MeetTheSupremes>>> Was this ever given a singles release number or did it ever appeared in an album?

  • @TWTR4EVER no I don't think it was given a single release number as it was not even featured on any album.

  • MeetTheSupremes>>>The more I research, read and learn about the early years of Motown & The Supremes the more convince I become of how lucky Berry Gordy is! He had a stable of such great talent that no matter how many blunders he made like never releasing this cut he always came out on top or even!

  • @TWTR4EVER Well not always...the group had numerous singles which flopped so it's surprising that they weren't dropped...but I def. agree with you! Motown had the best acts!

  • MeetTheSupremes>>Surely not always but Berry was not always accurate in his vision with many of the acts except The Supremes that were the cash cow of the label!

  • @TWTR4EVER That's one thing Berry had - a vision! Without that vision The Supremes would have probably gone to a different label and have been one hit wonders...

  • MeetTheSupremes>>> Berry had a great intuition and knowledge of marketing music, vision also in the aspect that he knew the key to success was to break into the Pop Charts! Now, his vision into promoting and managing multiple talent compared with getting into Diana Ross bedroom or vice versa created a complete different dynamic within the group, the label and the outcome of the personal and professional lives of those original members. (Florence, Mary & Diana) and many other Motown acts!

  • MeetTheSupremes>>>Berry had a unmatched stable of talent in Motown, the only vision he had was to break into the Billboard Pop Chart and with The Supremes the doors open for him! The Supremes without HDH music and arrangements with Berry or without maybe would have never gotten a hit! I don't credit Berry for much except running a sweatshop with people with a lot of talent hungry to succeed!

  • @TWTR4EVER Yes he did have great talent BUT he knew how to develop that talent. I do not agree with the way he treated his STARS (because they really were sent from heaven), but his VISION was unmatched also...could you imagine if The Supremes had ended up on a label like ABC who dropped Flo because her singles failed to sell (due to crap promotion of course). The Supremes had more than enough flops to be dropped but Berry saw further than most people did...

  • MeetTheSupremes>>>I'm sure you know "PAYOLA" no one played better than Berry! It was a very calculated skillful way of creating hits! Yes he had the talent no doubt but the competition was unmerciful, all labels did it but none as successfully as Motown,Gordy,Tamla,Soul he had the R&B stations & Pop 40 stations in some markets one or the other as needed with this secret tool will boost sales of the other, no one benefited as much from this "steroid boost" as Diana, with or without The Supremes!

  • @TWTR4EVER That was the key! Berry knew how to make music that would appeal to both Pop AND R&B. His artists had refinement that went far beyond the studio to interviews and tv appearances and performances - that polish is really another thing that set Motown apart and The Supremes in particular. Compare The Supremes to any other female group from another label (even in the group's early days). But yes "PAYOLA" was definately big - it still is lol

  • MeetThe Supremes>>>The status of being a Motown recording artist back then alone open doors for touring around the world, the envy of many artist & labels! The way he broke into the British market while they were braking into ours, Elvis use to praise him form it! Those things I have to agree,

    I still know that his luck over all was the talent he had under contract and not his business sense as much as intuition!

  • @TWTR4EVER Hmm, Let us see, Berry Gordy & Diana Ross are both successful, Entertainment Icons & Multi Millionaires, Several Times over, You (TWTR4EVER) are an Aging, Bitter, Stewardess, with a Toxic Mouth, a 6 Week post Seconday Education,an Artificial Hip and a Taste for Troubled Teenage Boys. I think I'd rather know & hang with Berry & Diana, Perhaps you will meet a friend or 2 on your Yahoo "Mary Wilson Fan Club" Site, I think someone posted something there Last March!, Go say Hello!

  • @TheReturnOfBigBear Hmm lets see, I WIPE MY ASS DAILY WITH YOU, DIANE ROSS & THE COMENT LEFT ON MARCH AT "THE MARY WILSON SUPREME YAHOO GROUP" shit is wiped with you and Diane Ross!

  • @TWTR4EVER ...that's why Motown has created some of the greatest and most successful artists in the history of music

  • diana ross been around dam!!they came out in the 60s thats when my mom was born.

