Reflections - Funk Brothers / Supremes - Instrumental

[kswannie]

Like the pics of Flo at the end...she was so beautiful.

[supremes1964]

this had a #1 all over it yet thanks to BERRY GORDY, the name change and Florence Ballard being FIRED from the GROUP it remained at #2 for two weeks. It confused their fans ....both Pop and R&B. The group was never the same again.

[LODGE4444]

Fantastic !!! Sounds even more psychedelic without the lead vocal !! This has always been one of my favorite Supremes songs.

[oceanbound222]

If only Diana had been backed up by the 2 Vandella gals instead of Pixie Lee Wilkins and Dixie Sue Callard.

[rocknjac58]

Never realized how Joe Hunter's keyboards, Jamerson's bass, and Jack Ashford,s percussion were the groove that carried this one...there were brilliant! Thanks for finding this

[JumpStreet1983]

I know this is Mary & Cindry singing on this record, but by this point, it wouldn't have mattered WHO was singing the vocal harmonies. With the name change came a shift in the pecking order, so Diana became the face of the group and the other two became mere window dressing in Berry's eyes. Diana adopted that attitude, which is why she still doesn't consider them to be her equals. Remember the 1983 Motown reunion fiasco? That unedited footage will never see the light of day.

[christheone8773]

@JumpStreet1983 THIS IS not Mary and Cindy (Birdsong) on this recording, this is Mary Wilson and FLORENCE Ballard - in fact, this is one of the LAST recordings with FLORENCE Ballard before she left the Supremes in July of 1967-

[gayboymotown]

@christheone8773 "In And Out Of Love" was also one of the last songs Flo recorded on.

[mafketays]

@JumpStreet1983 Flo is on this recording. It was recorded before she was fired and Motown never was much into accuracy of labelling.

The name change didn't really change the pecking order. Berry Gordy never saw them as a group but as a vehicle for Diana's stardom.

HDH are on record saying they wanted to do more with Mary and Flo but were prevented by Gordy (and Diana who wasn't gracious about sharing the spotlight ...... well, ever).

[JumpStreet1983]

To me, this song is when the group stopped being a GROUP and become "The Diana Ross Show". Berry had just changed the name recently, anyway. Flo had been fired. Cindy joined the party, but she was way in over her head. 1967 must have been an emotionally hard year for Cindy, having to deal with being the new girl on campus AND having to hold her own in the VERY large shoes left behind by Flo.

[gekkegerrit11]

Yes this is what i was searching for!!!

[dscottny]

As an extreme Motown fan,I am finding these instrumentals a testament to the remakable musicanship that went into every recording. Does anyone know is the vocals are the Andantes?

[nlperpave]

I am still being impressed and amazed at the layered levels of musicianship and production/arrangement-artistr­y displayed by the Motown groups.

[ideniseb]

WOW.....AWESOME MUSICIANSHIP!!

[stawberry19919]

I CANT BELIEVE PEOPLE ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS MARY AND FLO! OMG! THERE IS A THREE PART HARMONY ESP...AT "IN YOU I PUT ALL MY FAITH AND TRUST"....ITS THE ANDANTES!

[stawberry19919]

Actually, Reflections was NOT Florence & Mary..although the credits may say so. My friends, fellow supremes listeners & I have always speculated that ineither Mary or Florence sang on Reflections. I put this off until I listened to the Reflections backing track and heard a THREE PART HARMONY!

I WAS LIKE OMG! I KNEW IT WAS THE ANDANTES!!!

MOTOWN WAS VERY SNEAKY!!

I think that Flo and Mary recorded the song but their vocals may have been taken off before release.

WHATAYA THINK?

[MotownConnoisseur30]

@stawberry19919 Mary is for sure on this track! You can hear her clearly on this, but that is not Florence......

[minho54]

@MotownConnoisseur30

here is florence

in the book of mary wilson says reflections that was recorded with florence

[MotownConnoisseur30]

@minho54 I think Mary just said that to cover up for Florence. It's Mary on here, but no Florence

[stawberry19919]

@MotownConnoisseur30 @minho54 Yes, I agree. THis is DEF. Not Flo. I didn't think it was Mary either because..like I said...it just didn't make any sense to keep Mary and add two Andantes with a three part harmony, but I guess they thought that it would sound nice!

[MotownConnoisseur30]

@stawberry19919 The Andantes are not on "Reflections," at least not all three. It's Mary and someone else. Maybe Marlene Barrow, but not the other two ladies. There are only 2 ladies singing background vocals on this song. It's been confirmed that Mary is on this track. I've heard the multitrack at the beginning where it is just studio chatter and Mary is heard talking.

[stawberry19919]

@MotownConnoisseur30 Please listEN TO "IN YOU I PUT ALL MY FAITH & TRUST, RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES, MY WORLD HAS TURNED TO DUST" PLEASE LISTEN WITH A HEAD SET! There is another Soprano singing a higher harmony! She is hardly audible! You can hear her on TRUST. I may have to post a vid of me singing the harmony to show you guys, clearly.

listen for yourself right NOW..just fyi

and remember that Motown releases diff. mixes. The extra soprano probably didn't show up in the dissection of the song.

[stage7]

@stawberry19919 I keep telling people.... this is CINDY! Listen close. She was there, and the same vocal timber is there...... If you hear the extended version on the #1's cd, it becomes exTREMELY clear that it IS 'Cindy'! They just played the vocals under because of the controversy at the time. But it IS Cindy, even hitting that 'higher note' on 'Faith and Trust.....

Someone thought it was another soprano. No, that same voice left the note it was usually singing and hit 'that' one.

[stawberry19919]

@stage7 THANK YOU! I AGREE WITH """"EVERYTHING YOU SAID!""""

