The Composer
Encyclopedia
"The Composer" is a 1969 song released for Diana Ross & the Supremes
by the Motown label.
, the song is featured on their album Let the Sunshine In and peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100
pop singles chart in the United States in May 1969. As with many Diana Ross & the Supremes releases, Mary Wilson
and Cindy Birdsong
did not sing on the record but rather Motown session singer
s The Andantes
. "The Composer" is one of only a few Supremes releases that was not performed on any television show. The song was rerecorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
for their 1969 album, Time Out for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
.
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
by the Motown label.
Background
Written and produced by Smokey RobinsonSmokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, the song is featured on their album Let the Sunshine In and peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
pop singles chart in the United States in May 1969. As with many Diana Ross & the Supremes releases, Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
and Cindy Birdsong
Cindy Birdsong
Cynthia Ann "Cindy" Birdsong , better known by her stage name, Cindy Birdsong, is an American singer, most famous for singing with the legendary soul groups Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles and The Supremes.-Early life:...
did not sing on the record but rather Motown session singer
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s The Andantes
The Andantes
The Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie...
. "The Composer" is one of only a few Supremes releases that was not performed on any television show. The song was rerecorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
for their 1969 album, Time Out for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Time Out for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Time Out for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles is a 1969 album by Motown group Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. The album reached #25 on the Billboard Pop Album chart. It contains four pop Top 40 singles: "Doggone Right", "Abraham, Martin & John", "Here I Go Again", and the Top 10 pop smash hit "Baby,...
.
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Diana RossDiana RossDiana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
- Background vocals by The AndantesThe AndantesThe Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie...
: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps - Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
Track listing
- 7" single (27 March 1969) (North America/Germany/Netherlands)
- "The Composer" – 2:55
- "The Beginning of the End" – 2:29
Chart history
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
27 |
| U.S. Billboard R&B Singles Chart Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
21 |