''The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb'' is the twenty-sixth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

released by

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...

on the

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

label in 1972. It stands as a unique entry in The Supremes' discography as it was the only album produced (and primarily written) by a non-Motown artist, the accomplished songwriter and producer

Jimmy Webb Jimmy Layne Webb (born August 15, 1946) is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He achieved success at an early age, winning the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the age of 21. During his career, he established himself as one of Am ...

. This album also marked the first appearance of Lynda Laurence, and the final appearance of

Jean Terrell Velma Jean Terrell (born November 26, 1945) is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in 1970. Biography Early life and career Terrell was born on 26 November 1945 in Belzoni, Mississippi. S ...

as the lead singer of The Supremes during the early 1970s. In the United States, only one single from the album was released, the emotive ballad " I Guess I'll Miss the Man," originally from the musical '' Pippin''. Additionally, the album features renditions of songs outside of Webb's contributions, such as

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan Mitchell (née Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter. As one of the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitch ...

's "All I Want,"

Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal overdub experi ...

's "Paradise," and covers of hits by

Bobby Lewis Robert Alan Lewis (February 17, 1933 – April 28, 2020) was an American rock and roll and rhythm and blues singer, best known for his 1961 hit singles "Tossin' and Turnin'" and "One Track Mind". Biography Lewis was born in Indianapolis, Indian ...

and Mina, specifically "

Tossin' and Turnin' "Tossin' and Turnin'" is a song written by Ritchie Adams and Malou René, and originally recorded by Bobby Lewis in the fall of 1960. The record was released on the Beltone Records, Beltone label in December 1960. It reached chart-topper, number ...

" and " Il Voce Del Silenzio" respectively. Released at the same time as

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...

' '' Lady Sings The Blues'' movie and soundtrack, Motown gave no promotion to this unusual album. It became the group's poorest selling studio album since ''Meet The Supremes'' nearly 10 years prior. Unnerved by this and the failure of the

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

-produced " Bad Weather" single a few months later, Jean Terrell abruptly left the group, followed shortly thereafter by Lynda Laurence.

Critical reception

'' Cashbox'' published, "Jimmy Webb produced and arranged this most satisfying Supremes creation since the group's re-organization. The unquestionable highlight of the session is a foamin' funky remake of Bobby Lewis' "Tossin' And Turnin'." Also on the upswing, Joni Mitchell's "All I Want" (complete with "Up Up And Away" riffs) and a strange lyrical bit of "Cheap Lovin'." On the sweet side, their latest single "Guess I'll Miss The Man" from "Pippin" and a beautiful "Silent Voices." They've got the feelin' and the talent to put it across."

Track listing

All songs produced and arranged by

, except "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" produced by Sherlie Matthews and Deke Richards, arranged by James Carmichael and Gene Page. All lead vocals by

except where noted.

Side one

#" I Guess I'll Miss the Man" (

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre composer and lyricist. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written hit musicals such as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin (musical), Pippin'' (1972), and ...

) #"5:30 Plane" (

) #"

" (

, Malou Rene) #"When Can Brown Begin?" (Webb) #"Beyond Myself" (Webb) #" Il Voce Del Silenzio (Silent Voices)" (Elio Isola)

Side two

#" All I Want" (

) #"Once in the Morning" (Webb) (lead singers: Jean Terrell, Jimmy Webb) #"I Keep It Hid" (Webb) (lead singer: Mary Wilson) #"Paradise" (

Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (December 26, 1939 – January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter who is best known for pioneering recording practices in the 1960s, followed by his trials and conviction for murder in the 2000s. S ...

, Perry Botkin Jr., Gil Garfield)https://www.apraamcos.com.au/works-search?works=true&title=paradise&writer=nilsson&performer=ronettes #"Cheap Lovin'" (Webb)

Personnel

– lead and backing vocals * Mary Wilson – lead and backing vocals * Lynda Laurence – backing vocals * The Blackberries (

Clydie King Clydie Mae King (August 21, 1943 – January 7, 2019) was an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist. King also recorded solo under her name. In the 1970s, she recorded as Brown Sugar, and her single "Loneliness ( ...

, Venetta Fields, Sherlie Matthews) – additional backing vocals *

– producer,

arranger In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestrat ...

, composer, keyboards, vocals * Henry Lewy –

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

*Ray Rich – drums * Fred Tackett – guitar *Skip Mosher – bass guitar *Jim Britt – photography

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb 1972 albums The Supremes albums Albums arranged by Jimmy Webb Albums produced by Deke Richards Albums produced by Jimmy Webb Motown albums