Miss Diana Ross - arguably the Queen of Motown both with The Supremes and on her own, varied solo ventures - easily has one hit for every one of her 67 years on Earth. A new U.K. compilation, The Greatest, packs 44 tracks onto two discs, providing the market with a new way to discover her.
The Greatest brings together just about all the facets of Ross' career: ten tracks from The Supremes, the Motown label's white-hot girl group supreme, a healthy helping of tracks from Diana's solo years on Motown from 1970 to 1981, a group of choice cuts from her time on RCA throughout the '80s, and even tracks from her triumphant return to Motown in the 1990s. There's soundtrack songs aplenty, from the obvious hits (themes to Mahogany and the classic duet "Endless Love" with Lionel Richie) to the fan favorites (1980's "It's My Turn," "If We Hold On Together," from 1988's The Land Before Time). And there are a few choice late period duets with Ray Charles and Rod Stewart.
While some might balk at the non-chronological set list and the serious lack of major Supremes hits ("Back in My Arms Again," "Someday We'll Be Together"), few compilations span as much breadth as this one. If you're a new fan interested in adding a Diana-centric import to your collection, this might be the one to pick.
The Greatest is out November 7 and can be ordered from Amazon U.K. after the jump.
Diana Ross, The Greatest (UMTV (U.K.), 2011)
Disc 1
- I'm Coming Out
- Muscles
- Ain't No Mountain High Enough
- Why Do Fools Fall in Love
- If We Hold On Together
- Love Child - Diana Ross & The Supremes
- Remember Me
- When You Tell Me That You Love Me
- Chain Reaction
- Touch Me in the Morning
- It's My House
- The Boss
- Last Time I Saw Him
- My Old Piano
- Love Hangover
- Work That Body
- Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
- Baby Love - The Supremes
- Ease On Down the Road - Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
- Stop, Look, Listen (to Your Heart) - Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye
- Come See About Me - The Supremes
- Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)
Disc 2
- Upside Down
- Stop! In the Name of Love - The Supremes
- I'm Still Waiting
- Surrender
- One Shining Moment
- Theme from "Mahogany" (Do You Know Where You're Going To)
- Reflections - Diana Ross & The Supremes
- No One Gets the Prize
- You Are Everything - Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye
- The Happening - The Supremes
- I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations
- You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes
- It's My Turn
- Big Bad Love - Ray Charles & Diana Ross
- DoobeDood'nDoobe, DoobeDood'nDoobe, DoobeDood'nDoo
- Where Did Our Love Go - The Supremes
- Not Over You Yet
- Take Me Higher
- You Keep Me Hangin' On - The Supremes
- I've Got a Crush on You - Rod Stewart & Diana Ross
- Lovin', Livin' and Givin'
- What a Wonderful World (Live)
Disc 1, Tracks 1 and 14 and Disc 2, Track 1 from diana (Motown, 1980)
Disc 1, Track 2 from Silk Electric (RCA, 1982)
Disc 1, Tracks 3 and 22 from Diana Ross (Motown, 1970)
Disc 1, Tracks 4 and 16 from Why Do Fools Fall in Love (RCA, 1981)
Disc 1, Track 5 from The Land Before Time: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (MCA, 1988)
Disc 1, Track 6 from Love Child (Motown, 1968)
Disc 1, Track 7 and Disc 2, Track 4 from Surrender (Motown, 1971)
Disc 1, Track 8 and Disc 2, Track 5 from The Force Behind the Power (Motown, 1991)
Disc 1, Track 9 from Eaten Alive (RCA, 1985)
Disc 1, Track 10 from Touch Me in the Morning (Motown, 1973)
Disc 1, Tracks 11-12 and Disc 2, Track 8 from The Boss (Motown, 1979)
Disc 1, Track 13 from Last Time I Saw Him (Motown, 1973)
Disc 1, Track 15 from Diana Ross (Motown, 1976)
Disc 1, Track 17 from Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Mercury, 1981)
Disc 1, Tracks 18 and 21 and Disc 2, Track 16 from Where Did Our Love Go (Motown, 1963)
Disc 1, Track 19 from The Wiz: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (MCA, 1978)
Disc 1, Track 20 and Disc 2, Track 9 from Diana & Marvin (Motown, 1973)
Disc 2, Track 2 from More Hits by The Supremes (Motown, 1965)
Disc 2, Tracks 3 and 15 from Everything is Everything (Motown, 1970)
Disc 2, Track 6 from Mahogany: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Motown, 1975)
Disc 2, Track 7 from Reflections (Motown, 1968)
Disc 2, Track 10 from The Happening: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Colgems, 1967)
Disc 2, Track 11 from Diana Ross & The Supremes Join The Temptations (Motown, 1968)
Disc 2, Track 12 from Supremes A Go-Go (Motown, 1966)
Disc 2, Track 13 from It's My Turn: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Motown, 1980)
Disc 2, Track 14 from Genius & Friends (Rhino, 2005)
Disc 2, Track 17 from Every Day is a New Day (Motown, 1999)
Disc 2, Track 18 from Take Me Higher (Motown, 1995)
Disc 2, Track 19 from The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland (Motown, 1967)
Disc 2, Track 20 from Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook Volume IV (J, 2005)
Disc 2, Track 21 from Ross (Motown, 1978)
Disc 2, Track 22 from Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs (Motown, 1993)
Tom says
I love me some Diana Ross, but seriously, enough with the compilations! How about some DVD releases of her classic concerts, or continuing Hip-O-Select's excellent reissue campaign of her solo catalogue with "Baby It's Me"?
Eddie Scott says
I couldn't agree more! I'd love to see a DVD collection of Diana Ross' TV specials (not to mention the two TV specials that she did with The Supremes & The Temptations - "TCB" and "GIT on Broadway"). And this collection should've been done in chronological order (or at least putting all The Supremes songs together).
Rainer says
Yes, I really join these opinions, I am always looking for a DVD from the Greatest Entertainer of the Century as Diana Ross surely is! I have absolutely no idea, why there is none available, but this unofficial dvd´s of a bad qualitiy, which are not recommendable. Diana, Come on, and give us a little part of you, so we can see you, whenever we want, we need you and we love you so dearly, you have made thousands of wonderful performances in your life, but we have nothing from you at home to see from you!
Your great fan from Ulm/Germany Rainer
PS: I remember when I saw you in 1985 in Munich in a fantastic Concert! God Bless You and your loved ones!
Tony says
I have wanted "Baby It's Me" on cd for YEARS... What's up with record companies missing the boat on so many of these reissues?
Tony says
Diana's version of Stevie's "Too Shy to Say" is still my favorite... 🙂
Gladys Thong says
This is an excellent compilation. Aimed squarely at the British Christmas market. Fans shouldn't be too hard on Universal music for issuing cd's like this.. They are only trying to make a buck. And with the proceeds of collections like this - comes the finances for projects like 'Baby It's Me' expanded edition. And no, I don't have any inside info - but surely it is only a matter of tijme before it happens.
This collection is worth getting for the Rod Stuart and Ray Charles duets, which have never appeared on a Diana album thus far.