Diana Ross -

Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer from Detroit who began her solo career in 1970 after serving as lead vocalist of The Supremes. Her self-titled debut album that year included the #1 hit “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”. She followed with further #1 singles such as “Touch Me in the Morning” (1973), “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” (1976), and “Love Hangover” (1976).

In 1979, she released The Boss, and in 1980, the album Diana—her best-selling solo release—which featured the #1 hit “Upside Down” and the top-5 single “I’m Coming Out”. Subsequent successes included the #1 duet “Endless Love” (1981) with Lionel Richie and “Missing You” (1984), a top-10 tribute to Marvin Gaye. Over the decades, her style shifted from soul ballads and orchestral pop to disco and dance-oriented music.

Ross also pursued acting, starring in several films. She made her screen debut as Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues (1972), earning a Golden Globe win and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She next appeared in Mahogany (1975), which she also helped design costumes for, and played Dorothy in the musical The Wiz (1978), an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz co-starring Michael Jackson. Later, she acted in the television films Out of Darkness (1994) and Double Platinum (1999).

Background

Diana Ross was born on March 26, 1944, in Detroit, Mich., the second child of Ernestine (née Moten; 1916–1984) and Fred Ross, Sr. (1920–2007). Her older sister is American physician Barbara Ross-Lee. The family first lived near Highland Park, where Ross was childhood neighbors with Smokey Robinson. When she was 14, they moved to the (now demolished) Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects. Between 1958 and 1962, she attended Cass Technical High School, where she studied clothing design, millinery, modeling, and cosmetology.

The Supremes

At age 15, Ross joined The Primettes, a girl group assembled by svengali Milton Jenkins as a sister act to The Primes, which later became The Temptations. They played sock hops and did backing sessions at Motown’s Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters. At the insistence of Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr. the group renamed itself The Supremes and issued two singles on the label’s Tamla division in 1961.

By 1963, The Supremes were down to the trio of Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard. Though Ballard initially sang lead, Gordy assigned Ross as the group’s frontwoman. Starting with the chart-topper “Where Did Our Love Go?”, this lineup notched 10 number-one singles between 1964 and 1967.

After Ballard’s dismissal from the group in mid-1967, the nameplate was modified to Diana Ross & the Supremes to highlight the group’s star, who Gordy was now readying for a solo career. A round of late-’60s hits (“Reflections,” “Love Child,” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me”) concluded with “Someday We’ll Be Together,” which signaled Ross’s exit from the group in January 1970.

Diana Ross (1970)

Diana Ross released her self-titled debut solo album on June 19, 1970, on Motown.

Ross opens her solo catalog with a set built around Ashford & Simpson material, where stacked backing voices and full-band arrangements frame her lead lines in tight verse-to-chorus forms, then stretch into longer, sectional constructions when the track design needs spoken passages, bigger orchestral lifts, and late-song key changes. “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” carries the album’s most overt gospel pull, while “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” expands the scale into a reworked suite with choral massing, strings and horns, and mid-song spoken-word inserts.

“Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” sets the template with a slow, message-forward ballad structure that supports audience-participation staging in Ross’ later concerts, and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” pushes the same writers into a multi-part build whose radio life depended on a shortened edit after stations circulated their own trims.

A1. “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” (3:02) — Ashford, Simpson; Ross recorded the song with a gospel-leaning approach and used it as a social-conscience statement in her early solo set.
A2. “Now That There’s You” (3:27) — Ashford, Simpson
A3. “You’re All I Need to Get By” (3:24) — Ashford, Simpson; the song first reached the charts as a 1968 Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell single on Tamla.
A4. “These Things Will Keep Me Loving You” (3:06) — Fuqua, Bristol, Moy; Ross cut the track as a Velvelettes cover, with Bristol attached as producer.
A5. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (6:18) — Ashford, Simpson; written in 1966 and first issued as a 1967 Tamla single by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, then rebuilt for Ross in 1970 with spoken passages and a late key shift.

B1. “Something on My Mind” (2:24) — Ashford, Simpson
B2. “I Wouldn’t Change the Man He Is” (3:15) — Ashford, Simpson
B3. “Keep an Eye” (3:12) — Ashford, Simpson
B4. “Where There Was Darkness” (3:12) — Ashford, Simpson
B5. “Can’t It Wait Until Tomorrow” (3:12) — Ashford, Simpson
B6. “Dark Side of the World” (3:08) — Ashford, Simpson

Ross recorded Diana Ross between September 1969 and March 1970 with producers Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson plus Johnny Bristol; Paul Riser handled arranging, and the Funk Brothers served as the core band. Harry Langdon shot the cover photo.

Motown issued “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” as a single in April 1970 with “Dark Side of the World.” The record peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 7 on Billboard’s Best Selling Soul Singles chart, with additional placements including No. 33 on the UK singles chart.

Motown issued “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” as a single on July 16, 1970 with “Can’t It Wait Until Tomorrow.” Ashford & Simpson rebuilt the song for Ross after her first solo Top 20, and Berry Gordy initially resisted the spoken-word structure until radio edits forced a shorter single version; the single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on Billboard’s Best Selling Soul Singles chart, and it hit No. 6 in the UK.

Diana Ross peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart; it also placed at No. 14 in the UK and No. 13 in Canada.

Everything Is Everything

Diana Ross released her second solo album, Everything Is Everything, on November 3, 1970, on Motown.

Ross follows her debut with a set that mixes Motown staff writing and outside covers, moving from compact, radio-scaled originals into longer, more open arrangements on the side-two remakes. Short, front-loaded tracks keep the pacing quick on side one, then side two pivots into extended forms and more pronounced orchestration and brass color. Producers Deke Richards and Hal Davis shaped a set that mixes original Motown material with cover versions of contemporary pop and soul hits. The Funk Brothers provide the instrumental backbone throughout.

“My Place” rides a steady swing with tambourine timekeeping and bright string lines, and “Ain’t No Sad Song” turns to a harder rhythmic pocket and a more physical vocal stance. “Everything Is Everything” keeps the structure light and brisk, “Baby It’s Love” pairs vintage Motown signatures with a more contemporary chart, and side two sets up a contrast between an extended, brass-forward “Come Together” and a more restrained “The Long and Winding Road.” “I Love You (Call Me)” centers a slower, closer arrangement built for Ross’ sustained phrasing.

A1. “My Place” (2:46) — Davis, Larson, Marcellino
A2. “Ain’t No Sad Song” (2:42) — Davis, Gordy, Ross
A3. “Everything Is Everything” (2:27) — Gordy
A4. “Baby It’s Love” (3:09) — Gaye, Gordy Gaye, Laskey
A5. “I’m Still Waiting” (3:44) — Richards
A6. “Doobedood’ndoobe, Doobedood’ndoobe, Doobedood’ndoo” (4:52) — Richards

B1. “Come Together” (5:39) — John Lennon, Paul McCartney; Ross frames the Beatles song in a longer, brass-driven arrangement.
B2. “The Long and Winding Road” (3:26) — John Lennon, Paul McCartney
B3. “I Love You (Call Me)” (3:23) — Aretha Franklin; Ross’ version earned a 1971 Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
B4. “How About You” (2:47) — Richards, Sanders, Van De Pitte
B5. “(They Long to Be) Close to You” (4:07) — Burt Bacharach, Hal David; Ross closes the LP with a cover of the contemporary Carpenters hit.

Ross recorded Everything Is Everything with producers Deke Richards and Hal Davis.

Motown issued “I’m Still Waiting” as a single in July 1971 with “A Simple Thing Like Cry” on the B-side. Though the single reached only No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 40 on the R&B chart, BBC Radio 1 DJ Tony Blackburn championed the track on his morning programme and persuaded EMI to release it in the UK, where it reached No. 1 for four weeks in August 1971 and No. 1 in Ireland. The UK success prompted Motown to reissue the album there under the title I’m Still Waiting.

Motown issued “Doobedood’ndoobe, Doobedood’ndoobe, Doobedood’ndoo” as a single in April 1972, reaching No. 12 in the UK.

Everything Is Everything peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart; it also reached No. 31 on the UK albums chart and No. 67 in Canada.

Surrender

Diana Ross released her third solo album, Surrender, on July 6, 1971, on Motown.

The album reunites Ross with Ashford & Simpson, who write and produce throughout. As with the 1970 debut, several tracks had prior lives with other Motown acts — among them Gladys Knight & the Pips (“Didn’t You Know”), Martha Reeves & the Vandellas (“I’m a Winner”), Rita Wright (“I Can’t Give Back the Love I Feel for You”), and the Four Tops (“Reach Out I’ll Be There”). Paul Riser arranged the set, and the Funk Brothers anchor the rhythm throughout.