  • @strawberryiesable Yes my mum didn't arrive till 1967 LOL

  • With Diana in lead every trick in the book was needed! Mary & Florence were not enough, The Andantes and later Diana's best friend, THE MUSIC SYNTHESIZER aka THE VOICE MAKER!

  • not true. because if you watch ANY Live performance of diane in lead with the mary flo and even cindy. they were singing Live with serious harmony. and band or orgestra behind them. there is no Andantes. yet the harmony is still full. the andantes were used but Not on every song. Mary and Flo did alot of it. check out the live Back and My Arms again videos where they are all loud and clear in the background with two singers. mary and flo.

  • blkshepherd>>>I'm not saying it was use always but after 1970 when her solo career started YES, synthesizers, microphone filters, unlimited background vocals to enhance her voice and camouflage her limitations were used!

  • @TWTR4EVER Well Diana can really sing. Her voice isn't fully textured like Mary's or Flo's but she has great control and I love her on solo songs like Reach Out (Touch Somebody's Hand) and Now That There's You.

  • MeetTheSupremes>>>When you were listening to "Reach out and Touch"&"Now That There's you" I was also listening to "Up The Ladder To The Roof" The Supremes/Jean Terrell and "Take A Closer Look At Me" from the album "Right On" more my speed!

  • @TWTR4EVER *puts on Flo voice* "They're all my speed honey!" LOL I love em all! Up The Ladder To The Roof is amazing along with Stoned Love, IT'S TIME TO BREAK DOWN (just classic) and I WISH I WERE YOUR MIRROR (Cindy kills the backing with her soprano - I didn't know she could sing so good!)

  • MeetTheSupremes>>> The first four albums to me are a cut above everything they had done in the 1960's! It was a departure from the played out Pop formula of the prior decade!

    The "Right On" album in particular, "Bill, When Are You Coming Back" together with Freda Payne "Bring The Boys Home" were great anti vietnam war songs, The Supremes was never marketed right!

  • @TWTR4EVER No they weren't marketed right! They could have been the biggest girl group in the 70s as well! In fact they were well on their way to be the #1 R&B girl-group with the hits they were churning out! I love the maturity of the 70s albums and the detail in which they were created, it' just stunning some of the recordings! =D

  • MeetTheSupremes>>I'm sure you know Hip-O-Select, I heard they'll be releasing later in the year "The Supremes This Is The Story Vol.2 The Sherrie Payne Years", there's a lot of material on The Vault never released also from that period.The album "The Supremes" (first with Scherrie as lead) still today one of my favorite!

  • @TWTR4EVER Yes Hip-O are great! I have that Supremes album but the songs are mono and I think they are slightly sped up =( so I'll be getting that Hip-O release. Hip-O need to find Flo's master tapes and re-release her solo album in STEREO and with a DECENT looking cover! LOL in fact some alternate takes (high quality) would be nice too!

  • MeetTheSupremes>>>The CD "The Supreme Florence Ballard" remastered and released by Universal/Spectrum that I got is perfect, stereo, remastered and it has four tracks with The Supremes were she did lead! "Butter Popcorn" "Ain't That Good News" "Hey Baby" & Heavenly Father"

    The ABC Records "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It" if not for PAYOLA sabotage from Berry it would have been a hit!

  • @TWTR4EVER Yes I know the spectrum release but Flo's SOLO ABC Recordings are N O T stereo. They are formatted in stereo but they are not mixed in stereo - listen with headphones and you will hear clearly that they are mono mixes. This is what annoys me as the songs were recorded in 1968 and therefore surely there must be some stereo mixes somewhere! lol

  • 3part harmony is also used on Silver bells and Born of Mary from the Merry Christmas lp. Born of mary is sang by all three and notice the full harmony. Silver bells has diane on lead and singing in the background. unfortunately most of the other songs from that xmas lp..were session singers(adantes) But Silver Bells and Born of Mary is Pure Diane Flo and Mary..only. its probably all they could get Flo and Mary to particapate on. too bad they didnt sing on the other cuts on the lp. .

  • by the time i hear of symphony (1966)was released your right ..it was jus flo and mary. diane no longer sang in the background. Note this song Silver Bells, Born of Mary and Any Girl In Love were all recorded in 1965. I believe the 3 part harmony diane mary n flo..was over. andantes came along in 1967 and after. by 1966 Flo began to get tired of the constant touring. she began to rebel. she realized she would not be gettin any solos. and it went down hill for her. by 67, she was on her way out.

