Flo Ballard was a dynamic singer in her own right and part of surely the greatest female vocal trio to date. Flo deserved far better than what she got from Gordy, Motown, Wilson and Ross. But history has a way of correcting all wrongs, and here we are long after her dismissal from The Supremes and her tragic death - STILL - talking about Miss Ballard - so she must have done something right. WALK ON BY MISS BALLARD and REST IN PEACE - you are an angel who is not forgotten.
Thanks for posting this. Florence Ballard had such a wonderful voice and there isn't much available with her singing lead. Given the tragic way her life went after she was replaced in the Supremes, it makes her singing even more poignant.
I absolutely love this version, and Flo is my favorite Supreme. Flo had such a strong and at the same time beautiful voice. And I just love how she says, "walk on by". She had just the right amount of rasp in her voice and it sounds so great.
This is really awful. All the books that say that Flo had a voice like Aretha must have been written by people who were drinking with Flo. There is nothing special about her voice....it's shrill, ragged and lacking a distinctive sound. God Bless Flo, but she may have been meant to be a back-up singer. If she had just accepted that, she might be alive today.
@mhertz25 Totally agree. She doesn't even sound as good as Dionne Warwick. She did deserve to go it on her own, her problem was, she was uneducated how things work in the music biz and because of that, she signed away her royalities and wasn't allowed to say she was a former Supreme. Before Berry brought the axe down on her,she should have consulted an entertainment attorney to go over her contract. But it was a different time back then. Many artist were taken advantage of.
At the end of the day Ross HAD the voice for those songs at that time-don't begrudge her that but when you added Florence & Mary you had a one-of-kind blended sound that captivated and resonated in many unique ways. Losing any voice of that group would have diminished the appeal as it ulitmately did. Flo was a wonderful singer as demonstrated in this cover of WOB. Given the right producer & song she certainly would have once again had her day in the sun. Sadly, life as it's own ideas. RIP FLO.
Nice cover. I love the strong bassline and the full band sound. Mrs. Ballard's voice also sounds very good. The first few seconds of the song sounds groovy, you know that you are about to hear something really good just by listening to the beginning alone :-).
Al.....Ross slept with Gordy.....he should have been in jail......Flo WOULD NOT......so she ended up in the background.....damn shame....She had the VOICE....they wrere afraid to let her up front....Ross might as well of shot her....how do these people sleep at night???....RIP Flo....we loved you.
FLO!!!!! Takes my breath away! We love you & to know what your career would've been if Barry Gordy wasn't such a punk to you... A real woman who stood up for what was right and in the end had the losing hand... :(
After carefully listening to both groups,The Three Degrees and the Supremes...i came to the conclusion that The Three Degrees are light years ahead of the Supremes in every possible sense.....the Supremes simply had more hits !
Flo Ballard going head to head with Dionne Warwick . Flo did a fantastic strong vocal on the Warwick hit. While the musical arrangement is lacks the magic of Burt Bacharach Flo made it work for her regardless, and gave a classic a new soul sound. Vocally Flo proved her talent with the songs ABC gave her. Imagine what Flo could have done with great producers. Flo Ballard sung the hell out of this Dionne Warwick classic and you know that. Once agaun Flo was misused.
Hearing a few songs I was thinking her voice had already started to decline with all that she was going through, but in hearing this, it was the production team. She was capable of putting out better material had she been in better company. Such a shame she ended up with the cards she was dealt.
My God! Flo should be up there with Miss Franklin And Dinah Washington. I can't understand what happened to her. She was no competition to anyone, having her own special sound. What happened? I just wish there were more. Flo is amazing. She is so versatile, could sing anything, and with beauty and humor. This lady could have done anything. Act, sing, anything.
Everyone says how she got a raw deal with Motown and the Supremes and I agree. But let''s be honest she was no great singer. Her voice was okay at best. Her solo career more than likely did not take off because lackluster voice and mediocre performance. Diana had star quality and clearly belong as lead with the Supremes and went on to be very success solo.
Florence belonged in the back ground she is clearly not a lead singer and does not have to talent to make it as a solo act.
@waynegreer72 Flo's solo ABC recordings are too low for her voice type. Flo was actually a soprano as many of her Motown recordings prove. Her tessitura was much higher. She really should have had material more in the way of Margie Joseph and Melba Moore that would have utilised her instrument properly.
@waynegreer72 Her solo career with ABC didn't take off actually because of her MANAGEMENT - which was her husband - he was not experienced in such a position. With proper management Flo could have done alright at ABC.
ALSO, as part of her settlement agreement with Motown she was NOT allowed to mention in any way shape or form that she was ever a Supreme in promotional materials or anything...
@waynegreer72 Also, when Flo was fired. Motown sent press statemtnts saying Flo had left to focus on family - so with crappy management, no promo and the public thinking that Flo had given up music and thus not expecting her to release anything, both singles tanked.
she refused to sleep her way to the top and she refused to be controlled therefore she was black listed THAT is why her music did not sell. Anyone with at least one working ear knows she sings better than Diana (no disrespect to Diana) but it is what it is
yeah florence couldn use the word supreme in her promotions , but if she had had a smart promoters they could have said she was a member of the most successful vocal group in the world, a legend in her own time Miss Florence Ballard. they didnt have to even mention the word supremes
See if ABC had spent some time and energy on Florence I'm positive she would have been a success. If they had helped her develop her voice and put some more money into her advertising who know what kind of success she could have been.
IT WAS ASHAMED THAT THE SUPREMES COULDN'T WORK IT LIKE THE TEMPTS AND SHARE THE LEAD. They all could sing, however mary should stay away from trying to sing those supremes songs.
@gloryclark when Flo left Motown she signed her royalties away and she wasn't allowed to say that she was a former member of The Supremes. She had two singles that didn't sell so ABC cancelled her album.
@dynamite8503 Such a shame, too. Berry KNEW that was the only recognition she'd had was as a Supreme. With that, her solo career was pretty much over before it started simply because no one knew what to do with her. What's the point of having a former member of the world's top girl group if you can't market her that way? And, after all, DIANA was supposed to be the break-out star of the Supremes. Flo doing well would've been a slap in Berry, Diana AND Motown's face.
@gloryclark when Flo left Motown, one of the stipulations of her leaving agreement was that she was not allowed to mention she was a Supreme in any of her promotional matieral. Also, Flo let her husband Tommy Chapman (who had NO experience in Music managament and was formely Berry Gordy's chauffer) manage her music career...ABC released two singles - which were recieving some airplay according to Al Abrams (Press Agent and Public Relations Consultant who worked for Motown and ABC) but....
@gloryclark ...she fell pregnant with twins and all promotion pretty much stopped and the singles (both great - particularly the second) flopped and ABC did not renew her contract...
R.I.P. Florence. We miss you. You've not been forgotten. Someday We'll ALL Be Together. You did the best you could and your memory lives on in our hearts.
Saw the Florence Ballard story last night and it is DISGRACEFUL how Barry Gordy's greed and SELFISHNESS left that woman in the destitute situation she found herself in for so many years. Spiritually Barry Gordy will pay for that if he has not already. Too often in this country, we call the US friendships, 'Walk On By' when money is the focus of the person's consciousness. Insatiable GREED of Barry Gordy aided in this woman's demise. Wonder how he sleeps at night? Most likely 'Walk On By'.
@AbleInTruth Berry wasn't the only one who did her wrong - and that was the problem...Flo's husband hit her and was only around when she had money...he also tried managing her solo career with no experience...then there was her attorney who stole much of her settlement money from Motown and the advance she got from ABC Records when she signed with them. The money Flo got in 1974/75 - that she bought a new house and car with - was money she won in a lawsuit against her former attorney...
