Diana Ross (1970 album)

Diana Ross
Studio album by Diana Ross
Released June 19, 1970
Recorded September 1969–March 1970
Genre Soul, R&B
Length 36:58
Label Motown MS 711
Producer Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, Johnny Bristol
Diana Ross chronology
Farewell
(1970)		 Diana Ross
(1970)		 Everything Is Everything
(1970)
Singles from Diana Ross
  1. "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)"
    Released: April 1970
  2. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
    Released: July 16, 1970
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]
Robert ChristgauC+ [2]

Diana Ross (later reissued rarely as Ain't No Mountain High Enough) was the debut solo album for Diana Ross. It reached #19 in the USA (#1 R&B) and sold over 500,000 copies.[3]

The album was the ultimate test to see if the former Supremes frontwoman could make it as a solo act. With the help of the songwriting-producing team of Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, Ross turned out a successful album. Ross did extensive work with other producers before settling with Ashford & Simpson, including Johnny Bristol, producer of her final single with The Supremes, "Someday We'll Be Together". Bristol here produces "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" (which was a UK hit when originally recorded by The Velvelettes); the rest of the LP is fully written and produced by Ashford & Simpson.

Ross' first solo single, "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)", sold over 500,000 copies in the USA, was something of a disappointment when it charted at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its follow-up, a cover of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", peaked at (#1) number one on the Hot 100, selling approximately 1,245,000 copies in the USA only and garnering a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. As a result of the single's success, Diana Ross was reissued as Ain't No Mountain High Enough, and another Ross solo LP (her 1976 LP featuring "Love Hangover") would be issued as an eponymous release.

Today, Diana Ross is widely regarded as the singer's finest solo album.[4]

Track listing

All tracks written and produced by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, except for "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You", written by Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Sylvia Moy and produced by Bristol.

Side A

  1. "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" – 3:02
  2. "Now That There's You" – 3:27
  3. "You're All I Need to Get By" (originally recorded by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) – 3:24
  4. "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" (originally recorded by The Velvelettes) – 3:06
  5. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (originally recorded by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) – 6:18

Side B

  1. "Something on My Mind" – 2:24 (originally recorded by Syreeta Wright)
  2. "I Wouldn't Change the Man He Is" (originally recorded by Blinky)  – 3:15
  3. "Keep an Eye" (originally recorded by Diana Ross & The Supremes) – 3:12
  4. "Where There Was Darkness" – 3:12
  5. "Can't It Wait Until Tomorrow" – 3:12
  6. "Dark Side of the World" (originally recorded by The Velvelettes) – 3:08

Expanded edition bonus tracks

  1. "Something on My Mind" [live] (Ashford, Simpson) – 2:37
  2. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" [alternate mix] (Ashford, Simpson) – 6:06
  3. "Now That There's You" [alternate vocal version] (Ashford, Simpson) – 3:08
  4. "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" [alternate mix] (Bristol, Rose, Fuqua) – 3:13
  5. "Time and Love" (Laura Nyro) – 4:08
  6. "Stoney End" (Nyro) – 3:39
  7. "The Interim" (Cheryl Ernst-Wells)  – 4:49
  8. "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes" (Dorothea Joyce) – 4:02

Singles history

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1970) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[5] 14
US Billboard 200 19
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 1

Singles chart positions

Name Chart (1970) Peak
position
"Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" U.S. Billboard Hot 100 20
U.S. Billboard R&B Singles 7
UK Singles Chart 33
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1
U.S. Billboard R&B Singles 1
UK Singles Chart 6

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[6] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. ↑ Wynn, Ron. Diana Ross > review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
  2. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Diana Ross > review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
  3. ↑ http://www.greasylake.org/the-circuit/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F116321-the-supremes-diana-ross-stevie-wonder-and-ray-charlesusa-album-sales%2F
  4. ↑ Allmusic.com review: "...arguably her finest solo work at Motown and perhaps her best ever...". "Diana Ross [1970 album]" Check |url= value (help). AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  5. ↑ "Diana Ross - Diana Ross". UK Albums Chart. Official Charts Company.
  6. ↑ "British album certifications – Diana Ross – Diana Ross". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Diana Ross in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  7. ↑ "American album certifications – Diana Ross – Diana Ross". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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