And yes! You are correct. It sounded as though there was a third soprano, but it was actually Cindy hitting the higher note and (not staying on her harmony! =P)

THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS OUT. I knew I wasn't the only one who "KNOWS" the Supremes' voices well enough. And I also knew I wasn't the only Supremes Fan who knew this was NOT Flo.

[stage7]

@stawberry19919 _ heh heh! I know the feeling!  I have fought many a fight just because I dared to go against the 'tradition' of the fact that it HAD to be FLO 'cos' Cindy didn't Work with HDH. Well, no matter WHO she worked with, its HER on THAT record. I know her vocal timber. I've sung with her, and I know her ability. AND on the extended version, it becomes exTREMELY clear that it IS CINDY! NOT 'Flo'!

[stawberry19919]

@stage7 GOTCHA!

[stawberry19919]

@stage7 P.S. It sounds as though Mary and "CINDY" recorded their vocals at different times or even seperately.

[SinclairisCool]

@stage7

So it is Cindy?

[stage7]

@SinclairisCool __It most certainly 'IS'! And there are tail-tell signs if you listen intently.... It is also apparent that she was 'trying' to sound different to an extent..... But her qualities certainly come out in the end...... EsPECially on the longer version....when it is extremely apparent!!!!!!

[SinclairisCool]

@stage7

So finally you have put an end to all this "who was singing back-up" nonsense. i was getting fed up of people arguing over this. Is Mary also singing? or is it andantes?

[stage7]

@SinclairisCool __Yes, it is most definitely Mary as well. No andantes on 'THIS' one surprisingly. But they ARE on MANY MORE that people popularly think are JUST Mary and Cindy ...... Not on this one. :-)

[SinclairisCool]

@stage7

Love Child, In and out of Love. . . to name a few, had the andantes on right?

[stage7]

@SinclairisCool _Surely!  (smile)

[MotownConnoisseur30]

@SinclairisCool It's not Cindy or Florence on this song. It is for sure Mary. The higher soprano is someone who sang with Mary when Florence missed previous recording sessions and live shows. There is only person who fits that description.....Marlene Barrow.

[stawberry19919]

I thought it was her also...until I listened clearly to this track. It just doesn't make any sense that they would use two Andantes and leave Mary on here. If you listen closely...it CLEARLY isn't Mary. I've been listening for years....I know their voices well now...

And don't think this is Mary...because the Contralto in the Andantes sounds similar to Mary. I don't want to be fooled by my own "naiveness"...

because at one time, I actually thought that Cindy and Mary sang on "LOVE CHILD"!

[MotownConnoisseur30]

@stawberry19919 Mary is on this track. There was a BBC radio show several years ago where they dissected HDH's multitracks and this was one of the songs. They played the tape before the musicians started to play and you can hear Mary saying "Here she comes now" as Diana was walking into the studio.

Listen between 2:14 to 2:18 - You can hear Mary clearly on the bottom part.

[stawberry19919]

@MotownConnoisseur30 Oh thanks. I thought it sounded like her...but Like I said... I just don't want to be fooled! Because the contralto on Love Child sounds like her, also. And even the Lower singer in the Waters *SOMEDAY WELL BE TOGETHER* has a similar voice, too.

[ABITTERSWEETGIRL]

wonderful.. just wonderful..

[MeryQuite]

Wonderful music from great musicians!

[JumpStreet1983]

In my opinion, the lyrics for "Reflections" are especially perceptive because of Flo's recent departure from the group. In many ways, it's a goodbye song that Diana & Mary are singing to her. I'm sure Flo had no idea that the last song she'd record as a Supreme would be so personal. The lyrics "Reflections of the love you took from me" and "Right before my eyes, my world has turned to dust" must have been especially poignant and bittersweet for Flo to listen to.

[JumpStreet1983]

"Reflections" is a 1968 released album recorded for Motown by Diana Ross & The Supremes, the first regular studio LP to display the new billing of the group formerly known as "The Supremes". The album includes the final songs The Supremes recorded with HollandDozierHolland before the three writers/producers left Motown over royalty disputes. Although Flo recorded some of this album before being fired in June 1967, Cindy and Mary recorded several songs and appear on the album cover.

[radcam69]

I have had a crush on Mary for like FOREVER!

[raggityman]

This record is sublime!!! It is so ahead of its time.

[madelyneharris]

Love the FUNK BROTHERS music!!! THE BEST EVER!!!

[KnowWhatIThink]

What's also unusual about this record is that Flo and Mary don't even do harmony on it - Flo goes for the high notes, and Mary goes for the low ones. And because of that, you can really hear each one clearly.

[idaslpdhr]

That's Because Diana Is singing the mid range on the chorus and a lower key than normal though the song.

[cottagechskitty]

Any song that highlights Jack on tambourine is a favorite of mine :)

[steelcross101]

JACK WAS TOUGH

[italoman9]

One of the best, most unique Supremes hit records -- and Motown's, really -- ever. It inicdentally peaked in the U.S. at No. 2 on the Billboard all-inclusive Pop chart.

[DetroitD60]

the Funk Brothers, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard.....glorious!!!!

[Individuell83]

nice filtered =)

5*

[motownbaby]

WOW...the funk brothers are amazing as usual, but Diana's lead really helped bring this one to life for me! Great to hear this track even though it shows that the girls didn't have much rehearsal time with this one!

[combatautumn]

God, you gotta be kidding! Let's give Flo and Mary some credit. Diana was not all she was cracked up to be.

Get a life!

[supremesfan2]

oceanprick!! besides being a douche bag you can't even hear!!!!

[MandingoTyrone]

He/she/it has major emotional problems. Having his head up his ass is only one of them.

[GeenaRodriguez]

Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard and the Funk Brothers - pure heaven!