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stephanie (stephanie)
6-Zenith
Username: stephanie
Post Number: 3101
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 10:46 am: |    |
The Pussycat Dolls? |
bobby gardner (supremeross)
6-Zenith
Username: supremeross
Post Number: 688
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 11:03 am: | |
Just to add to my earlier answer in saying that the Supremes could and did sing anything, some of their non-hit/single material was indeed outstanding for those who bothered to move beyond their greatest hits. And while Diana Ross doesn't have a Mahalia Jackson or Aretha Franklin church shaking voice, she didn't need to have one (See Billie Holiday, Nancy Wilson or Dinah Washington to name a few.) But great singers come with their own distinctive styles and song interpretation, and that is what seperates them from the pack and makes a singer/group memorable and legendary or iconic. The Supremes led by Diana Ross were the complete package and while their single releases highlight some of the best work, some of their album tracks show how well rounded and talented they really were. I just find their story so remarkable and looking back over their recording what musical chances they too at the height of their career. You didn't really see the Beatles or the Rolling Stones take too many chances with their music..they just stuck to what made them famous and sold. They didn't try and do jazz or blues or country and western, or try and tackle show tunes. The Supremes did and they did it with conviction and they exceeded at it. Some of the other girl groups listed above made some great and memorable records, but career wise the Supremes are the standard bearers for a reason, even 40 years after Diana Ross left to go solo.
What's the male group equivalent of this question? Who's the best male group? The Temptations? The Beatles? The Rolling Stones? It's funny how that question never gets debated. |
DLM (dlm)
2-Debutant
Username: dlm
Post Number: 68
Registered: 7-2010
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 11:10 am: | |
I forgot to add Brenda & the Tabulations [w/ female group], The Flirtations, the Emotions and the Lucy Rogers singers.
(Message edited by DLM on July 27, 2010) |
kamasu (kamasu)
6-Zenith
Username: kamasu
Post Number: 8437
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 11:31 am: | |
I think that was the main point of the thread just to let members give props to other favorite and talented female groups who haven't attained iconic status.
To answer Bobby Gardner's question, the impressions and the Drifters were male groups who sang just as good and often better than the temptations. |
jillfoster (jillfoster)
6-Zenith
Username: jillfoster
Post Number: 2103
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 11:53 am: | |
Pussycat dolls... Stephanie, you little devil! LOL Anyway... if want direct comparison, click on the sample of Martha and the Vandellas doing "Time Changes Things", and it blows the Supremes version right out the water:
http://www.amazon.com/Spellbou nd-Martha-Reeves-Vandellas/dp/ B000BPJJKQ |
Skool dem (skooldem1)
6-Zenith
Username: skooldem1
Post Number: 3379
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 12:07 pm: | |
kamasu- if I hadn't been down this road with that person before I would believe that. Not crazy or a fanatic here, but I calls it as I see it. He always starts threads to not bring attention to "others" as you say it, but to find a way to knock down Diana Ross/Supremes and point out how he thinks they were not all that. Its a tired pattern. Sometimes I feel like pointing it out, most times I let it go. But I'm not fooled.
Come to think of it, have you ever seen a thread where someone asks who sang better than Marvin, or who was better than Martha, or who was the better looking person (at motown)? It never happens. Why is that?
This is all a crazy little game. |
bobby gardner (supremeross)
6-Zenith
Username: supremeross
Post Number: 689
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 12:18 pm: | |
Skool dem, there's a whole cult of people who operate that way on this board....1153. I've never understood the need to tear down one group or singer in an attempt to raise up another. |
kamasu (kamasu)
6-Zenith
Username: kamasu
Post Number: 8439
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 12:33 pm: | |
Skool, you are totally wrong.
That "person" you are talking about spent an entire day with Diana Ross when she performed here in June and the next day drove to St Louis to attend her show there. They go back a loooonnngggg way. I didn't notice any hostility between the two. In fact, she seemed genuinely happy to see someone she knew from Detroit in Memphis.
So you are totally off base.
He looks at things realistically and most of his posts on the Supremes tend to be favorable, but not blind with devotion.
You allude to some pattern.
But show me another thread where "this person" deliberately trashed Diana Ross (that is someone else on SDF and you know it) or the original Supremes.
But he is weary of obsessive fanaticism that rears its head on the forum, especially when it comes to Diana Ross or the Supremes.
Oh, he says you don't fool him either.
(Message edited by kamasu on July 27, 2010) |
Skool dem (skooldem1)
6-Zenith
Username: skooldem1
Post Number: 3381
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 1:25 pm: | |
kamasu = Motown_Fan
Are you the same people?
