Diana Ross & The Supremes - Motown Albums 1964-1969 (10CD) Japanese Mini-LP, SHM-CD Remastered Reissue 2012

The most successful American performers of the 1960s, the Supremes for a time rivaled even the Beatles in terms of red-hot commercial appeal, reeling off five number one singles in a row at one point. Critical revisionism has tended to undervalue the Supremes' accomplishments, categorizing their work as more lightweight than the best soul stars (or even the best Motown stars), and viewing them as a tool for Berry Gordy's crossover aspirations. There's no question that there was about as much pop as soul in the Supremes' hits, that even some of their biggest hits could sound formulaic, and that they were probably the black performers who were most successful at infiltrating the tastes and televisions of middle America. This shouldn't diminish either their extraordinary achievements or their fine music, the best of which renders the pop vs. soul question moot with its excellence.

the Supremes were not an overnight success story, although it might have seemed that way when they began topping the charts with sure-fire regularity. The trio that would become famous as the Supremes – Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard – met in the late '50s in Detroit's Brewster housing project. Originally known as the Primettes, they were a quartet (Barbara Martin was the fourth member) when they made their first single for the Lupine label in 1960. By the time they debuted for Motown in 1961, they had been renamed the Supremes; Barbara Martin reduced them to a trio when she left after their first single.

the Supremes' first Motown recordings were much more girl group-oriented than their later hits. Additionally, not all of them featured Diana Ross on lead vocals; Flo Ballard, considered to have as good or better a voice, also sang lead. Through a lengthy series of flops, Berry Gordy remained confident that the group would eventually prove to be one of Motown's biggest. By the time they finally did get their first Top 40 hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes," in late 1963, Ross had taken over the lead singing for good.

Ross was not the most talented female singer at Motown; Martha Reeves and Gladys Knight in particular had superior talents. What she did have, however, was the most purely pop appeal. Gordy's patience and attention paid off in mid-1964, when "Where Did Our Love Go" went to number one. Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, it established the prototype for their run of five consecutive number-one hits in 1964-1965 (also including "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Come See About Me," and "Back in My Arms Again"). Ross' cooing vocals would front the Supremes' decorative backup vocals, put over on television and live performance with highly stylized choreography and visual style. Holland-Dozier-Holland would write and produce all of the Supremes' hits through the end of 1967.

Not all of the Supremes' singles went to number one after 1965, but they usually did awfully well, and were written and produced with enough variety (but enough of a characteristic sound) to ensure continual interest. The chart-topping (and uncharacteristically tough) "You Keep Me Hangin' On" was the best of their mid-period hits. Behind the scenes, there were some problems brewing, although these only came to light long after the event. Other Motown stars (most notably Martha Reeves) resented what they perceived as the inordinate attention lavished upon Ross by Gordy, at the expense of other artists on the label. The other Supremes themselves felt increasingly pushed to the background. In mid-1967, as a result of what was deemed increasingly unprofessional behavior, Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong (from Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles). Ballard become one of rock's greatest tragedies, eventually ending up on welfare, and dying in 1976.

After Ballard's exit, the group would be billed as Diana Ross & the Supremes, fueling speculation that Ross was being groomed for a solo career. the Supremes had a big year in 1967, even incorporating some mild psychedelic influences into "Reflections." Holland-Dozier-Holland, however, left Motown around this time, and the quality of the Supremes' records suffered accordingly (as did the Motown organization as a whole). the Supremes were still superstars, but as a unit, they were disintegrating; it's been reported that Wilson and Birdsong didn't even sing on their final hits, a couple of which ("Love Child" and "Someday We'll Be Together") were among their best.

In November 1969, Ross' imminent departure for a solo career was announced, although she played a few more dates with them, the last in Las Vegas in January 1970. Jean Terrell replaced Ross, and the group continued through 1977, with some more personnel changes (although Mary Wilson was always involved). Some of the early Ross-less singles were fine records, particularly "Stoned Love," "Nathan Jones," and the Supremes-Four Tops duet "River Deep – Mountain High." Few groups have been able to rise to the occasion after the loss of their figurehead, though, and the Supremes proved no exception, rarely making the charts after 1972. It is the Diana Ross-led era of the 1960s for which they'll be remembered.

