Just listened to this tune for the 1st time a few minutes ago...really nice song!

I've always liked it

That and upside down

Yeah, this is a good song, from her best album... Which i know many people here like.



"His international style
Exudes an air of royalties
His eighty eight key smile
Is so pleasant to see"

Icicle said:

Yep. It is definately Ms. Ross's best album. And it's one of the best productions from Nile and Bernard. Essentially a Chic album, it boosted Diana's career again with MONSTER hits like "I'm Coming Out" and "Upside Down". The whole album is bangin'.

blackguitaristz said:

I didn`t pay any attention to some of the songs at first, but i`ve been listening to "Now that you`re gone" a lot lately

Icicle said:

This album is truly a masterpiece. You all should get the Deluxe Edition of the cd. It has the original Chic mixes as well as the released album. Motown execs didn't like what Diana and Chic had turned in and had an in-hous arranger redo it.

daPrettyman said:

The deluxe edition is essential... The chic mixes are boring, but the second cd is worth the price.

I'm not sure why exactly but the video for this song always stood out in my mind, ever since I was a kid...

GREAT song

SUPERB album

Tracklisting please

blackguitaristz said:

Man,I LOVE that album!! It is easily Diana's best album.Every song is excellent.My favorites are "Upside Down","Tenderness","Friend To Friend","My Old Piano" and "Now That You're Gone".As producers,Niles and Bernard were at the top of their game back then.Hooking up with them was the wisest career move Diana ever made.

Speaking of Chic, has anyone heard this album?

Icicle said:

Or this one:

LittleSmedley said:

Agreed. These are cool tracks. Which is strange, as everything else I've ever heard her do solo has been awful schlok.

I suppose she just found her niche as the lead vocalist for Chic on this album.

Miles said:

In 1981,she was gonna work with them on a follow-up album but decided to produce it herself.The result was 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love',a very enjoyable album that did well.Diana was on a roll during the first half of the 80s.

Not the best singer though, eh?

When she sings my old piano I often think she means somethin' rude, as is the case with some of her songs. I love 'er

SoulAlive said:

to both of you.

This album is TERRIFIC! No duff tracks and fantastic from start to finish. Definitely my favourite Diana solo album.

I'm gonna get some flak for this but the only criticism I could make is that bloody awful trombone (?) solo on I'm Coming Out - it's the worst one I've heard on record, ever. At one point, it sounds like they're about to run out of breath ; but, there again, that could be the player's signature style, so what do I know?

As for 'Why Do Falls Fall In Love', I also agree with you David. A great follow-up. And totally hysterical in parts - it's probably the campest thing (apart from the 'I Will Survive' video) she's ever done.

I just *wish* she'd come back with one more killer album. Just one. The last one I really enjoyed was 'Take Me Higher' but that was over ten years ago. For ages, I've thought she should hook up with the Pet Shop Boys like Dusty and Liza Minnelli did - I think they'd know exactly what sort of album to make.


As for the dribbler, here's the 'diana' album tracklist:

Upside Down
Tenderness
Friend To Friend
I'm Coming Out
Have Fun (Again)
My Old Piano
Now That You're Gone
Give Up

onenitealone

thanks mister,
I once lived between llandovery and llandeilo. pretty place south wales, r u happy there?

onenitealone said:

Friend To Friend, a wonderful song, had a very profound effect on me.

thedribbler said:

Hey there. You're very welcome.

I was going to say I've never been to either of those places but - checking on the map - I used to go to university in Aberystwyth so it's quite possible I passed through those towns quite regularly. Do you still live in Wales?

Um, as to your question - what do you want, the long or short answer? I do love South Wales - if you go off in any direction, I can quite easily be in the city, in the countryside, the mountains, the beach, by the sea; they're all in close proximity. It's a beautiful part of the world - something I take for granted sometimes, maybe.

Then there's the people - okay, you get your fair share of idiots like anywhere else but you couldn't find more warmer, open people than round here. It's hard to describe but - especially in the Valleys - people just look out for each other, I guess. For example, Natisse came to visit last week and we went to the Museuem of Welsh Life in St Fagans - had a fantastic day, I couldn't believe how beautiful it was there. (The last time I went, I was probably about 8 or 9, if not younger). It made me really proud in a lot of ways and, whilst we were walking around, we kept bumping into this particular family. The oldest woman - probably the grandmother - was just hysterical - she reminded me of so many of my older relatives and people that I grew up amongst. I was saying to Natisse that it was people like her - warm, friendly, down-to-earth - that makes me so proud to be Welsh sometimes.

