Diana Ross (1970 album)

Diana Ross (later reissued rarely as Ain't No Mountain High Enough) is the debut solo studio album by American singer Diana Ross. It reached number 19 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album would later go onto sell 500,000 copies in America.[1]

Diana Ross
Studio album by
Diana Ross
ReleasedJune 19, 1970
RecordedSeptember 1969 – March 1970
Genre
Length36:58
LabelMotown
Producer
Diana Ross chronology
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

The album was the ultimate test to see if the former Supremes frontwoman could make it as a solo act. Overseen by the songwriting-producing team of Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, the album includes several cover versions of songs the duo had recorded on other Motown acts. Johnny Bristol, producer of her final single with The Supremes, "Someday We'll Be Together" also contributed one track "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" (which was a UK hit when originally recorded by The Velvelettes).

Ross' first solo single, "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)", sold over 500,000 copies in the USA, but was somewhat of a disappointment in terms of chart success, 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 number one on the Hot 100, selling approximately 1,245,000 copies in the USA, and garnering a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

The 2002 Expanded Edition re-release of the album featured a number of bonus tracks, including four from her unreleased sessions with 5th Dimension producer Bones Howe. These included two Laura Nyro covers which would subsequently be recorded by Barbra Streisand for her 1971 album Stoney End as well as "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes" which become a Fifth Dimension hit in 1971.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[3]
BBCPositive[4]

Diana Ross received generally positive reviews from music critics. Ron Wynn of AllMusic, gave the album a 4.5/5, and stated that the album was the best album she had released while under contract with Motown, and perhaps her best work ever, and that it proved that she would be able to be successful without The Supremes. [5] Village Voice critic Robert Christgau said that while there were two or three good songs, the rest came off bland and boring, also saying that the album did not age well since its release.[3] In a positive review, Daryl Easlea of BBC stated that despite the album cover making it look more bland and uninteresting, that the album and its songs made up for this.[4]

Commercial performance

Diana Ross made its debut on the Billboard 200 on the chart dated July 11th, 1970, the album made its debut at number 71. [6] On the chart issue dated October 3, 1970, the album reached its peak at number 19. [7] The album eventually was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of 500,000 copies. [8]

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 Marvin Gaye) – 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" (Laura Nyro) – 3:39
  7. "The Interim" (Cheryl Ernst-Wells)  – 4:49
  8. "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes" (Dorothea Joyce) – 4:02

Singles history
  • "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" b/w "Dark Side of the World" (Motown 1165, April 1970)
  • "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" b/w "Can't It Wait Until Tomorrow" (Motown 1169, July 16, 1970)

Personnel
  • Diana Ross - lead vocals (All tracks)
  • Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson - producers, background vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-B6)
  • Johnny Bristol - producer, additional vocals on "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You"
  • Paul Riser - arranger
  • The Andantes - background vocals
  • Jackey Beavers - background vocals
  • Maxine & Julia Waters - background vocals on "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You"
  • The Funk Brothers - instrumentation (All tracks)

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (1970) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[9] 14
US Billboard 200[10] 19
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11] 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

See also
  • List of number-one R&B albums of 1970 (U.S.)

References
  1. http://www.greasylake.org/the-circuit/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F116321-the-supremes-diana-ross-stevie-wonder-and-ray-charlesusa-album-sales%2F
  2. Wynn, Ron. "AllMusic Review by Ron Wynn". allmusic.com. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  3. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  4. Easlea, Daryl. "Review of Diana Ross - Diana Ross". Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  5. Wynn, Ron. "AllMusic Review by Ron Wynn". allmusic.com. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  6. Billboard (July 11, 1970)
  7. Billboard (October 3, 1970)
  8. http://www.greasylake.org/the-circuit/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F116321-the-supremes-diana-ross-stevie-wonder-and-ray-charlesusa-album-sales%2F
  9. "Diana Ross - Diana Ross". UK Albums Chart. Official Charts Company.
  10. "Diana Ross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  11. "Diana Ross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
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