''The Return of the Magnificent Seven'' is the second collaborative

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

between

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

label-mates

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 successf ...

and

Four Tops The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet from Detroit who helped to define the city's Motown sound of the 1960s. The group's repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes. Founded as the ...

, released in 1971. The production only featured two covers compared to their first album together, '' The Magnificent 7'', that included more than eight. Although the three albums the Supremes recorded with the Four Tops did not match the commercial success of the Supremes/

Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top 1 ...

duet albums (ironically loaded with covers), what they did have instead were original tunes, soulful lead vocals by

Jean Terrell Velma Jean Terrell (born November 26, 1944) is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in January 1970. Biography Early life and career She is the sister of the former WBA heavyweight box ...

and Levi Stubbs and high production values in terms of arrangements and orchestration. This second release is probably the best of the three Supremes/Four Tops albums. It includes two early songs by

Dino Fekaris Dino George Fekaris (born January 24, 1945, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States) is a Greek-American music producer and songwriter. Fekaris was the producer and co-writer (with Freddie Perren) of the song "I Will Survive", and other songs sung ...

(who would go on to compose "I Will Survive") and Nick Zesses that were released as singles: "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" (in the United States, United Kingdom, West Germany, Italy and Netherlands) and "I'll Try Not to Cry" (in France and Netherlands). Both songs were produced by Clay McMurray and had on their flip sides tunes by

Nick Ashford Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...

and

Valerie Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...

: respectively, the romantic ballad "I'm Glad About It" and the up-tempo, Latin-flavored "One More Bridge to Cross", a typical Ashford & Simpson song with a social commentary. McMurray also produced Tom Baird's "I Wonder Where We're Going" (sung almost collectively by the seven singers) and his own composition, "Where Would I Be Without You Baby". Veteran producer

Henry 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 Wonder ...

was in charge of a cover of

Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...

's hit "Call Me" (written by

Tony Hatch Anthony Peter Hatch (born 30 June 1939) is an English composer for musical theatre and television. He is also a songwriter, pianist, arranger and producer. Early life and early career Hatch was born in Pinner, Middlesex. Encouraged by his mus ...

); a smooth love song of his own, "If You Could See Me Now", and a third contribution by Zesses and Fekaris, the ballad "Let's Make Love Now".

Johnny Bristol John William Bristol (February 3, 1939 – March 21, 2004) was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a native of Morganton, North Carolina, about whi ...

produced a remake of

Tammi Terrell Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery; April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s, notably for a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye. ...

's solo hit, "I Can't Believe You Love Me", and Bobby Taylor closed the album with a happy ballad about puzzling lovers, written by

Pam Sawyer Pamela Joan Sawyer (born 1938) is a British songwriter/lyricist, who started writing songs in the mid-1960s and whose credits as a co-writer at Motown included " Love Child", " If I Were Your Woman", "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left ...

and

Gloria Jones Gloria Richetta Jones (born October 19, 1945) is an American singer and songwriter who first found success in the United Kingdom, being recognized there as "The Queen of Northern Soul". She recorded the 1965 hit song " Tainted Love" and has w ...

, "What Do You Have to Do (To Stay on the Right Side of Love)", also featuring solo vocals by Mary Wilson. A collection of compositions handled with the expertise of the Motown production machine, supervised by late Rev. Frank Wilson.

Critical reception

In a contemporary review '' Cashbox'' published:

'What was that you were saying about supergroups and supersessions? Give a listen to what may be the last word on the subjects. Joining together of these two dynamic groups results in an LP which is chock full of excitement and charm. "You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart" kicks the set off and it's non-stop action all, the way through as the seven take on a bevy of new songs, along with the standard "Call Me." Should find a ready following among fans of both groups.'

Track listing

#" You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" (Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris) #"I Wonder Where We're Going" (Tom Baird) #"Call Me" (

) #"One More Bridge to Cross" ( Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) #"If You Could See Me Now" (

Janie Bradford Janie Bradford (born June 2, 1939 in Charleston, Missouri, United States) is an American songwriter, most known for her tenure with Motown. With Berry Gordy, she co-wrote "Money (That's What I Want)", originally recorded by Barrett Strong, and ...

Joe Hinton Joseph Hinton (November 15, 1929 – August 13, 1968) was an American soul singer. Biography Though Clarksdale, Mississippi has been claimed as his birthplace, most sources state that Hinton was born in Evansville, Indiana, where he married L ...

) #"I'll Try Not to Cry" (Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris) #"I'm Glad About It" (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) #"Let's Make Love Now" (Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris) #"I Can't Believe You Love Me" (

Harvey Fuqua Harvey Fuqua (July 27, 1929 – July 6, 2010) was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive. Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s. He is notable as one of th ...

) #"Where Would I Be Without You Baby" (Clarence McMurray, Martin Coleman) #"What Do You Have to Do (To Stay on the Right Side of Love)" (

Leon Ware Leon Ware (February 16, 1940 – February 23, 2017) was an American songwriter, producer, composer, and singer. Besides a solo career as a performer, Ware was best known for producing hits for other artists including Michael Jackson, Quincy ...

)

Personnel

- vocals * Mary Wilson - vocals *

Cindy Birdsong Cynthia Ann Birdsong (born December 15, 1939) is an American singer who became famous as a member of The Supremes in 1967, when she replaced co-founding member Florence Ballard. Birdsong had previously been a member of Patti LaBelle & The Blu ...

- vocals * Levi Stubbs - vocals *

Abdul "Duke" Fakir Abdul Kareem Fakir (born December 26, 1935), professionally known as Duke Fakir, is an American singer. He is a founding member of the Motown quartet the Four Tops, from 1953 to the present day. A first tenor, Fakir is the group's lone surviving ...

- vocals *

Lawrence Payton Lawrence Albert Payton (March 2, 1938 – June 20, 1997) was an American tenor, songwriter, vocal arranger, musician, and record producer for the popular Motown quartet, the Four Tops. In 1997, at 59 years old, Payton died of liver cancer. Biogra ...

- vocals *

Renaldo "Obie" Benson Renaldo "Obie" Benson (June 14, 1936 – July 1, 2005) was an American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. He was best known as a founding member and the bass singer of Motown group the Four Tops, which he joined in 1953 and continued to perfo ...

- vocals * Frank Wilson - producer, executive producer *

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 * David Van DePitte,

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 ...

, Tom Baird - arrangers

Chart history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Return of the Magnificent Seven 1971 albums The Supremes albums Four Tops albums Collaborative albums Albums arranged by Paul Riser Albums produced by Frank Wilson (musician) Motown albums