Richie Unterberger, Allmusic.com

Even though this long-player was the second collection to have featured the original Supremes lineup with Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard and Diana Ross, Where Did Our Love Go (1964) was the first to significantly impact the radio-listening and record-buying public. It effectively turned the trio – who were called the 'No-Hit Supremes' by Motown insiders – into one of the label's most substantial acts of the 1960s. Undoubtedly, their success was at least in part due to an influx of fresh material from the formidable composing/production team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland (HDH). They had already proven themselves by presenting "(Your Love Is Like A) Heatwave" to Martha & the Vandellas and providing Marvin Gaye with "Can I Get a Witness." Motown-head Berry Gordy hoped HDH could once again strike gold – and boy, did they ever. Equally as impressive is that the Supremes were among the handful of domestic acts countering the initial onslaught of the mid-'60s British Invasion with a rapid succession of four Top 40 sides. Better still, "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love" and "Come See About Me" made it all the way to the top, while "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" (number 23), "Run, Run, Run" (number 93) and "A Breath Taking Guy" (number 75) were able to garner enough airplay and sales to make it into the Top 100 Pop Singles survey. HDH weren't the only contributors to the effort, as William "Smokey" Robinson supplied the catchy doo wop influenced "Long Gone Lover," as well as the aforementioned "Breath Taking Guy." Norman Whitfield penned the mid-tempo ballad "He Means The World to Me," and former Moonglow Harvey Fuqua co-wrote "Your Kiss of Fire." With such a considerable track list, it is no wonder Where Did Our Love Go landed in the penultimate spot on the Pop Album chart for four consecutive weeks in September of '64 – making it the best received LP from Motown to date. In 2004, the internet-based Hip-O Select issued the double-disc Where Did Our Love Go [Expanded 40th Anniversary Edition] in a limited pressing of 10,000 copies. The package included the monaural and stereo mixes, plus a never before available seven-song vintage live set from the Twenty Grand Club in Detroit and another 17 unreleased studio cuts documented around the same time.

Review by Lindsay Planer, Allmusic.com

Its title might lead one to think this was a compilation, but it wasn't – rather, More Hits by the Supremes is merely a valid presumption of its worth. It was also the original group's third highest charting album of their five years on Motown, and came not a moment too soon. The Supremes were doing incredibly well as a singles act, but not since Where Did Our Love Go had any of their LPs done particularly well on the pop charts; even a well-intentioned Sam Cooke-tribute album recorded early in 1965, which ought to have done better, had only reached number 75 (though it had gotten to number five on the R&B LP charts). "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again" helped drive the sales, but those singles had been out six and three months earlier at the time this album surfaced – listeners were delighted to find those singles surrounded by their ethereal rendition of the ballad "Whisper You Love Me Boy" with its exquisitely harmonized middle chorus; the gently soulful, sing-song-y "The Only Time I'm Happy"; and the sweetly dramatic "He Holds His Own" (with a gorgeous and very prominent piano accompaniment). The material dated across six months of work, from late 1964 through the spring of 1965 (apart from "Ask Any Girl," the B-side of "Baby Love," which was cut in the spring of 1964), and showed that Motown could put a Supremes album together piecemeal around the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team and place the trio right up at the top reaches of the charts, in the company of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, et al. Its release also opened a floodgate of killer albums by the trio – overlooking their 1965 LP of Christmas songs, they were destined to issue three more long-players that delighted audiences a dozen songs at a time over the next two years, which was a lot of good work.

Review by Bruce Eder, Allmusic.com

I Hear a Symphony has some great soul numbers on it, mostly by the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team, including not only the title track but also "Any Girl in Love (Knows What I'm Going Through)," "My World Is Empty Without You," and "He's All I Got" – the latter is one of the greatest album tracks the group ever recorded, with stunning vocals by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard behind Diana Ross, showing the trio in just about its peak form. Other parts of I Hear a Symphony seem to take its title track almost literally, with the inclusion of the majestic "Unchained Melody" and the Bach-based "A Lover's Concerto"; the latter, in particular, is a Diana Ross tour de force, with very sweetly understated accompaniment by Wilson and Ballard. And elsewhere, Berry Gordy was pushing his vision of the Supremes as a mainstream pop trio, covering "A Stranger in Paradise," "With a Song in My Heart," "Without a Song," and "Wonderful, Wonderful." None of these are bad, but neither are they terribly distinguished – the group even adds a certain fresh sparkle to "Wonderful, Wonderful," but realistically, people were paying their money for the Holland-Dozier-Holland and Eddie Holland-authored songs, any of which would have made about as fine singles as anything the trio ever put out, and all of which are still a chunk of the best part of the group's legacy.