A1. “Surrender” (2:53) — Ashford/Simpson
A2. “I Can’t Give Back the Love I Feel for You” (3:16) — Ashford/Simpson/Holland
A3. “Remember Me” (3:16) — Ashford/Simpson
A4. “And If You See Him” (2:50) — Ashford/Simpson
A5. “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (4:50) — Holland/Dozier/Holland; originally recorded by the Four Tops as a 1966 Motown single

B1. “Didn’t You Know (You’d Have to Cry Sometime)?” (2:56) — Ashford/Simpson
B2. “A Simple Thing Like Cry” (2:56) — Ashford/Simpson
B3. “Did You Read the Morning Paper?” (3:53) — Ashford/Simpson/Monica
B4. “I’ll Settle for You” (2:58) — Ashford/Simpson/Armstead
B5. “I’m a Winner” (3:05) — Ashford/Simpson
B6. “All the Befores” (4:35) — Ashford/Simpson

Motown issued “Remember Me” as a single on December 8, 1970 with “How About You” on the B-side. The single reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 10 on the R&B chart, No. 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and No. 7 in the UK.

Motown issued “Reach Out I’ll Be There” as a single in April 1971 with “(They Long to Be) Close to You” on the B-side. The single reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 17 on the R&B chart, and No. 35 in Canada.

Motown issued “Surrender” as a single on July 6, 1971 with “I’m a Winner” on the B-side. The single reached No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 16 on the R&B chart, and No. 10 in the UK.

Surrender peaked at No. 56 on the Billboard 200, No. 10 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and No. 10 in the UK; it earned a BPI Silver certification.

Diana! (TV)

On March 29, 1971, Motown issued Diana!, the soundtrack to her song-and-dance TV special, which aired on April 18 on ABC.

Motown issued Diana! as the soundtrack counterpart to Ross’ song-and-dance television special, built around quick transitions between stage-style numbers, comedy/guest segments, and two Jackson 5 medleys that frame the show’s musical center. The program also folds in then-current crossover repertoire (“(They Long to Be) Close to You”) and Ross’ recent US single “Remember Me,” while the LP version omits “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” despite its presence in the broadcast.

The broadcast ranked inside the week’s top 20 TV shows (No. 17) and drew Emmy nominations that included Ross and designer Bob Mackie, alongside technical-category nominations.

A1. “Intro” (—:—) — —
A2. “Don’t Rain on My Parade” (—:—) — —
A3. “Jackson 5 Medley” (“Mama’s Pearl” / “Walk On By” / “The Love You Save”) (—:—) — —
A4. “(They Long to Be) Close to You” (—:—) — —
A5. “Bill Cosby Segment” (—:—) — —
A6. “Love Story” (with Bill Cosby) (—:—) — —

B1. “Remember Me” (—:—) — —
B2. “Jackson 5 Medley” (“I’ll Be There” / “Feelin’ Alright”) (—:—) — —
B3. “Danny Thomas Segment” (—:—) — —
B4. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (—:—) — —
B5. “Call Me” (—:—) — —

Ross recorded the Diana! program for ABC television (airdate: April 18, 1971, per your project note) with guest appearances and scripted segments integrated into the soundtrack sequence, including Bill Cosby and Danny Thomas.

Diana! reached No. 46 on the Billboard 200, No. 3 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and No. 30 on Cashbox’s album chart; it also peaked at No. 40 in Canada and No. 43 in the UK.

Lady Sings the Blues (OST)

In October 1972, Motown issued Lady Sings the Blues, the soundtrack double-album to the Billie Holiday biopic starring Diana Ross.

The double album collects Ross’s recordings of Billie Holiday songs from the biographical film of the same name, directed by Sidney J. Furie for Motown Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Gil Askey conducted and arranged, with additional arrangements by Benny Golson and Oliver Nelson. A large ensemble anchors the set, with Earl Palmer and Jesse Sailes on drums, Max Bennett, George “Red” Callender, and Arthur Edwards on bass, John Collins on guitar and banjo, and Don Abney, Gerald Wiggins, and Chester Lane on piano. Trumpets from Albert Aarons, William “Cat” Anderson, Bobby Bryant, Harry “Sweets” Edison, and Teddy Buckner, trombones from George Bohanon, Jimmy Cleveland, Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell, Maurice Spears, and John Ewing, and saxophones from Georgie Auld, William “Buddy” Collette, Plas Johnson, Jack Nimitz, Marshall Royal, and Ernie Watts complete the brass and reed sections.

The film stars Ross as Holiday alongside Billy Dee Williams as Louis McKay, Richard Pryor as Piano Man, and Scatman Crothers as Big Ben. The screenplay, by Terence McCloy, Chris Clark, and Suzanne de Passe, draws loosely from Holiday’s 1956 autobiography. The story follows Holiday from her youth in Baltimore through her rise as a jazz vocalist, her heroin addiction, her federal narcotics conviction and loss of her New York cabaret card, and her death at 44. The film’s budget exceeded $2 million and its domestic box office reached $19.7 million. Reception was mixed, with most critics singling out Ross’s performance for praise. Roger Ebert awarded three stars and called it one of the great performances of 1972. Vincent Canby of the New York Times described Ross as an actress of exceptional beauty and wit working to make a flawed film succeed. Pauline Kael wrote in The New Yorker that the film delivered emotionally despite its biographical liberties. Gene Siskel awarded three stars and called Ross’s work an old-fashioned grand dame performance. Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times wrote that Ross delivered one of the truly fine screen performances, full of power and pathos. Tom Milne of The Monthly Film Bulletin found the life story presentation offensively simplistic while acknowledging Ross’s Holiday pastiche. The film earned five Academy Award nominations in 1973, including Best Actress for Ross, Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Scoring. Ross won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress.

A1. “The Arrest” (0:15)
A2. “Lady Sings the Blues” (1:03) — Holiday/Nichols
A3. “Baltimore Brothel” (0:25)
A4. “Billie Sneaks into Dean and Dean’s/Swinging Uptown” (0:49)
A5. “‘Taint Nobody’s Bizness If I Do” (1:06) — Grainger/Robbins; published in 1922, the song was first recorded that year by Anna Meyers with the Original Memphis Five, and later revived as “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” by jump blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon in 1947, becoming the best-selling race record of 1949
A6. “Big Ben/C.C. Rider” (1:06)
A7. “All of Me” (2:19) — Marks/Simons; written in 1931, the song received the Songwriters Hall of Fame Towering Song Award in 2000
A8. “The Man I Love” (2:27) — G. Gershwin/I. Gershwin; composed for the 1924 Gershwin musical Lady, Be Good, the song was cut from that production before finding its place as a jazz standard
A9. “Them There Eyes” (1:03) — Pinkard/Tauber/Tracey; published in 1930 and made famous by Holiday, who recorded her version in 1939 for Vocalion Records
A10. “Gardenias from Louis” (2:03) A11. “Cafe Manhattan/Had You Been Around/Love Theme” (2:03)

B1. “Any Happy Home” (0:37)
B2. “I Cried for You” (0:37) — Arnheim/Freed/Lyman; introduced by Abe Lyman and His Orchestra in 1923
B3. “Billie and Harry/Don’t Explain” (0:37)
B4. “Mean to Me” (1:18) — Ahlert/Turk; published in 1929, with hit versions that year by Ruth Etting and Helen Morgan; Holiday recorded her version in 1937 with Lester Young and Teddy Wilson
B5. “Fine and Mellow” (0:45) — Holiday; written by Holiday and first recorded by her on April 20, 1939 for the Commodore label
B6. “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” (2:09) — Woods; written in 1934, with Holiday recording her version in 1935 for Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra
B7. “Louis Visits Billie on Tour/Love Theme” (0:45)
B8. “Cafe Manhattan Party” (1:37) B9. “Persuasion/’Taint Nobody’s Bizness If I Do” (3:48) — Grainger/Robbins
B10. “Agent’s Office” (1:09)
B11. “Love Is Here to Stay” (2:01) — G. Gershwin/I. Gershwin

C1. “Fine and Mellow” (2:54) — Holiday
C2. “Lover Man” (3:22) — Davis/Ramirez/Sherman
C3. “You’ve Changed” (2:34) — Carey/Fischer
C4. “Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)” (2:06) — Wesley Wilson
C5. “Good Morning Heartache” (2:21) — Higginbotham/Drake/Fisher; written by Irene Higginbotham, Ervin Drake, and Dan Fisher and first recorded by Holiday on January 22, 1946 for Decca Records with Bill Stegmeyer and His Orchestra
C6. “All of Me” (2:04) — Marks/Simons
C7. “The Man I Love” (2:27) — G. Gershwin/I. Gershwin

D1. “Love Theme” (2:53)
D2. “My Man” (3:26) — Charles/Pollack/Willemetz/Yvain
D3. “Don’t Explain” (2:10) — Holiday/Herzog
D4. “I Cried for You” (2:13) — Arnheim/Freed/Lyman
D5. “Strange Fruit” (3:35) — Allan
D6. “God Bless the Child” (2:42) — Holiday/Herzog
D7. “Closing Theme” (1:08)

Ross recorded Lady Sings the Blues at MoWest in Los Angeles and Glen Glenn Sound in Hollywood with producer Gil Askey. Engineers at MoWest were Guy Costa, Larry Miles, Cal Harris, Bill Macmeekin, Dave Ramsey, Art Stewart, and Russ Terrana; Gordon Day, Dave Docendort, and John Norman engineered at Glen Glenn. Berry Gordy served as executive producer. Katarina Pettersson handled art direction, with design by John Le Prevost and Frank Frezzo and photography by Orlando Suero.

