By MusicFAn (205.188.209.38) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 10:17 pm:

Ok, something bugging me..
Can someone confirm the male voice on The Supremes
Recording..I heard it was Johnny Bristol.

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 10:29 pm:

Yup. Somebody out there can relate the story around that better than I.

By MusicFan (205.188.209.38) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 10:37 pm:

Yes, how did that come about?
Was it the only time he sang with them?

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 10:43 pm:

Yes it was Bristol. He produced the song so I suppose he thought it was a good idea to put a little of himself in there. I thought it worked very well, and I told him so.

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 10:43 pm:

SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO ELABORATE, but as I understand it, Johnny and Barry (Gordy) were having trouble geting the right "feeling" out of Diana, and Johnny sort of sang along from a production booth for encouragement and inspiration. Unknown to him, his track was recorded, and Barry insisted it be mixed into the release.
Am I close here?

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 10:47 pm:

I can't say for sure Doug, but I rather doubt it.Johnny's vocals are more in the line of soulful fills rather than any type of lead work.

By Promises Kept (12.227.139.195) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 12:24 am:

Yes Doug......you are exactly right with regard to what has been reported many places!

By Mark Speck (64.158.96.69) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 12:40 am:

I believe that Johnny co-wrote the song and recorded it first, around 1960, with his then-partner Jackey Beavers for the Tri-Phi label.

I've never heard the original--how different does it sound?

Best,

Mark

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 07:15 am:

The female vocalists on "Someday, We'll Be Together" were not The Andantes, but Maxine and Julia Waters. Unlike most of the latter day Diana Ross & The Supremes records, it was a one-day session, done at Hitsville on June 13, 1969 and released the following October 14. Johnny Bristol, who also contributed his "famous" background vocal, produced the session and veteran jazz trombonist Wade Marcus wrote the arrangements.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.8) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 07:23 am:

I actually spoke to Johnny about this a few years ago, and he confirmed that it is his voice. Also, the story about "trying to get the right feeling out of Diana" appears - according to him - quite true. He told me that the vocal overdiub wasn't coming alive, so he attempted to give Ms Ross something to bounce off vocally. In the end, his interjections worked well enough to keep them in the mix. (It'd be interesting to know whether they are on Diana's vocal track, or a separate track of the master!)

By John Lester (62.49.61.57) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 08:33 am:

Johnny also added soulful fills on Diana's "These Things Will Keep Me Lovin' You" a song that is more well known by the VELVELETTES.

Did someone mention the Velvelettes!!

By Ritchie (62.254.0.8) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 08:39 am:

Quite right, John. Diana WHO?

By P.J. (12.227.39.40) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 09:47 am:

On the 70's Supremes Anthology, Johnny Bristol voice also bleeds through on a few words of "Lifebeats" Oooh yeah! Here he also seems to be giving vocal support and encouragement.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.29.210) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 12:51 pm:

Mark,

Johnny & Jackey on Tri-Phi was released Nov-61. The sound is typical Anna, Harvey, Tri-Phi from that time. This version is almost pop with sweet harmony singing by the two guys. The guitar riff is identical to the Ross & Supremes version.



Bobby Darin also recorded the song, released on Motown 1183-B.

Lars

By cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 01:08 pm:

In addition to Johny Bristol's vocal that comes through I also love the female background vocalist that comes through towards the very end of the song on the "to-gee-ee-ee-ther." For years I thought that they had added Mary Wilson because it sounds exactly like her. When Diana Ross and The Supremes would do the song live, Mary would do that stick out background in the same way as the record.

By Bob Olhsson (68.32.96.67) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 05:30 pm:

I think I remember that adding the male vocal part was Billie-Jean's idea. I never cared for it but what do I know! The song was still one of my all-time favorites.

The backgrounds were recorded in LA and may well be the Blossoms. Johnny Bristol referred to them as his "choirgirls." The strings were absolutely amazing and may have also been recorded in LA.

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 05:33 pm:

I read in Bill Dahl's book that "Someday..." '...may well be Diana's most soulful recorded performance...' Comment?