Review by Bruce Eder, Allmusic.com

Supremes A' Go-Go was the group's first number one pop album, propelled to that place with help from a chart-topping single ("You Can't Hurry Love") and a marketing ploy that generated an irresistible song lineup. And along with The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland, Supremes A' Go-Go has held its value better than almost any of the trio's most successful albums (which excludes We Remember Sam Cooke) – in fact, back in the days when vinyl was the only game in town, used copies of this record sold faster and better than any of their other common '60s LPs, and for good reason. Various hits compilations had skimmed the most familiar songs off of Where Did Our Love Go, I Hear a Symphony, etc., but the very concept behind Supremes A' Go-Go – getting the group to cover some of the top hits of other (mostly Motown) acts – dictated that every song on this album was familiar in name, and only "You Can't Hurry Love" was culled for any hits packages. There was a lot to recommend it musically, including the trio soaring rendition of "Shake Me, Wake Me" and a version of "Get Ready," which, even if it was no threat to the Temptations, still could have been a hit. Similarly, "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" and "I Can't Help Myself" will always belong to the Four Tops, but Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard throw themselves into both (in a less weighty version of the former) with enough spirit to make them work as album cuts; "Money" is diverting if less successful, and "Come and Get These Memories" is worth checking out just to hear Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson step forward. And even the non-Motown covers, like "These Boot Are Made for Walkin'" and "Hang on Sloopy," make worthwhile listening, with Ross turning in a surprisingly strong, passionate performance on the latter. A number one album in its time on the pop and R&B charts, Supremes A' Go-Go also benefited from the fact that there were no pop standards or slow ballads here, just solid R&B dance numbers.

Review by Bruce Eder, Allmusic.com

Anchored by two of their most popular recordings, "You Keep Me Hanging On," and "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone," this LP features Holland, Dozier & Holland (HDH) compositions and productions, and it ranks among their best. The Supremes' renditions of songs popularized by label mates illustrate the interchangeability of HDH's songs. Ross's soprano may not have the bite of Ron Isley's tenor, but she still does a better than average job on "I Guess I Always Love." Two Four Tops' remakes, 'I'll Turn to Stone," and "The Same Old Song," are just as groovy as the originals. An update of Martha & Vandellas' "Love Is Like a Heat Wave" fails to live up to the dynamics of the original. The Vandellas' version was special, while this one comes off like another song for the session. "Mother You, Smother You" is too formulaic, but the singing and lyrics places it well above what other girl groups were releasing at the time. Ditto for "Going Down for the Third Time." A Supremes' album track would be an A-side for most artists. The prolific writers did an excellent job on their namesake LP, which turned out to be the last of the great Supremes albums.

Review by Andrew Hamilton, Allmusic.com

Their last album with Holland-Doizer-Holland at the creative helm, it was apparent that both parties were battling creative fatigue and were exhibiting the appropriate scars at the time. But aside from the then-innovative title song and the jazzy "In and Out of Love," there's nothing much to get excited about. (Note: the CD version contains two extra tracks, one being a lackluster rendition of "Stay in My Lonely Arms" that pales next to the Elgins' original).

Review by John Lowe, Allmusic.com

What more could you want, two great groups, 11 great songs, and classic Motown productions. Contains the super groups' big hit "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" and the equally effervescent "I'll Try Something New." But the goodies don't stop there: Check "Try It Baby," a remake of Marvin Gaye's hit, done this time with bass Melvin Franklin groaning lead lines to Diana Ross' soprano; Diana and Dennis Edwards recreate Marvin and Tammi on a rousing version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"; smooth tenor-singing Otis Williams does a silky rendition of "This Guy's in Love With You"; and Paul Williams is forever Paul as the prominent voice on "Then," an old Four Tops album cut. Originally released in 1969, this is a CD every Temptations, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and Motown fan should have. A Holland import combines this and a following album by both groups on one CD – 21 tracks of these delicacies.

