''Let The Sunshine In'' is the sixteenth studio album by

Diana Ross & the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...

recorded and released by Motown in

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

. It contains the hit single "

I'm Livin' in Shame "I'm Livin' in Shame" is a 1969 song released for Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label. The sequel to the Supremes' number-one hit, " Love Child," the song peaked in the top ten on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop chart at #10 and the top ...

" (the sequel to 1968's number-one hit " Love Child"), "The Composer," a Smokey Robinson composition that peaked at number 27, and "No Matter What Sign You Are," - a single produced by Motown chief

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 l ...

that failed to crack to Top 30 (peaking at number 31). Motown had titled the album “No Matter What Sign You Are” originally; going as far as creating the front cover art with the title in it, but when the single didn’t chart as expected the album was retitled “Let The Sunshine In.” Though the album was released when the group consisted of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, original founding member

Florence Ballard Florence Glenda Chapman (''née'' Ballard; June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976) was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown vocal female group the Supremes. She sang on 16 top 40 singles with the group, including ten number-o ...

(whom Birdsong replaced) appears on two songs. One track from this album, "Let the Music Play" was an outtake from the ''

I Hear a Symphony "I Hear a Symphony" is a 1965 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song became their sixth number-one pop hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop ...

'' (1966) album recording sessions and therefore features backing by Ballard, who was fired in 1967, two years prior to the release of this album. The other track, " What Becomes of the Broken Hearted", was recorded by the Supremes in 1966.

Track listing

Side one

#" The Composer" ( Smokey Robinson) – 2:55 #"

Everyday People "Everyday People" is a 1968 song composed by Sly Stone and first recorded by his band, Sly and the Family Stone. It was the first single by the band to go to number one on the Soul singles chart and the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. It held ...

" (

Sly Stone Sylvester Stewart (born March 15, 1943), better known by his stage name Sly Stone, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer who is most famous for his role as frontman for Sly and the Family Stone, playing a critical role in the ...

) – 2:59 #"

No Matter What Sign You Are "No Matter What Sign You Are" is a song released for Diana Ross & the Supremes by the Motown label. Background Originally intended to be Diana Ross & the Supremes' final single before the departure of Diana Ross and penned by Berry Gordy, the s ...

" (

Hank Cosby Henry R. "Hank" Cosby (May 12, 1928 – January 22, 2002) was an American songwriter, arranger, producer and musician who worked for Motown Records from its formative years. Along with Sylvia Moy, Cosby was a key collaborator with Stevie Won ...

) – 2:56 #" Hey, Western Union Man" (

Kenny Gamble Kenneth Gamble (born August 11, 1943, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and Leon A. Huff (born April 8, 1942, Camden, New Jersey) are an American songwriting and production team credited for developing the Philadelphia soul music genre (also known as ...

Leon Huff Kenneth Gamble (born August 11, 1943, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and Leon A. Huff (born April 8, 1942, Camden, New Jersey) are an American songwriting and production team credited for developing the Philadelphia soul music genre (also known as ...

) – 2:53 #" What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" (

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 ...

, James Dean, William Weatherspoon) – 2:52 #"

" ( The Clan) – 2:57

Side two

#Medley: " Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" (

James Rado James Alexander Radomski (January 23, 1932 – June 21, 2022), known professionally as James Rado, was an American actor, playwright, director, and composer, best known as the co-author, along with Gerome Ragni, of the 1967 musical ''Hair''. He ...

Gerome Ragni Gerome Ragni (born Jerome Bernard Ragni; September 11, 1935 – July 10, 1991) was an American actor, singer, and songwriter, best known as one of the stars and co-writers of the 1967 musical '' Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical''. On Jun ...

Galt MacDermot Arthur Terence Galt MacDermot (December 18, 1928 – December 17, 2018) was a Canadian-American composer, pianist and writer of musical theater. He won a Grammy Award for the song " African Waltz" in 1960. His most-successful musicals were '' Ha ...

) – 2:59 #"Let the Music Play" ( Burt Bacharach,

Hal David Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. Early life David ...

) – 2:39 #"

With a Child's Heart "With a Child's Heart" is a song by the singer Stevie Wonder, from his album ''Up-Tight''. The song was released as the b-side to the single "Nothing's Too Good for My Baby". Stevie Wonder version Stevie's original version of ''With a Child's Hea ...

" (Hank Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Vicki Basemore) – 2:59 #"Discover Me (And You'll Discover Love)" ( Johnny Bristol, Beatrice Verdi, Doris McNeil) – 2:24 #"Will This Be the Day" ( Pete Moore, Terry Johnson, Beatrice Verdi) – 2:56 #"I'm So Glad I Got Somebody (Like You Around)"(Allen Story, Horgay Gordy, L. Russell Brown) – 3:31

Unused Recordings from the Let The Sunshine In timeframe (November 1968-May 1969)

MacArthur Park MacArthur Park (originally Westlake Park) is a park dating back to the late 19th century in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. In the early 1940s, it was renamed after General Douglas MacArthur, and later designated City of Los Angeles H ...

" (Webb) #" You're Gonna Hear from Me" (Previn-Previn) #"

Son of a Preacher Man "Son of a Preacher Man" is a song written and composed by American songwriters John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins and recorded by British singer Dusty Springfield in September 1968 for the album ''Dusty in Memphis.'' Springfield's version was produ ...

" (Hurley-Wilkins) #"

For Once in My Life "For Once in My Life" is a song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Stein & Van Stock publishing company, and first recorded in 1965. It was written and first recorded as a slow ballad. There are differing accounts of ...

" (Miller-Murden) #"Witchi Tai To" (Pepper) #"

Canadian Sunset "Canadian Sunset" is a popular song with music by jazz pianist Eddie Heywood and lyrics by Norman Gimbel. An instrumental version by Heywood and Hugo Winterhalter reached No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and No. 7 on the R&B chart in 19 ...

" (Heywood-Gimbel) #" Autumn Leaves" (Mercer-Prevert-Kosma) #"Are You Sure Love Is The Name Of This Game" (Robinson) #" Stormy" (Buie-Cobb) #"A Little Breeze" (Sharpe)

Personnel

* Diana Ross – lead and background vocals * Mary Wilson – background vocals * Cindy Birdsong – background vocals *

– background vocals on "Let the Music Play" *

The Andantes The Andantes were an American female session group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Ma ...

– background vocals *

The Blackberries The Blackberries were a female vocal trio composed of experienced backing vocalists. They backed various artists, including Pacific Gas & Electric (band), Pacific Gas & Electric, Humble Pie, Ringo Starr, and Pink Floyd. The Blackberries recorded ...

- background vocals on "No Matter What Sign You Are" *

The Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

- instrumentation * Various

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

-area session musicians – instrumentation

Charts

Weekly charts

References

External links

Diana Ross & the Supremes - ''Let the Sunshine In'' (1969) album releases & credits
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