@dynamite8503 I believe she got money from that also but the REAL money - that allowed her to buy her house - came from her lawsuit against her former attorney. This is explained in Peter Benjaminson's great book on Flo. Plus it makes much more sense as the slip and fall accident wouldn't provide her with nearly enough money to buy a new house and car...she only like broke her leg or something lol
@MeetTheSupremes Mary did her wrong as well, when the time came Mary didnt stand up for Florence, because she was afraid of losing her spot in The Supremes if she stood up for Florence, the only person who stood up to Berry in this case was his sister Gwen, she was the only one in Florences corner
@MotownMaster I totally see your point, but I think they all knew how powerful Gordy was and Mary probably felt it would be far easier to just keep her head down at the expense of Flo in the group...but in her defence, at least she didn't plot or lobby to get her out
hey umm i heard a bit of this song on mona lisa by slick rick and i was wondring were i could find the full song. I think that it is a better version, because it remixed...
because Florence is gone now and I am sure that she would want them to reconcile as well. I heard that the record business is "dog eat dog," but at the end of it all, both Diana and Mary still have money and only each other. As Florence fans, we can only wish this for her. RIP Florence..... "THIS AWARD GOES TO FLORENCE BALLARD, YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN......."
I think that all 3 of the "Classic Supremes" were excellent singers and unfortunately, God had a plan for Florence's life, just like he did for the other two (Mary and Diana). Its just that he intended to keep Florence on earth with us for only 32 years. I, as a Florence fan, do thank him for allowing us to see how talented and awesome she was as a star and as a person. I wish that Mary and Diana could put aside their differences and come together as the friends/sisters they once were,
This man destroyed her life, only it was not known until after she began singing with Mary and Diana. I feel that with having the rape being left untreated, Florence just could not take anymore betrayal, which she felt when Diana became the lead singer. To many people who knows of how that went down, it is easy to say, "Florence should have gotten over it, Diana was meant to lead the group." But no one was in Florence's shoes to feel the pain that she felt with not ever getting the rape treated.
As Florence fans (including myself) and as comfortable as it is to name Berry Gordy as "The Man who Ruined Florence Ballard's life," is wrong. I do not doubt for a second that Berry had been disrepectful to her, but the man who did ruin her life is the one who had raped Florence in 1960. If he had never raped her, Florence would have been very much alive today. Her inabilities to deal with even minor disappointments resulted her into depression, alcoholism, and a broken heart.
gordy was def the blame. diana and he ( diana herself confirmed her first daughter was in fact his from an affair ) i think! diana screwed her way to the top sidelining flo and mary. of all three i now think flo in her prime was the BEST!! supreme.
All the girls sang lead b4 they had a hit with "Where Did Our Love Go?" Flo sang lead on "Hey Baby","Save Me a Star"," Buttered Popcorn", and a few other tunes.
i think in the late 1960's David Ruffin & Florence Ballard had been downed poorly because Gordy was paying more attention to diana instead of the whole group and check this out in 1961, florence gave Diana the oppertunity to sing with the supremes and as far as the temptations go, David Ruffin was underrated by gordy because of the tension that was caused by motown so in 1968 both Ballard and Ruffin Were gauranteed to make it as solo stars but tragically both died sadly Ballard 32 and ruffin 50
David Ruffin fucked himself up. He was the lead singer of The Temptations, he had it all. All Florence wanted to do was sing lead, which she was told no. David was already singing lead. David wanted top billing, if eh didnt let success get to his head, he could've stayed a Temptation until his death.
Flo's story is more sad because she wasnt even allowed to sing lead. At least motown helped Ruffin, but making him a solo star on the label. I dont think David was underrated,he was lead singer
poor musical arrangement. cmon this girl had no help. yeah she had the LOOK. And a nice voice too. , but no solo artist for sure. not at the level she was used to thats for sure.
I LOOOOOVE listening to this song! You can really feel Flo on this one..I love when she says...MAKE BELIEVE and when she says ....I break downa nd cryy...yyyy...walk on byyyy..! She kills it. My problem with her fans is that I feel that since dreamgirls that many people has listened to that FILM so they automatically think she was the BEST singer of the Supremes when infact she was ONE of the best. I think that Scherrie Payne was...hands down the best! But FLO HAD THE VOICE..as you can hear!
Flo was a great singer but she sounded like every other young soul singer from her era.Diana had a unique very different sound her voice was amazing and the public responded.I have a hard time understanding why she was so cruel and mean to Flo and Mary she ever once ever agreed with them or stood up for them.Diana thinks loaning them money when they came broke was being a good friend anyone agree?
On this song her voice is very pitchy and strained. The background singers actually sound better. Issac Hayes and Dione Warrick versions are better. She had a good voice but better suited for backup. But, I have to say without her, there would be no Supremes. Their voices were made for one another.
what bullshit motown wanted to ensure Flo failed .if she had no talent why did they go out of their way to work against her?How did the masters to her ABc albulm end up in motown vaults.If she had no talent thts a lot o trouble to go thru for someone Motown tried to pass off as a second rate singer.People wise up and think for yourself.They did not consider Diana for Hello Dolly it was Flo They where not interested in Ross to Berry's chagrin.I dont know how some people sleep at night. .
Wow that's sad, and i'm surpirsed she didn't charm berry, she had the look (size & complexion that is heavily favored by black men (red bone). . . diana was awkward looking but i am a fan so let me stop LOL)) . .
There is NO definitive proff that Motown did what you claim. The Masters of Flo's CD did not end up in Motown's vaults her alleged bio did. Sold to them after Flo's death by her own husband. Ross was offered a movie at the same time Flo was rumored to be offerd Hello Dolly. LSTB was not a Motown production. Paramount sponsored the movie. Motown added money to finish it when over budget. Some sleep fine because the don't listen to the silly gossip we traverse in here on youtube!
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Posting this recording is not a tribute to Florence. She doesn't sound good here at all. Listening to this, it's clear that Berry knew the business better than all the people who are second guessing him now. Let this poor woman RIP. Don't use her limited talent to tear someone else down.
clearly you have NO clue what you're talkin bout, I suggest you make educated comments when judging talent, DIANA ROSS is a joke, she sounded miniature to Florence Ballard, Flo had great talent, and yes may she rest in peace
Well all the Supremes had talent. And, it's unfortuntate people feel the need to put one down to elevate the other one. Florence nor Mary fit the model of what Berry was seeking at the time. He was looking for a Black singer that had the ability to crossover and move into movies as well. Unfortunately, neither Mary or Flo understood his vision and felt slighted. But, they all were young and lacked any real management around them.
It had nothing to do with fitting a model, Berry wanted the lead singer of The Supremes to have a white voice. Flo and Mary had soul voices. The best way to crossover is to have a lead singer who has a white voice
it was a formula. motown noticed a certain sound guaranteed a huge cross over appeal. diana voice was not WHITE. She sounded nothing like any of the WHITE singers of her day. Doris Day, Nany Sinatra, Annette (Mickey Mouse Club) Ann Margaret, and many others. She has the ability to blend pop with soul. To limit her to just pop is ridiculous. Many of the Supremes songs were huge R & B hits.
Diana did have a pop voice it wasnt a soul voice. Some of the Supremes #1 POP hits didnt even make the R&B charts,they had greater success on the pop charts and had a bigger white audience than black audience. Diana had a unique voice,she had a pop voice. Okay, Diana's voice wasnt white,let me clarify,it was POP,there's nothing wrong with that,she was great and thats that
not true,Where Did Our Love Go,Baby Love both reached #1 POP and neither made the R&B charts The Happening was #1 Pop and #12 R&B
In and Out of Love was #9 Pop and #16 R&B
And they had 7 more songs that did better on the Pop charts then the R&B charts,like I said,they had greater success on the Pop charts and had a larger white audience than black audience
It wasn't POP chart, it was the OVERALL US chart - it was just known as the Pop chart back then (but Billboard have a completely seperate Pop chart nowadays).
Their singles did better on the US, BUT their albums were more successful on the US R&B.
