Customer Reviews

The Best of the Supremes on the Ed Sullivan Show

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There are no liner notes so here are the original air dates for each of the 13 full length performances included on this excellent DVD. Most include Ed's original intro as well as his shaking hands with the group afterwards. And the good news is there is no extra narration added (previous releases on VHS/DVD included narration).

1. December 27, 1964: Come See About Me. In black & white as originally aired. A previous release used a colorized version of their first appearance on the Sullivan show. All other performances are color.
2. September 25, 1966: You Can't Hurry Love. Flo & Mary add tambourine.
3. May 1, 1966: Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart. Look for Mary's reaction half way through the song to Diana's adlib line ("Go Mary") as they dance.
4. December 4, 1966: My Favorite Things. A holiday fav.
5. May 7, 1967: The Happening. Ed forgets the group's name and introduces them as simply "the girls." Florence Ballard's last time on the program.
6. May 1, 1966: More.
7. September 29, 1968: Love Child. A lip-sync but performed barefoot in street clothes and natural hair. They perform the song live just a few months later (both performances are included in the Motown Gold on the Ed Sullivan Show two DVD set).
8. May 5, 1968: Always.
9. May 11, 1969: You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You. Dedicated to Ed and he even joins the trio during the song. Mary & Cindy add some comedy during the performance.
10. May 11, 1969: No Matter What Sign You Are.
11. December 21, 1969: Hits Medley (ten songs) on final appearance with Diana.
12. March 24, 1968: Forever Came Today.
Bonus:
13. February 15, 1970: Up The Ladder To The Roof. Line up of Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson & Cindy Birdsong.

There are four performances on this DVD that are not on any other releases (More, Always, You're Nobody and the hits medley with Cindy). There are six other performances by the Supremes on the Motown Gold DVD that are not included here. Those include their second performance of Love Child, I'm Living In Shame, Someday We'll Be Together, My World Is Empty Without You, a five song hits medley with Florence, plus In And Out Of Love (where Cindy makes her debut on Ed's show). We have yet to get every one of their many performances but, between this DVD and the Motown Gold two disc set, most of the high points have been included. Improved sound and picture makes this a must have.

This is a steal of a deal for the price. I have been waiting forever for this DVD to come out. I remember as a kid watching Diana Ross and The Supremes on The Ed Sullivan Show. They were (still are!) my favorite group and this DVD looks to include some of their best songs and performances. Hopefully we will see more old Motown releases in the near future!

As a Supremes and Motown fan, I could not be more excited about this DVD. I can't wait to re-live their performances of "Baby Love," "You Can't Hurry Love" and "Love Child." So much to love!

Along with that, I'm excited for the bonus of "Up The Ladder To The Roof", which I have never seen before. The Supremes were a class act and I'm very excited to add this DVD to my collection!

It is to the EXTREMES that everyone support this whether you have seen all of these on you tube or not!...Or even the bit that was on the 'Reflections' DVD. They are just trying to find a way to see that people care, before they put the green light on all of the other things we love so much from Diana Ross & The Supremes!

In order for us to get more Supremes merchandise, we HAVE to support this right here first! We have to be the bell in their ears. We have to help keep the legacy of Diana Ross & The Supremes stay alive!

In late 2006, the "Reflections" DVD is released and brings us a dozen or so Supremes performances from various sources. Now, Sofa Entertainment brings us this collection of 13 performances from 1964-1970 taken exclusively from The Ed Sullivan Show. We see these fair Motown City maidens morph from doing a demure shimmy in their little fringe dresses in black-and-white to their final performance as a superstar group in gold sweeping caftans before their leader branches off solo.

The video/audio quality is great on all of these performances though some are a little better than others. If you already own the "Reflections" DVD, the only repeats here are "You Can't Hurry Love" and "Love Child" (the 1968 lip-sync version performed sans wigs and makeup). "Come See About Me" is the original black-and-white version (not colorized), as it should be so the purists will be happy.

There are four non-hits/standards including "More" and "Always". We get to witness the girls' stage patter when they dedicate "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You" to Ed.

It's easy to see the group was a class act all the way as they glide around the stage in billowing pink chiffon during "My Favorite Things" or flash their bling and million dollar smiles during the exuberant "The Happening" (where, surprisingly, Mary Wilson occupies center stage). Cindy Birdsong looks positively regal occupying Flo's old place in "Forever Came Today". But they were also human, too. Watch for Mary's split-second reaction to Diana's "Go, Mary" before the dance solo on "Love Is Like an Itching In My Heart". It's as if she's thinking "Excuse me? Girl, WHAT are you doing"?.

These clips all look better than what we've seen on Youtube, especially the astrological flop "No Matter What Sign You Are", featuring the gals in glittery ponchos and bell-bottoms as they prepare to embrace the '70s.

Included as a Bonus Feature is a 1970 performance with Jean Terrell in their first post-Diana appearance performing the underrated "Up The Ladder to the Roof". It was clear from the outset that what Jean possessed in pipes, she lacked in stage presence. Still, this era of the group is sadly negelected and I highly recommend you check out some of their early '70s post-Ross work including such gems as "Automatically Sunshine", "Touch" and "Your Wonderful Sweet Sweet Love".

The cover art features a 1966 shot of Diana, Flo and Mary in their Carnaby Street mod fashions and there are 13 color pics inside the case that range from the girls in green taffeta and bouffants circa 1962 to mature-looking women in gold lame circa 1969.