Anyway- its quite silly for someone to always start threads, make comments, to rile up fans of a certain artist.
I think it says more about that person, than it does of the person who may come to the defense of said artist. |
kamasu (kamasu)
6-Zenith
Username: kamasu
Post Number: 8442
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 1:38 pm: | |
Skool, how many years have I been on the forum and said Motown Fan and I are related?
Who doesn't know that by now?
Motown Fan joined he forum after I did because he saw me on the site.
All you are exposing is that you don't pay attention to much on the forum when it doesn't pertain to who you like.
No one has bashed or trashed the Supremes. Most have stated preferences, but that's allowed. The only one getting riled up is you.
Motown Fan clearly stated the intent was not to bash the Supremes, but to acknowledge other female groups who - like it or not - did sing better or were just as good.
(Message edited by kamasu on July 27, 2010) |
Skool dem (skooldem1)
6-Zenith
Username: skooldem1
Post Number: 3386
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 1:56 pm: | |
Your making me laugh now. Getting riled up? I'm sitting her at work eating my lunch and laughing. Excuse me for not following your post or your life. |
kamasu (kamasu)
6-Zenith
Username: kamasu
Post Number: 8445
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 2:00 pm: | |
Yeah, I'm done discussing this with you as well.
We ALL know where you stand and how you feel. |
Skool dem (skooldem1)
6-Zenith
Username: skooldem1
Post Number: 3387
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 2:05 pm: | |
Yes. AMUSED. |
Tony Russi (tony_russi)
6-Zenith
Username: tony_russi
Post Number: 4115
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 3:06 pm: | |
When we were kids my bro Randy & I use to argue all the time about who was better The Supremes or the more soulful ones I liked mostly Martha & the Vandellas...we loved em all really BUT Randy was in LOVE with Ms. Ross since 1962, when we met them at Sir Johns Knightbeat hotel in Miami.The fact remains there will NEVER be another female singing group to have such a powerful effect on society as the Supremes. |
TOPDIVA (york)
3-Pundit
Username: york
Post Number: 414
Registered: 5-2009
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 3:23 pm: | |
The Supremes like all other girl groups remain in a class by themselves. Although I understand the question - my question remains - Why are people constantly arguing over who is better? |
stephanie (stephanie)
6-Zenith
Username: stephanie
Post Number: 3104
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 4:05 pm: | |
Jill
Just so you know I wasnt nominating the Pussycat Dolls another posted did and I was questioning it.
No offense to Glencro but Im a little shocked they would be named. |
bobby gardner (supremeross)
6-Zenith
Username: supremeross
Post Number: 690
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 4:09 pm: | |
Tony Russi- tell us about you and your brother meeting the Supremes. What year was it? |
glencro (glencro)
6-Zenith
Username: glencro
Post Number: 1125
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 4:30 pm: | |
I listed the Pussy Cat Dolls even though they will probably be in the category of "Whatever happened to?" in the next 6 months...that lead singer can actually blow and though there's not much substance to their music...vocally, I think they are stronger singers than the Supremes...don't everyone jump on me at once |
Tony Russi (tony_russi)
6-Zenith
Username: tony_russi
Post Number: 4116
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 4:55 pm: | |
We were talking to Mary Wells in her hotel room in 1962 and Supremes & some guys walked by & saw us little white kids & came in & said hi and Randy asked Mary "who is that cute girl" & Mary said the Supremes they are a Motown group & we knew the record "Let Me Go the Right Way" then we just chatted when they came back by from the soda machine & they couldn't beleive we had their 45. They were all real nice but I've never met anyone at Motown who isn't real nice.They were just lounging around the hotel before they show that night at the Harlem Square Club. This was Miami 1962(November).I was 11 so Randy was about 8. |
roddee (rod_rick)
6-Zenith
Username: rod_rick
Post Number: 1316
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 5:40 pm: | |
Glencro I got my stick now I'm about to jump and beat you LOL. I know they had a powerfull lead vocalist I thought the others were back up dancers. But as whole were the others any good vocally? Now you can take my stick and hit me back lol |
bobby gardner (supremeross)
6-Zenith
Username: supremeross
Post Number: 692
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 6:53 pm: | |
Tony- What a great story. |
jobeterob (jobeterob)
6-Zenith
Username: jobeterob
Post Number: 8537
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 8:08 pm: | |
From what I know, and it's some but not tons, Motown Fan would never bash Diana; he's just pretty realistic and blunt and says what he thinks. I think it's fair to say he has a distinct dislike for those people that bash Diana without good reason.