Anyway, my point was that ALL their major singles charted on the R&B charts - I didn't say the faired better, I just said they charted
it was called the Pop charts. I'm not talking about the albums I was referring to the singles. Not true all of their major singles didnt chart the R&B charts,Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love never charted the R&B charts,they only made it to the Pop charts
That's what I said. It WAS called the Billboard Pop Chart. However it is NOW referred to as the Billboard Hot 100 - this is because they created a new chart (after the 60s) called the Pop 100.
Check The Supremes' discography on wikipedia and you will see that Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love were both #1 on the US Cashbox R&B chart (as Billboard didn't have an R&B chart until 1965)
What I want to find out now is how much records The Supremes sold - as I haven't found this posted anywhere from a reliable source -- so their record sales are not shown in the lists on wikipedia of the greatest sales. I am sure they would at least be in one of the top selling female group lists - since they had 12 US #1s.
I know that,because there are mainly white people in America and the pop charts is music popular with white people. But if your fan base has a much larger black audience the pop charts arent as important.
@tuzwol Actually, your argument here is false. For some odd reason, Billboard did not have an R&B chart from November 1963 to January 1965. Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love were both released in 1964. I'm positive that if they're had been an R&B chart during that time, both singles would have been #1 R&B hits.
THAT is a LIE. ALL of their #1 hits made the r&B charts (after one was created). The Supremes sold in r&B because they were black. There is no such thing as a white voice or black. People sing in all genres. Black or white. Black people loved the Supremes too. Not all of course.
It's a common MYTH that the Supremes were more successful on the pop charts than the R&B. The truth is that they were WAY MORE SUCCESSFUL ON THE R&B CHARTS.
Diana solo was more successful on the r&b charts too.
FOR THE TRUTH:
Google: allmusic/ supremes
and you can compare the chart positions of all their lps and singles on both charts.
VERY few records charted higher on the pop ( ie Supremes Sing Country Western)
WAKE UP! do you honestly think that 'BG' would let some sweet 'poopoo' cloud his business acumen? NO POO is THAT sweet. i LOVED the SUPREMES, but ROSS had EVERYTHING going for her. BALLARD should have been smarter like WILSON and just use her star power (as a SUPREME) and Motown to further her career. that's what ROSS did. but all this personal stuff sucks. i just freakin' LOVE the MAGNIFICENT TALENT OF DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES!!!!
Motown wouldnt even let Flo use the word Supreme after she left. Diana was banging the boss and she had a white sounding voice,no way Berry was going to change that
I truly believe they didn't know what to do with Flo's voice. She was soulful like Aretha. She had a Stax (Memphis soul) type voice. She needed some stuff like The Temps gave David Ruffin to sing.
OMG Yes - the stuff Motown gave David once he was fired from the Tempts was AWESOME. If Flo had signed with Motown she would have made some GREEAAT songs.
Motown never gave Flo the opportunity to have a solo deal! After she got fired her contract stated that she couldn't even tell people that she was a member of The Supremes! And to think she is the one who gave them their name!
Actually I read they did and it wasn't unusual for Motown to sign artists (who they know could sing) after they were fired from the group they were in. David Ruffin is a good example (though he did share leads).
Anyway, the legal document that allowed her to leave Motown stated that she was never allowed to mention her SUPREME PAST. I believe that Motown was going to sign Flo BUT she wanted nothing to do with them and in order for her to leave she had to sign away her rights to The Supremes
I am so convinced that if this lovely lady had the benefit of great producers like a Quincy Jones, for example, she would have surpassed Diana in a heartbeat.
WHAT A TALENT! Thank you for posting this. Can someone say where Flo's final resting place is? Somewhere in Detroit? I would like to visit her this summer while in Detroit to see the old Motown offices on Grand Ave.
I think most of the time the production was TIGHT B U T I think they could have directed her better in terms of HOW she sang some of the songs...for instance on FOREVER FAITHFUL and LOVE AIN'T LOVE, Flo gets to let loose a little and even on this cover of WALK ON BY she does BUT they should have had her rage on more on LIKE YOU BABE and YOU BRING OUT THE SWEETNES IN ME and STAY IN LOVE - just to make the songs more interesting =)
I totally agree.I purchased her single when it came out(Love Ain't Love)and just last year purchased her CD with all her unreleased songs..It was like two different people...She sounds so good on the single and you can tell it was well produced..Just listen to a few Supremes unreleased songs that they just rushed I guess..Wouldn't buy a thing if they sounded like that all the time...Will always think of Flo fondly,a brief chat with her in the 60's...It was all just a shame
Well Love Ain't Love and its b-side Forever Faithful really should have taken off as they were big improvements over her good debut single It Doesn't Matter How I Say It with her cover of Goin' Out Of My Head as its b-side.
Back then did people know she had gone to ABC and that she was going to be releasing singles? If so, why didn't anyone buy them? Did you hear them on the radio? Did the DJs like them?
I never heard her songs on the radio,but do remember her being on the Clay Cole TV Show doing Love Aint Love..Once again she could not even be introduced as a former Supreme.That is what I think ruined her chances for a solo career..She should have just did what she needed to do and screw Motown..like they did her!!!!!
And the nicest person to talk to...too much perfume though!!!!!On all of them..They were doing 5 shows a day so I guess they needed it..
OMG Do you have that performance recorded or know where it can be found? I would LOVE to see Flo rocking it as a solo artist.
Being the person I am, I would have to take the risk and be really extra about being a Supreme - putting it everywhere!! =D
If Motown was to then file a lawsuit against her then her name would be known as it would blow up in the news and if they didn't then Flo would probably have charted.
I don't have recorded and doubt whether the station even kept..That's what they did back in the 60's..just erased or never taped..With all Flo's "hutspa",hard to believe she backed down and let Motown do this to her..Had EVERYONE known who she was when her records came out,she could have been a threat to the charts.And I do believe Motown scared the record companies and DJ's to not sign her/play her.Very cruel..
I believe that Motown didn't even have to do much to stop the DJ's playing her. Motown was IT and I'm sure all the DJ's knew who Flo was but they were afraid of pissing Motown off if they played her. It's a shame because both her singles were very commercial.
Flo had quite a few things working in her favour:
- She was quite a light-skinned woman
- She was incredibly pretty
- She could SAANG but she knew how to refine the soul she had
I could not agree with you more.She had more class and commercialability(my new word)than a lot of singers out there..She always carried herself like a star,she was strangely very pretty(meaning on a good day no one could top her with all the extras)and at the time she recorded,she not only didn't have the confidence (thanks to Motown and husband)but she didn't get that extra help from the record company...Makes me sick!!!!
Yes. If ABC had sat down and thought about what they actually had, they would have put in all their effort in here - because Motown had done all the hard work for them, all ABC had to do was get her touring around the country and building up a solid fan base.
Wow, Flo really bares her heart out on this one. This is one of the few tracks from the released takes of the ABC sessions where we hear that thick, soulful voice really get to come out.
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she decimated Dionne's classic. no one but Warrick needs to attempt singing this. she sounds like theirs a frog in her throat, why wouldn't she clear her throat before she started singing?
This is how my channel works. Take your shit talking somewhere else, cuz I see that you are out to get Flo. You were born 2 years after Flo died so leave her and her MASS AMOUNT OF FANS alone have a nice hot cup of SHUT THE FUCK UP!
I love the part about the nice hot cup of SHUT THE FUCK UP part I'm going to borrow that and tell people that for now on, but you have a FLO FAN right here. Why are people dissing her like that damn let her rest in peace.
It's a bit awkward how she sounds on the higher notes as she was a 1st soprano, I just think it's the way she was singing the song lead the notes to sound like that.
She sounds awesome on it though doesn't she?