Sofa Entertainment has slyly marketed these sets so that you also need to buy "Motown Gold" to get five extra performances that aren't included here: A 1966 greatest-hits medley, the final performance of "Someday We'll Be Together", "My World Is Empty Without You" (1966) and their early 1969 appearance where they performed both "Love Child" (in a superior live performance that rivals the studio version in drama and intensity) and "I'm Livin' In Shame" (lip-synced). In purple crushed velvet pantsuits, the girls still look casual enough to reflect the song's socially-concious lyrics, yet not as unglamorous as they did months earlier when they debuted "Love Child" dressed-down. The "Motown Gold" set also includes "Come See About Me", "Love Is Like an Itching In My Heart, "You Can't Hurry Love", "The Happening", "Forever Came Today" and the first 1968 performance of "Love Child", so if you get it you're double-dipping on those.

IMO, if you have to choose, go for the "Motown Gold" set and skip this one. You'll only be missing the four standards, the 1969 hits medley, "No Matter What Sign You Are" and "Up The Ladder To The Roof". The other set is more bang for your buck, but if you're a completist, you'll want both.

This is my first review of anything ever. I, like most have the VHS tape of the Ed Sullivan shows. I have been waiting for this DVD release for, forever. Yes this is incomplete, but hopefully there is a VOL 2 down the road. My VHS tape of these performances is starting to look shoddy after almost 20 yrs. It has always been striking to me to watch diana grow into the diva that she is today while watching these performances. And watching mary turning into a pro while complimenting her...Priceless. Flo..Beautiful!I may not have purchased this if "Always" had not been included(my fav). Wish "the impossible dream" had been included(sublime). Overall i would recommend to all diehards. I have been a fan now for more than 40yrs. I would encourage those who want more DVD releases(TCB)to purchase this
disc to show that there are a lot of us out here that would support such releases.
I understand the media/merchandise play the Beatles and Elvis get. But why not the Supremes. They were just as important!

I love the dvd. I had already seen all of the performances before but was really happy with the excellent quality full first performance with the trio meeting Ed Sullivan at the end. This was previously released edited and also colorized.
The Post Ross Supremes singing "Up The Ladder To The Roof" has been previously released. But not the "If They Could See Me Now" performance. I'm surprised a lot of fans didn't know that.
I wish they would release the second Supremes performance with the girls in pink gowns singing "You're Nobody". Someday We'll Be Together has also been previously released. I just wish they would REALLY release all the Supremes performances on Ed Sullivan on one dvd in the correct order. It would only be two hours.
Either was I was very happy to get this DVD.

I don't see why they didn't just include all of the performances The Supremes did on The Ed Sullivan Show. If I'm not mistaken, I think they were the act that held the record for most performances on the show.

In spite of including only a handful of shows, THE BEST OF THE SUPREMES ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW DVD was fun to watch. The only episode in black and white was the first performance of "Come See About Me," the rest was in glorious color and looks pretty decent.

With the original line up of Florence Ballard, Diana Ross, and Mary Wilson, watching them on the DVD, The Supremes had exhibited such an exciting and dynamic screen presence that you can't help but become enthralled by the three girls. And they had such wonderful vocal styling, handling their pop/Motown repertoire as well as classic crooner-type songs like "More" and "My Favorite Things," and were the perfect complement to each other. Even though in hindsight we'd come to learn that things were not always happy behind-the-scenes, watching The Supremes on Ed Sullivan and they look like they're having a good time and all is well.

A funny moment happens early on Sullivan makes the comment about how wonderful it is for the group to come from three separate states, but during another performance, when he asks the group about that, Ross corrects him and says they're all from the same state of Detroit, LOL, so I think some of the performances, though split up on the DVD, are actually from the same Sullivan show.

Anyway, the group dynamic definitely changes when they become "Diana Ross & The Supremes," when Cindy Birdsong replaced Ballard. Though there's no mention of it, Sullivan starts announcing them as DR&TS and their performances seemed labored and less fun, which you'll see on the later shows.

The Supremes sing live on all the performances on the DVD except on three: Love Child, No Matter What Sign You Are, and on bonus Up The Ladder (To The Roof) - the latter being done so poorly that the live band plays over the final fade and repeat to cover it, the 70s Supremes stop singing, but the vocals keep going from the playback.

Another thing is the DVD is really short!

But I'd still recommend it for fans of The Supremes.

This is a nice DVD. It would have been Excellent if it consisted of the complete 21 appeareances of the Supremes on the Ed Sullivan.

Bought this a few days ago and think it's great entertainment. It's a perfect companion piece to have this dvd along with the Supremes 'Reflections' dvd of a few years ago. I think anyone buying this will find it a great value and a lot of fun. Just glad to have it, you know? The sound quality and clarity is awesome, much better than you'll find online or in bootlegs, it just jumps out at you on the screen. Beautiful job by all those involved. I hope the releases continue, so support it enthusiastically and hope there will be a Volume 2 of The Supremes on Ed Sullivan, and other Diana Ross releases. The publishing clearances and many fine details the gp are unaware of make it nearly impossible for many vintage performances to be released, so I'd rather have this than nothing, and it feels like a lot as you watch it. You don't feel shortchanged watching this dvd, it's a satisfying entity with merit, you'll enjoy it, watch it again, and will be glad to have it in your collection.
I was happy to find the last copy on the shelf at 'BB', and with the holidays coming, this dvd could be a huge seller as a stocking stuffer if it finds it way into retail chains, it will sell.
Keep em coming, please. No complaints here!