Lady Sings the Blues premiered at Paramount Pictures on October 12, 1972. The film screened at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.

Motown issued “Good Morning Heartache” as a single on December 18, 1972 with “God Bless the Child” on the B-side. The single reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 20 on the R&B chart, and No. 8 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

The Lady Sings the Blues soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, No. 2 on the R&B albums chart, and No. 1 on the Cash Box and Record World album charts. It ranked as the fourth best-selling R&B album and fifth best-selling pop album of 1973 in the US, and was certified Gold in the UK for sales in excess of 100,000 copies.

Touch Me in the Morning

Diana Ross released her fourth solo album, Touch Me in the Morning, on June 22, 1973, on Motown.

The album draws on a broad roster of producers — Gil Askey, Michael Masser, Deke Richards, Michael Randall, and Ross herself, who took her first production credits on an album with “Imagine” and “Medley: Brown Baby/Save the Children.” Arrangements by Gene Page, Tom Baird, Michael Randall, James Anthony Carmichael, Deke Richards, Gil Askey, and Ross spread the set across pop ballads, soul, and socially conscious material. The Wrecking Crew handle instrumentation on the title track, with Bob Babbitt on bass and brass and strings by Los Angeles session musicians.

A1. “Touch Me in the Morning” (3:26) — Masser/Miller
A2. “All of My Life” (3:31) — Randall
A3. “We Need You” (3:44) — Richards
A4. “Leave a Little Room” (3:37) — Randall; originally recorded by the Fifth Dimension
A5. “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” (3:49) — Nichols/Williams; written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, who had previously supplied the Carpenters with “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays”; Ross recorded the song a year before the Carpenters released their hit version

B1. “Little Girl Blue” (3:58) — Hart/Rodgers; published in 1935 with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, introduced by Gloria Grafton in the Broadway musical Jumbo
B2. “My Baby (My Baby My Own)” (2:45) — Baird
B3. “Imagine” (3:01) — Lennon; originally recorded by John Lennon as a 1971 Apple single
B4. “Medley: Brown Baby/Save the Children” (8:17) — Baird/Benson/Brown/Cleveland/Gaye; “Brown Baby” originated with Oscar Brown Jr.; “Save the Children” originated with Marvin Gaye, recorded for his 1971 Tamla album What’s Going On

Ross recorded Touch Me in the Morning at Motown Recording Studios in Hollywood between 1971 and 1973 with producers Gil Askey, Michael Masser, Deke Richards, Michael Randall, and Ross. Berry Gordy Jr. served as executive producer.

Motown issued “Touch Me in the Morning” as a single on May 3, 1973 with “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” on the B-side. Produced by Michael Masser and Tom Baird and arranged by Gene Page, the single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — Ross’s second solo chart-topper — spending 21 weeks on the chart and one week at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, her first Adult Contemporary No. 1. It also reached No. 1 on the Cash Box Top 100, No. 5 on the R&B chart, No. 5 in Australia, No. 6 in Canada, and No. 9 in the UK.

Motown issued “All of My Life” as a single in 1973, reaching No. 9 in the UK.

Touch Me in the Morning reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the R&B albums chart, No. 3 on the Cash Box chart, No. 5 in Canada, No. 7 in the UK, and No. 20 in Australia. The BPI certified it Gold.

Diana & Marvin (w/ Marvin Gaye)

On October 26, 1973, Motown issued Diana & Marvin, an album of duets between Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye.

The album centers ten co-billed performances split between contemporary soul-pop selections and older standards in cover form, including two Stylistics songs and a Johnny Ace cover, with the program shaped for alternating lead-and-response passages and blended unison hooks across short, radio-length tracks.

A1. “You Are Everything” (3:10) — Thom Bell, Linda Creed; originally recorded by the Stylistics, issued as a 1971 single.
A2. “Love Twins” (3:28) — Bolton, McLeod
A3. “Don’t Knock My Love” (2:20) — Wilson Pickett, Brad Shapiro
A4. “You’re a Special Part of Me” (3:35) — Johnson, Porter, Wright; the song’s writers also appear as background vocalists on the record.
A5. “Pledging My Love” (3:34) — Don Robey, Ferdinand Washington; a cover of Johnny Ace’s song.

B1. “Just Say, Just Say” (4:10) — Ashford, Simpson
B2. “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)” (2:53) — Thom Bell, Linda Creed; a Stylistics cover that Motown also issued as a UK single.
B3. “I’m Falling in Love with You” (2:42) — M. Gordy
B4. “My Mistake (Was to Love You)” (2:55) — Gloria Jones, Pam Sawyer
B5. “Include Me in Your Life” (3:04) — Bolton, McLeod

Ross and Gaye recorded the album across sessions that stretched from 1971 into early 1973, with Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson attached as the project’s producers; Motown ultimately issued the LP on the Motown imprint. They started the project under the working title Art & Honey.

Motown issued “You’re a Special Part of Me” as a single in 1973; it reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

Motown issued “My Mistake (Was to Love You)” as a single in 1974; it reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 15 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

Motown issued “Don’t Knock My Love” as a single in 1974; it reached No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 25 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

In the UK, Motown released two Stylistics covers from the album as singles: “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)” reached No. 25, and “You Are Everything” reached No. 5.

Diana & Marvin peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard 200, No. 7 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, and No. 6 on the UK albums chart; the album earned a UK BPI Gold certification.

Last Time I Saw Him

Diana Ross released her fifth solo album, Last Time I Saw Him, on December 6, 1973, on Motown.

Ross builds this set around concise, vocal-forward tracks that alternate between new pop-soul writing and cover material, with arrangements that shift quickly between string-led passages, brass figures, and rhythm-section frames. The title track sits at the center as the album’s most stylistically elastic cut, where the arrangement cycles through brass-band color, banjo accents, and full string scoring inside a short single structure.

Song choices lean heavily on re-voicing recent and catalog material: “Behind Closed Doors” pulls a then-current country crossover into Ross’ LP sequence, and “Turn Around” revisits a 1960s pop standard associated with Dick & Dee Dee. Side two clusters three Bob Gaudio co-writes, which keeps the pacing tight across multiple sub-three-minute forms.

A1. “Last Time I Saw Him” (2:50) — Masser, Sawyer; the single version ran 2:49, and Ross also recorded a longer, unedited 3:39 performance.
A2. “No One’s Gonna Be a Fool Forever” (3:24) — Masser, Sawyer
A3. “Love Me” (2:56) — Baird, Fekaris, Zesses
A4. “Sleepin’” (4:41) — Etlinger, Miller
A5. “You” (4:19) — Etlinger, Miller

B1. “Turn Around” (2:28) — Harry Belafonte, Allan Greene, Malvina Reynolds; the song previously circulated as a 1960s pop hit version by Dick & Dee Dee.
B2. “When Will I Come Home to You” (3:14) — Gaudio, Ruzicka, Wakefield
B3. “I Heard a Love Song (But You Never Made a Sound)” (2:32) — Gaudio, Gaudio
B4. “Stone Liberty” (2:59) — Gaudio, Wakefield
B5. “Behind Closed Doors” (2:46) — O’Dell; Ross covered the song after Charlie Rich took it to No. 1 on the US country chart.

Ross recorded Last Time I Saw Him in 1973 at Motown Recording Studios in Hollywood with producers Masser, Baird, Miller, and Gaudio. Arrangers on the album include Gene Page, Michael Omartian, Baird, Blumberg, Gaudio, Carmichael, and Riser, and Harry Langdon shot the cover photo.

Motown issued “Last Time I Saw Him” as a single on December 6, 1973 with “Save the Children” as the B-side. The single reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Adult Contemporary chart (three weeks), No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 15 on Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles chart, and it hit No. 35 in the UK.