Very soulful cover, very original and different to the original by the great Dionne Warwick
Flo's vocie was changing; it was getting lower. In Motown's response to Flo's lawsuit aginst Motown where she alleged she was maliciously ousted from the group. Motown alleged of many things that Flo's vocie had deteriorated. Maybe her vocie was starting to change while she was in the group. She certainly sounded different on Reflections and In and Out of Love. Her soprano ws great
she was singing background on those songs, there is no way to tell that her voice was deteriorating. her voice was fine, there was nothing wrong with her voice. Flo started gaining weight and missing shows, she was alledgely treated bad while she was there
I don't believe it is just Flo on "Reflections". The soprano on REFLECTIONS and IN AND OUT OF LOVE sounds the same - and we all know The Andantes vocals were recorded over Flo and Mary's on IN AND OUT OF LOVE. I wouldn't be surprised if this was done on REFLECTIONS as well.
ALSO, Flo was still a soprano - if you listen to their live set at the copa in 1967 (which someone posted here), it is evident that Flo was still comfortable on those top notes.
I think the problem was, the songs weren't arranged high enough for Flo to use her head voice and sing her high notes like she does on OH HOLY NIGHT and PEOPLE in more of an operatic manner.
You can hear the difference between when she sings the high notes in chest voice and in high voice (which sounds sweeter and clearer).
Flo really does bring down the house on this song. To me, she even beats Issac Hayes's rendition. I just brought Flo's CD "The Supreme Florence Ballard" and its crazy that with all those wonderful songs on it from 40 years ago, that people are just now finding out how excellent Flo's voice was. I know that on that CD, there would have been at least 5 hits that could have came out at that time. R.I.P. Flo...........
Yes she really does. She could have easily had a hit with this. I think ABC should have focused on material like this and LOVE AIN'T LOVE and FOREVER FAITHFUL instead of the annoying light songs like Stay In Love and You Bring Out The Sweetness In Me which Flo sounds sweet on BUT just drag out the album. I think instead of those songs they should have written more mature songs so she would have a mix of GREAT soul songs like LOVE AIN'T LOVE, LIKE YOU BABE but then mature like Love Child
This the exact type of material ABC should have focused on not the light poppy stuff like Stay In Love - though she does sound great on it, Flo sounded much better on this song and LIKE YOU BABE, LOVE AIN'T LOVE and FOREVER FAITHFUL
I agree 100%. Flo's singles and album failed because of ABC's lack of focus for Flo's voice. It's too bad for Flo that she didn't have the right guidance. If Motown had not robbed Flo of her true money maybe she could have gotten a real manager. Berry Gordy has a lot to answer for. The love of money is the root of all evil.
Go Flo, I knew you could sing your my troubles away. RIP Soul Singer..
Madea8917 2 days ago
DIONNE WHO??????
MaStormy 4 days ago
Flo Ballard was a dynamic singer in her own right and part of surely the greatest female vocal trio to date. Flo deserved far better than what she got from Gordy, Motown, Wilson and Ross. But history has a way of correcting all wrongs, and here we are long after her dismissal from The Supremes and her tragic death - STILL - talking about Miss Ballard - so she must have done something right. WALK ON BY MISS BALLARD and REST IN PEACE - you are an angel who is not forgotten.
ramona2400 1 week ago
Thanks for posting this. Florence Ballard had such a wonderful voice and there isn't much available with her singing lead. Given the tragic way her life went after she was replaced in the Supremes, it makes her singing even more poignant.
InnerBouquet 2 weeks ago
So beautiful. She truly was "Supreme" ....I have this cd and play it all the time.....Rest In Peace Flo
VintageSoulMusic 3 weeks ago
I absolutely love this version, and Flo is my favorite Supreme. Flo had such a strong and at the same time beautiful voice. And I just love how she says, "walk on by". She had just the right amount of rasp in her voice and it sounds so great.
GrandsonofSoul 1 month ago
This is really awful. All the books that say that Flo had a voice like Aretha must have been written by people who were drinking with Flo. There is nothing special about her voice....it's shrill, ragged and lacking a distinctive sound. God Bless Flo, but she may have been meant to be a back-up singer. If she had just accepted that, she might be alive today.
mhertz25 1 month ago
@mhertz25 Totally agree. She doesn't even sound as good as Dionne Warwick. She did deserve to go it on her own, her problem was, she was uneducated how things work in the music biz and because of that, she signed away her royalities and wasn't allowed to say she was a former Supreme. Before Berry brought the axe down on her,she should have consulted an entertainment attorney to go over her contract. But it was a different time back then. Many artist were taken advantage of.
starla22g 1 month ago
It's sad smh..... that a woman with a magnificent voice, never received her respect in music.
jonez2020 3 months ago 3
I always thought she was a better singer than Diana.
Bigjig20111 4 months ago
At the end of the day Ross HAD the voice for those songs at that time-don't begrudge her that but when you added Florence & Mary you had a one-of-kind blended sound that captivated and resonated in many unique ways. Losing any voice of that group would have diminished the appeal as it ulitmately did. Flo was a wonderful singer as demonstrated in this cover of WOB. Given the right producer & song she certainly would have once again had her day in the sun. Sadly, life as it's own ideas. RIP FLO.
chrissen1 5 months ago
Nice cover. I love the strong bassline and the full band sound. Mrs. Ballard's voice also sounds very good. The first few seconds of the song sounds groovy, you know that you are about to hear something really good just by listening to the beginning alone :-).
msdogooder 5 months ago
Al.....Ross slept with Gordy.....he should have been in jail......Flo WOULD NOT......so she ended up in the background.....damn shame....She had the VOICE....they wrere afraid to let her up front....Ross might as well of shot her....how do these people sleep at night???....RIP Flo....we loved you.
Stagroo 5 months ago
@jonathangardnerTV...lol...nothing at all...Flo was fine...other you-tubers were comparing the two groups and i was offering my 2 cents.here !
ronnied828 6 months ago
FLO!!!!! Takes my breath away! We love you & to know what your career would've been if Barry Gordy wasn't such a punk to you... A real woman who stood up for what was right and in the end had the losing hand... :(
MultiCamdawg 6 months ago
After carefully listening to both groups,The Three Degrees and the Supremes...i came to the conclusion that The Three Degrees are light years ahead of the Supremes in every possible sense.....the Supremes simply had more hits !
ronnied828 6 months ago
@ronnied828 *Failing to see what this has to do with a SOLO RECORDING by Florence Ballard done in 1968*
JonathanGardnerTV 6 months ago
Flo Ballard going head to head with Dionne Warwick . Flo did a fantastic strong vocal on the Warwick hit. While the musical arrangement is lacks the magic of Burt Bacharach Flo made it work for her regardless, and gave a classic a new soul sound. Vocally Flo proved her talent with the songs ABC gave her. Imagine what Flo could have done with great producers. Flo Ballard sung the hell out of this Dionne Warwick classic and you know that. Once agaun Flo was misused.
ramona2400 6 months ago
Very nice voice
kwilcox1126 6 months ago
Hearing a few songs I was thinking her voice had already started to decline with all that she was going through, but in hearing this, it was the production team. She was capable of putting out better material had she been in better company. Such a shame she ended up with the cards she was dealt.
phillyTne 7 months ago
My God! Flo should be up there with Miss Franklin And Dinah Washington. I can't understand what happened to her. She was no competition to anyone, having her own special sound. What happened? I just wish there were more. Flo is amazing. She is so versatile, could sing anything, and with beauty and humor. This lady could have done anything. Act, sing, anything.
norfolk03 7 months ago 2
all the people who say she cant sing are just jelous even mary said she could sing like heck
troyknox63 8 months ago
Her voice is better than Diane's.
Mazeppa4 9 months ago
Berry Gordy was despicable.
bobbygoode 10 months ago
What a Great Song.
pksz06 10 months ago
wow tomorrow will mark 34 years since her passing :-(
MrSexxxy20 11 months ago
Everyone says how she got a raw deal with Motown and the Supremes and I agree. But let''s be honest she was no great singer. Her voice was okay at best. Her solo career more than likely did not take off because lackluster voice and mediocre performance. Diana had star quality and clearly belong as lead with the Supremes and went on to be very success solo.
