Customer Reviews

To Love Again

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
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Make no mistake: though this reissue has a wealth of treats for hardcore fans, "To Love Again" just might be an essential Diana Ross album for any CD collection. The original LP -- represented by the first 9 tracks -- contain some of her biggest ballad hits for the millions who dig Diana for her way with a romantic love song: "It's My Turn," "Touch Me In The Morning," "Theme From Mahogany," and "I Thought It Took A Little Time" are classics (the latter two having been covered by Mariah Carey and Gloria Estefan, respectively). The hits don't end there, though. Also included are 2 Lionel Richie duets (the timeless "Endless Love" and lost gem "Dreaming of You), and the classic Marvin Gaye duet "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)." The tunes that round out the collection prove just how stunning Diana Ross' romantic performances were. From the Michael Masser-penned tunes featured on the original LP ("One More Chance" and "To Love Again" to name a few) to the newly added, equally timeless show-stoppers "After You," "Come In From The Rain," and "Never Say I Don't Love You," not a single track is out of place, inaccessible, or even second-rate. This beautiful anthology can be considered a must-have to mark all the romantic moments in your life, regardless of your age or musical tastes. Add this to other classic love song collections from Elton John, Ray Charles, and Madonna, and Happy Valentine's Day.

After losing my husband, I listened to these great songs and there were so many I could relate to. In "It's My Turn," Diana sings of a woman coming into her own, in "Endless Love," sung with Lionel Richie, she sings of the passion of love, in "Together," which is a bouncy tune, she approaches love in a lighthearted manner, and in "We're Always Saying Goodbye," a haunting refrain, she addresses the fact that life is one long goodbye, as we are continually facing loss all the time.
I particularly liked "To Love Again," and "I Thought It Took A Little Time (But Today I Fell In Love)," as both of these beautiful romantic ballads carry out the theme of the album, which is having to start over.
Diana runs the gamut of emotions in this CD of beautiful love songs, with a voice which never seems to change, though it is clear that she has evolved into a mature, experienced performer.
Especially nice for those reflective, mellow times of your life.

In 1981, this was not a huge album. However, I Loved It! It spun on my turntable ALOT (it was all about vinyl, then, boys and girls!). Now, after many years, it's available on CD. I was excited to see it's re-release announced in Entertainment Weekly 2 weeks beforehand. Needless to say, I'm more than a bit biased in favor of this album.
Also remember this album followed on the heels of a very successful year for Diana Ross. The "diana" album was wildly (and deservedly) popular and "It's My Turn" was a wonderful hit single (included on this album). I was very happy at the time for more Diana product (still am happy for new Diana Ross tunes!)

Originally a showplace for Diana Ross' work with Michael Masser, this expanded version focuses on romance also. So there are also collaborations with producers Tom Baird, Richard Perry, Hal Davis, Greg Wright, Ron Miller as well as Lionel Richie. More tracks from Michael Masser were also included.
The original tracks sound better than ever. The bonus tracks were thoughfully chosen and there are 2 previously released tracks that do not disappoint. They are "Share Some Love" & "We're Always Saying Goodbye". Both were to be used on the 1978 album "Ross" but ultimately making their debut here instead. The one track, "Share..." was recorded in 1976 and was an outtake. The other track, "We're Always...", according to the new liner notes, was recorded in 1974 and mixed but not used for "Ross". Both are fresh and delightful.
It's also very nice to see Diana Ross & Lionel Richie's other collaboration from the "Endless Love" soundtrack album, "Dreaming of You", included here. I think it would have made a great follow-up single back in 1981 to "Endless Love".

It's nice to be able to fall in love with this album all over again! Where I thought Motown would add only more Michael Masser produced tracks when I found out there'd be bonus tracks, they took an even more inventive and refreshing approach. A very worthwhile re-release...more than a collection, just short of an anthology and very special....Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Michael Masser was about the only of the "specialty" composers Diana work with that really knew how to best utilize the strengths in Diana's voice. All the other composer/producers tended to over gimmick a "sound" they thought best... some worked better than others this one overall was the best showcase because of the Masser influence.. from It's My Turn, Or Theme to Mahagony... but moreso on Cryin My Eyes Out for You... and especially One More Chance...
This initial "album" came on the heels of the WIZ and working with Quincy Jones where Diana really stretch here vocals (actually taking voice lessons) and quality developing a full other octave and hit notes she never had before... the sound is amazing and haunting and besides the obvious "hits"... this is probably what could be called her best "Adult Contemporary" performances in one package.
We always like the "bonuses" but this part though there are some great additional tracks really might have been placed in another collection.
Mostly just not to diminish the great works of Michael Masser here.
I am and would be equally as impressed if they had just re-dubbed this and and titled it Diana Ross Sings Michael Masser...
Without these "bonuses unless there are more of his works with Diana "in the vaults" somewhere.
I think that he was that under rated and IMHO the one "re-teaming" th every Adult (60 year Old almost) Diana should really consider revisiting for a least One More Chance....