  • Yes exactly. I most certainly think The Andantes overdubbed Mary and Flo on Any Girl In Love - in fact I doubt their presence on it entirely (but when they sing in unison on the song I am sure I can hear Flo's voice =s).

  • shes on it there's no doubt :D

  • Yes, that I find annoying. In fact, the whole lp is quite annoying - except for Diana's soaring version of MY FAVOURITE THINGS and the CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS SONG (which I only like because of the live performance they did of it which is on youtube lol)

  • their harmony is Unmatched by any of the other girl groups sorry hands down mary and flo and along with diane is killing the background mary said in the early early recordings such as this..diane is actually in background and on lead. mary said in dreamgirls that diane would sing her lead then join her and flo in the background. so its possible its all three of them on the harmony background part. but she also said she and flo did the majority of the background. they killing it if its flo n mary

  • Ahh, that would explain why there is a third voice on alternate versions of this song. It's just Mary and Flo on this version, but all 3 are killing it! I agree blkshepherd! The Supremes had the best harmonies out there and were easily the most versatile girl group of their time!

    Thanks for commenting =)

    - JLG | JonathanLGardner

  • JL, it becomes even more apparent and co insides what Mary said on the song Any Girl In Love..those ooooews sound too full to just be two voices. however mary and flo had their harmony down so tight that it really takes some close listening to hear that its a third voice in there. If Mary had not mentioned about diane singing in the back as well as the lead I would have thought maybe it was one of the adantes(or some other session singer) nope. just flo mary and diane singing harmony.

  • I think by the I Hear A Symphony era, Diana didn't sing background lol. It sounds like The Andantes to me. It sounds like Flo and Mary recorded with The Andantes or The As were added to sweet Mary and Flo (though I know Flo and Mary could have killed it all by themselves lol)

  • Actually, this is the fourth version of the song. The first and second versions were released on the Lost & Found collection last year. A third version is currently unreleased.

  • Well, I know about the first 2 versions - I have those and will probably post them eventually, however, this is the version I actually heard first lol. On the Where Did Our Love Go re-release with this on the second CD it says that this is Version 3. I never knew there was 4 versions but thanks so much for the info.

    You know so much =D

    Any other interesting facts about The Supremes' recordings then please feel free to post them =)

  • In the Lost & Found booklet, it says that this version was listed as version 3 by mistake. It's really version 4. I'm not sure if version 3 was recorded with Barbara or not as it is unreleased.

  • Oh ok, thanks so much =D

  • I have fixed it now, thanks so much =)

  • Tutta bella, I luv this song sooo much, I have my betty boop dance shoes on and now I'm dancing around, wee, boom, boom, boom loamo!!! cinque stelle***** + :):):):):) "Chin Chin" Chente Anni Salute Ciao:):):)***:):):)

  • Flo almost has an angelic quality when singing in her upper register on background.I think her and Mary had a great blend.

  • Well said =D Thanks for commenting.

    Have a nice day.

    - JLG | JonathanLGardner

  • The original line up never did recapture the beautiful harmonies after Flo left. She had an amazing range. I say she had three octaves. The TRUE voice of The Supremes. Good thing we have "Aint That Good News", the xmas songs and "Country Western" where you HEAR Flo!

    Los

    NY

  • I agree! I think Flo had just over 3 octaves.

    Thanks for commenting singlos =)

    Have a nice day.

    JLG (JonathanLGardner)

  • @pookiechristopher i totally agree, Mary and Florence have very tight harmonies, and it was lost when Cindy came in, altho Diane and Mary sound good in the background when Flo took the lead on a song, Flo and Diane had a unique sound together when Mary took the lead

  • @pookiechristopher i must agree the backing vocals done by Flo and Mary are what held all their songs together...i often find myself singing the background vocals more than diane's leads when i hear their music..lol

  • The date on this recording shows just how committed the Supremes and Berry Gordy were to success. November 25, 1963 was the day of President John F. Kennedy's funeral.  It was a national day of mourning. Nothing was open and no one was doing anything except watching the funeral on live TV. Meanwhile The Supremes were in the studio recording. It's a testament to their dedication and to Berry Gordy's committment to excellence.

