Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs
Box set by
Diana Ross
ReleasedOctober 5, 1993
Recorded1962–1993
GenrePop, Soul, Disco
LabelMotown
Diana Ross chronology
Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz and Blues
(1993)		 Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs
(1993)		 One Woman: The Ultimate Collection
(1993)
Singles from Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs
  1. "The Best Years of My Life"
    Released: November 9, 1993
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Music Week[2]

Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs is a four-CD box set of recordings by American singer Diana Ross released on October 5, 1993 by Motown Records.

In addition to all of her eighteen #1 hits, the seventy-eight track set contained five previously unreleased tracks.

Disc 1 collects Ross' greatest hits with The Supremes from 1962 to 1969, disc 2 covers her early solo career from her eponymous debut album through to the 1978 soundtrack The Wiz, disc 3 her disco era hits with Chic and her recordings for the RCA label up until 1985's "Chain Reaction", all in chronological order. Disc 4 mainly features tracks from Ross' then most recent studio albums Workin' Overtime (1989) and The Force Behind the Power (1991) together with five newly recorded tracks as well as three previously unreleased live recordings.

While Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs undoubtedly is the most comprehensive retrospective of Ross' career to date, with its seventy-seven tracks and a total running time of near 300 minutes, the box set received mixed reviews from both fans and music critics on its release, mainly for omitting a number of her greatest hits and signature tunes from the 1970s and 1980s - including no tracks from either 1983's Ross or 1987's Red Hot Rhythm & Blues - but also for using edited 7" versions of both "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Love Hangover" instead of the original full-length album versions that have been featured on a number of other best of compilations issued by Motown Records/Universal Music both before and since. Additional controversy erupted due to the faulty mastering of the Mono singles featured on the album, resulting in uneven sound quality that was so disappointing, Motown had to recall the first pressings.

There is an error on many of the pressings of Disc 2. Instead of the listed track "Surrender", the track that was actually included is "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You", which was a track featured on the 1971 album Surrender.

The box-set was duly promoted with her New York Times Best Seller autobiography, Secrets of a Sparrow. The album art by Michel Comte' was also used as the cover art of her autobiography. Merchandising items including a retail stand-up and posters were cross marketed at record stores and book stores concurrently. Diana also held a couple of rare book signings at Harrods in London and Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. According to Billboard magazine, "Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs" has sold 73,000 US copies since its release. It peaked at #88 on the Top R&B Albums chart.

Personnel

  • Chris Bellman - Mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering
  • Gene Wooley, John Arrias - Digital restoration from the original 2 track masters

Track listing

Disc 1: Reflections
The Supremes/Diana Ross & The Supremes
All tracks by Holland–Dozier–Holland unless otherwise noted

  1. "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" - 2:40
  2. "A Breathtaking Guy" (Robinson) - 2:27
  3. "Where Did Our Love Go" - 2:36
  4. "Baby Love" - 2:37
  5. "Come See About Me" - 2:43
  6. "Stop! In the Name of Love" - 2:53
  7. "Back in My Arms Again" - 2:57
  8. "You Send Me" (Cooke) - 2:11
  9. "Nothing but Heartaches" - 2:45
  10. "Put on a Happy Face" (Adams, Strouse) - 2:09
  11. "I Hear a Symphony" - 2:44
  12. "My World Is Empty Without You" - 2:36
  13. "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" - 2:54
  14. "You Can't Hurry Love" - 2:54
  15. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - 2:46
  16. "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" - 2:49
  17. "The Happening" (DeVol, Dozier, Holland, Holland) - 2:51
  18. "Reflections" - 2:53
  19. "In and Out of Love" - 2:40
  20. "Forever Came Today" - 3:20
  21. "Love Child" (Richards, Sawyer, Taylor, Wilson) - 2:58
    • From 1968 album Diana Ross & The Supremes: Love Child
  22. "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" (performed by Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations) (Gamble, Huff, Ross) - 3:08
  23. "Try It Baby" (performed by Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations) (Gordy) - 3:44
  24. "I'm Livin' in Shame" (Gamble, Huff, Ross) - 3:01
  25. Someday We'll Be Together - Beavers, Bristol, Fuqua 3:25