Plus, I have a lot of close friends in this area - some I see a lot, some not so often - but I am very lucky in that I am surrounded by some very special people. I like my own space sometimes, but I am never lonely. And, compared to how small a group of friends I had growing up, it's something that always amazes me.

The only issue I have - and this is a personal thing - is that I've spent all my life here. I was born here, I grew up here, I went to Uni here. I live and work here. Whilst other friends have travelled the world and seen things I will never see - or moved to other parts of the UK (and, in some cases, returned) - I've always stayed here. It's very, very similar to something Fauxie describes on his 'No Humouring' thread. Not that I haven't wanted to move away - I have, on *many* occasions - but finances, lack of ambition, direction, comfort-zones, etc., have prevented me from doing so. Previously, I didn't want to leave this area to go somewhere and find myself friendless - I used to think I would collapse, almost. That doesn't concern me now - I'd like to think I could overcome that obstacle. Plus, I've seen people go off, settle elsewhere and be absolutely miserable as sin. But the older I get, the more I long to break free and go somewhere else, if only to come back eventually. I want a new life, that's for sure. But I'm 32 now - not ancient, but much harder to go off and make my mark somewhere, make friends (perhaps), than if I was 22. Plus, I don't know if I could afford it. There are other issues but I'd be here all day if I went into those.

I look around and have so much to be thankful for; even the silly, tiny insignificant things that wouldn't matter much to other people. So it's a case of do I give up this for that or venture outside the box? I just feel a bit fenced in sometimes, I guess. Nothing to do wth the area itself, just a personal issue.

So, yeah, I do love the area - it's my home after all - but I just feel a bit frustrated at this point in my life. Something has to give. I know that's not the answer you might have been looking for, sorry , but it's the most honest one I can give you.

whatsgoingon said:

It's such a great album, that it's difficult to pick one track over another (although 'Upside Down' is my all time favourite Diana solo song ) but 'Friend To Friend' is beautiful.

daPrettyman said:

im buying this sh*t today...thanks.

sosgemini said:

Tell us what you think!

One of my favourite stories about this album - I wish I could find the interview with Niles - was when they were recording some vocals with Diana. Apparently, she was a little off-key but no-one had the guts to tell her. Everyone pussy-footed around the issue until Niles (I think) explained that the vocals weren't 'quite right'. Diana stormed out of the studio and didn't come back for THREE months.

I love the Deluxe Edition.I think it's great that we get to hear both versions of the album.....the "Chic Mix" version and the familiar,released version.I'm not that crazy about the Chic Mix version and I can see why Diana and Motown weren't satisfied with it.Diana's vocals sound lazy and flat....like she's bored and just going through the motions.She was smart to go back in the studio with her engineer,re-record her vocals and make the music sound more vibrant and "in your face".Niles and Bernard were pissed at her but I think she made the right decision.The released album sounds excellent.

onenitealone said:

"Friend To Friend"


This is one of those albums where every song could have been a single.

SoulAlive said:

see, im just the opposite. I think the "chic mix' is better than the redone version. The music seems a bit more complex and textured. Its a little more vibrant to me. I love the redone version, and from a commercial standpoint Ms. Ross prob. did the right thing, but I think the "chic mix" is the true masterpiece between the the two.

havent we had this conversation before?

unkemptpueblo said:

I'm sure we have.This album is an Org favorite and we have a thread about it every few months,lol.

SoulAlive said:

this is true

So,you really prefer the "Chic Mix" version? To me,it sounds demo-like....unfinished.I can't believe that Niles and Bernard really wanted to release it that way.

SoulAlive said:

Something you can't say about many of her albums since.

SoulAlive said:

yeah. maybe that why I like it more. Dianas version, while obviously very good, is too polished(when compared to the other version). I guess the thing that I loved about chic was the musicianship, and the 'chic mix' has the music way up front.It revealed all these subtleties in the music that arent present in "Dianas mix". I understand why Diana re-did it, because she really wasnt the focal point of the original mix, and we know she wasnt having any part of that!