Florence belonged in the back ground she is clearly not a lead singer and does not have to talent to make it as a solo act.
waynegreer72 11 months ago
@waynegreer72 Flo's solo ABC recordings are too low for her voice type. Flo was actually a soprano as many of her Motown recordings prove. Her tessitura was much higher. She really should have had material more in the way of Margie Joseph and Melba Moore that would have utilised her instrument properly.
JonathanGardnerTV 8 months ago
@waynegreer72 Her solo career with ABC didn't take off actually because of her MANAGEMENT - which was her husband - he was not experienced in such a position. With proper management Flo could have done alright at ABC.
ALSO, as part of her settlement agreement with Motown she was NOT allowed to mention in any way shape or form that she was ever a Supreme in promotional materials or anything...
JonathanGardnerTV 8 months ago
@waynegreer72 Also, when Flo was fired. Motown sent press statemtnts saying Flo had left to focus on family - so with crappy management, no promo and the public thinking that Flo had given up music and thus not expecting her to release anything, both singles tanked.
JonathanGardnerTV 8 months ago
she refused to sleep her way to the top and she refused to be controlled therefore she was black listed THAT is why her music did not sell. Anyone with at least one working ear knows she sings better than Diana (no disrespect to Diana) but it is what it is
AishaBoothHorton 1 year ago 23
yeah florence couldn use the word supreme in her promotions , but if she had had a smart promoters they could have said she was a member of the most successful vocal group in the world, a legend in her own time Miss Florence Ballard. they didnt have to even mention the word supremes
rugout 1 year ago 3
Sing Flo!
DDDD1980 1 year ago
See if ABC had spent some time and energy on Florence I'm positive she would have been a success. If they had helped her develop her voice and put some more money into her advertising who know what kind of success she could have been.
SinclairisCool 1 year ago
Jeeeeez, she sounds dreadful.
BlogShag 1 year ago
IT WAS ASHAMED THAT THE SUPREMES COULDN'T WORK IT LIKE THE TEMPTS AND SHARE THE LEAD. They all could sing, however mary should stay away from trying to sing those supremes songs.
totaly52 1 year ago
Fantabulous!
cloisterene 1 year ago
why didnt her album sell like diana
gloryclark 1 year ago 6
@gloryclark when Flo left Motown she signed her royalties away and she wasn't allowed to say that she was a former member of The Supremes. She had two singles that didn't sell so ABC cancelled her album.
dynamite8503 1 year ago 5
@dynamite8503 Such a shame, too. Berry KNEW that was the only recognition she'd had was as a Supreme. With that, her solo career was pretty much over before it started simply because no one knew what to do with her. What's the point of having a former member of the world's top girl group if you can't market her that way? And, after all, DIANA was supposed to be the break-out star of the Supremes. Flo doing well would've been a slap in Berry, Diana AND Motown's face.
christiandior1947 1 year ago
@gloryclark when Flo left Motown, one of the stipulations of her leaving agreement was that she was not allowed to mention she was a Supreme in any of her promotional matieral. Also, Flo let her husband Tommy Chapman (who had NO experience in Music managament and was formely Berry Gordy's chauffer) manage her music career...ABC released two singles - which were recieving some airplay according to Al Abrams (Press Agent and Public Relations Consultant who worked for Motown and ABC) but....
MeetTheSupremes 1 year ago
@gloryclark ...she fell pregnant with twins and all promotion pretty much stopped and the singles (both great - particularly the second) flopped and ABC did not renew her contract...
MeetTheSupremes 1 year ago
*2 thumbs up*
teanbean79 1 year ago
R.I.P. Florence. We miss you. You've not been forgotten. Someday We'll ALL Be Together. You did the best you could and your memory lives on in our hearts.
DISCOVEGASGUY 2 years ago
Luv it!
Ratseno 2 years ago
This is by far the best version of walk on by ive ever heard. She sings with the angels now. Rest now Flo.
AithWONDER 2 years ago
diana and barry did her dirty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! theyll get theirs though.Everyone get there own judgement day.RIP FLO
Shalisha09 2 years ago
Saw the Florence Ballard story last night and it is DISGRACEFUL how Barry Gordy's greed and SELFISHNESS left that woman in the destitute situation she found herself in for so many years. Spiritually Barry Gordy will pay for that if he has not already. Too often in this country, we call the US friendships, 'Walk On By' when money is the focus of the person's consciousness. Insatiable GREED of Barry Gordy aided in this woman's demise. Wonder how he sleeps at night? Most likely 'Walk On By'.
AbleInTruth 2 years ago 2
@AbleInTruth Berry wasn't the only one who did her wrong - and that was the problem...Flo's husband hit her and was only around when she had money...he also tried managing her solo career with no experience...then there was her attorney who stole much of her settlement money from Motown and the advance she got from ABC Records when she signed with them. The money Flo got in 1974/75 - that she bought a new house and car with - was money she won in a lawsuit against her former attorney...
MeetTheSupremes 1 year ago
@MeetTheSupremes i thought that money she got in 74 was from a slip and fall accident?
dynamite8503 1 year ago
@dynamite8503 I believe she got money from that also but the REAL money - that allowed her to buy her house - came from her lawsuit against her former attorney. This is explained in Peter Benjaminson's great book on Flo. Plus it makes much more sense as the slip and fall accident wouldn't provide her with nearly enough money to buy a new house and car...she only like broke her leg or something lol
MeetTheSupremes 1 year ago
@MeetTheSupremes thanks
dynamite8503 1 year ago
@MeetTheSupremes Mary did her wrong as well, when the time came Mary didnt stand up for Florence, because she was afraid of losing her spot in The Supremes if she stood up for Florence, the only person who stood up to Berry in this case was his sister Gwen, she was the only one in Florences corner
MotownMaster 1 year ago
@MotownMaster I totally see your point, but I think they all knew how powerful Gordy was and Mary probably felt it would be far easier to just keep her head down at the expense of Flo in the group...but in her defence, at least she didn't plot or lobby to get her out
MeetTheSupremes 1 year ago
hey umm i heard a bit of this song on mona lisa by slick rick and i was wondring were i could find the full song. I think that it is a better version, because it remixed...
Kasba123 2 years ago
because Florence is gone now and I am sure that she would want them to reconcile as well. I heard that the record business is "dog eat dog," but at the end of it all, both Diana and Mary still have money and only each other. As Florence fans, we can only wish this for her. RIP Florence..... "THIS AWARD GOES TO FLORENCE BALLARD, YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN......."
mrsrod07 2 years ago
I think that all 3 of the "Classic Supremes" were excellent singers and unfortunately, God had a plan for Florence's life, just like he did for the other two (Mary and Diana). Its just that he intended to keep Florence on earth with us for only 32 years. I, as a Florence fan, do thank him for allowing us to see how talented and awesome she was as a star and as a person. I wish that Mary and Diana could put aside their differences and come together as the friends/sisters they once were,
mrsrod07 2 years ago
This man destroyed her life, only it was not known until after she began singing with Mary and Diana. I feel that with having the rape being left untreated, Florence just could not take anymore betrayal, which she felt when Diana became the lead singer. To many people who knows of how that went down, it is easy to say, "Florence should have gotten over it, Diana was meant to lead the group." But no one was in Florence's shoes to feel the pain that she felt with not ever getting the rape treated.
mrsrod07 2 years ago 3
As Florence fans (including myself) and as comfortable as it is to name Berry Gordy as "The Man who Ruined Florence Ballard's life," is wrong. I do not doubt for a second that Berry had been disrepectful to her, but the man who did ruin her life is the one who had raped Florence in 1960. If he had never raped her, Florence would have been very much alive today. Her inabilities to deal with even minor disappointments resulted her into depression, alcoholism, and a broken heart.
