Live in Japan [Live]

Supremes | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 1, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 1973
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Hip-O Select
• ASIN: B000BPI2HW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,911 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson and Lynda Laurence were the 'new' Supremes when the toured Japan in 1973. The group had hit the top with exciting hits like "Up The Ladder To The Roof," "Stoned Love" and "Nathan Jones," maintaining their popularity after Diana Ross had departed the original Supremes lineup for a solo career in 1970. The group was promoting its latest album, The Supremes Produced And Arranged By Jimmy Webb, while "Bad Weather," written and produced by Stevie Wonder, was their new single. A Japanese crew recorded the show on June 3, offering the fans a chance to hear the group tackle a variety of material, including live versions of the new Supremes' hits and Jean Terrell singing the sixties hits. However, along with subsequent live "In Japan!" albums by The Temptations and the Jackson 5, the Supremes live album was never issued in the U.S. (An edited version was issued in the U.K.) A few months after this recording, Jean and Lynda left the group, replaced by new lead singer Scherrie Payne and returning Supreme Cindy Birdsong, respectively. Now, for the first time on CD, and available in any format for the first time outside of Japan and England, is the classic Supremes' In Japan! album. The original artwork is faithfully reproduced, down to the accompanying Japanglish lyrics and liner notes, in which these new Supremes are introduced as, um, "Mary Wilson, Linda Lorenz and Tina Duress." However they are called, Supremes fans take note: In Japan! is their only album featuring this lineup.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AS BIG AS GODZILLA BUT MUCH BETTER LOOKING!, February 19, 2006

By 

S.Robinson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live in Japan (Audio CD)

This live album is a rare treat because, recorded from a performance in Japan in 1973, this album was only released in Japan and the UK. Now we americans can finally hear this spectacular live performance by America's Sweethearts. The Supremes (Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson, & Lynda Laurence) really brought down the house with the performances of their greatest hits, some of the 60's Supremes greatest hits, and just a few fillers. True I wasn't born yet and even if I was I probably would never have gotten to a performance in Japan. However, it all made for a great show. The girls truly shine on their performances of Liza Minelli's "Cabaret", "T.C.B" from the collaboration of Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations back in the late 60's. They also performed medleys of their hits, featuring "Up The Ladder To The Roof", "Automatically Sunshine", "Nathan Jones", and Floy Joy". However, they also revisited the classics of Diana Ross & The Supremes with a medley of "Reflections", "Where Did Our Love Go?", "Baby Love", and "My World Is Empty Without You". Also featured is their, at the time, new single release "Bad Weather". Also featuring MAry, performing her signature song "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", and a slow little ditty "Cherry, Cherry Pie", and finale of "Somewhere", this album is really worth buying. A word of advice however, if you really want this album, but don't want to wait for a long delivery if you buy it used, Hip-O-Select.com, is selling used special editions. Definitely worth your while, I highly suggest this album to all those Supremes fans out there.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Live Set, April 3, 2007

By 

Bicycle Day - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Live in Japan (Audio CD)

The Supremes turned out some outstanding material in the years immediately following the departure of Diana Ross, as Mary Wilson attempted to keep the executives at Motown Records interested in promoting the group.

This live set, recorded on June 3, 1973, in Tokyo, though, has the kind of rocky history that began to plague the Supremes in their final years. It was initially only released in Japan in 1973 for a brief time. One year later the cover art turned up on a United Kingdom compilation release of the group's singles from 1970-1973.

In Japan was reissued in 2004 as a limited-edition CD - 5,000 produced -and retains the original artwork and liner notes. The group features Wilson, with Jean Terrell and Lynda Laurence. The trio was promoting the album, The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb, with the latest single, the Stevie Wonder-penned Bad Weather, as part of the set.

Terrell handles the lead vocals on the 1960s hits, but it is the New Hit Medley: Automatically Sunshine, Floy Joy, Nathan Jones, Up The Ladder To The Roof, that proves the trio can pack an artistic punch given quality material.

The final four songs - Bad Weather, Cherry Cherry Pie, Tossin' and Turnin' & Somewhere - finds the group feeding off the energy of a truly appreciative audience.

It has been speculated over the years that album was pulled from the Japanese market and not released in the United States because Terrell and Laurence left the Supremes in 1973. But it was also at the point where Wilson began to have mounting problems with Motown Records concerning material and contracts for the group.

Through it all, In Japan is a great live set and shows beyond a doubt that it was the unfortunate corporate drama that squandered this great opportunity to present the Supremes to their fans throughout the world.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely superb, March 3, 2009

By 

Jerome M. Hopson "Jerome M. Hopson" (Linden, New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live in Japan (Audio CD)

I brought this CD and yes, I love it like I love everything else the Supremes ever did. Mary Wilson is so talented, I love the way she entertains with her sexy smokey voice. She is talented and I don't understand why periodically i will here that she cannot sing. Well whoever says that need their hearing checked. It is probably a disgrunted Diana Ross fan. I love this CD.