  • What a lovely comment. Thanks for leaving it =)

    Have a nice day.

    - JLG | JonathanLGardner

  • i have the other two version now but this one tops em all the is the best Version

  • I agree. It is easy to hear that the other two are earlier versions. Why this song was not featured on one of their albums is beyond me. Even the early versions are good enough to have been put on Meet The Supremes.

  • i agree

  • I love Mary's and Flo's backup singing its like angels are singing with Diana.

  • If only I could have found a better way to say it... =D

    Thanks for the lovely comment - I absolutely agree.

    Have a wonderfully s u p r e m e day.

    - JLG | JonathanLGardner

  • It was - version 1 features 3 people on backing (which probably meant that Barbara was on it).

    However, this version was clearly recorded some time later - as the vocal arrangement of the backing is slightly different to the earlier versions and all the vocals and instrumentation has clearly been re-recorded.

  • well you know how barbara would have sing in

    CUUUUUM TOOO MEEEEEE *crack* =D

    whatever I know you don't like barbara's voice that like but I do =D

    (the cuuuuum means come nothing else =D)

  • This song was actually written by Berry Gordy, it was recorded November 25, 1963 in Chicago, so im not sure if the Funks are on this on, but i love this song

  • Oh really? Thanks for the info =D

    Berry seemed to write great songs for the group! Buttered Popcorn, THIS xD

    Have you heard the song WORLD OF DARKNESS by David Ruffin - Berry Gordy killed it with that track because I LOVE it!!!

  • i have an unreleased version of this, i think its version 4

  • i feel like i am eight years old again..i dont remember hearing this song ever but it is the way i remember they sounded when i first heard them. i didnt know who was singing.the background sound as sweet as birds singing..the oooew ahhhhh. and the lead sounding and blending very sweet and yearning. innocent love. its early sixties feel for sure. sweet harmony yup this is SO Early Motown. what a moment in time that was to behold.

  • This song wasn't released (see description)...that's why you probably didn't hear it but I totally agree! THIS was the sound of The Supremes - this is how I like em =D

  • Diana does a nice job hear and the harmonies superb!

  • =D I'm glad you like it

    Thanks for commenting.

    Have a wonderfully s u p r e m e day.

    - JLG | JonathanLGardner

  • Loamo, Youre going to come to me:):):)***!!! "Chin Chin" Chente Anni Salute Ciao:):):)

  • i looooooooooooooove that photo at 1:13.

  • LOL Diana looks funny in it xD

  • like there may have been some underage drinking goin down.......lol!

  • LMAO xD

  • So do I.

  • Some fright wigs!

  • Where? On the cover art that I made?

  • They're all through the videoclip. That was the style then, big hair and black Vampira eyeliner.

  • Oh I know what the style was but I just thought you referring to a particular photo

  • No, they're all through the clips. Notice that the hair doesn't move when the girls move. Also notice that nothing jiggles in those gowns (they wore steel reinforced bras and girdles).

  • LOL, I have a pic of them in which it seems that Flo's bra is trying to attack Diana xD

  • lol i want to see it, but them again i might have it

  • damn, i know that gear was heavy lol

  • my favourite *HINT!* I like this song.

  • Hehe =D

    I LOVE this song too.

    I think it's an absolute travesty that it wasn't released until 40 years after it was recorded

  • oh at last you reply! yeah, i want to have this played at my wedding!

  • LOOOL xD

    I think EVERYTHING WONDERFUL by Flo is a lovely song to sing to that special one

  • Wow.. I have two versions of this song, but hadn't heard this one. Love it. Flo & Mary sound great!

  • I assume you have versions 1 and 2 from the Lost & Found compilation =P

    I have those versions as well and might post them soon =D

    Thanks for commenting. I think this is the most complete-sounding version (that's why I posted it first and took extra care with the video)

    - JG [JonathanLGardner]

  • Do you reckon Motown has more old video footage of The Supremes singing in the early days, but they're just not willing to show it to the public?? How amazing would it be if they had filmed the original audition they did as The Primettes.

