Hey y'all. This song has been in my head all day, for some reason. Not the Diana Ross version, but the original by the 5th Dimension,(yes, they recorded it first).



I kinda dig this version, what do you all think?

amazing, I had no idea! very cool. I would still do McCoo even as an old lady.

Damn i love Diana but it's criminal this brilliant
version didn't get the recognition it deserved.

Love this song in both versions! Used to sing the hell out of it in the 70s!

I'll admit i would have never guessed that 5th Dimension
sung something as soulful as this. Everytime i think of
5th Dimension i get a visual of them riding Up,Up,and Away
on a beautiful balloon.

phunkdaddy said:

I'm partial to the 5th D. version.

lol I watched many a dj light this record on fire and play Diana's

Can someone please tell me HTF did Diana's version became a hit and NOT The 5th Dimension's original?!?

BTW, I like both versions. But I really enjoy hear THIS version for the 1st time ever. Marilyn McCoo really shows her freaky side on this track!

TonyVanDam said:

That's just it "Up.. Up.. and Away in My Beautiful Ballon" & "The Age of Aquarius" to moanin' and groanin' about 'sweet love hangover'?

That song didn't fit the 5th Dimension image.... not my opinion, I'm just sayin'.

TD3 said:

I disagree.

As a matter of fact, The 5th Dimension were THE black faces of the New Age-inspired Free Love Movement. Love Hangover was a good track for their image.
[Edited 12/2/09 0:37am]

The lead singer on this track is actually Florence LaRue. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. had left the group by this time. Technically, Diana's version was released first on her 1976 self-titled LP. But Motown wasn't in any rush to releaase the song as a single [Diana hated it]. That is until they got wind that 5th Dimension were about to have a hit with it. The rest, as they as, is history. Ironically, the 5th Dimension signed with Motown Records a couple years after this. I also keep reading that Sylvester recorded this song but no one has been able provide any proof of him doing so.

Like I said before, I prefer the version by the 5th Dimension. Their version just had a sound that Diana's was missing.

therevolutionwillnotbe said:

This situation happened alot in the 70s.Songs were often recorded by different artists and released around the same time.Or,a song that flopped for one artist would soon become a hit for another artist.And yes,Sylvester recorded this song too,but I've never heard his version.I assume it was around the same time?

TonyVanDam said:

Well...in 1976,Diana Ross was still considered a "hot" artist,while the 5th Dimension were sorta fading away at that point.Diana began 1976 with a Number One single ("Do You Know Where You're Going To"),so it was inevitable that her next major single would get noticed.

therevolutionwillnotbe said:

Interesting.

Ironically enough I still prefer:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah,I have to admit,I prefer Diana's version,but maybe that's because I'm more familiar with it? Back in the day,I never heard the 5th Dimension version.