Blue (Diana Ross album)

Recorded in late 1971 and early 1972 in sessions overseen by her musical director Gil Askey,[9] the jazz-flavoured album was originally conceived as a follow-up to her #1 Lady Sings the Blues soundtrack. Berry Gordy and Motown subsequently decided to shelve the album, and Ross' next release was the more pop-orientated "Touch Me in the Morning" single and album.

Blue was initially sold through Starbucks' US stores for the first 30 days of release. Starbucks immediately sold out of its supply nationwide. The album peaked at #2 on Billboard's Jazz Chart. It logged a single week on Billboard's pop album chart, at #146. Its final sales figure was slightly higher than 100,000 US copies.[10]

1. "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" (Stanley Adams, María Méndez Grever) - 3:28
2. "No More" (Camarata, Bob Russell) - 3:09
3. "Let's Do It" (Cole Porter) - 3:00
4. "I Loves Ya Porgy" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward) - 5:11
5. "Smile" (Charlie Chaplin, Geoffrey Parsons, John Turner) - 2:58
6. "But Beautiful" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 2:50
7. "Had You Been Around" (Richard Jacques, Ronald Miller, Avery Vandenburg, Bernard Yuffy) - 3:29
8. "Little Girl Blue" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 4:00
9. "Can't Get Started with You" (Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin) - 3:10
10. "Love Is Here to Stay" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) - 2:13
11. "You've Changed" (Bill Carey, Carl Fischer) - 2:54
12. "My Man" (Jacques Charles, Channing Pollock, Albert Willemetz, Maurice Yvain) - 3:31
13. "Easy Living" (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) - 2:54
14. "(In My) Solitude" (Eddie DeLange, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills) - 2:05
15. "He's Funny That Way" (Charles N. Daniels, Richard Whiting) - 3:02
16. "T'Ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do" (Porter Grainger, Everett Robbins) - 2:22

Tracks 12-15 were originally recorded for Lady Sings the Blues but some were left out of the movie or were included in different versions.[9]

Numerous remixes of "What a Difference a Day Makes" were produced for promotional use.

• Gil Askey – Conductor, Musical Arrangements, Producer
• Oliver Nelson, Benny Golson - Arrangements
• Guy Costa – Engineer
• Cal Harris, Sr. – Engineer
• Michele Horie – Producer, Artwork
• Harry Langdon – Photography, Cover Photo
• Pat Lawrence – Executive Producer
• Ralph Lotten – Assistant
• Bill MacMeeken – Engineer
• Larry Miles – Engineer
• John B. Norman – Engineer
• Ryan Null – Photo Coordination
• Kevin Reeves – Mastering, Mixing
• David Ritz – Liner Notes
• Greg Ross – Design
• George Solomon – Consultant
• Art Stewart – Engineer
• Russ Terrana – Engineer
• Harry Weinger – Liner Notes, Compilation Producer

• Blue at Motown