Top 40 Music on Compact Disc: Supremes

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Topic: Supremes - Baby Love

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crapfromthepast
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Posted: 22 January 2021 at 3:22pm \| IP Logged

Mono version (2:35)

In 1964, the hit was the 45 version, and the 45 was mono. (That's true of pretty much every hit in 1964.)

The mono version first appeared on CD on Motown's 4-CD Hitsville USA Vol. 1 (1992), which in my opinion is one of the very best compilations ever released. Stellar track selection, and stellar sound (or as good as these early Motown dashboard-blasters will ever sound). There's a digitally identical clone on Motown's 2-CD Supremes Anthology (1995, not the 1986 collection that's also titled Anthology).

I have the mono version on a few other discs:

Motown's Diana Ross Ultimate Collection (1994) - cuts off lead-in note before the opening downbeat; avoid
Motown's Motown Classic Hits Vol. 5 (1995) - one volume of five, all include generally low-charting Motown songs, all in mono with excellent mastering, recommended if you can find them
Hip-O Select's Complete Motown Singles Vol. 4 1964 Disc 5 (2006) - mastering is a little brash

All of the above use very low-generation source tapes. Go with Hitsville if you want a compilation, or the 1995 Anthology if you want a Supremes set.

Stereo

I found four different stereo mixes for "Baby Love". (I edited this initial post to include info from downstream.)

Stereo 1964 Where Did Our Love Go LP mix (2:35)

In this mix, in the song intro, the handclaps start in the left channel and migrate to the right channel during the first 12 beats of the song. It sounds pretty cool in headphones. The rest of the mix has some harsh panning, typical of 1964 stereo mixes.

This mix first appeared on CD on a Motown Supremes collection called Compact Command Performances 20 Greatest Hits (1983), as part of Motown's first-ever CD releases. The same analog transfer is used on:

Motown's 25 #1 Hits From 25 Years (1985)
Motown's Motown's Biggest Pop Hits (1986)
Motown's Every Great Motown Song The First 25 Years Vol. 1 (1986)
Motown's Every Great Motown Song The First 25 Years (1986) - combines Vols. 1 and 2
Motown's You Can't Hurry Love (1986)
Motown's 16 #1 Hits From The Early '60s (1987)
Time-Life's Rock 'N' Roll Era Vol. 12 Supremes 1963-1969 (1987)
Time-Life's Classic Rock Vol. 16 1964 Shakin' All Over (1989)
Warner Special Products/Heartland's 2-CD Feel Good Rock (1989) - boosts the bass a little
Cema Special Markets' Entertainment Weekly Presents Rock Archives Vol. 1 (1990)

All of the above have about the same sound quality. May as well go with the first one; I recommend Motown's Compact Command Performances 20 Greatest Hits (1983) for this mix.

Stereo 1967 Greatest Hits LP mix (2:35-ish)

In this mix, the handclaps stay in the left channel throughout the intro. The rest of the mix also has some harsh panning.

I have four discs with the 1967 mix:

Motown's 2-CD Supremes Anthology (1986, not the 1995 release) - runs a bit too fast
Motown's Supremes Greatest Hits Vols. 1 And 2 (1986)
Motown/Silver Eagle's 3-CD Motown 25th Anniversary (copyright 1983) - cuts off attack of opening note and overall sounds muffled; avoid
Motown's Motown Year By Year 1964 (1995) - seems to be same analog transfer as GH but with huge bass boost

I recommend Motown's Supremes Greatest Hits Vols. 1 And 2 (1986) for this version.

Stereo 1975 Cooley High soundtrack LP mix (2:41)

This mix has a lot of elements closer to the center of the soundstage, which is a reasonable thing to do. This mix also runs about 6 seconds longer than the older mixes, with a significantly more gentle fade than the older mixes. This mix is fairly dry, and the portion after the intro sounds very pronounced and intimate, due to the lack of reverb.

The soundtrack was released on CD in 2000; I'm not sure if the version released on the CD matches what was on vinyl in 1975.