mrsrod07 2 years ago 2
GORDY
tujock09 2 years ago
gordy was def the blame. diana and he ( diana herself confirmed her first daughter was in fact his from an affair ) i think! diana screwed her way to the top sidelining flo and mary. of all three i now think flo in her prime was the BEST!! supreme.
tujock09 2 years ago
Actually, I love Flo's vocals on this song.
sweetmocha008 2 years ago
flo is not particularly in good voice here. the overall production is lackluster. but the girls in the background are cooking.
branchwater7 2 years ago
Florence has now become my favorite Supreme!!!
mrdeedz1 2 years ago
why didn't she sing lead....she was an amazing singer
chinabby18 2 years ago
All the girls sang lead b4 they had a hit with "Where Did Our Love Go?" Flo sang lead on "Hey Baby","Save Me a Star"," Buttered Popcorn", and a few other tunes.
dynamite8503 2 years ago
i think in the late 1960's David Ruffin & Florence Ballard had been downed poorly because Gordy was paying more attention to diana instead of the whole group and check this out in 1961, florence gave Diana the oppertunity to sing with the supremes and as far as the temptations go, David Ruffin was underrated by gordy because of the tension that was caused by motown so in 1968 both Ballard and Ruffin Were gauranteed to make it as solo stars but tragically both died sadly Ballard 32 and ruffin 50
davidruffin1969 2 years ago
I think Flo and David would've made a GREAT duet team like Marvin and Tammi
dynamite8503 2 years ago
David Ruffin fucked himself up. He was the lead singer of The Temptations, he had it all. All Florence wanted to do was sing lead, which she was told no. David was already singing lead. David wanted top billing, if eh didnt let success get to his head, he could've stayed a Temptation until his death.
Flo's story is more sad because she wasnt even allowed to sing lead. At least motown helped Ruffin, but making him a solo star on the label. I dont think David was underrated,he was lead singer
tuzwol 2 years ago
poor musical arrangement. cmon this girl had no help. yeah she had the LOOK. And a nice voice too. , but no solo artist for sure. not at the level she was used to thats for sure.
kickflip22 2 years ago
I LOOOOOVE listening to this song! You can really feel Flo on this one..I love when she says...MAKE BELIEVE and when she says ....I break downa nd cryy...yyyy...walk on byyyy..! She kills it. My problem with her fans is that I feel that since dreamgirls that many people has listened to that FILM so they automatically think she was the BEST singer of the Supremes when infact she was ONE of the best. I think that Scherrie Payne was...hands down the best! But FLO HAD THE VOICE..as you can hear!
RodneySandersTV 2 years ago 2
Flo was a great singer but she sounded like every other young soul singer from her era.Diana had a unique very different sound her voice was amazing and the public responded.I have a hard time understanding why she was so cruel and mean to Flo and Mary she ever once ever agreed with them or stood up for them.Diana thinks loaning them money when they came broke was being a good friend anyone agree?
71starboy 2 years ago 3
On this song her voice is very pitchy and strained. The background singers actually sound better. Issac Hayes and Dione Warrick versions are better. She had a good voice but better suited for backup. But, I have to say without her, there would be no Supremes. Their voices were made for one another.
ZZZLover 2 years ago 4
i like her version better than isaac hayes's
chinabby18 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
how wierd is it that she was more beautiful and talented and got shafted like that? Flo had an extraordinary vocal range!!!
luvlyladee08 2 years ago
like me sum oldies music
thegirlistheshit 2 years ago
R.I.P Florence Ballard!
cat3375 2 years ago
what bullshit motown wanted to ensure Flo failed .if she had no talent why did they go out of their way to work against her?How did the masters to her ABc albulm end up in motown vaults.If she had no talent thts a lot o trouble to go thru for someone Motown tried to pass off as a second rate singer.People wise up and think for yourself.They did not consider Diana for Hello Dolly it was Flo They where not interested in Ross to Berry's chagrin.I dont know how some people sleep at night. .
pookiechristopher 2 years ago 2
thanks for the info
tuzwol 2 years ago
Wow that's sad, and i'm surpirsed she didn't charm berry, she had the look (size & complexion that is heavily favored by black men (red bone). . . diana was awkward looking but i am a fan so let me stop LOL)) . .
AzzedineAliaFan 2 years ago
There is NO definitive proff that Motown did what you claim. The Masters of Flo's CD did not end up in Motown's vaults her alleged bio did. Sold to them after Flo's death by her own husband. Ross was offered a movie at the same time Flo was rumored to be offerd Hello Dolly. LSTB was not a Motown production. Paramount sponsored the movie. Motown added money to finish it when over budget. Some sleep fine because the don't listen to the silly gossip we traverse in here on youtube!
missbirdsong 2 years ago
Nice version.
SoulSir 2 years ago
Faith Evans looks a lot like Florence and with the right wig and make up she could play Flo, hands down
jcampb90 2 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Posting this recording is not a tribute to Florence. She doesn't sound good here at all. Listening to this, it's clear that Berry knew the business better than all the people who are second guessing him now. Let this poor woman RIP. Don't use her limited talent to tear someone else down.
kenhamlett1 2 years ago
Flo did not have a limited talent. this woman had some serious pipes and could've gone really far if she had the right people behind her.
dynamite8503 2 years ago
clearly you have NO clue what you're talkin bout, I suggest you make educated comments when judging talent, DIANA ROSS is a joke, she sounded miniature to Florence Ballard, Flo had great talent, and yes may she rest in peace
jcampb90 2 years ago
Well all the Supremes had talent. And, it's unfortuntate people feel the need to put one down to elevate the other one. Florence nor Mary fit the model of what Berry was seeking at the time. He was looking for a Black singer that had the ability to crossover and move into movies as well. Unfortunately, neither Mary or Flo understood his vision and felt slighted. But, they all were young and lacked any real management around them.
mitchell4000 2 years ago 2
It had nothing to do with fitting a model, Berry wanted the lead singer of The Supremes to have a white voice. Flo and Mary had soul voices. The best way to crossover is to have a lead singer who has a white voice
tuzwol 2 years ago
it was a formula. motown noticed a certain sound guaranteed a huge cross over appeal. diana voice was not WHITE. She sounded nothing like any of the WHITE singers of her day. Doris Day, Nany Sinatra, Annette (Mickey Mouse Club) Ann Margaret, and many others. She has the ability to blend pop with soul. To limit her to just pop is ridiculous. Many of the Supremes songs were huge R & B hits.
mitchell4000 2 years ago
Diana did have a pop voice it wasnt a soul voice. Some of the Supremes #1 POP hits didnt even make the R&B charts,they had greater success on the pop charts and had a bigger white audience than black audience. Diana had a unique voice,she had a pop voice. Okay, Diana's voice wasnt white,let me clarify,it was POP,there's nothing wrong with that,she was great and thats that
tuzwol 2 years ago
ALL their major hits made the US R&B charts.
MeetTheSupremes 2 years ago
not true,Where Did Our Love Go,Baby Love both reached #1 POP and neither made the R&B charts The Happening was #1 Pop and #12 R&B
In and Out of Love was #9 Pop and #16 R&B
And they had 7 more songs that did better on the Pop charts then the R&B charts,like I said,they had greater success on the Pop charts and had a larger white audience than black audience
tuzwol 2 years ago
It wasn't POP chart, it was the OVERALL US chart - it was just known as the Pop chart back then (but Billboard have a completely seperate Pop chart nowadays).
Their singles did better on the US, BUT their albums were more successful on the US R&B.
Anyway, my point was that ALL their major singles charted on the R&B charts - I didn't say the faired better, I just said they charted
Anyway, they were still Pop.
MeetTheSupremes 2 years ago
it was called the Pop charts. I'm not talking about the albums I was referring to the singles. Not true all of their major singles didnt chart the R&B charts,Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love never charted the R&B charts,they only made it to the Pop charts
tuzwol 2 years ago
That's what I said. It WAS called the Billboard Pop Chart. However it is NOW referred to as the Billboard Hot 100 - this is because they created a new chart (after the 60s) called the Pop 100.
