The Supremes

I might be the grumpiest old man in the universe today. 2 days of traipsing through 3 foot snow drifts to feed animals and drive kids around in a blizzard is enough to make anyone steaming mad at the universe. So let's sip this rum and orange juice together, while i break out  The Supremes and soothe whatever's left of this savage beast.

Where Did Our Love Go is their second album. It's the first hit "Motown" album, the highest ranking for a female group ever, 3 number one singles, 89 weeks on the charts, and the first number 1 on the new R&B charts. Diana Ross currently has a net worth of 200-something million dollars, and this is the album that made that happen for everyone involved.

I've already talked about my respect for Motown in general, and Holland/Dozier certainly didn't hand these lovely ladies stinkers. I'm gonna listen to their 10th album too (The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland).

Sure, we could delve into the questionable misogyny inherent in this music, the tacit emphasis on "pleasing" a man, even if he's not faithful or particularly worth it. However, i would argue that it's more important to recognize that these songs actually portray a real sense of conflict that stems from that mentality. They are actually expressing the hurt and emotional pain a fickle and unfaithful man causes, thus they try even harder to keep him close and the cycle never stops. The real emotions involved in an inherently sexist world.

Enough of that, it's the Supremes! They were the Primettes, the "sister" act of Eddie Kendricks' Primes. Supremes + Temptations, a no brainer for kicking the music world in the balls and Berry Gordy laced up his metaphorical steel-toed boots (his affair with Diana Ross notwithstanding). It sounds cheesy to say they "paved the way" for the future mainstream success of black artists, but that was the goal: Motown and its two pioneer groups eliminated race from the equation. Don't forget that The Supremes were basically as popular as The Beatles for the entire 1960s decade. This is just fantastic, completely relatable, pop music (even the deep cuts), and you should be embarrassed if you don't love it.

I feel better. You?

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