By Ritchie (62.254.0.8) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 05:39 pm:

Well, I actually like this particular record of hers - so that must indicate something ;o)

By Bob Olhsson (68.32.96.67) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 05:42 pm:

Maxine and Julia Waters would make perfect sense. The first series of mixes didn't have Johnny Bristol's voice in them. It was clearly an overdub but certainly it could have been done at the lead vocal session.

By dvdmike (12.84.13.198) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 06:20 pm:

The booklet in the box-set lists the vocalists as Maxine & Julia Waters.

By John Lester (217.40.196.83) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 06:27 pm:

Hmmmmm........Diana's most soulful performance....now let me think..

"All The Befores" must be someone near the top.

By MotownForever (64.12.107.41) on Saturday, February 08, 2003 - 08:11 am:

"Surrender" by Ross is perhaps one of her most soulful performances. I always thought that the combination between Ross & Ashford & Simpson resulted in some of her best solo work during the 70's.

By Dennis Coffey (152.163.195.184) on Saturday, February 08, 2003 - 08:16 am:

Hello everyone. I had the pleasure of playing guitar on Someday We'll be Together at Motown then and now with both Johnny Bristol and Mary Wilson on the new Rhythm, Love and Soul PBS special. They ended the show with it and everyone joined in singing. It was a very powerful moment in the show. I also recorded Hang On in There Baby with Johnny when I lived in LA.

Dennis

By Vandelron (152.163.188.68) on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 09:03 pm:

Dennis--I just loved Hang On In There Baby and of course Someday...didnt Johnny remake HOITB with Ami Stewart?

By mhc (172.128.246.29) on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 10:11 pm:

Hey, is Maxine Waters the singer the same person as Maxine Waters the Congresswoman? She kicks ass..

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 07:01 am:

The Diana Ross & The Supremes version might have been done in L.A. and not in Detroit, possibly at RCA

By Michael/Cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 04:10 pm:

Well, nobody asked for my two cents but I am going to give it anyway. LOL!!! I think Diana's best vocal bar none is You Keep Me Hangin On. Florence is doubling the lead and I believe it pushed Diana to give one of her best Supremes vocals. Post-Supremes I agree with the song All the Befores. It is so good it is almost startling in comparison to her other work.

By Russ Terrana (198.178.8.81) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 04:21 pm:

I did the final mix on "Someday". For the life of me I don't remember being told to put Johnnys vocal in. It was there so I put it in. But that was a few moons ago, so who could remember every detail. It's a good production and song and it still holds up today.

By dvdmike (12.84.143.53) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 04:45 pm:

They are not the same person. Maxine Waters

By stephanie (64.63.221.174) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 06:24 pm:

I dont know why everybody likes All the Befores I say Surrender is Ross at her best!!!! I also think that A Simple Thing Like Cry is up there too. I think Surrender was her best album vocally..
Stephanie

By Motownboy (12.158.230.250) on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 02:47 pm:

Reagrding a post about "You Keep Me Hanging On." The lead vocal is double tracked, but it is Diana on both lead vocal tracks. You can hear Florence harmonizing on the chorus, but it is not her that is double-tracked on the lead.

Perhaps Russ T. or Harry W. may have some insight on this.....

By Michael/Cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 04:07 pm:

Motownboy:

Perhaps some of the wonderful former Motown people could give the definitive answer to the Diana/Florence double lead. However, in several articles and books over the years (including Mary Wilson's) it has been said that Florence is doubling the lead on You Keep Me Hangin On. I have an alternate take where you can clearly hear Florence. If you listen closely to the released version you can also hear Florence especially on the lines starting "why don't you be a man about it and set me free." Of course, I could be wrong and maybe it is just legend.

By Marv (205.188.209.38) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 10:20 pm:

Regarding the backing vocalists on "Someday We'll Be Together" years ago ( I can't remember where), I read that singer/actress Merry Clayton is also in the background with the Waters sisters on this song. I too believe that at the end of that song I hear Mary Wilson' voice. I loved Johnny Bristol' voice on that record and all involved should be very proud of their work!