Weeks: 1
I never saw what people liked about Diana Ross. I listened to some of her work from the 80s, and I'd heard some of her recordings with the Supremes. I thought she was okay but I didn't really understand the regard she seemed to be held in by some music fans. Now that I'm hearing some of her solo songs from the 1970s, I'm starting to realize what I was missing. The 1970s were the peak of her vocal talent and this song shows off her range and vocal power. She also manages to make an emotional connection with the listener.
The orchestral music does a great job matching her performance. It begins quietly and lulls you into the impression that this is just a slight song that is little more than backup to a voice performance. But after a bit both the music and the vocals crank up the power and you discover that the chorus of the song is far more compelling than that first verse.
While the music may be well-matched to the vocal performance, I'm not sure it's all that satisfying by any other measure. This song feels dated, and not in a "classic of the era" way, but in more of a "well, it was the 70s, and that's what we thought people liked" way.
Hmm. It occurs to me I need to develop my 1970s music vocabulary. I'm not even sure how to describe the type of sound this music is. The best I can do is 1970s soft rock. I'm not even sure if that's right. It doesn't sound very much like 1980s soft rock.
The lyrics seem to be a request for one last night together before a breakup. So it's sad, wistful, and firmly parked in the Denial phase of the Breakup Song Stages of Grief. The lyrics are also well-written and match the tone of the music well. I won't be nitpicking them.
My verdict: Don't like it. This is a well-made song and I won't think less of anyone who likes it. This is the hardest call I've had to make yet. But I can't get over how dated, yet not classic, the music is and I know Diana Ross will return to praise again.
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