The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb is an album released by The Supremes on Motown Records.
The album was released in November of 1972. It was the only album that was produced (and chiefly written) by a non-Motown producer: songwriter and producer Jimmy Webb.
It was also the last album to feature early-1970s Supremes lead singer Jean Terrell.
Only one single was released from the album: a cover version of "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" from the musical "Pippin."
Album Background[]
The album was recorded from March to June of 1972. The album was the first of only two Supremes' albums to include vocals from Supremes member Lynda Laurence, the other being "The Supremes Live! In Japan."
Lynda had replaced Cindy Birdsong earlier in 1972 and joined original Supreme Mary Wilson and Jean Terrell for these sessions just prior to her official inclusion into the group.
The album marked a departure from the "Motown sound" of the Supremes had relied upon over the past decade.
It moved the group out of its pop/R&B genre and into a rock/pop style masterminded by Jimmy Webb.
The result was an album that had a different sound than what both the public and the Supremes themselves were accustomed.
On many of the tracks, Webb overdubbed additional background singers in addition to the voices of Wilson and Laurence.
Jean sings lead on all of the tracks on the LP, except on the track "I Keep It Hid" (which features Mary on lead vocals).
The only United States single from the album, the opening track "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" was not actually part of the Jimmy Webb project. It was a song from the Motown-financed Broadway production of "Pippin."
Once it was released, both the song and the album failed to generate radio play and sales.
Tracklist[]
Side One[]
- I Guess I'll Miss The Man
- 5:30 Plane
- Tossin' & Turnin'
- When Can Brown Begin
- Beyond Myself
- Il Voce de Silenzio (The Silent Voices)
Side two[]
- All I Want
- Once In The Morning
- I Keep It Hid
- Paradise
- Cheap Lovin'
Album Personnel[]
- Jean Terrell: lead and backing vocals
- Mary Wilson: lead and backing vocals
- Lynda Laurence: backing vocals
- The Blossoms: (Darlene Love, Fanita James and Jean King: additional backing vocals
- Jimmy Webb: producer, arranger, composer & keyboards
- Henry Lewry: engineer
- Ray Rich: drums
- Fred Tackett: guitar
- Skip Mosher: bass guitar
- Kim Britt: photography
Charts[]
| Chart | Peak Position |
| U.S. Billboard Top 200 | #129 |
| U.S. Billboard R&B Albums Chart | #27 |
| Singles | U.S. Pop Singles | U.S. Adult Contemporary | U.S. Cashbox Top 100 |
| I Guess I'll Miss The Man | #85 | #17 | #100 |
| Cheap Lovin' (Europe only) | |||
| Tossin' & Turnin' (Europe only) |