That said, I was a little surprised at his question. "Better" might be in the eye of the beholder. I saw this thread yesterday and I'm not sure I could find a female group that, for myself, I thought was better. I don't think either the Marvelettes or the Vandellas were better; I don't think the Shangrilas were. The only name that I came up with that I might put in the "better" category was Destiny's Child because as a group of strong singers, I think Destiny's Child might have been 3 stronger singers.
I think the Supremes are glorified, venerated, diefied for a few reasons. One is they climbed heights no other female group climbed. They opened areas that had been unopened - a group of African American women of huge success interested in high fashion appealing to the mass market.
Plus which the blend of voices in the Supremes was next to none and Florence and Mary behind Diana was magical; you only need to listen to those that followed Flo and Mary behind Diana to understand the excellence of the original blend of voices.
I also think one of the reasons the Supremes are diefied is Diana and where she went after the Supremes and her success on Broadway, on TV, in concert and in the movies.
And finally, especially Diana's high sense of drama enamored her to the gay crowd, many of whom embraced Diana forever and defend her to the nth degree.
I think those are some of the reasons they are idolized - these reasons, the blend of the voices and a distinct lead singer that has not been duplicated, even by Beyonce. |
gino_belgium (ginomons)
6-Zenith
Username: ginomons
Post Number: 515
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 8:23 pm: | |
Of course The Three Degrees, without any doubt :-) |
glencro (glencro)
6-Zenith
Username: glencro
Post Number: 1127
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 10:57 pm: | |
K Roddee, I'll take my strikes..lol...they are probably a visual group with hired bgv's but was just trying to get my point across |
roddee (rod_rick)
6-Zenith
Username: rod_rick
Post Number: 1317
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 11:36 pm: | |
Okay,I understand. You can't deny their visual performance and the vocals by whomever they were or are, are pretty good. The Three Degrees were really good, I would say would give the Supremes a real run for their money. Like the Supremes, they sang all types of music. I must say that because of the Supremes I was introduce to all types of music, I really can't say that about many of the other female groups, not even my favorites The Emotions. |
DavidDesper (daviddesper)
6-Zenith
Username: daviddesper
Post Number: 734
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 12:11 am: | |
I am late joining in this discussion, but I would have to agree with the people who have touted the absolutely amazing harmonies of some groups, such as The Three Degrees and The Jones Girls. And I am loving my new best friend, whoever you are, who brought Hodges, James and Smith into the discussion! Loved those girls!
As for the Supremes, I grew up right smack dab in the middle of the 60s Motown explosion, and as a teenager living in a country podunk town, the only thing that kept me going was listening to AM radio to see who would have the next great Motown song come out. Sometimes it would be the Supremes, sometimes it would be Martha, sometimes it would be The Marvelettes. And of course the guys did pretty darn good too!
So I just loved them all and still do, and never really cared about who was "better." But I guess as I grew up and read more about the behind the scenes side of Motown, I guess it is obvious that the Supremes achieved the success level they did because they were promoted and marketed much more heavily. So I imagine that many other Motown acts (in the 60s at least) could have received their same level of success if they were given as much attention.
Also Motown had some sensational solo female singers (Mary, Kim, Brenda) who might have set the world on fire in a group setting as well. |
jillfoster (jillfoster)
6-Zenith
Username: jillfoster
Post Number: 2104
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 4:44 pm: | |
I misunderstood you, Steph.. I dind't see Pussycat dolls mantioned earlier... I thought by mentioning them, you were teasing us |
#1whitneyfan (1whitneyfan)
3-Pundit
Username: 1whitneyfan
Post Number: 144
Registered: 10-2009
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 6:54 pm: | |
Hard to call the Pussycat Dolls a vocal group. In the studio, lead singer Nicole also sings the background parts 98 percent of the time. In performance, the other girls lipsynch the background parts and dance. Just recently, all the other dolls except Nicole were fired and replaced. |
Marv (marv2)
6-Zenith
Username: marv2
Post Number: 4294
Registered: 11-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 8:37 pm: | |
Hey look what I found! You probably have never seen this, The Dixie Cups performing "Iko, Iko" on what looks like Shivaree. No, they don't sing better than the Supremes but they were good and a lot of fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =l6rDdWPYdgg |
Marv (marv2)
6-Zenith
Username: marv2
Post Number: 4295
Registered: 11-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 8:48 pm: | |
Hey look what I found! You probably have never seen this, The Dixie Cups performing "Iko, Iko" on what looks like Shivaree. No, they don't sing better than the Supremes but they were good and a lot of fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =l6rDdWPYdgg |
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