New Ways but Love Stays

New Ways But Love Stays is a 1970 album by the Jean Terrell-led version of The Supremes. Building on the foundation of the group's first LP without Diana Ross, Right On, New Ways was produced by Frank Wilson and features The Supremes' most successful single with Terrell, "Stoned Love". The Sly & the Family Stone-inspired plea for peace and love was written by Wilson and a Detroit teenager named Kenny Thomas. The song's title, read by many entertainment executives as a double-edged drug reference, prevented the song from making an impact in some areas; for example, footage of The Supremes performing the number was edited out of a November 1970 episode of The Merv Griffin Show. However, the song still was a huge success on the charts, reaching number 7 on the Billboard hot 100, and number 1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Also a huge smash hit in Europe and the UK, "Stoned Love" sold 2.4 million copies worldwide.

New Ways But Love Stays was originally titled Stoned Love after its hit single; the controversy over the song's name prevented this from occurring. Another change that befell the project, to the chagrin of de facto Supremes leader Mary Wilson, was the alteration of the original album cover. The original design used a photograph which depicted the three Supremes in Afros and black turtlenecks, giving them a Black power look. Apparently feeling that such a look would go against the Supremes' established "glamour girl" image, Motown's final cover for New Ways But Love Stays includes one of the Black power photos, but it is inset within a circle and surrounded by additional inset pictures of the three Supremes in their more familiar gowns.

Besides its notable hit single, the album also includes several notable album tracks, such as "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" (a Spinners cover), and "It's Time To Break Down". "It's Time To Break Down" is today recognized as a minor "dusty groove" classic, and was sampled by hip hop producer DJ Premier for the Gang Starr song "JFK 2 LAX", included on the 1998 LP Moment of Truth.

New Ways also features covers of then-current hits by Simon & Garfunkel ("Bridge Over Troubled Water"), Stephen Stills ("Love the One You're With"), The Beatles ("Come Together"), and Steam ("Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)"). This album is also the first to feature lead vocal lines by Cindy Birdsong, on "Bridge Over Troubled Water".