Diana
Ross
OK so it's not a sixties or seventies CD - in fact this was released in 1981 and was Diana's seventeenth album for Motown and for many was her best for years. Under the song writing umbrella of Michael Masser, and arrangements including the great Gene Page this album shows Ross as the boss and puts her in a class of her own when it comes to delivering those heart tugging ballads that the likes of Whitney Houston can only look on in envy. The opening track 'Its My Turn' is probably the best song on the CD with a perfect vocal delivery and a gorgeous arrangement by Masser who co wrote the song with Carol Bayer Sager. Taken from the album of the same name in 1980.
'Stay With Me' is one of those stop start tempo's with a fabulous chorus line and string arrangement by the aforementioned Gene Page who together with Barry White were responsible for giving us that lush orchestral feel to so many of the hits of the seventies and eighties. Diana's years as lead singer with the Supremes had clearly set her up for the years to come as a solo artist and the likes of 'One More Chance' another Page arranged '45' from 1981 was just tailor made for night-time radio and even today still commands many a playlist on those late night love shows. A very powerful and memorable single that sounds as fresh today as it did twenty one years ago. This is just was is meant by standing the test of time.
Whilst Universal/Motown have released this disc around Valentine's day - who could blame them as it is crammed with classic love songs from start to finish. 1981 was a good year for Ross with her collaboration with Masser who found the perfect voice in Ross to perform this set of songs giving Ross her best selling solo album of her career. When one listens to her later product for Capitol records (who she joined after leaving Motown) they somehow fail to capture the magic found here. Berry Gordy's desire to make a film star out of Diana in the seventies paid off with a couple of films namely Lady Sings The Blues and Mahogany, both of which spanned hit singles, the latter which achieved a number one pop single in 1975.
Motown found themselves on a roll with Diana during this period with virtually everything she did becoming a hit one way or another and further singles such as 'I Thought It Took A Little Time' and 'No One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever' (co-written by Masser and Pam Sawyer) both achieving chart status and catapulting Diana in to the arms of a new found audience base. In 1973 Diana released the album and single 'Touch Me In The Morning' resulting in a much deserved number one single worldwide and one that has found itself on countless CD compilations.
This CD contains a brilliant unreleased mix of Diana's duet with fellow Motown singer Marvin Gaye on their 1974 smash 'Stop Look Listen (To Your Heart) a song that also found fame with the Stylistics and from the pen writing talents of Philly's Tom Bell and Linda Creed with arrangements courtesy of Hal Davis this version is noticeably different and, dare I say it, better than the one issued. A change of producer to Richard Perry for the gorgeous ''Come In From The Rain' a gentle ballad and another collaboration between Masser and Carol Bayer Sager from the 1977 album 'Baby It's Me' a brave move at a time when so much soul music during that period was centred around the 'disco' boom of the seventies, but there again Diana too was to eventually deliver some of her own uptempo songs to compete with the best and earn that well known phrase 'The BOSS'
Diana was to team up with ex Commodores keyboard wizard Lionel Ritchie in 1981 which was to take her career to greater heights and their duet 'Endless Love' remains one of the all-time soul ballads from the last thirty years. I have lost count of the amount of times this track has been played on radio/disco's etc. Taken from the album of the same name this disc also includes another Ross/Ritchie duet with 'Dreaming Of You' a mid paced song that in fairness is much stronger than the aforementioned and was written by Commodores members Thomas McClary and Lionel himself and again Gene Page takes the honours for the arrangement.
This whole CD warrants your attention especially if you like your soul music romantic, melodic, with slush arrangements and heart tugging lyrics - if that is the case 'To Love Again' is an essential addition to anyone's collection.
Watch out for some stunning Diana Ross solo video footage from this era coming to this web site soon!
Rating 9/10