  • OMG that would be AMAZING - but if they did, I'm sure they would put it out (as they are still totally milking this Motown anniversary thing).

    BUT they haven't properly released THE SUPREMES IN THE ORIENT, that I would LOVE to see in high quality on DVD.

    I would also LOVE to see a video recording of them at the Copa.

  • I've seen The Supremes in the Orient on VHS but it was very bad quality. There's a good scene where the girls are backstage in the dressing room and Diana is messing around annoying Flo!

    As much as I hope they have more early footage of the Supremes, I doubt they filmed anymore because Motown wouldn't have known just how big they were going to become in the very early days, so they probably didn't see a point in filming them in the basement studio.

  • I thinks there are THOUSANDS of unreleased songs and takes and videos and interviews and whatever

    I hope motown will show some soon

  • So do I =)

  • Lmao. I doubt there is early videos of them as well.

    carlosupremefan has done a great job of posting The Supremes In The Orient here on YouTube but I really want to see a high quality video of them.

    OOO and I want to hear (or see =D) them doing People all the way through (not skipping to another song then coming back to People LOL)

  • That would be the coolest thing :) Copa Wow

  • nice tune.. thank you...

  • No problem.

    Thanks for commenting =)

    - JG [JonathanLGardner]

  • I'm glad you do.

    Thanks for watching and commenting =)

  • ross' keening and worldly soprano made history and changed the course of the female pop lead. her 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s sound and style still setting the trends in the industry.

  • Well she isn't singing soprano here really but she sure did the song good =) - along with support from Flo and Mary.

    Thanks for commenting.

    - JG [JonathanGardner]

  • don't be pedantic, Jonathan. there's enough love for flo and mary too. no need commenting back.

  • Oh, I reply to everyone's comments usually =)

    I love Diana when she sings lower down, it's really nice =)

    She is AMAZING on COME ON BOY =D

  • Thank You so much for sharing.....the Supreme Court photo was just 2 2.... I LOVE MY GIRLS

  • LMAO when I first saw it, I was like LOOOL

    Thanks for watching and commenting.

    - JG [JonathanGardner]

  • Diana look thirsty in the pic at 1:15

  • paving the way...

  • omg i have never heard this Gem, you rock Jonathan you really make my day:)

    Tay<3

  • Aww I'm glad I did.

    Thanks for watching and leaving such a lovely comment.

  • you are very welcome:)

  • just excellent

  • Thanks.

    I'm glad you enjoyed the song and video.

    Thanks for commenting.

    JG [JonathanGardner]

  • Very nice. Keep up the good work.

  • Thanks for the nice comment =)

    - JG [JonathanGardner]

  • Wow, awesome video, I love it. Thank you bbudacious for sharing. Hugs♥

  • Aw thanks alot =) - I'm glad you like it so much

    - JG [JonathanGardner]

  • Lovely picture of The Supremes and song.

  • Thanks. I made the picture for the video - as I always do =P I'm glad you like it.

    Thanks for the comment.

    - JG [JonathanGardner]

  • nice post and you continue to impress me with ur designs - btw how did u get ur pictures to fill the whole video screen

  • Thanks =)

    In Windows Movie Maker you have to go to Tools then Options and then Video Properties and set the aspect ratio to 16:9 and click ok, so it will fit completely into the new widescreen video spaces youtube has

  • I really like this song. I actually the sound Diana is producing as always the harmonies are great.

    Good Job Jon

  • I LOVE Diana on this, she sounds really nice when she sings lower in her range and Mary and Flo are killing those harmonies in the back =)

    Thanks for the lovely comment.

  • Thank you very much JLG. They sound so beautiful here. Flo, Mary and Diane were a great team. So sad that things changed later on.

  • The harmonies are fantastic!

  • There sure are...but I prefer to say, they are S U P R E M E =P

    Thanks for commenting.

    - JLG [JonathanLGardner]

  • Mary is an alto--in fact, she's a very low alto.

  • Actually in those days, Mary had the ability to sing up to mezzo-soprano - I will have to post I'LL SET YOU FREE from the Love Child album (Mary belts out the high notes).