Motown issued “Sleepin’” as a single on April 4, 1974. The single reached No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 50 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

In the UK, Motown selected “Love Me” as the second single; it reached No. 38. In addition, “Behind Closed Doors” placed as a single in southern Africa, reaching No. 14 in South Africa and No. 2 in Zimbabwe.

Last Time I Saw Him reached No. 52 on the Billboard 200 and No. 12 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart; it also placed at No. 41 in the UK, No. 29 on Cashbox’s album chart, and No. 18 in New Zealand. The album cycle coincided with Ross receiving the 1974 American Music Award for Favorite R&B Female.

Diana Ross Live at Caesar’s Palace

In May 1974, Motown issued Diana Ross Live at Caesar’s Palace, a document of her February 1973 engagement at the famed Las Vegas venue.

Motown issued Ross’ first solo live LP as a snapshot of her February 1973 Caesars Palace engagement, built as a fast-cut stage program that shifts between spoken introductions, a Broadway opener, a blues-and-jazz medley drawn from her current film repertoire, and a Supremes sequence presented as a single continuous suite. The set also drops in contemporary theater material (“Corner of the Sky”), children’s TV repertoire (“Bein’ Green”), and a single-track peak from her early solo catalog (“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”), all staged around an orchestra-backed showroom format.

A1. “Overture” (0:49) — instrumental
A2. “Don’t Rain on My Parade” (2:21) — Styne, Merrill; originated as a showstopper from Funny Girl.
A3. “Big Mable Murphy” (3:02) — Frazier
A4. “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” (6:57) — Ashford, Simpson
A5. “The Supremes Medley: ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’ / ‘My World Is Empty Without You’ / ‘Baby Love’ / ‘I Hear a Symphony’” (5:19) — Holland, Dozier, Holland; Ross runs four Supremes-era singles as one continuous performance.
A6. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (4:57) — Ashford, Simpson

B1. “Corner of the Sky” (4:04) — Schwartz; originated in the stage musical Pippin.
B2. “Bein’ Green” (2:49) — Raposo; originated as a Sesame Street standard.
B3. “I Loves You, Porgy” (1:37) — George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Heyward; originated in Porgy and Bess.
B4. “Lady Sings the Blues Medley: ‘Lady Sings the Blues’ / ‘God Bless the Child’ / ‘Good Morning Heartache’ / ‘’Tain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness if I Do’” (7:24) — Holiday et al.; Ross consolidates four Billie Holiday-associated titles into one extended sequence.
B5. “The Lady Is a Tramp” (2:29) — Rodgers, Hart
B6. “My Man” (4:25) — Pollock

Ross recorded Live at Caesars Palace with arranger-conductor Gil Askey, backed by Nat Brandwynne and his orchestra, with the Devastating Affair credited for background vocals. Armin Steiner handled recording engineering, with John E. Mills and Ralph Lotten credited for remix engineering. Packaging credits list art direction/package concept to David Larkham, Ed Caraeff, and Michael Ross, with Caraeff handling photography.

Live at Caesars Palace reached No. 64 on the Billboard 200, No. 15 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, and No. 21 in the UK, with additional peaks including No. 40 in Canada and No. 92 in Australia.

Mahogany (OST)

In October 1975, Motown issued Mahogany, the soundtrack to the romantic drama directed by Berry Gordy and starring Diana Ross as Tracy Chambers, an aspiring Chicago fashion designer who becomes a supermodel in Rome.

Mahogany premiered on October 8, 1975 through Paramount Pictures as a romantic drama directed by Berry Gordy. Diana Ross stars as Tracy Chambers, a Chicago department-store buyer’s assistant who studies fashion design at night and aims to break into the industry. Photographer Sean McAvoy (Anthony Perkins) spots Tracy during a store shoot, mistakes her for a model, and pulls her into an improvised session built around a gown Tracy’s aunt made; he then offers her a chance to work in Rome. Tracy’s Chicago relationship with activist Brian Walker (Billy Dee Williams) turns volatile as he dismisses her ambitions, and she leaves for Europe anyway.

In Rome, Sean rebuilds Tracy as “Mahogany” and positions her as a high-demand runway model. Sean’s jealousy and possessiveness tighten around her success, and Tracy agrees to sleep with him out of obligation; the encounter collapses, and Brian fails to persuade her to return and support his political plans. A later shoot ends in an accident that kills Sean and leaves Tracy injured. Count Christian Rosetti (Jean-Pierre Aumont) offers her his villa to recover and gives her space to develop a label, but the workload hardens her and she turns cruel toward staff. After her first collection succeeds, Tracy weighs her Rome career against returning to Chicago; she chooses to go back and reunites with Brian as he commits to a congressional run.

A1. “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” (3:25) — Goffin, Masser
A2. “Feeling Again” (3:22) — Masser
A3. “You Don’t Ever Have to Be Alone” (2:40) — Masser
A4. “Can You Hear It in My Music” (3:38) — Masser
A5. “Christian’s Theme” (1:46) — Masser
A6. “After You” (2:17) — Masser
A7. “Theme from Mahogany” (Instrumental) (3:52) — Masser

B1. “My Hero Is a Gun” (3:18) — Masser
B2. “Cat Fight” (1:31) — Askey
B3. “Erucu” (3:34) — Daniels, Jackson
B4. “Let’s Go Back to Day One” (1:42) — Askey, Jones, Holloway
B5. “Tracy” (2:14) — Askey
B6. “She’s the Ideal Girl” (2:46) — Daniels, Jackson
B7. “Sweets (And Other Things)” (2:01) — Masser
B8. “Mahogany Suite” (5:31) — Masser

Motown issued the Mahogany soundtrack in October 1975 with music composed by Michael Masser (with exceptions credited per track), and with Gerry Goffin credited for the lyric on “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To).”

Gordy directed the film from a John Byrum screenplay and a Toni Amber story, with Jack Ballard and Rob Cohen producing. David Watkin handled cinematography and Peter Zinner edited the film, and Motown Productions produced it for Paramount distribution.

Diana Ross (1976)

Diana Ross released her self-titled sixth solo studio album on February 10, 1976, on Motown.

Ross returned to the studio-album format with a nine-track program that balances soundtrack carryover (“Theme from Mahogany”) with new album cuts and two covers, including Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile.”

Two tracks set the album’s main contrasts: “I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)” holds to a slow, ballad structure, while “Love Hangover” pivots mid-performance from ballad pacing into an uptempo second half, with studio direction designed to place Ross in a dancefloor mindset.

A1. “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” (3:24) — Goffin, Masser; singer Thelma Houston first recorded the song in 1973, ahead of Ross’ hit version.
A2. “I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)” (3:25) — Masser, Sawyer
A3. “Love Hangover” (7:48) — McLeod, Sawyer
A4. “Kiss Me Now” (2:44) — —
A5. “You’re Good My Child” (3:36) — —

B1. “One Love in My Lifetime” (3:40) — —
B2. “Ain’t Nothin’ but a Maybe” (3:26) — Ashford, Simpson; Rufus (with Chaka Khan) recorded the song before Ross, and Ashford & Simpson also recorded it themselves.
B3. “After You” (4:11) — —
B4. “Smile” (3:00) — John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons, Sir Charles Chaplin; Ross closed the album with Chaplin’s standard.

Ross recorded Diana Ross in 1975 with a producer list that includes Michael Masser, Hal Davis, Berry Gordy, Don Costa, Lawrence Brown, and Gil Askey.

Motown issued “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” as a single on September 24, 1975 with “No One’s Gonna Be a Fool Forever.” Written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser, the single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, and it placed at No. 5 in the UK.

Motown issued “I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)” as a single on February 20, 1976. Written by Michael Masser and Pam Sawyer and produced by Masser, it reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart, and it peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Motown issued “Love Hangover” as a single on March 16, 1976 with “Kiss Me Now.” Written by Marilyn McLeod and Pamela Sawyer and produced by Hal Davis, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot-Selling Soul Singles chart; Davis also had engineer Russ Terrana install a strobe light to shape the session atmosphere once the performance shifted into its uptempo section.

Motown issued “One Love in My Lifetime” as a single on August 11, 1976. It reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 10 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

Diana Ross peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and it reached No. 4 on the UK albums chart; the album earned a UK BPI Gold certification.

An Evening With Diana Ross

On January 18, 1977, Motown issued An Evening With Diana Ross, a live double-album sourced from her December 1976 engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.

The program moves like a staged one-woman revue: short spoken-to-sung transitions, quick medleys, and themed blocks that jump from standards and recent solo hits into Broadway material, a full mini-suite from Harry Nilsson’s The Point!, and a long Motown medley that folds label-signature songs into a single continuous sequence.