Disc 2: Reach Out and Touch

  1. "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" (Ashford, Simpson) - 3:01
  2. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (7" Edit) (Ashford, Simpson) - 3:30
    • Full-length version appears on 1970 album Diana Ross
  3. "Remember Me" (Ashford, Simpson) - 3:30
  4. "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" (Dozier, Holland, Holland) - 4:45
  5. "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" (listed as "Surrender") (Ashford, Simpson, Brian Holland) – 3:16
  6. "I'm Still Waiting" (Richards) - 3:44
  7. "Lady Sings the Blues" (Holiday, Nichols) - 1:21
  8. "Good Morning Heartache" (Drake, Fisher, Higginbotham) - 2:22
  9. "God Bless the Child" (Herzog, Holiday) 2:44
  10. "Touch Me in the Morning" (Masser, Miller) - 3:28
  11. "Brown Baby/Save the Children (Medley)" (Benson, Brown, Cleveland, Gaye) - 8:21
  12. "Last Time I Saw Him" (Masser, Sawyer) - 2:49
  13. "You Are Everything" (Duet with Marvin Gaye) (Bell, Creed) - 3:09
  14. "My Mistake (Was to Love You)" (Duet with Marvin Gaye) (Jones, Sawyer) - 2:55
  15. "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" (Goffin, Masser) - 3:26
  16. "Love Hangover" (7" Edit) (McLeod, Sawyer) - 3:45
    • Full-length version appears on 1976 album Diana Ross
  17. "Confide in Me" (Manchester, Schwartz) - 3:36
  18. "Come in from the Rain" (Manchester, Sager) - 4:01
  19. "Gettin' Ready for Love" (Golde, Snow) - 2:48
  20. "Home" (Ashford, Jones, Simpson, Smalls) - 4:05
    • From 1978 original motion picture soundtrack The Wiz

Disc 3: Chain Reaction

  1. "The Boss" (Ashford, Simpson) 3:58
  2. "It's My House" (Ashford, Simpson) 4:32
  3. "I Ain't Been Licked" (Ashford, Simpson) 4:07
  4. "Upside Down" (Edwards, Rodgers) - 4:07
  5. "I'm Coming Out" (Edwards, Rodgers) - 5:23
  6. "It's My Turn" (Masser, Sager) - 3:58
    • From 1980 original motion picture soundtrack It's My Turn and 1981 compilation To Love Again
  7. "Endless Love" (Duet with Lionel Richie) (Richie) - 4:30
  8. "My Old Piano" (Edwards, Rodgers) - 3:57
  9. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (Goldner, Lymon) - 2:55
  10. "Mirror, Mirror" (Matkosky, Sembello) - 6:10
  11. "Work That Body" (Chew, Jabara, Ross) - 5:00
  12. "Muscles" (Jackson) - 4:41
  13. "Missing You" (Richie) - 4:17
  14. "Swept Away" (Allen, Hall) - 5:25
  15. "Eaten Alive" (Gibb, Gibb, Jackson) - 3:54
  16. "Chain Reaction" (Gibb, B, Gibb, R, Gibb, M) - 3:47

Disc 4: The Best Years of My Life

  1. "Family" (Live) (Eyen, Krieger) 3:51
    • Recorded live at Central Park, New York, NY, 1983, previously unreleased
  2. "Ninety-Nine and a Half" (Coates) - 2:05
    • Featured in the 1987 ABC Diana Ross special Red, Hot, Rhythm & Blues, previously unreleased
  3. "What a Wonderful World" (Live) (Thiele, Weiss) - 2:07
    • Featured in 1988 HBO special Workin' Overtime World Tour 88, previously unreleased
  4. "Amazing Grace" (Live) (Newton) - 5:43
  5. "If We Hold on Together" (Horner, Mann, Jennings) - 4:11
  6. "Workin' Overtime" (Max, Rodgers) - 4:18
  7. "This House" (Rodgers) - 5:38
  8. "The Force Behind the Power" (Wonder) - 4:45
  9. "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" (Bettis, Hammond) - 4:13
  10. "One Shining Moment" (Thomas) - 4:47
  11. "Waiting in the Wings" (Remix) (Hill, Sinfield) - 4:11
  12. "Where Did We Go Wrong" (Ross, Wray, Wray) - 4:25
  13. "Back to the Future" (Bullard, Ross, Wray) - 4:25
    • 1993 recording
  14. "Let's Make Every Moment Count" (Goffin, Snow) - 4:21
    • 1993 recording
  15. "Your Love" (Friedman) - 4:04
    • 1993 recording
  16. "It's a Wonderful Life" (Bullard, Ross, Wray) - 4:16
    • 1993 recording
  17. "The Best Years of My Life" (Davis, Jennings) - 4:22
    • 1993 recording

References

  1. ↑ AllMusic review
  2. ↑ Jones, Alan (16 October 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
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