Behind The Supremes
Thursday, July 09, 2009
The most successful American performers of the 1960s, the Supremes for a time rivaled even the Beatles in terms of red-hot commercial appeal. Biographer Mark Ribowsky joins us to get behind classics like “Where Did Our Love Go” and to show how the concept of “blacks singing white” was essential to the evolution of modern music.
Weigh in: What do you think of the Supremes? Who was your favorite Supreme?
Weigh in: What do you think of the Supremes? Who was your favorite Supreme?
Comments [11]
i think the supremes are totally awesome especially there song stop in the name of love they are my idol but i would totally never tell anybody i would be teased i mean I'm the captain of the football team i can't like the supremes.
The Supremes were the best! Yes, so were The Beatles and The Stones but as a child growing up in the 60s, The Supremes truly were the soundtrack and the backdrop to my life. Seeing them on B&W TV on Ed Sullivan mostly, I didn't "see" colour. I saw three glamourous young women, who had beautiful voices. After hearing their first few hits on the radio constantly, I learned they were from Detroit and that impressed me even more as I use to travel with my family there to visit relatives in the 60s. My favourite record is You Keep Me Hanging On and my favourtie Supremes are Diana and Mary as they are still alive and thriving. I think Diana has been portrayed unfairly by the media, even now when she finally is receiving her long overdue recognition as a living legend. I think Mary is a underated and gifted performer. I've seen them both live numerous times. I feel lucky to have been able to see Diana Ross and The Supremes "Return to Love" show in Toronto before the tour was cancelled in 2000. I think The Supremes are an important chapter in pop culture and music history and were a major influence for Michael Jackson.
The Supremes provided what seemed like a soundtrack for my adolescent romantic life. "Love is Like an Itching in My Heart" when it was good, and "Love is Here and Now You're Gone" when it sucked. After The Supremes (in all their configurations) broke up, it was Diana Ross' music which bore the brunt of accompanying my misadventures, but since she now records so infrequently, "I Will Survive" has become the last of the qualifying tunes. With that in mind, the music of The Supremes will always be a part of my life, be it joyful.....or not.
The song was indeed "Where Did Our Love Go," not "Baby Love," that was originally presented to the Marvelettes before it became a #1 hit for The Supremes.
..and FYI it was that song "Baby Love" that they hated and was written for the other girl group.
Mary appears on the show and her memory seems just fine. I don't know who this guy is, but he must be an "unauthorized" biographer.
There is a biography running now on cable. The channel is called TV One called "Unsung"
"Blacks singing white"? Where the heck did this come from? They were BLACK singing BLACK!! I wonder if I am going to make it through this whole segment??!!
OMG he, just basically called Diana a whore! Were you in the room?
I can't wait. Many nights I fell asleep with my transistor radio still playing, listening to the Supremes. They were the best! Mary was/is my favorite. Saw her perform recently. I love her husky rock style voice. I can't understand why she never made it as a solo. I have every album and 45 they made starting with Buttered Popcorn. They lost me with Jean Terrell.
Looking forward to this, Alysia! The Supremes are my favorite band
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