Review by Andrew Hamilton, Allmusic.com

Through 1964 to 1967 the Supremes were Motown's biggest act. Singles like "Where Did Our Love Go," "Back in My Arms Again," and "You Keep Me Hanging On" defined the label's pop prowess and the quirky appeal of talented lead singer Diana Ross. By 1968, the group not only lost member Florence Ballard, but also Holland-Dozier-Holland who had written and produced all of their big singles. Cindy Birdsong joins Mary Wilson and Ross for this 1968 effort and the group name was officially changed. Although it's always fun to hear Ross and the Supremes, the most interesting thing about this effort is its production. With a lack of consistently great songs, Love Child had to rely on hooks, choruses, and production values rather than magical songs. The well-produced and controversial title track proved how good Ross is with melodrama. "How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone" has a great bassline from James Jamerson and Ross oddly having a lot of fun with her supposedly dire romantic prospects. The warm cover of Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers' classic "Does Your Mamma Know About Me" sticks close to the original with good results. Ashford and Simpson offer two of their early tracks, the album's first single "Some Things You Never Get Used To," and the graceful "You Ain't Livin' Until You're Lovin'." For the most part, Love Child's tracks seem to run together but this offers the late-'60s Motown sound without gimmicks and is more than recommended.

Review by Jason Elias, Allmusic.com

Let the Sunshine In appeared deceptively late, given some of its content in the history of Diana Ross & the Supremes. Released in the spring of 1969, by which time the Supremes were already seeming a bit old-hat, it generated relatively little excitement, and its late placement in their discography still makes it suspect, at first glance, to historically minded listeners. The fact that it's also from the group's post-Holland/Dozier/Holland period also makes it automatically less interesting in a musical/historical context. Actually, it's a pretty strong pop-soul effort – Diana Ross is the obvious focus, and given the chaotic circumstances surrounding the group during this period, it's difficult to say at all times who is singing with her (Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong are obviously present somewhere, and the Andantes are, no doubt, backing Ross up at some points); but it does contain one track, the hauntingly beautiful "Let The Music Play," dating all the way back to 1967 and including founding member Florence Ballard. The album is still solid listening 40-plus years later, and it's not easy to explain why it performed poorly on the pop charts, especially with three hit singles present to help drive sales; "I'm Livin' in Shame" had been a Top Ten single and was making its LP bow, and "The Composer" (authored by Smokey Robinson) easily made the Top 30. The one weak link in the AM radio department was "No Matter What Sign You Are," a Berry Gordy composition that was more a catchy inventory of trends – including a sitar in the arrangement that was dated by 1969 – than a new horizon in pop music. The album does embrace more of a soul sound than early Supremes efforts, and audiences (and radio stations) were perhaps picking that up more succinctly here; thus, it got to number seven on the R&B charts but only a paltry number 24 as a pop album. Ross is in excellent form throughout, and the arrangements reach for the lush side of soul, which would become her trademark as a solo artist. Ironically, the weakest link is the title track, Ross' cover of the Hair medley "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" – Ross just doesn't do well (or much) with the songs. Fortunately, it is followed by "Let the Music Play," which more than makes up for the lost opportunity, as well as offering a poignant look back at the original trio.

Review by Bruce Eder, Allmusic.com

The final Diana Ross & the Supremes' album before Ross' departure, a duet LP with the Temptations (the second for the two groups) came out the same month. This ragtag bunch of vault dwellers and passed over tunes written by the company's third and fourth tier writers and producers has a misleading title: there are few creams and it's a bad crop. The sole star is their scintillating remake of Johnny & Jackey's forgotten "Someday We'll Be Together" – their last hurrah, and a few other honorable mentions, namely "The Young Folks" and "You Gave Me Love." Despite the shortcomings, it wrangled its way to number 33 on Billboard's Pop Chart.

Review by Andrew Hamilton, Allmusic.com