Check The Supremes' discography on wikipedia and you will see that Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love were both #1 on the US Cashbox R&B chart (as Billboard didn't have an R&B chart until 1965)
MeetTheSupremes 2 years ago
Thanks for clearing that up for me
peace
tuzwol 2 years ago
No problem.
What I want to find out now is how much records The Supremes sold - as I haven't found this posted anywhere from a reliable source -- so their record sales are not shown in the lists on wikipedia of the greatest sales. I am sure they would at least be in one of the top selling female group lists - since they had 12 US #1s.
Motown need to release this information -_-
Do you know where I can find it?
MeetTheSupremes 2 years ago
Honey, the Pop Charts are where the money is, didn't you know that?
montraub 2 years ago
I know that,because there are mainly white people in America and the pop charts is music popular with white people. But if your fan base has a much larger black audience the pop charts arent as important.
peace
tuzwol 2 years ago
@tuzwol Actually, your argument here is false. For some odd reason, Billboard did not have an R&B chart from November 1963 to January 1965. Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love were both released in 1964. I'm positive that if they're had been an R&B chart during that time, both singles would have been #1 R&B hits.
reggie20032 1 year ago
@reggie20032 ,I made a mistake,I believe they went number # 1 on the Cashbox R&B Charts,true, both # 1 R&B hits
tuzwol 1 year ago
Baby Love was #1 on the R&B Charts
Abridgedfan134 2 years ago
yeah I know, thanks
tuzwol 2 years ago
THAT is a LIE. ALL of their #1 hits made the r&B charts (after one was created). The Supremes sold in r&B because they were black. There is no such thing as a white voice or black. People sing in all genres. Black or white. Black people loved the Supremes too. Not all of course.
missbirdsong 2 years ago 2
i know, tell me something i don't know. There is a such thing as a pop voice or r&b voice. I know black people loved the supremes as well
tuzwol 2 years ago
dear missbirdsong,
Thank you for blocking the lies.
It's a common MYTH that the Supremes were more successful on the pop charts than the R&B. The truth is that they were WAY MORE SUCCESSFUL ON THE R&B CHARTS.
Diana solo was more successful on the r&b charts too.
FOR THE TRUTH:
Google: allmusic/ supremes
and you can compare the chart positions of all their lps and singles on both charts.
VERY few records charted higher on the pop ( ie Supremes Sing Country Western)
taddyd1 2 years ago 2
that's true
blancface 2 years ago
Flo sounds great,Berry liked Diana's voice because it was a pop voice that white folk could relate too. Flo had a more soulful voice than Diana
tuzwol 2 years ago 3
WAKE UP! do you honestly think that 'BG' would let some sweet 'poopoo' cloud his business acumen? NO POO is THAT sweet. i LOVED the SUPREMES, but ROSS had EVERYTHING going for her. BALLARD should have been smarter like WILSON and just use her star power (as a SUPREME) and Motown to further her career. that's what ROSS did. but all this personal stuff sucks. i just freakin' LOVE the MAGNIFICENT TALENT OF DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES!!!!
tofelt 2 years ago
You Tell it!
quietbillionaire 2 years ago
Motown wouldnt even let Flo use the word Supreme after she left. Diana was banging the boss and she had a white sounding voice,no way Berry was going to change that
tuzwol 2 years ago
Every time I see Rihanna, I marvel how much she looks like Flo. Especially the pointed chin. Good call!
gta1221 2 years ago
Ermm and FAITH EVANS!
Either Rihanna or Faith!
MeetTheSupremes 2 years ago
BUT Rihanna don't have the pipes so I'd pick Faith - as she can saaang (and she is a soprano too)
MeetTheSupremes 2 years ago
I'll try to record it later
Individuell83 2 years ago
Florence Ballard was finer than that thang!!!!.And voice was very beautiful!!.
Too bad Berry Gordy couldn't hear it for lusting after diane ross's tadpole lookin ass!.
kadafi2001 3 years ago 5
heheheh "tadpole lookin' ass" hehehehehe
tummielvr 2 years ago
Flo was more soulful than Diana and shel look better than Diana.
brownhot1 3 years ago 15
Nice photos. Florence Ballard was the beauty of the group.
dnash27 3 years ago 5
I truly believe they didn't know what to do with Flo's voice. She was soulful like Aretha. She had a Stax (Memphis soul) type voice. She needed some stuff like The Temps gave David Ruffin to sing.
MrStyle23 3 years ago 8
OMG Yes - the stuff Motown gave David once he was fired from the Tempts was AWESOME. If Flo had signed with Motown she would have made some GREEAAT songs.
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
Motown never gave Flo the opportunity to have a solo deal! After she got fired her contract stated that she couldn't even tell people that she was a member of The Supremes! And to think she is the one who gave them their name!
ThatScorpioKid 3 years ago
Actually I read they did and it wasn't unusual for Motown to sign artists (who they know could sing) after they were fired from the group they were in. David Ruffin is a good example (though he did share leads).
Anyway, the legal document that allowed her to leave Motown stated that she was never allowed to mention her SUPREME PAST. I believe that Motown was going to sign Flo BUT she wanted nothing to do with them and in order for her to leave she had to sign away her rights to The Supremes
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
Thanks for clearing it up!!!!
ThatScorpioKid 3 years ago
No problem =)
- JLG (JonathanLGardner)
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
I am so convinced that if this lovely lady had the benefit of great producers like a Quincy Jones, for example, she would have surpassed Diana in a heartbeat.
shemstock 3 years ago
i like this song
ILoveDianaRoss 3 years ago
WHAT A TALENT! Thank you for posting this. Can someone say where Flo's final resting place is? Somewhere in Detroit? I would like to visit her this summer while in Detroit to see the old Motown offices on Grand Ave.
cottonceena 3 years ago
She is laid to rest at Detroit Memorial Park East
dynamite8503 3 years ago
Go to en . wikipedia . org /wiki/Florence_Ballard
*without spaces*. The info you are asking for is on there I believe =D
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
Outstanding! Flo was always my fav'.thanks for posting.
oldschoolen1 3 years ago 3
I do love Flo...just think they could have produced her a bit better
deeeedefan 3 years ago
I think most of the time the production was TIGHT B U T I think they could have directed her better in terms of HOW she sang some of the songs...for instance on FOREVER FAITHFUL and LOVE AIN'T LOVE, Flo gets to let loose a little and even on this cover of WALK ON BY she does BUT they should have had her rage on more on LIKE YOU BABE and YOU BRING OUT THE SWEETNES IN ME and STAY IN LOVE - just to make the songs more interesting =)
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
I totally agree.I purchased her single when it came out(Love Ain't Love)and just last year purchased her CD with all her unreleased songs..It was like two different people...She sounds so good on the single and you can tell it was well produced..Just listen to a few Supremes unreleased songs that they just rushed I guess..Wouldn't buy a thing if they sounded like that all the time...Will always think of Flo fondly,a brief chat with her in the 60's...It was all just a shame
deeeedefan 3 years ago
OMG YOU TALKED TO FLO?? OMG OMG WOW!!
=D
Well Love Ain't Love and its b-side Forever Faithful really should have taken off as they were big improvements over her good debut single It Doesn't Matter How I Say It with her cover of Goin' Out Of My Head as its b-side.
Back then did people know she had gone to ABC and that she was going to be releasing singles? If so, why didn't anyone buy them? Did you hear them on the radio? Did the DJs like them?
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
I never heard her songs on the radio,but do remember her being on the Clay Cole TV Show doing Love Aint Love..Once again she could not even be introduced as a former Supreme.That is what I think ruined her chances for a solo career..She should have just did what she needed to do and screw Motown..like they did her!!!!!