To Love Again is a masterful collection of some of the most gorgeous vocal performances ever by Ms.Ross. It is a reminder of the class and influential stylings that have been absent so long from this legend. Now to re-live the love again on this cd is a must. The sound is crisp and every orchestral arrangement upfront. The songs, although some as old as 25 years, still sound as fresh today, because quite simply the message of love is always in style and on this CD, no one can do it better than Lady Diana. From the beauty of the her photographs to the last track on this cd, it is quite simply a masterpiece.......

This CD is worth buying just for this track alone - I have literally been looking for it for more than a decade and it is great to finally find it.

This was one of my favorite compilations of Diana Ross' when it was first released on tape/vinyl/8-track back in the early 1980's (just after she left Motown for RCA). Now with this extended CD version it is well worth the purchase, again.
Diana's forte has always been the romantic ballad, and on this collection most of her finest ballads are included. Some may consider them to be too sappy, and overdone but there is real emotion in these tracks never the less, "Nobody's Going To Be A Fool Forever", "Touch Me In The Morning", "Theme From Mahagony" all showcase Ross when she was at the top of her game. Considering that her last US Top Ten Pop Hit was a ballad (1984's "Missing You", not part of this set), she would be smart to rediscover her forte on her next studio album.

This has always been one of my top 5 favorite Diana albums. I first bought a used Lp of "To Love Again" as a teenager in 1995. The artwork was what drew me to it; she takes your breath away on both covers! But what I heard on the album was even better: 9 lush, romantic ballads sung as only Diana can sing them. Her voice caresses every lyric and sings these love songs as though she's living them. When I heard Motown was re-releasing this one, with tracks from the vaults, I hit the roof!

My favorites: "Together" (great to FINALLY have this one on CD!), "We're Always Saying Goodbye" (prev. unreleased), Never Say I Don't Love You (this has long been one my all-time Diana faves), "Stop, Look, Listen", and "No One's Gonna Be a Fool Forever". This last one really ought to have been a single in its day.

Also, the title track is sublime, as are "Cryin' My Heart out For You", "One More Chance" (one of Diana's best vocal performances EVER), the classic "It's My Turn" (perfection), and "Stay With Me".

My only disappointment: the album would be perfect if it included "Where Did We Go Wrong"! C'mon, Motown! :o(

Finally ~ one of Ms. Ross' most overlooked love song albums available with incredible sound. Each track is an audio explosion of memories and clarity. Motown/Universal done good on this one giving everyone (no just die hard fans!) a sampling of tried and true favorites (Touch Me/Morning & Stop, Look Listen) with alternate (and in my opinion) better mixes! God the harmonies and orchestrations are to die for!

Add in a handful of classic music from Ross '78 and Baby It's Me and it's complete. But they didn't stop there ~ they've also brought us two unreleased tracks from mid 70's with that youthful Diana sound. I can just see her standing in her crochet top and jeans jammin' to songs that only a few select would hear for almost thirty years.

But wait there's more! Throw in her two duets with Lionel Ritchie also. Two? There were two? Yep ~ off the forgotten Endless Love soundtrack! Dreaming of You - although I thought I had forgotten all about it - came back to me almost word for word twenty years later (okay now you know I'm a die-hard!)

This is a treasured collection that I'm gonna get a couple of ~ 'cause once they're off the shelves, it seems that Ms. Ross' remasters are increasingly difficult to find ~ and I know I'll be wearing out this CD in the next month.

The original "To love again" LP was released in 1981 to cash in on Diana's hugely successful Chic album from the year before. It was her last album for Motown, at the time of the release she had already left the company and signed to RCA. Back than I thought that this album was a disappointment. It only contained 3 new songs:"Stay with me", "One more chance" and "Cryin' my heart out". These new songs were all lush, Michael Masser penned power ballads in the style of the hit single "It's my turn". The rest of the album was filled with other Micheal Masser compositions that Diana had already released on earlier albums, dating back to the early 70's, making this album a bit of a mixed bag and is probably the reason why it wasn't reissued before. However the CD release makes up for all the shortcomings of the original album. It contains 11(!)bonus tracks, some of them never before released, others for the first time on CD. Tracks like "Love me" (from the rare "Last time i saw him" album) or "Come in from the rain" (another rarity fom 1977's "Baby it's me" LP) are great examples of Diana's talent for wistful love songs. It's a wonderful compilation of songs that are not well-known, but far too good to be forgotten. The sound quality of these remasterd recordings is superb. This is definitly more than just a mere must-have for collectors, but beautiful collection of love songs, cherry-picked from Ross' immense oeuvre.
Personally I would have put "Sleepin'" from "Last ime i saw him" on it, but you can't have everything.