A1. “Overture” (2:35) — —
A2. “Here I Am” (1:02) — Bacharach, David; Ross includes a cover of Dionne Warwick’s song.
A3. “I Wouldn’t Change a Thing” (1:50) — Bristol; Ross includes a cover of Johnny Bristol’s song.
A4. “The Lady Is a Tramp” (2:00) — Rodgers, Hart
A5. “Touch Me in the Morning” (2:54) — Masser, Miller
A6. “Smile” / “Send in the Clowns” (4:30) — Chaplin, Parsons, Turner / Sondheim
A7. “Love Hangover” (4:49) — McLeod, Sawyer

B1. “Girls” (1:20) — Phillips
B2. “Everybody’s Got ’Em” (1:05) — Nilsson; Ross opens a The Point! suite with Nilsson material not issued as studio tracks in her catalog.
B3. “Me and My Arrow” (1:17) — Nilsson
B4. “Lifeline” (3:01) — Nilsson
B5. “Everybody’s Got ’Em” (Reprise) (1:07) — Nilsson
B6. “Lady Sings the Blues” (1:00) — Holiday, Nichols
B7. “’Tain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do” (1:02) — Grainger, Prince, Williams
B8. “I Cried for You” (0:53) — Arnheim, Freed, Lyman
B9. “Aux Iles Hawaii” (1:00) — Bastia
B10. “Stormy Weather” (1:50) — Arlen, Koehler
B11. “Jump in the Pot (And Let’s Get Hot)” (Instrumental) (0:23) — —
B12. “I Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl” (2:13) — Brymn, Smalls, Williams
B13. “My Man” (2:18) — Charles, Pollack, Willemetz, Yvain

C1. “The Motown Story” (4:52) — medley: “Motown Overture” / “Money (That’s What I Want)” (Bradford, Gordy) / “Please Mr. Postman” (Bateman, Dobbins, Garrett, Gorman, Holland) / “I Want You Back” (The Corporation) / “Fingertips” (Paul, Cosby)
C2. “The Supremes” (6:28) — medley: “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” / “Baby Love” / “Stop! In the Name of Love” / “You Can’t Hurry Love” / “Reflections” / “My World Is Empty Without You” / “I Hear a Symphony” (Holland, Dozier, Holland) and “Someday We’ll Be Together” (Bristol, Beavers, Fuqua)
C3. “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” (2:49) — Ashford, Simpson

D1. “The Music in the Mirror” (3:35) — Hamlisch, Kleban; Ross folds A Chorus Line songs into the set’s Broadway segment.
D2. “What I Did for Love” (2:17) — Hamlisch, Kleban
D3. “Improvisations” (1:19) — —
D4. “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three” (2:59) — Hamlisch, Kleban
D5. “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” (1:15) — Goffin, Masser
D6. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (4:05) — Ashford, Simpson

Ross recorded An Evening With Diana Ross live at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in December 1976. Gil Askey handled arranging and conducting, with keyboardist Gregg Wright and a touring band that includes pianist Marty Harris, drummer Gene Pello, bassist Louis Spears, percussionist Jerry Steinholtz, guitarist John Collins, and backing vocalists the Jones Girls; the stage presentation also credits mimes Hayward Coleman, Don McLeod, and Stewart Fischer.

An Evening With Diana Ross reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200 and No. 14 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, with additional peaks including No. 21 in Canada and No. 52 in the UK; it also earned a UK Silver certification.

Baby It’s Me

Diana Ross released her seventh studio album, Baby It’s Me, on September 16, 1977, on Motown.

Ross cut a ten-song set with Richard Perry that balances short, radio-scaled singles against album cuts built for extended club circulation, with strings and horns used as arrangement color alongside a studio-band core. The program also folds in three outside-writer covers: Stevie Wonder’s “Too Shy to Say,” Bill Withers’ “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh,” and Melissa Manchester’s co-write “Confide in Me.”

“Gettin’ Ready for Love” places an alto-sax solo and string writing into the bridge, and the single sequence shows how the album moved across formats: Adult Contemporary airplay drove “Gettin’ Ready for Love” and “You Got It,” while “Your Love Is So Good for Me” and “Top of the World” circulated through clubs and registered on Billboard’s dance chart.

A1. “Gettin’ Ready for Love” (2:45) — Snow, Golde
A2. “You Got It” (3:55) — Ragovoy, Laurie
A3. “Baby It’s Me” (3:09) — Dunn, Smith
A4. “Too Shy to Say” (3:15) — Wonder
A5. “Your Love Is So Good for Me” (4:14) — Peterson

B1. “Top of the World” (3:06) — Snow
B2. “All Night Lover” (3:33) — Ragovoy, Roberts
B3. “Confide in Me” (3:32) — Manchester, Schwartz
B4. “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh” (3:56) — Withers
B5. “Come In from the Rain” (3:58) — Bayer Sager, Manchester

Ross recorded Baby It’s Me at Studio 55 in Hollywood in 1977 with producer Richard Perry and engineer Howard Steele. David Larkham handled art direction, and Victor Skrebneski shot the cover photo.

Motown issued “Gettin’ Ready for Love” as a single on October 16, 1977 with “Confide in Me.” Written by Tom Snow and Franne Golde and produced by Perry, it reached No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 16 on Billboard’s R&B chart, No. 8 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, and No. 23 in the UK.

Motown issued “Your Love Is So Good for Me” as a single on January 24, 1978 with “Baby It’s Me.” The track reached No. 49 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 16 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and it also placed at No. 15 on Billboard’s Dance chart.

Motown issued “You Got It” as a single on April 13, 1978 with “Too Shy to Say.” Written by Linda Laurie and Jerry Ragovoy and produced by Perry, it reached No. 49 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 39 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and No. 9 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.

Baby It’s Me peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 and No. 7 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart; it also reached No. 15 in Canada and No. 81 in Australia, and it earned a UK BPI Silver certification.

The Wiz (OST)

On September 18, 1978, MCA issued The Wiz, the soundtrack to the film adaptation of the namesake Broadway musical.

Directed by Sidney Lumet, The Wiz reworks The Wizard of Oz as a contemporary, urban fantasy with an African-American cast. Dorothy Gale (Diana Ross), a 24-year-old Harlem schoolteacher, gets swept into an alternate Oz during a snowstorm while chasing Toto. In Munchkinland, Dorothy accidentally kills Evermean, the Wicked Witch of the East, and receives a pair of enchanted silver shoes from Miss One (Thelma Carpenter), who points her toward the Emerald City to seek the Wiz.

Dorothy follows the yellow brick road and gains three companions: the Scarecrow (Michael Jackson), the Tin Man (Nipsey Russell), and the Cowardly Lion (Ted Ross). In the Emerald City, the Wiz (Richard Pryor) agrees to help only if they defeat Evillene (Mabel King), the Wicked Witch of the West, who runs a sweatshop in Oz’s underground. Evillene captures the group, but Dorothy triggers a sprinkler system that douses the witch and breaks her spell. Back in the Emerald City, the Wiz is revealed as Herman Smith, a politician from Atlantic City who arrived in Oz by accident. Glinda (Lena Horne) appears and shows Dorothy how to use the shoes to return home.

A1. “Main Title (Overture, Part One)” (2:36) – Smalls; instrumental
A2. “Overture (Part Two)” (1:57) – Smalls; instrumental
A3. “The Feeling That We Had” (3:26) – Smalls; Merritt, chorus
A4. “Can I Go On?” (1:56) – Jones, Ashford, Simpson; Ross (film-only composition team credit on this track)
A5. “Glinda’s Theme” (1:10) – Smalls; instrumental
A6. “He’s the Wizard” (4:09) – Smalls; Carpenter, chorus
A7. “Soon As I Get Home / Home” (4:04) – Smalls; Ross

B1. “You Can’t Win” (3:14) – Smalls; Jackson (issued as a soundtrack single)
B2. “Ease on Down the Road #1” (3:55) – Smalls; Ross, Jackson (issued as a soundtrack single)
B3. “What Would I Do If I Could Feel?” (2:18) – Smalls; Russell
B4. “Slide Some Oil to Me” (2:51) – Smalls; Russell
B5. “Ease on Down the Road #2” (1:31) – Smalls; Ross, Jackson, Russell
B6. “I’m a Mean Ole Lion” (2:24) – Smalls; Ted Ross
B7. “Ease on Down the Road #3” (1:26) – Smalls; Ross, Jackson, Russell, Ted Ross
B8. “Poppy Girls Theme” (3:27) – A. Jackson; instrumental (Jones) (non-Smalls composition credit on this track)

C1. “Be a Lion” (4:04) – Smalls; Ross, Jackson, Russell, Ted Ross
C2. “End of the Yellow Brick Road” (1:01) – Smalls; instrumental
C3. “Emerald City Sequence” (6:44) – Jones (music), Smalls (lyrics); chorus (film-only composition credit)
C4. “So You Wanted to See the Wizard” (2:46) – Smalls; Pryor (spoken dialogue)
C5. “Is This What Feeling Gets? (Dorothy’s Theme)” (3:21) – Jones (music), Ashford, Simpson (lyrics); Ross (vocal version not used in the film’s final cut)

D1. “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” (3:03) – Smalls; King, chorus
D2. “A Brand New Day” (7:49) – Vandross; Ross, Jackson, Russell, Ted Ross (issued as a soundtrack single)
D3. “Believe in Yourself (Dorothy)” (2:55) – Smalls; Ross
D4. “The Good Witch Glinda” (1:09) – Smalls; instrumental
D5. “Believe in Yourself (Reprise)” (2:15) – Smalls; Horne
D6. “Home (Finale)” (4:03) – Smalls; Ross

The original motion-picture soundtrack album was released by MCA as a 2-LP set and is chiefly produced by Quincy Jones. The album performances were recorded separately from the film’s final audio (pre-/re-recorded cast performances rather than the exact film takes). Recording is credited to A&R Studios in New York City, with sessions dated November 1977–January 1978.

