SUPREMES’ fans have been treated regally over the past couple of months. First there was the magnificent 3 CD set that collected together all the girls’ singles between 1961 and 1969 (see our reviews archive); now, Hip-O Select have just reissued the group’s sixth album, the aptly named ‘More Hits By The Supremes’. The 1965 LP contained 12 tracks – all written and produced by the HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND team who, the previous year, had transformed DIANA, MARY and FLO from no hopers into hit-making superstars. The album yielded hits like ‘Nothing But Heartaches’, ‘Stop In The Name Of Love’ and ‘Back In My Arms Again’ but there’s also other magnificent classic Motown cuts like ‘Mother Dear’ , ‘Whisper You Love Me Boy’ and ‘Ask Any Girl’ (which LEN BARRY tweaked into ‘1-2-3’).
Of course, because this is a Hip-O Select release, you get much, much more than the original album. Here, you get a two CD pack. The first disc has the original album – and offers both the original mono and stereo mixes along with a then contemporary interview with the girls and a wonderful, previously unreleased Coca Cola advert where the threesome extol the beverage’s virtues over the backing track to ‘When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes’.
CD 2, though, houses the real rarities with 19 of the 26 cuts being available for the very first time. These include live versions of stuff like ‘Baby Love’ and ‘Where Did Our Love Go’, alternate versions of well known tunes (here for instance is the “real” Supremes’ take on ‘Stop In The Name of Love’… with backing vocals from MARY and FLO instead of the ANDANTES who had featured on the released hit track) and oddities like ‘Surfer Boy’ and ‘Beach Ball’. Of particular note is a magnificent string-less version of SMOKEY ROBINSON’S ‘Take Me Where You Go’ – as perfect a definition of the mid 60s Motown sound as you could ever get… beautiful.
The pack comes complete with two lavish booklets. The first has all the information you’d ever need to know about the music’s provenance, while the second is a reproduction of a mid 60s tour brochure. Both are stuffed with rare photos and archive material and make the whole thing essential for all Motown collectors.