And the nicest person to talk to...too much perfume though!!!!!On all of them..They were doing 5 shows a day so I guess they needed it..
deeeedefan 3 years ago
LOOOL TOO MUCH PERFUME! lol aw.
OMG Do you have that performance recorded or know where it can be found? I would LOVE to see Flo rocking it as a solo artist.
Being the person I am, I would have to take the risk and be really extra about being a Supreme - putting it everywhere!! =D
If Motown was to then file a lawsuit against her then her name would be known as it would blow up in the news and if they didn't then Flo would probably have charted.
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
I don't have recorded and doubt whether the station even kept..That's what they did back in the 60's..just erased or never taped..With all Flo's "hutspa",hard to believe she backed down and let Motown do this to her..Had EVERYONE known who she was when her records came out,she could have been a threat to the charts.And I do believe Motown scared the record companies and DJ's to not sign her/play her.Very cruel..
deeeedefan 3 years ago
I believe that Motown didn't even have to do much to stop the DJ's playing her. Motown was IT and I'm sure all the DJ's knew who Flo was but they were afraid of pissing Motown off if they played her. It's a shame because both her singles were very commercial.
Flo had quite a few things working in her favour:
- She was quite a light-skinned woman
- She was incredibly pretty
- She could SAANG but she knew how to refine the soul she had
- She was classy
- She was a Supreme
She had it all
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
I could not agree with you more.She had more class and commercialability(my new word)than a lot of singers out there..She always carried herself like a star,she was strangely very pretty(meaning on a good day no one could top her with all the extras)and at the time she recorded,she not only didn't have the confidence (thanks to Motown and husband)but she didn't get that extra help from the record company...Makes me sick!!!!
deeeedefan 3 years ago
Yes. If ABC had sat down and thought about what they actually had, they would have put in all their effort in here - because Motown had done all the hard work for them, all ABC had to do was get her touring around the country and building up a solid fan base.
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago
Wow, Flo really bares her heart out on this one. This is one of the few tracks from the released takes of the ABC sessions where we hear that thick, soulful voice really get to come out.
Brilliant post Miss Dynamiteee xD haha
5* Flo, great cover.
MeetTheSupremes 3 years ago 3
yes yimheretoday is a fucking ass hole i would love to slap him with my 11 inch dick after his mother sucks it dry
goff61 3 years ago
Yimheretody get your fucking ears checked. or better yet, get some fucking help.
heartandsoul22 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
she decimated Dionne's classic. no one but Warrick needs to attempt singing this. she sounds like theirs a frog in her throat, why wouldn't she clear her throat before she started singing?
yimheretoday 3 years ago
YOU should clear your throat b4 u open ur fucking trap!
dynamite8503 3 years ago
ASSHOLE
CAPRICORN2013 3 years ago
oh please shoot it and put it out of its misery, this is awful. no wonder berry booted her out the group.
yimheretoday 3 years ago
This is how my channel works. Take your shit talking somewhere else, cuz I see that you are out to get Flo. You were born 2 years after Flo died so leave her and her MASS AMOUNT OF FANS alone have a nice hot cup of SHUT THE FUCK UP!
dynamite8503 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
oh sorry i didn't know all 3 of her fans would be on this channel.
yimheretoday 3 years ago
her being "booted out of the group," had nothing to do with her voice.
iluvflorenceballard 3 years ago 7
Multiply that times MILLIONS asshole.
dynamite8503 3 years ago
I love the part about the nice hot cup of SHUT THE FUCK UP part I'm going to borrow that and tell people that for now on, but you have a FLO FAN right here. Why are people dissing her like that damn let her rest in peace.
LloydBFine 3 years ago 6
hatin, thats all
dynamite8503 3 years ago
OMG, I love this song. I felt everything in this song. Thank you for posting :)
CAPRICORN2013 3 years ago 3
This has been flagged as spam show
Diana Ross is one Fugly ass Bitch, she can never get my dick hard, her Fans are Idiots, and that bitch is still ugly as hell, what a ugly ass bitch
huge10inchdick 3 years ago
Very nice version. She strains a bit but the arrangement is way cool.
Jnkdog 3 years ago 3
It's a bit awkward how she sounds on the higher notes as she was a 1st soprano, I just think it's the way she was singing the song lead the notes to sound like that.
She sounds awesome on it though doesn't she?
Very soulful cover, very original and different to the original by the great Dionne Warwick
JonathanLGardner 3 years ago 2
I wish that Flo would have lived, it would have been really cool for her and Dionne to do a duet of this song
dynamite8503 3 years ago
Flo's vocie was changing; it was getting lower. In Motown's response to Flo's lawsuit aginst Motown where she alleged she was maliciously ousted from the group. Motown alleged of many things that Flo's vocie had deteriorated. Maybe her vocie was starting to change while she was in the group. She certainly sounded different on Reflections and In and Out of Love. Her soprano ws great
missbirdsong 2 years ago
she was singing background on those songs, there is no way to tell that her voice was deteriorating. her voice was fine, there was nothing wrong with her voice. Flo started gaining weight and missing shows, she was alledgely treated bad while she was there
tuzwol 2 years ago
I don't believe it is just Flo on "Reflections". The soprano on REFLECTIONS and IN AND OUT OF LOVE sounds the same - and we all know The Andantes vocals were recorded over Flo and Mary's on IN AND OUT OF LOVE. I wouldn't be surprised if this was done on REFLECTIONS as well.
ALSO, Flo was still a soprano - if you listen to their live set at the copa in 1967 (which someone posted here), it is evident that Flo was still comfortable on those top notes.
MeetTheSupremes 2 years ago
I think the problem was, the songs weren't arranged high enough for Flo to use her head voice and sing her high notes like she does on OH HOLY NIGHT and PEOPLE in more of an operatic manner.
You can hear the difference between when she sings the high notes in chest voice and in high voice (which sounds sweeter and clearer).
MeetTheSupremes 2 years ago
I hear greatness
susuemikado 3 years ago 5
Flo really does bring down the house on this song. To me, she even beats Issac Hayes's rendition. I just brought Flo's CD "The Supreme Florence Ballard" and its crazy that with all those wonderful songs on it from 40 years ago, that people are just now finding out how excellent Flo's voice was. I know that on that CD, there would have been at least 5 hits that could have came out at that time. R.I.P. Flo...........
obamalady 3 years ago 5
Yes she really does. She could have easily had a hit with this. I think ABC should have focused on material like this and LOVE AIN'T LOVE and FOREVER FAITHFUL instead of the annoying light songs like Stay In Love and You Bring Out The Sweetness In Me which Flo sounds sweet on BUT just drag out the album. I think instead of those songs they should have written more mature songs so she would have a mix of GREAT soul songs like LOVE AIN'T LOVE, LIKE YOU BABE but then mature like Love Child
JonathanLGardner 3 years ago 2
i was on the verge of actually crying eyes all got puffed up
tayishere202 3 years ago 3
This the exact type of material ABC should have focused on not the light poppy stuff like Stay In Love - though she does sound great on it, Flo sounded much better on this song and LIKE YOU BABE, LOVE AIN'T LOVE and FOREVER FAITHFUL
JonathanLGardner 3 years ago
And dont forget "My Heart and Everything Wonderful"
dynamite8503 3 years ago
I agree 100%. Flo's singles and album failed because of ABC's lack of focus for Flo's voice. It's too bad for Flo that she didn't have the right guidance. If Motown had not robbed Flo of her true money maybe she could have gotten a real manager. Berry Gordy has a lot to answer for. The love of money is the root of all evil.
missbirdsong 2 years ago 25
motown wouldnt even let her say that she was formerly of the supremes on any of her albums, motown hurt that woman's chances
tuzwol 2 years ago
@missbirdsong oh my god a rocket scientist
zzzippo55 1 year ago
Comment removed
terrybigteekemp 10 months ago
Also check out Whitney Houston's abbreviated version. Honestly, I think Flo has the best performance of t