The Wiz premiered in New York City on October 24, 1978 (Loew’s Astor Plaza), then expanded to additional major markets in late October and early November. The film underperformed financially relative to its cost (commonly cited as a commercial failure), while the soundtrack outperformed the film and achieved Gold certification in the U.S.

Ross (1978)

Diana Ross released her eighth studio album, Ross, in October 1978 on Motown.

Motown sequenced Ross as a hybrid release: four newly recorded 1978 tracks on side one, then earlier Ross recordings from 1971–75 on side two, rebuilt through 1978 remixes and extended versions.

Side one centers long, club-scaled mixes and radio edits drawn from the same takes, with “Lovin’, Livin’ and Givin’” carrying the most conspicuous rework, expanded with added electronic elements for the album configuration after its earlier soundtrack appearance. Side two reframes familiar Motown-era titles through extended remixing, with older sessions pulled forward through new edits and revised balances.

A1. “Lovin’, Livin’ and Givin’” (Extended Remix) (5:11) — Stover, Davis; an edited version first appeared on early pressings of the Thank God It’s Friday soundtrack (May 1978), then Motown rebuilt the track for Ross and scheduled (then cancelled) a US single release while issuing it as an A-side in the UK and parts of Europe.
A2. “What You Gave Me” (4:57) — Ashford, Simpson; Ashford & Simpson wrote and produced the song for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s 1969 Tamla single, then Ross recorded it for Ross with a 7-inch edit issued with “Together” (1978 Remix).
A3. “Never Say I Don’t Love You” (3:50) — Wright, Patterson
A4. “You Were the One” (4:01) — Wright, Patterson

B1. “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” (1978 Extended Remix) (5:30) — Holland, Dozier, Holland; Motown lifted an edited 3:59 version as a 1971 single, then returned to the recording for an extended 1978 album mix.
B2. “Sorry Doesn’t Always Make It Right” (1978 Remix) (3:28) — Masser; first issued as a Motown single in February 1975 with “Together,” then reworked for the Ross configuration.
B3. “Where Did We Go Wrong” (1978 Remix) (4:24) — Miller, Baird; an outtake from the Last Time I Saw Him period, remixed for Ross.
B4. “To Love Again” (1978 Remix) (4:04) — Goffin, Masser; an outtake from the Mahogany soundtrack sessions, remixed for Ross.
B5. “Together” (1978 Remix) (3:31) — Masser, Sawyer; first issued as the B-side of “Sorry Doesn’t Always Make It Right” (February 1975), then remixed for Ross.

Ross recorded the album’s material across 1971–78 at Motown Recording Studios in Hollywood, with production credits spanning Hal Davis, Greg Wright, Ashford & Simpson, and Michael Masser.

Motown issued “Lovin’, Livin’ and Givin’” as a single outside the US; it reached No. 54 in the UK and also placed on Billboard’s Dance chart at No. 35.

Motown issued “What You Gave Me” as a single in 1978, using an edited version; it reached No. 86 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

Ross reached No. 49 on the Billboard 200 and No. 32 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart; it also placed at No. 59 in Canada.

The Boss

Diana Ross released her ninth studio album, The Boss, on May 23, 1979, on Motown.

Ross frames eight Ashford & Simpson songs in a set built for tight, forward motion, where short, repeating figures support longer track lengths and clear sectional turns inside each arrangement. Side A keeps the pacing firm across four mid-length performances, then side B opens the forms slightly, with two five-minute tracks and a closer that holds its line through a steadier, less crowded texture.

Motown also tied the album cycle to a televised stage presentation: Ross promoted The Boss on her first HBO special, Standing Room Only, culled from her Tour ’79 stop at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and the setlist included “The Boss,” “It’s My House,” “No One Gets the Prize,” “I Ain’t Been Licked,” and “All for One.”

A1. “No One Gets the Prize” (4:40) — Ashford, Simpson
A2. “I Ain’t Been Licked” (4:09) — Ashford, Simpson
A3. “All for One” (4:20) — Ashford, Simpson
A4. “The Boss” (3:52) — Ashford, Simpson

B1. “Once in the Morning” (4:54) — Ashford, Simpson
B2. “It’s My House” (4:34) — Ashford, Simpson
B3. “Sparkle” (5:23) — Ashford, Simpson
B4. “I’m in the World” (4:04) — Ashford, Simpson

Ross recorded The Boss with producers Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, who also wrote the full program. Saxophonist Michael Brecker appears on the sessions, with horn-and-string arrangements split across Rob Mounsey (tracks A1–A3), Paul Riser (tracks B1, B3–B4), and John Davis (tracks A4, B3). Greg Arnold handled remix engineering at Marathon Recording, New York City, and Douglas Kirkland shot the photography.

Motown issued “The Boss” as a single in 1979 with “I’m in the World” as the B-side. The single reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles chart, and No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart; it also reached No. 40 in the UK.

Motown issued “No One Gets the Prize” as a single in 1979 in Europe with “Never Say I Don’t Love You” as the B-side. In the UK, the single reached No. 59, and the “No One Gets the Prize / The Boss” pairing reached No. 1 on the Billboard disco chart as well as No. 1 on Cash Box’s disco chart and Record World’s disco chart.

Motown issued “It’s My House” as a single in 1979. The single reached No. 27 on Billboard’s R&B chart, No. 32 in the UK, No. 71 in Australia, and No. 7 in South Africa.

The Boss peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and No. 10 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with additional chart peaks including No. 52 in the UK; it also received an RIAA Gold certification.

Diana (1980)

Diana Ross released her tenth studio album, Diana, on May 22, 1980, on Motown.

Ross cut an eight-song set built from Bernard Edwards–Nile Rodgers writing, with side A framed as four long, full-band performances and side B paced as three more extended cuts plus a shorter closer. Edwards and Rodgers shaped the material after direct conversations about Ross’ next step, including her stated desire to turn her career “upside down” and to “have fun again.”

“Upside Down” and “I’m Coming Out” anchor the album’s most visible contrasts: “Upside Down” pushes a tight, looping song form designed for radio edits and club circulation, while “I’m Coming Out” stretches past five minutes and carries a horn feature late in the track. Side B keeps the momentum with another near-six-minute performance in “Have Fun (Again),” then tightens into shorter forms across “My Old Piano” and “Give Up.”

A1. “Upside Down” (4:05) — Edwards, Rodgers; Rodgers and Edwards wrote the song after Ross framed the album goal as turning her career “upside down.”
A2. “Tenderness” (3:52) — Edwards, Rodgers
A3. “Friend to Friend” (3:19) — Edwards, Rodgers
A4. “I’m Coming Out” (5:24) — Edwards, Rodgers; Rodgers tied the lyric premise to seeing drag queens dressed as Ross at a New York club.

B1. “Have Fun (Again)” (5:57) — Edwards, Rodgers; Ross’ “have fun again” direction also fed directly into the title and lyric frame.
B2. “My Old Piano” (3:55) — Edwards, Rodgers; Rodgers described this as the one song that came from their standard writing process rather than the Ross interviews.
B3. “Now That You’re Gone” (3:59) — Edwards, Rodgers
B4. “Give Up” (3:45) — Edwards, Rodgers

Ross recorded Diana at the Power Station in New York City between December 1979 and March 1980 with producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Ross and Russ Terrana handled remixes at Artisan Sound Recorders in Hollywood, and Atlantic Studios in New York handled mastering.

