Diana Ross. What's that all about then?

'Love Hangover' (godlike)
'I'm Still Waiting' (expert mawkishness, especially the 'i've got the groove' chorus)
'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' (which puts to bed the lie that she can't sing)
'Chain Reaction' (Bee Gees = Motown = genius; the last chorus, where it zips up an octave (what's the technical word for this?) is just ecstatic)

Modulation?

I mean, I just don't get the appeal.

i'm not a fan of the supremes, but at least a handful of diana ross' solo songs are truly perfect:

• theme from mahogany (do you know where you're going to)
• touch me in the morning
• love hangover (obv., the long version)

I think that her first solo album might be one of the best things to come out on the Motown label, there isn't a bad cut on there. I think The Boss might be my other favourite from her, other than that, it's pretty hit and miss. Some tracks off the 1976 album self titled are nice, a couple off Surrender(1971) are great - (I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You,Didn't You Know You'd Have to Cry Some Time and I'll Settle for You). Really like the first two tracks from Baby It's Me (1976.

Voice is smooth like butter.

I think I can agree with some of what's been said on the thread here, in that she doesn't really have all that much of a voice, but the materal given to her by Holland/Dozier/Holland was so classic anyone could make a great single out of it. Also for her solo stuff she has been very dependent on the quality of the material given to her to sing - the Chic organization stuff was obviously great, and I really liked the two Michael Jackson penned singles she did in the 80s as well.

really? she hits some notes on touch me in the morning, and does it with grace and power, and so much sorrow in her voice.

. . . like, some high and sustained notes, i mean.

Yep, OK, she can sing, but she's not extraordinary the way a lot of soul singers from that era were.

On the other hand, this is extraordinary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMJDjLsmKGM

Oh, I very much DO think she is an extraordinary singer! The Supremes were not one of the biggest acts of the twentieth century primarily because they had great songwriters!

I'd rate a dozen girl groups over the Supremes, and I'd rate at least a dozen female soul artists over Diana Ross, but each incarnation has a couple of all-time classics.

Love this one, co-written and produced by Daryl Hall:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8w7CCq036o

Let's also not forget that Diana Ross oozes "superstar" once she enters the stage. Few singers have more of that very obvious temptation that she does, and that is also something that plays an important part in having made here, exactly, a superstar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvW18DDkFrU

Besides, the best Supremes stuff is the late 60's stuff, just after she left.

I own a "Supreme's Greatest Hits" which was contemporaneous for the lineup at the time, ie no Diana on it. It's great.

Isn't Supremes without Diana Ross early 70s rather than late 60s though?

Not like I would consider it their best, but among their post-Holland/Dozier/Holland output, songs like "Up The Ladder To The Roof", "Floy Joy" and "Nathan Jones" are in no way inferior to the Diana Ross-led material they released after they parted with Holland/Dozier/Holland.

Not like I would consider it their best

I would, but then that's just me.

someone needs to do a "hauntology" reworking of ross' singles, pronto.

Really, really enjoying Ross eighties work, some excellent dance singles like "Swept Away" (with Daryl Hall) and "Eaten Alive" (with Michael Jackson!). Some good funky post-disco noir that makes excellent use of her instrument. She worked with Barry Gibb, too - another dance genius.

http://thefunkshow.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=231:cd-of-the-month-diana-ross-six-times-a-diva-&catid=42:cd-of-the-month&Itemid=57

Her records were always strong on atmosphere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9EkvjLI9a4

she is one of the great artists of her time and there is a giant truckload of rong on this thread, what the hell. every track on the Boss went to #1 on the dance charts. every one of them. hugely important figure to dance culture imo, timeless classics throughout her career.

Yeah and her voice is pretty important in the Supremes. She might not be among the greatest singers of all times (clearly) but she as her own personality and her voice has something very different from other soul/rnb singers. It's very metallic and sharp. Not sweet or powerful, for instance.
Anyway, the idea that anyone could have made these fantastic songs as great seems quite wrong to me.
For her stuff with the Supremes alone, totally classic.
Then the Boss album and some other late 70s/80s tracks are also great.
and I'm not even particularly a fan of hers !

She really is....supreme.

any love for the (rehabilitated by vaporwave) cool glide of "it's your move" from swept away?

ah yes! do you prefer D's version or V's?

IT DOESN'T MATTER
NO IT DOESN'T MATTER

WTF at the premise for this thread?

Her vocals on "Someday We'll be Together" are masterfully tender. "Say it, say it, say it, say it again"

ya lol @ avg vocals comments