    ALSO a contralto would not be able to sing the backing of I HEAR A SYMPHONY - especially by the end. Mary was a contralto/mezzo-soprano

  • Yes, she and Flo could sing all over the place when they had to. But Flo was a natural soprano, whereas Mary is an alto: that's where her natural range sits (altos, sopranos, etc, can often sing all over the place--but we're talking about their natural "voice"). Mary always sang below Flo-- rarely (if ever) above her. Mary is a surprisingly LOW alto, in reality. Listen to her bottom harmony on Chain Gang. That's low! Cindy is, at best, a second soprano.

  • The female voices are (from high to low):

    Soprano

    Mezzo-Soprano

    Contralto

    Mary was NOT a contralto, her range was definately bigger than that. Flo was the only full soprano in the original lineup but Mary was most probably mezzo-soprano.

    Most female singers are mezzo-soprano. Flo could sing just as low as Mary could - that doesn't make her a contralto. You get me?

  • The entire female range between soprano and male tenor is known as alto. (contralto is the lowest part of that range). There are alto instruments, too. Mary Wilson is not a soprano. She's an alto--that's still a broad range. Yes, Flo could sing pretty wide--but she was defintiely a soprano--just as Mary could sing somwhat high but is an alto. Not sure Flo could do those lows on Chain Gang.

  • when determining voice. You have to listen to where the voice sounds comfortable. Flo of course was mid to the top.

    Mary definently was the bottom.

    Both of them had very big ranges but think of it this way.. Its a lot easier to sing lower than it is straining to sing the top. . Dont take this as i dont like her bcuz I LOVE MARY WILSON.

  • Flo could sing those lows on Chain Gang but she was a soprano.

    The voice ranges for females are:

    Soprano

    Mezzo-Soprano

    Contralto

    Mary could sing higher than most contraltos can yet probably wasn't always fully comfortable in the highest notes of mezzo-soprano but she was definately capable of hitting them - as she does on GOING DOWN FOR THE THIRD TIME.

    Thanks for commenting =)

  • I _know_ what the voice ranges are for both men and women. Again: the general term for the range between Soprano and Tenor is Alto. Mary could get pretty high for a low alto: I often think she developed a kind of falsetto when she gets higher (women can sing in falsettos--look up Cleo Laine on this front). Flo carries Mary on the high notes on Going Down. And on the "save mes"--that high is Flo. But listen to Mary's low harmony on Cupid ("to me")--I don't believe Flo could get that low..

  • Try to get hold of Long Gone Lover or Oowee, Baby--there you will hear where the three voices fall naturally.

  • And from an interview with Mary in the Washington Post: "Least favorites? "Baby Love" and "Stop! In the Name of Love" because they don't fit her alto voice, she says."

  • I have heard those. I know Mary is most comfortable singing low but I was pointing out her ability to sing right up into mezzo-soprano range - like she does on I HEAR A SYMPONY, I'LL SET YOU FREE, HE'S ALL I GOT and GOING DOWN FOR THE THIRD TIME

  • Actually mary was the alto. Yes she may have been able to sing all over but the thing is most alto's can sing all over the place. Mary was a natural alto..the huskyness in her voice proves she is an alto. Yes She belted on top and it kinda damaged her voice and made it alot more rough and Jagged. But mary was definently an alto.

  • Yes I agree but I was referring to the voice type Contralto which is lower than "alto" really. I LOVE Mary on I'LL SET YOU FREE - I most post that song BUT when Flo was there to belt out the high notes - like on I HEAR A SYMPHONY - the producers should have had her nearer to the mic as you hear Mary mostly on that song

  • Nice track. The Supremes always had great harmonies.

  • Most people forget The Supremes could harmonise like angels =P

    Thanks for commenting.

    - JLG [JonathanLGardner]

  • great song. i have this on the 40th anniversary box set. thanks for posting

  • Hehe, that's where I got it from.

    I will be posting more from it in the future as there are some GREAT recordings on there =D

    Thanks for commenting.

    - JLG [JonathanLGardner]

  • Thank You For Posting...

    Perfect Harmonies From Flo und Mary... And Diana Is Only Diane.

  • No problem.

    Thanks for watching and commenting.

    - JLG [JonathanLGardner]

  • Beautiful track - yet another Diana lead!! I love the pictures too.