Motown issued “Upside Down” as a single on June 18, 1980 with “Friend to Friend” as the B-side. The single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B and disco charts, and it hit No. 2 in the UK.

Motown issued “I’m Coming Out” as a single on August 22, 1980 (with B-sides varying by market). The single reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 6 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and No. 13 in the UK, and it topped Billboard’s disco chart.

Motown issued “My Old Piano” as a single on September 19, 1980. The single charted internationally, including No. 5 in the UK and No. 2 in the Netherlands.

Motown also released “Tenderness” as a single in select territories, including the Netherlands.

Diana peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, with additional peaks including No. 12 in the UK and No. 8 in Canada. The album received RIAA Platinum (US) and BPI Gold (UK) certifications.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love

Diana Ross released her eleventh studio album, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, on September 14, 1981, on Capitol (Europe) and RCA (North America).

Ross opened her post-Motown run with a nine-track LP that keeps the arrangements in tight, glossy forms, shifting between short, radio-scaled rock-and-roll revivals and longer mid-tempo tracks designed for extended mixes. Side A centers the two singles built from older source material, then stretches the album’s longest cut across a slower, more open vocal frame. Side B keeps the pacing varied, moving from a brisk single-length track into longer, slower songs before the set closes on a workout-themed dance cut built for club and radio edits.

A1. “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” (2:53) — Lymon, Levy; Ross recast Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers’ 1950s hit as the album opener and lead single.
A2. “Sweet Surrender” (4:09) — Stack, Christiansen
A3. “Mirror, Mirror” (6:08) — Sembello, Matkosky; the lyric frame borrows the Wicked Queen’s mirror chant from Snow White, and the promo clip circulated on BET.
A4. “Endless Love” (4:56) — Richie; Ross also carried a solo version of the year’s No. 1 duet into the album.

B1. “It’s Never Too Late” (3:19) — Hartman
B2. “Think I’m in Love” (4:15) — Taylor
B3. “Sweet Nothings” (3:00) — Self, Albritton; Ross covered Brenda Lee’s 1959 hit, known for its whispered intro that drew radio bans in some markets.
B4. “Two Can Make It” (3:24) — Pitchford, Snow
B5. “Work That Body” (5:01) — Ross, Jabara, Chew; Ross co-wrote the song as an aerobics-era single designed for remixes and video play.

Ross recorded Why Do Fools Fall in Love at the Power Station in New York City (1980–81) and produced the album herself.

RCA issued “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” as a single on September 25, 1981. The record reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 6 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and No. 2 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, and it peaked at No. 4 in the UK; the video placed Ross on Fremont Street in Las Vegas.

RCA issued “Mirror, Mirror” as a single on December 11, 1981 with “Sweet Nothings” as the B-side. The single reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

RCA issued “Work That Body” as a single on March 19, 1982 with “Two Can Make It” as the B-side. The single reached No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 34 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and No. 7 in the UK, and it also moved on Billboard’s Dance chart.

Capitol issued “It’s Never Too Late” as a single in some international markets in July 1982; in the Netherlands it reached No. 41.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, and it reached No. 17 in the UK and No. 3 in the Netherlands. The album earned an RIAA Platinum certification and also went Gold in the UK and Canada.

The album appeared three months after “Endless Love,” her duet ballad with Lionel Richie for the namesake romantic drama by director Franco Zeffirelli. “Endless Love,” spent nine weeks at No. 1 from mid-August through early October. It ranks as the No. 2 song on Billboard’s 1981 year-end chart.

Silk Electric

Diana Ross released her twelfth studio album, Silk Electric, on September 10, 1982, on Capitol and RCA.

Ross sequences a ten-track LP where side A holds four full-length songs plus a short interlude, then side B returns to standard song lengths across five tracks. “Muscles” anchors the set with a tight, mid-tempo single frame built around a writer-producer identity credit, while “So Close” and “Fool for Your Love” keep the album in compact, chorus-forward forms; the second side runs from “Who” through “I Am Me” with longer, steadier pacing and fewer abrupt switches.

A1. “Muscles” (4:40) — Jackson; Ross cut the album’s signature single as a Michael Jackson-written and -produced track, and the record later earned a Grammy nomination.
A2. “So Close” (4:14) — Wray, Mounsey, Ross; the arrangement foregrounds prominent background vocal writing credited in your source to Luther Vandross’ approach.
A3. “Still in Love” (4:08) — Handley
A4. “Fool for Your Love” (3:48) — Wray, Chew, Ross
A5. “Turn Me Over” (1:08) — Goldstein

B1. “Who” (3:38) — Blue, Bowkett
B2. “Love Lies” (3:47) — Chapman, Hanna
B3. “In Your Arms” (4:07) — Creed, Masser; Teddy Pendergrass and Whitney Houston later recut the song as “Hold Me.”
B4. “Anywhere You Run To” (3:31) — Roberts
B5. “I Am Me” (3:52) — Gorman, Bradford, Ross; your source notes a later compilation miscredit that listed Cindy Birdsong in place of Janie Bradford.

Ross recorded Silk Electric at Hollywood Sound Recorders (Hollywood) and the Power Station (New York City) across 1981–82, and she produced the album overall, with Michael Jackson producing “Muscles.”

Capitol/RCA issued “Muscles” as a single on September 17, 1982. Written and produced by Michael Jackson, it reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

Capitol/RCA issued “So Close” as a single on January 7, 1983. It reached No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Capitol issued “Who” as a single in the Netherlands on April 5, 1983; it reached No. 44 there.

Silk Electric peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, and it reached No. 33 in the UK. The album earned an RIAA Gold certification in the US and a BPI Silver certification in the UK, and your source credits Andy Warhol with the cover design.

Ross (1983)

Diana Ross released her thirteenth studio album, Ross, on June 9, 1983, on Capitol and RCA.

Ross issued an eight-track set that leans into early-1980s studio polish, with side A built from four mid-length tracks that keep the tempo and texture in steady, radio-scaled frames, then side B shifting to three more mid-length cuts plus a shorter closer. Track selection favors contemporary outside writers (including Donald Fagen and Michael McDonald) and a mix of band-centric rhythm tracks with keyboard-forward production.

“Pieces of Ice” serves as the album’s primary crossover single, issued in multiple mix lengths and paired with a choreographed promo clip. Side B groups two Ray Parker Jr. tracks (“Love or Loneliness,” “Up Front”) with “Girls,” the lone Ross production credit in the set.

A1. “That’s How You Start Over” (4:12) — Sanford, McDonald
A2. “Love Will Make It Right” (4:46) — Fagen
A3. “You Do It” (4:32) — Allen, Struzick, Van Hoy
A4. “Pieces of Ice” (4:58) — Capek, Jordan; issued in multiple single/club lengths, and promoted with a choreographed video directed by Bob Giraldi.

B1. “Let’s Go Up” (4:06) — Golde, Ivers
B2. “Love or Loneliness” (4:18) — Parker Jr.
B3. “Up Front” (4:00) — Parker Jr.
B4. “Girls” (4:03) — Wray, Jordan, Ross

Ross recorded Ross at Soundworks Digital Audio/Video Studios, Mediasound, and the Power Station (New York); Sound City Studios and The Village Recorder (Los Angeles); and Ameraycan Studios (North Hollywood). Gary Katz produced tracks 1–5, Ray Parker Jr. produced tracks 6–7, and Ross produced track 8. Bob Ludwig mastered tracks 1–3 and 5–8 at Masterdisk (New York), and Ted Jensen mastered track 4 at Sterling Sound (New York). Ria Lewerke handled cover design, and Uwe Ommer shot the photography.

RCA issued “Pieces of Ice” as a single on June 17, 1983 with “Still in Love” as the B-side. The single reached No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 15 on the Billboard R&B chart; it also placed internationally, including No. 8 in Norway and No. 46 in the UK. The 12-inch configuration also carried an instrumental version.

RCA issued “Let’s Go Up” as a single in 1983. It reached No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 52 on the Billboard R&B chart.

RCA issued “Up Front” as a single in 1983. It reached No. 60 on the Billboard R&B chart, and an alternate Jolley & Swain remix appeared as an international single that reached No. 79 in the UK.

Ross reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 and No. 14 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, with additional peaks including No. 44 in the UK.

In 1983, Ross also staged a major live event tied to this period: she performed a free concert on Central Park’s Great Lawn on July 21, 1983, aired live worldwide by Showtime.

Swept Away

Diana Ross released her fourteenth studio album, Swept Away, on September 13, 1984, on RCA.

