Everybody who made a record before 1967 has at least one bad psychedelic moment. This week we unearth Diana Ross and the Supremes’ disastrous foray into horoscopic pop, "No Matter What Sign You Are."
Back History: Under the guiding hands of Motown’s hit songwriters/producers, Holland-Dozier-Holland, the Supremes managed credible psychedelia toe-to-toe with the Beatles, Cream and Jefferson Airplane. If nothing else, “Reflections” and “Forever Came Today” proved that Theremins, mellotrons, cellos, moogs. Byzantine horns and cosmic lyrics did indeed have a place on an R&B record. Holland-Dozier-Holland’s departure from Motown left the Supremes to flounder without the team that wrote all of their hits. “Can't let astrology chart our destiny.” sang ditzy Diana but that’s just what the Supremes star-crossed handlers did, resulting in the group’s worst chart numbers since “Run Run Run” tanked in 1963.
Suspect Psychedelic Record: "No Matter What Sign You Are" single released May 26, 1969
Release Date In Relation to Sgt. Pepper LP: Two years after Sgt. Pepper, but two months after the Fifth Dimension took “The Age of Aquarius” to number one. As an obvious nod to that song, The Supremes sing the word “Aquarius” on this disc with the identical melody as the opening number in the musical Hair. Incidentally “No Matter What Sign You Are” was taken off the girls’ Let the Sunshine In album, a fact not trumpeted on the front sleeve, although six other non-hits are listed.
Suspicious Psychedelic Instrumentation: That gimmicky electric sitar guitar.
Psychedelic Crutch Words: “Astrology,” two roll calls of all 12 signs of the Zodiac plus three overly excited injections of “good vibrations!”
Psychedelic Enabler: Believe it or not, co-composer Berry Gordy meant this aberration to be the final Diana Ross and the Supremes single, really a shuck since neither Mary Wilson or Cindy Birdsong had actually been invited to sing on a Supremes single since “Diana Ross &…” was added to the name in mid 1967. This single’s lousy chart performance (well, lousy for the Supremes, a measly number 32 according to Billboard) sent Gordy back to the drawing board, this time without a telescope!
Worst Lyrical Moment: When the ersatz Supremes shout out the first and sixth zodiac sign, Ms. Ross responds with what is meant to be a soulful “oww” but instead sounds like she’s being jolted with a hot poker. And somehow the Motown’s in-house Quality Control unit not thinking having “Cancer!” “Owww!” on a pop record wasn’t in bad taste?
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