Forever Came Today
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| “Forever Came Today” | |||||
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| Single by Diana Ross & the Supremes from the album Reflections |
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| Released | February 29, 1968 | ||||
| Format | Vinyl record (7" 45 RPM) | ||||
| Recorded | December 20, 1967 January 1 and January 23, 1968; Hitsville USA, Detroit, Michigan | ||||
| Genre | Psychedelic soul | ||||
| Length | 3:19 | ||||
| Label | Motown 1122 |
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| Writer(s) | Holland-Dozier-Holland | ||||
| Producer | Lamont Dozier Brian Holland |
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| Diana Ross & the Supremes singles chronology | |||||
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"Forever Came Today" is a 1967 song written and produced by the Motown collective of Holland-Dozier-Holland, and was first made into a hit by the Motown girl group Diana Ross & the Supremes in early 1968. A disco version of the song was released as a single seven years later by Motown group The Jackson 5.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
[edit] The Supremes version
"Forever Came Today's" release was the result of a work slowdown by Holland-Dozier-Holland in late 1967. The song had originally been recorded in 1967, and was not approved for release by Motown's Quality Control team at the time. [1] By mid-1967, HDH, and particularly lyricist Eddie Holland, had become disatisfied with both their pay and the working atmosphere at Motown, and resultingly created very little music during the latter half of the year. [2]
With no other Supremes singles ready for release, Motown had "Forever Came Today" re-recorded, and prepared it for release as a single. [1] The single features Diana Ross without Supremes members Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong; Motown session group The Andantes recorded the backing vocals. [3]
The single peaked at number twenty-eight on the American pop singles chart, giving the group their lowest charted Top 40 record since their first hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes", peaked at number twenty-three in 1963. The song's lyrics feature a woman who is amazed by her boyfriend's love that she has waited 'forever' for, hence the saying "my forever came today". In spite of its showings on the pop charts, Holland-Dozier-Holland uphold "Forever Came Today" as one of the best Motown songs they ever wrote. [3]
By the time of the single's release in February 1968, Holland-Dozier-Holland no longer came to Motown's Hitsville USA studio. Motown sued for breach of contract in August 1968; HDH countersued. [2] The trio went on to eventually start their own labels, Invictus Records and Hot Wax Records. Meanwhile, Berry Gordy was forced to find a new songwriting team for the Supremes, since Holland-Dozier-Holland had written all fo the group's hit singles since 1963.
| “Forever Came Today” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Jackson 5 from the album Moving Violation |
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| B-side | "All I Do Is Think of You" | ||||
| Released | 1975 | ||||
| Format | Vinyl record (7" 45 RPM) | ||||
| Recorded | 1975 | ||||
| Genre | Disco/funk | ||||
| Length | 6:05 | ||||
| Label | Motown | ||||
| Producer | Hal Davis | ||||
| The Jackson 5 singles chronology | |||||
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[edit] The Jackson 5 version
The single was revived eight years later in a disco version by another Motown group, The Jackson 5. The Jacksons had replaced the Supremes as the label's top-selling act during the early 1970s and by 1975 were going through problems with Motown and making plans to leave the company. The Jackson 5's version peaked at number sixty on the pop chart in the U.S., but became a number-one hit on the Billboard dance chart. The single's B-side, "All I Do Is Think of You", was later extensively covered and sampled by contemporary R&B and hip hop artists.
[edit] Credits
[edit] Supremes version
- Lead vocals by Diana Ross
- Background vocals by The Andantes: Marlene Barrow, Louvain Demps and Jackie Hicks
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
- Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier
[edit] Jackson 5 version
- Lead vocals by Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson
- Background vocals by The Jackson 5 and assorted background singers
- Instrumentation by assorted Los Angeles musicians
- Produced by Brian Holland
| Preceded by "Ease on Down the Road" by Consumer Rapport |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (The Jackson 5 version) July 5, 1975 - July 19, 1975 |
Succeeded by "Dreaming a Dream" by Crown Heights Affair |
| Preceded by "Dreaming a Dream" by Crown Heights Affair |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (The Jackson 5 version) August 2, 1975 |
Succeeded by "Brazil" by The Ritchie Family |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Posner, Gerald (2002). Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power. New York: Random House, 205. ISBN 0-375-50062-6.
- ^ a b George, Nelson (1985). Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound. New York: St. Martin's, 152- 154. ISBN 0-312-01109-1.
- ^ a b Chin, Brian and Nathan, David (2000). "Reflections Of..." The Supremes [CD boxed set liner notes]. New York: Motown Record Co./Universal Music.