Ross issued a ten-track set that mixes outside writers with self-written material and one featured duet, framed by mid-length, radio-scaled tracks on side A and a second side that keeps the pacing even across five more songs. The program also includes two prominent covers: Fontella Bass’ 1960s hit “Rescue Me” and Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young.” “Telephone” targets R&B radio, while “It’s Your Move” adds a new-wave angle through Nile Rodgers’ guitar. “All of You” pairs Ross with Julio Iglesias, and “Swept Away” opens with a spoken-word introduction credited to Ross.

A1. “Missing You” (4:05) — Lionel Richie; Richie wrote and produced the song as a tribute to Marvin Gaye, and he also added background vocals.
A2. “Touch by Touch” (4:11) — Arthur Barrow, Joe Esposito, Richie Zito
A3. “Rescue Me” (2:41) — Raynard Miner, Carl Smith; Ross covers Fontella Bass’ 1960s hit.
A4. “It’s Your Move” (3:34) — Steve Kipner, Terry Shaddick; Nile Rodgers contributes guitar to the track’s new-wave design.
A5. “Swept Away” (5:23) — Daryl Hall, Sara Allen, Diana Ross; Ross wrote the spoken-word intro.

B1. “Telephone” (4:10) — Bernard Edwards, Denzil Miller; Edwards produced the track and RCA aimed it at R&B radio.
B2. “Nobody Makes Me Crazy Like You Do” (4:20) — Robby Benson, Karla DeVito
B3. “All of You” (4:02) — Cynthia Weil, Julio Iglesias, Tony Renis; duet with Iglesias.
B4. “We Are the Children of the World” (4:24) — Mary Anne Kelly, Peppy Castro
B5. “Forever Young” (4:49) — Bob Dylan; Ross later used the song as the finale to her 1987 ABC TV special Diana Ross: Red Hot Rhythm and Blues.

Ross recorded Swept Away at Unique Recording Studios (New York City) with Larry Alexander as engineer and Ted Jensen mastering at Sterling Sound. Producer credits split by track: James Anthony Carmichael and Lionel Richie (A1); Ross (A2–A4, B2, and B4–B5); Arthur Baker and Daryl Hall (A5); Bernard Edwards (B1); and Ramón Arcusa and Richard Perry (B3), with Albert Hammond as co-producer on the duet. Ria Lewerke handled art direction, Sue Reilly handled design, and Francisco Scavullo shot the cover photography.

RCA issued “All of You” as a single on June 12, 1984. The duet reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 38 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and No. 2 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart; it also placed internationally, including No. 43 in the UK and No. 7 in the Netherlands.

RCA issued “Swept Away” as a single on August 14, 1984. The single reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and it topped Billboard’s Dance chart.

Capitol issued “Touch by Touch” as a non-US single in September 1984. The single placed internationally, including No. 18 in Canada, No. 17 in Ireland, and No. 47 in the Netherlands and the UK.

RCA issued “Missing You” as a single on November 13, 1984 with “We Are the Children of the World” as the B-side. The single reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and No. 4 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.

RCA later issued “Telephone” as a US single; it reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Swept Away peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard 200 and No. 7 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart. The album also reached No. 40 in the UK and hit the top ten in Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden, with a peak of No. 7 in Norway. RCA certified the album Gold by the end of 1984.

Eaten Alive

Diana Ross released her fifteenth studio album, Eaten Alive, on September 24, 1985, on RCA.

Ross built this ten-track set around Barry Gibb-led writing and production, with most of the program designed as tight, synth-forward pop structures that keep clear verse/chorus turns and short instrumental breaks, then open into longer mid-tempo frames when the arrangements need more space. “Eaten Alive” and “Chain Reaction” sit as the record’s two most pointed concept pieces: the opener carries an additional Michael Jackson co-writing and co-production credit, and “Chain Reaction” arrives as the last-written track, drafted to give the album an obvious single and shaped around a Motown-era echo Ross initially resisted.

A1. “Eaten Alive” (3:54) — Gibb, Gibb, Jackson; Ross recorded the title track with Michael Jackson as co-writer and co-producer, and he also appears on the record uncredited.
A2. “Oh Teacher” (3:40) — Gibb, Gibb, Gibb
A3. “Experience” (4:57) — Gibb, Gibb, Gibb, Gibb
A4. “Chain Reaction” (3:49) — Gibb, Gibb, Gibb; written late in the process as a targeted single, with the writers aiming for a Supremes-era Motown pull.
A5. “More and More” (3:06) — Gibb, Gibb, Galuten

B1. “I’m Watching You” (3:51) — Gibb, Gibb, Gibb
B2. “Love on the Line” (4:21) — Gibb, Gibb, Gibb
B3. “(I Love) Being in Love with You” (4:33) — Gibb, Gibb, Gibb
B4. “Crime of Passion” (3:34) — Gibb, Gibb, Gibb
B5. “Don’t Give Up on Each Other” (3:45) — Gibb, Bitzer

Ross recorded Eaten Alive with production centered on the Gibb–Galuten–Richardson team, with Michael Jackson credited as co-producer on the title track. The liner-note personnel list places keyboard work across John Barnes, George Bitzer, James Newton Howard, Greg Phillinganes, and Larry Williams, with guitarist Don Felder in the lineup alongside Barry Gibb, bassist Nathan East, and drummers Steve Gadd and Paul Leim.

RCA issued “Eaten Alive” as a single on September 1, 1985. The US configuration used “Eaten Alive (Edited Dance Mix)” as the B-side, while the UK used “I’m Watching You.” The single reached No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and No. 3 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart; the video drew on The Island of Doctor Moreau imagery and cast actor Joseph Gian opposite Ross.

RCA/Capitol issued “Chain Reaction” as the second single on November 12, 1985 with “More and More” as the B-side. The single reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 1 in Australia, with additional peaks that include No. 1 in Ireland and Luxembourg, No. 3 in New Zealand, and No. 7 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart.

Capitol issued “Experience” as the third single on April 4, 1986, timed to markets where “Chain Reaction” broke strongly. The single reached No. 47 in the UK, No. 14 in Ireland, and No. 26 in Luxembourg; its video continued the Ross/Joseph Gian storyline established in the “Eaten Alive” clip.

Eaten Alive peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 27 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Outside North America, the album placed in the top ten in multiple territories, including No. 3 (Sweden), No. 8 (Netherlands), No. 9 (Norway), and No. 10 (Switzerland), and it peaked at No. 11 in both the UK and Australia.

Blue

In 2006, Mowtown issued Blue, the long-vaulted 1972 jazz-vocal album by Diana Ross.

Her shelved 1971–72 studio sessions surfaced three decades later as a 16-track program of pre-rock standards and pop-jazz material, framed as complete performances rather than the excerpted/vignette-style presentation used on parts of the 1972 Lady Sings the Blues soundtrack. Gil Askey shapes the set as a steady sequence of short-to-mid-length arrangements, with strings and horns supporting a vocal-first mix; tempos stay mostly measured, with the longer tracks (“I Loves Ya Porgy,” “Little Girl Blue,” “Had You Been Around”) carrying the widest dynamic range inside the album’s otherwise compact forms.

Motown conceived the album as a follow-up to Lady Sings the Blues and then held it back; Blue finally appeared in 2006, and your notes link tracks 10–16 to the Lady Sings the Blues recording orbit, with some titles not used in the film.

A1. “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes” (3:28) — Adams, Grever
A2. “No More” (3:09) — Camarata, Russell
A3. “Let’s Do It” (3:00) — Porter
A4. “I Loves Ya Porgy” (5:11) — G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin, Heyward
A5. “Smile” (2:58) — Chaplin, Parsons, Turner
A6. “But Beautiful” (2:50) — Burke, Van Heusen
A7. “Had You Been Around” (3:29) — Jacques, Miller, Vandenburg, Yuffy
A8. “Little Girl Blue” (4:00) — Hart, Rodgers

B1. “Can’t Get Started with You” (3:10) — Duke, G. Gershwin
B2. “Love Is Here to Stay” (2:13) — G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin
B3. “You’ve Changed” (2:54) — Carey, Fischer
B4. “My Man” (3:31) — Charles, Pollack, Willemetz, Yvain
B5. “Easy Living” (2:54) — Rainger, Robin
B6. “(In My) Solitude” (2:05) — DeLange, Ellington, Mills
B7. “He’s Funny That Way” (3:02) — Daniels, Whiting
B8. “T’Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do” (2:22) — Grainger, Robbins

Ross recorded Blue across 1971–72 with Gil Askey as producer and musical director, with arrangements credited to Oliver Nelson and Benny Golson. The 2006 release credits Kevin Reeves for mixing and mastering and credits Harry Weinger as compilation producer (with liner notes credited to Weinger and David Ritz).

Motown issued “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes” as the album’s single in 2006. Blue reached No. 146 on the Billboard 200, No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums chart, and No. 71 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Discography: