''Ross'' is the ninth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by American singer

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...

, released in September 1978 by

Motown Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...

. The album served as a new album and a compilation, as it was a mixture of old and new songs. Side A consisting of four new tracks recorded in 1978, and Side B of material recorded by Ross between 1971 and 1975, but remixed and/or extended by Motown in-house producer Russ Terrana specifically for the ''Ross'' album. ''Ross'' peaked at number 49 on the US Pop Albums chart, and number 32 on Black Albums. The album failed to chart in the UK. Its final US sales figures stood at around 150,000 copies. The cover illustration was by Rickey Ricardo Gaskins. A different album also titled ''

Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...

'' was released on the RCA label in 1983. Several outtakes from the 1978 ''Ross'' sessions produced by

Hal Davis Harold Edward Davis (February 8, 1933 – November 18, 1998) was an American songwriter and record producer. Davis was a producer and writer for Motown Records for nearly thirty years, and was a key figure in the latter part of the Mot ...

, Greg Wright and

Michael Masser Michael William Masser (March 24, 1941 – July 9, 2015) was an American songwriter, composer and producer of popular music. Early life Born to a Jewish family in Chicago to Ester Huff and William Masser, he attended the University of Illinois ...

have subsequently been issued on various other albums with Ross. Titles among these include "For Once in My Life", "You Build Me Up to Tear Me Down", "Sweet Summertime Livin'", "Share Some Love", "We're Always Saying Goodbye", "Fire Don't Burn" and "We Can Never Light That Old Flame Again" (a non-album single in 1982). Although only enjoying moderate chart success on its original release in 1978, in 2009 " Lovin', Livin' and Givin'" was one of thirteen tracks featured on

Almighty Records Almighty Records is an English electronic dance music record label established in 1989. Almighty Records specialises in pop song remixes, dance-pop, and hi-NRG. The label's record producers, Almighty Associates, have remixed such performers a ...

' tribute/remix album ''We Love Diana Ross – The Remix Collection''. While alternate versions of most of the recordings contained on the ''Ross'' album have re-surfaced on a number of Motown/Universal Music compilations over the years, the original album in its original form was eventually re-released on compact disc (SHM CD) in Japan on November 28, 2012.

Track listing

Side A

#" Lovin', Livin' and Givin'" (Extended Remix) (Kenny Stover, Pam Davis) – 5:11 #* Recorded 1978. Produced by Hal Davis. Arranged by Art Wright. Edited version originally issued on first pressings of the soundtrack album '' Thank God It's Friday'' (Casablanca), May 1978. Overdubbed remix issued on subsequent pressings. Re-remixed for the album ''Ross'', scheduled as US Motown single October 1978 (cancelled). Released as A-side single in the UK, Continental Europe and Scandinavia b/w "You Got It" (UK), "After You" (Germany and Scandinavia) and "Top of the World" (France and Italy). #" What You Gave Me" ( Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) – 4:57 #* Recorded 1978. Produced by Hal Davis. Arranged by Art Wright. Edited version (3:39) released as 7" single b/w "Together" (1978 Remix). Also released as Motown US promo 12" single 12 TMG 1135, including extended remix (6:06) b/w "

Ain't No Mountain High Enough "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla label, a division of Motown. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and ...

" (Album version), commercially released as Motown blue vinyl 12" single 1C 052-62 325 YZ b/w " Lovin', Livin' and Givin'" in Germany. #"Never Say I Don't Love You" (Greg Wright, Karin Patterson) – 3:50 #* Recorded 1978. Produced by Greg Wright. Arranged by Greg Wright, John Barnes. #"You Were the One" (Greg Wright, Karin Patterson) – 4:01 #* Recorded 1978. Produced by Greg Wright. Arranged by Greg Wright,

Jimmie Haskell Jimmie Haskell (born Sheridan Pearlman, November 7, 1926 – February 4, 2016) was an American composer and arranger for motion pictures and a wide variety of popular artists, including Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Steely Da ...

, John Barnes.

Side B

Reach Out I'll Be There "Reach Out I'll Be There" (also formatted as "Reach Out (I'll Be There)") is a song recorded by the Four Tops from their fourth studio album '' Reach Out'' (1967). Written and produced by Motown's main production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, ...

" (1978 Extended Remix) (

Brian Holland Brian Holland (born February 15, 1941) is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound, and numerous hit ...

Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He co-wrote and produced 14 US ''Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Doz ...

, Eddie Holland Jr.) – 5:30 #* Recorded 1971. Produced by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson. Arranged by

Paul Riser Paul Riser (born September 11, 1943) is an American trombonist and Motown musical arranger who was responsible for co-writing and arranging dozens of top ten hit records. His legacy as one of the " Funk Brothers" is similar to that of most of ...

. Edited version (3:59) originally released as Motown single, April 1971 b/w "They Long to Be Close to You" and original full-length version (4:50) on album ''

Surrender Surrender may refer to: * Surrender (law), the early relinquishment of a tenancy * Surrender (military), the relinquishment of territory, combatants, facilities, or armaments to another power Film and television * ''Surrender'' (1927 film), an ...

'', June 1971. #"Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" (1978 Remix) (

) – 3:28 #*Recorded 1974. Produced by Michael Masser. Arranged by

Lee Holdridge Lee Elwood Holdridge (born March 3, 1944) is a Haitian-born American composer, conductor, and orchestrator. A 18-time Emmy Award nominee, he has won two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Daytime Emmy Awards, two News & Documentary Emmy Awards, and one ...

, Michael Masser. Originally released as Motown US & UK single, February 1975, b/w "Together". #"Where Did We Go Wrong" (1978 Remix) ( Ron Miller, Tom Baird) – 4:24 #* Recorded 1973. Produced by Michael Masser. Arranged by

Ken Hirsch Kenneth William Hirsch is an American pop songwriter, pianist and record producer, co-writer of the international 1982 hit "I've Never Been to Me" with Ron Miller. He is also co-writer of the hits "If I Could", "No One in the World" and "Two Le ...

. Outtake from 1973 album ''

Last Time I Saw Him ''Last Time I Saw Him'' is the sixth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on December 6, 1973 by Motown Records. It reached #52 in the USA (#12 R&B) and sold over 200,000 copies.(

Gerry Goffin Gerald Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was an American lyricist. Collaborating initially with his first wife, Carole King, he co-wrote many international pop hits of the early and mid-1960s, including the List of Billboard number-one ...

, Michael Masser) – 4:04 #*Recorded 1975. Produced by Michael Masser. Arranged by Lee Holdridge, Michael Masser. Outtake from ''

Mahogany Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...

'' OST sessions, 1975. #"Together" (1978 Remix) (Michael Masser and Pam Sawyer) – 3:31 #*Recorded 1975. Produced by Michael Masser. Arranged by

Gene Page Eugene Edgar Page Jr. (September 13, 1939 – August 24, 1998) was an American conductor, composer, arranger and record producer, most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s. His sound can be heard in the arrangements he did for Jeffer ...

. Originally released as B-side of Motown US & UK single "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right", February 1975.

Detailed info on track "Lovin', Livin' and Givin'"

The version of " Lovin', Livin' and Givin'" in the 1978 American

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

disco

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

'' Thank God It's Friday'' is almost an instrumental used as a background for dialogue. The different versions of the song are as following: #On the LP ''Ross'' (1978) and later as a B-side on the 12" " The Boss" (1979) – 5:10 (with its own disco break). #On the MCA re-issue ''I'm Coming Out'' and on the CD ''Anthology'' from 1986 (the 5:10 version edited to 3:30 with a progressive synthesizer intro but without the disco break). #On the European 7" and the US movie soundtrack (4:40 with a 50-second disco break different from the album version break). This version is the one available on the CD '' Thank God It's Friday'' (on both the single CD edition and the 2-CD set). #On the 1983 double LP ''Anthology'' (4:00, same as #3 without the progressive synth intro). #On the original '' Thank God It's Friday'' European LP (3:15, with a different arrangement, less synth). #On the CD ''The Motown Anthology'' (same as #5 but longer, 4:40). This one is usually referred to as the ''film mix'', which it isn't. The mostly instrumental version heard in the film would in fact be #7.

Detailed track info

The complete original album was finally released on CD in Japan; this is a list of alternate versions available on other CDs: # " Lovin', Livin' and Givin'" #* 7" version on album ''Anthology'' #* European 7" version on '' Thank God It's Friday'' soundtrack reissue #* '' Thank God It's Friday'' full-length European LP mix on ''The Motown Anthology''. #" What You Gave Me" #* 12" Version on expanded CD re-issue of album '' diana'' (2003 deluxe edition) #* 7" version on album ''Anthology''. #"

" #* Original version on 1971 album ''

'' (different mix) #* Mix #2 on ''Anthology'' (1986) and ''The Motown Anthology'' #* Mix #3 on ''Forever Diana'' #"Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" #* Original 7" mix on ''The Motown Anthology'' and ''

'' (2012 reissue) #* ''Ross'' mix but without harmonica on ''Anthology'' #* Covered by

Gladys Knight and the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s. Starting out as simply ...

on their 1978 album '' The One and Only'' #"Where Did We Go Wrong" #* First take on CD re-issue of album ''

Personnel and production

Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record la ...

– executive producer * Suzee Wendy Ikeda – producer assistant * Russ Terrana – mix * Jack Andrews – mastering * Mixed and mastered at Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood, California * Rickey Ricardo Gaskins – artwork (illustration) * Brenda Boyce – art direction * Tony Jones – art direction

Charts

References

External links

Diana Ross - ''Ross'' (1978) album review by Jason Elias, credits & releases
at

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Diana Ross - ''Ross'' (1978) album releases & credits
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Diana Ross - ''Ross'' (1978) album to be listened
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{{Authority control 1978 albums Diana Ross albums Motown albums Albums arranged by Jimmie Haskell Albums arranged by Lee Holdridge Albums arranged by Gene Page Albums arranged by Paul Riser Albums produced by Hal Davis Albums produced by Michael Masser Albums produced by Ashford & Simpson 1978 compilation albums