Diana Ross, that is. The ultimate diva turns 77 years old today. Diana is one of the last of the living Motown legends, and for that reason alone, she deserves all the flowers! However, there are many other reasons: her talent, her drive, her beauty, her class, her ability to command an audience, and that Aries spirit. Whew! That was a lot. But it’s all true.
Hailing from Detroit, which seems to have been a breeding ground for talent and legends, Diane Ernestine Earle Ross began singing as a teen with a group called the Primettes with three high school friends, two of whom were the late Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. Fast forward a little bit, and these three were signed to the Motown label as The Supremes. Honestly, I’m positive that if you’re reading this, you know these parts of her story already. Diane(with an “e”) Ross ultimately became Diana Ross(thanks to an error on her birth certificate that stuck) a global superstar not only for her career as a singer-songwriter, but for her talent as an actress as well. On that note, I do feel that Diana’s acting skills have been somewhat forgotten over the years, even though she was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in the classic Lady Sings The Blues. Anyone who ever questions her acting ability is probably uninformed.
Another thing that I have always loved about Diana is her sense of style. Some of her looks from the mid 70s through early 80s in particular are something to behold!
I’ll sprinkle a couple more pictures throughout this post. But with all of this being said, let’s get into the music! I happen to be the niece of a huge Diana Ross fan, so the appreciation runs deep from an early age. Here we go!
The Songs
“Love Child”: This is my favorite song by The Supremes. I really love Diana’s vocals at the end of the song when she sings “I’ll always love you” repeatedly. It gives me goosebumps every time! Janet Jackson notably sampled this song on her song “You Want This” from her 1993 album janet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSE_BAXRZOU
“My Favorite Things”: It’s not Christmastime, but I HAD to include this song. My Favorite Things is one of my favorite songs period, and the Supremes’ version is one of my favorite versions. I just love the arrangement. It’s so magical and Diana’s vocal delivery is so joyous. Theirs is tied with Luther Vandross’ version as my two favorites.
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”: Diana’s cover of the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell duet is a classic on its own. Again, vocals and delivery! I especially enjoyed hearing her sing it live when I saw her some years ago. She adds very inspirational words about following your dreams, whatever they may be, that really tugs at the heartstrings. The meaning of the song itself does that anyway.
“Brown Baby”: This was a cover, but this is my favorite version of the song. Her vocals are beautifully delivered, as she sings in a lower register than what she typically did at the time. The song is about the hopes and dreams for black and brown babies/children, and wanting the world to be better to/for them. It also instills pride and consciousness. The musical arrangement is similar to what her labelmate Marvin Gaye was doing at the time. Fun fact: the album Touch Me In The Morning was almost titled To The Baby, as Diana was pregnant with daughter Tracee during its creation. “Brown Baby” fits into that theme well. On that note, I learned about this song through my uncle(the huge Diana Ross fan I mentioned earlier) when he included it on a CD for my now 14 year old niece when she was a baby.One of the photos that was used for Diana’s Touch Me In The Morning album.
“Theme From Mahogany(Do You Know Where You’re Going To)”: I love this song so much. Beautifully written words and music, and beautifully sung. Despite how gorgeous it is, there is an air of melancholy present from the onset of the song. “Do you know where you’re going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you get what you’re hoping for?” Those are major questions that can really put one’s life into perspective. The struggles of life and trying to “find oneself” can make one unsure of where exactly they are headed in life, and dislike the things that life exposes them to. Difficult times and experiences can also decrease the amount of hope that one has for their future. On the flipside, these words can really make you think about your life’s desires and a plan to obtain them, so that you can “know where you’re going to”, “like the things that life is showing you”, and “get what you’re hoping for”. A very poignant song to me.
“Love Hangover”: A classic. The arrangement is everything, from the slow groove to the tempo change. I first fell in love with it when I was in middle school, in particular on my family’s cross country trip in the summer of 1998. Someone in my family had recently bought Diana’s “One Woman: The Ultimate Collection” CD, which included this song, and we played it a lot on that trip. The song was the first lady of Motown’s official foray into disco, which was the go-to genre in 1976, when its corresponding album was released.
“Be A Lion”: This song…Lord have mercy! I love the soundtrack to The Wiz in general. I just find this song to be so beautiful. Diana’s vocals, the melody, and the meaning of the words typically make me emotional. The gradual buildup of the vocals and the music does A LOT for me. Her last “you’re the bravest of them all!” is everything! The very end is special too because everyone’s vocals(Diana, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross) blend together so well. Whew! #BlackExcellence
“The Boss”: Her namesake song! I LOVE all her ad libs towards the end of the song, especially that thought I was big and bad but looove…”. I always sing along like crazy. Haha. I also just love the sentiment of the song. Love will always show us who the real boss is, that’s for sure! Ashford and Simpson did their thing on this song and album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO93p3ZZ8Xw
“It’s My House“: Just a dope, mellow song. Again, the (double) meaning and the production do a lot for me.Probably my all time favorite look of hers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIAtE6ywgwA
“Upside Down”: The opening song for the Diana album, which was released in one of my favorite music years: 1980. It was also her first time working with the Chic Organization(Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards). An interesting fact is that Rick James was originally meant to produce this album. Keep in mind that he and Diana were Motown labelmates at the time. Nile Rodgers’ guitar playing as the song fades out is everything!
“I’m Coming Out”: Classic song of empowerment. Also, the instrumentation and breakdown are legendary. Everybody knows the sample in the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems”.
“Friend To Friend”: One of my favorites out of Diana’s whole catalog. I find it to be very relatable and beautifully sung.
“Have Fun(Again): The Chic Organization killed this production. I love how the song ends and then reprises. I also love the carefree message! 🙂
“My Old Piano”: One of my favorites from the Diana album. I love the metaphor in the lyrics, and the bass! The keys on the end of the song are also fitting for the title.
“Mirror Mirror”: Another top favorite right here. Her vocals and the musicianship are impeccable!
“The Best Years of My Life”: This song is special to me and my family. I wrote about it in an entry about my parents’ wedding anniversary last year: Not only was this song on the CD for my parents’ 35th anniversary celebration back in 2014, but it was also the background music for a PowerPoint presentation that my sister created to be shown at the celebration. It was the perfect song for it!
Putting a Bow on This
I have to leave this here! If I don’t, I’ll keep going on and on. I think almost 20 songs is plenty. There are more that I could add, and perhaps I will do that in some follow up entries. With that said, Happy Birthday once again to the one and only Diana Ross!