The 1975 mix, with added reverb, first appeared on CD on Rhino's Billboard Top R&B Hits 1964 (1989). The same analog transfer is used on:

Time-Life's Superhits Vol. 9 1964 (1991) - shortens the fade by about 8 beats
Time-Life's AM Gold Vol. 11 1964 (1991) - digitally identical repackaging of the entire Superhits disc, so also shortens the fade by about 8 beats
Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 13 Rhythm And Blues 1964 (1991) - swaps left and right channels, and also shortens the fade by about 6 beats
Time-Life's 2-CD Classic Love Songs Of Rock 'N' Roll Vol. 2 (2003) - digital clone, possibly with a small amount of added compressing/limiting?

I recommend Rhino's Billboard Top R&B Hits 1964 (1989) for this version, with the added reverb.

Stereo 2003 The No. 1's album mix (2:47)

Suha Gur remixed all the Supremes tracks on The No. 1's (but not the Diana Ross solo tracks). It's very good.

Thanks to all downstream who contributed a lot of the info in this edited initial post.

Edited by crapfromthepast on 23 January 2021 at 7:32pm

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Brian W.
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Posted: 22 January 2021 at 3:47pm \| IP Logged

I think Mix 1 is the original "Where Did Our Love Go"
stereo LP mix. Mix 2 was released on the original vinyl
1967 "Greatest Hits" album. It's my understanding that
all the tracks on "Greatest Hits" were remixed
specifically for that album.

There's a fourth mix, on "Supremes No. 1s." All the
Supremes songs on that CD were remixed by Suha Gur.

Edited by Brian W. on 22 January 2021 at 3:59pm

C J Brown
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Posted: 22 January 2021 at 5:21pm \| IP Logged

Thanks for the Mix 4 add on info to Brian W

How does this board feel about Suha Gur's work on the
Supremes No 1s ? One time I play I think that disc is
superb. The next time I play it maybe I do not like it as
much. Mixed feelings about the remixes?

The Suha Gur remix of Beachwood 4 5789 may be my favorite
stereo Motown remix of all time.

Edited by C J Brown on 23 January 2021 at 5:03pm

Brian W.
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Posted: 22 January 2021 at 5:39pm \| IP Logged

C J Brown wrote:

How does this board feel about Suha Gur's work on the
Supremes No 1s ?

I like them a lot. They sound closer to the mono to me.

LunarLaugh
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Posted: 22 January 2021 at 7:40pm \| IP Logged

Many stereo mix variations exist in the vaults for
nearly every Motown hit from the mid to late 1960s,
particularly when it comes to The Supremes. Not to be
confused with later day remixes, these mixes are vintage
alternates that may contain variables in where things
are placed left, right or center as well as reverb or
backing vocals. Some compilation producers will pull an
alternate mix instead of one that was previously issued
because the fidelity is slightly better and the
differences are minimal enough that they won't stick out
like a sore thumb. This happened a few times on Motown's
Sound of Young America Year by Year series and I think
Rhino may have snuck some alternates out on their
Top R&B Hits collections as well.

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Yah Shure
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Posted: 22 January 2021 at 8:52pm \| IP Logged

Ron, your mix #3 description sounds like the 1975 remix from the Cooley High soundtrack vinyl LP (which runs 2:40 on my copy.) The fat bass really jumps out, and the mix is dry as the Sahara, which is very obvious with the snare drum hit near the end of the intro, just before Diana comes in with "Oooo..."

The Four Tops' "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" takes a similar remix approach on the Cooley High LP: bone dry and prominent bass. It's my preferred stereo mix of the song.

The mix on the 1973 vinyl 3-LP Diana Ross & The Supremes' Anthology sounds like mix #2.

PopArchivist
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Posted: 22 January 2021 at 10:27pm \| IP Logged

Ron, I like the sound on Supremes Gold for this song for stereo. Is that mix 1, 2 or 3?

Edited by PopArchivist on 22 January 2021 at 10:27pm

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AutumnAarilyn
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Posted: 23 January 2021 at 5:53pm \| IP Logged

The double disc Supremes Gold should have mix #1 as that
set is a compilation of the three greatest hits albums.

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