Rahul Sharma (Editor)

The Supreme Florence "Flo" Ballard

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Released
  
2002

Length
  
45:79

Artist
  
Florence Ballard

Recorded
  
1961 - 1969

Label
  
Spectrum Records

Release date
  
2002

The Supreme Florence

Genres
  
Soul music, Rhythm and blues, Pop music, Rock music

Producers
  
Robert Bateman, Marc Gordon, Hal Davis, Berry Gordy

The Supreme Florence "Flo" Ballard is a 2002 release by Universal Music Group's Spectrum label, compiling the ABC Records solo recordings of Florence Ballard (formerly of The Supremes), originally released in 2001 on Polygram in the UK as The Supreme Florence Ballard: 18 Essential Original Recordings.

Contents

The album, originally titled You Don't Have To, was shelved by ABC in 1968. "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It", the first single, is an up-tempo song about no matter how it is said, "I love you" means the same thing. The final 4 songs of the album are songs Florence took the lead on as a Supreme.

Due to legal agreements between Motown and Ballard when she separated from The Supremes in 1967, Motown stated that Ballard was not allowed to mention that she had been a former member of the Supremes. As a result, her press release stated that "Florence has been a part of an entertainment trio for many years," which hindered her releases from garnering attention from the public.

Although there was only one album by Ballard released, she was supposedly about to sign a contract just before her death. Ballard had also recorded an Aretha Franklin-esque demo around the time of her death, according to Tony Turner in "All That Glittered: My Life With The Supremes". Also, one of her singles, "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It", has been featured on soul CDs.

Track listing

  1. "Like You Babe" − 2:31
  2. "Yesterday" (Lennon–McCartney) − 2:43
  3. "Yours Until Tomorrow" (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) − 3:19
  4. "It's Not Unusual" (Les Reed, Gordon Mills) − 2:18
  5. "The Impossible Dream" (Joe Darion, Mitch Leigh) − 2:54
  6. "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" (Drake Hollon) − 2:59
  7. "Stay In Love" − 3:03
  8. "Walk On By" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) − 3:03
  9. "Goin' Out of My Head" (Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein) − 2:52
  10. "You Bring Out the Sweetness In Me" (Gerald Harris) − 2:44
  11. "Everything Wonderful" (Drake Hollon) − 2:22
  12. "Love Ain't Love" (Van McCoy) − 2:37
  13. "Forever Faithful" (Robert Bateman) − 2:52
  14. "My Heart" − 3:04
  15. "Buttered Popcorn"- with The Supremes (Flo on lead) − 2:35
  16. "(Ain't That) Good News" - with The Supremes (Flo on lead) − 2:33
  17. "Hey Baby" (Version 2) - with The Supremes (Flo on lead) − 2:20
  18. "Heavenly Father" - with The Supremes (Flo on lead) − 2:50

Alternate takes

"It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" - take one:


"My Heart" - take one :


Singles history

  • 1968: "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" b/w "Goin' Out Of My Head" (ABC Records #45-11074A/B)
  • 1968: "Love Ain't Love" b/w "Forever Faithful" (ABC Records #45-11144A/B)
  • References

    The Supreme Florence "Flo" Ballard Wikipedia