HAPPY IS A BUMPY ROAD - THE STORY OF "TOUCH" BY THE SUPREMES | FLY

Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson, and Cindy Birdsong were at the top of their game, managing to put down some of their most mannered and sincere vocals, making Touch the best of the Terrell led LPs. This album occupied a space that was far more evocative, moodier, and sensual than anything The Supremes had recorded previously. A synergy of lyrical ideas, vocalizing, and musical arrangements provided a hushed soul-pop canvas for Terrell/Wilson/Birdsong to soar to new heights.

Mary Wilson herself would finally get her moment to showcase her smoky range on the haunting title track

Opening on the tear-drenched ‘This Is the Story,’ a tale of unrequited love and heartache; it is beautifully expressed through Terrell’s interpretive skill. Moving between various highs and lows, Terrell proves herself as Diana Ross’ equal, if not superior in her ability to read a song, making it her own. The theme of love’s frustration is continued, with an elevated tempo on ‘Nathan Jones.’ An amalgam of handclaps, frenetic guitars, and vocal phasing effects, this future forward jam was another hit for the ‘70’s Supremes (#16 U.S. Pop, #8 R&B, #5 U.K.). It would later be unremarkably covered by British pop darlings, Bananarama, in 1988 becoming a minor hit (#15 U.K.).

The quirky ‘Johnny Raven’ is another uptempo addition, all pluck and ache rolled into one. Songs such as these prove that all three women added something to the pot, making each of them indispensible in what made this line-up of The Supremes so interesting and varied.

The blissful bursts of ‘Here Comes the Sunshine’ and ‘Love It Came To Me This Time’ bring a much needed hue of affirmation to the romantically tense affair. ‘Love,’ however, takes on an almost gospel like stance in its delivery, with ethereal vocals from Wilson, Birdsong, and Terrell.

Mary Wilson herself would finally get her moment to showcase her smoky range on the haunting title track, which stalled (#71 Pop) in America sadly. Despite this, the song ranks as one of Mary’s finest moments, and thankfully started a trend that would see her handling more leads throughout the remainder of the 1970’s with The Supremes.

Touch rounded out the trio of records Wilson would produce for The Supremes, and would be his last. Smokey Robinson would head up the follow-up, 1972’s Floy Joy, which was a welcome, if slightly retread return to a simpler approach thematically.

Touch, along with every other Jean Terrell featured Supremes record, would be bundled and remastered in Hip-O-Select’s lush This is The Story: 1970-1973: The Jean Terrell Years boxset in 2006; to critical acclaim and fan delight.

The mature staying power of Touch hasn’t diminished and bewitches any who listen to it. While not as pleasantly garish as the record that preceded it, or as carefree as the record that came after, Touch is an emotionally challenging set that requires more than one listen to appreciate its vibe.

I went back and gave this another spin … it’s not quite as dull as I thought, ha ha. My favorite of those three is still the second one, but this is quite good. I wonder which direction they would have gone in had they kept working with Wilson. I can see why this appeals to the pop/rock crowd too.

Very nice article.

With all due respect: While all three mentioned Supremes’ albums certainly deserve merit, they wer not—in any specific way—better than what were the best of the Supremes’ albums with Ross. The music, while more interesting, was not any better than before when Flo was with the group. The background voices had no power which meant that Wilson used all three to reinforce the background.

I agree that the “Right On,” “New Ways But Love Stays,” “Touch,” and “Floy Joy” were, and remain superb, they will never = “Where Did Our Love Go?”

The review of these albums reeks with revisionism and anti-Ross, which only serves to illustrate…that no matter how good these albums were and remain, the “record-buying public” felt otherwise. And, my dears, the made the Supremes, and eventually, ignored the Supremes.

I agree with EJR: as good as the Supremes were under Jean, something was missing? The vocals, whie meshed, were powerless, and undistictive…which is why, Frank Wilson, multi-tracked Jean, Mary & Cindy, to give the background more power and distinction.

Jean, while a beautiful singer, could only be taken in small doese…too much Terrell, however, was an overdose.

It seemed that The Supremes had nothing to sing about anymore, and their dress and demeanor because antiquated quickly. They only lasted from February 1970 until June 1973…at which time, Terrell left. That, my firends, was the end of The Supremes.

Always remember, the record buying public, essentially, lost interest in The Supremes, and that lack of interest was legitimate.

Let The Supremes enjoy their place in History, and let their accomplishments R.I.P and not be dragged down in this self-perpetuation “Revisionism” of: Ross vs Wilson.

This battle cheapened The Supremes and reduced their contributions to that of “Dream Girls”!

Certainly the 60’s were the “salad days” and established the Supreme’s name. But this article is not falling into the pedestrian trap of talking about common public opinion about the group during those days. It is more intelligently reflective, and therefore addressing the realities of their evolving vocal sound. Jean Terrell was a gift, an unexpected blessing: She preserved the unique, distinctive Supremes sound, yet simultaneously brought the group to much greater heights of vocal achievement than would have ever been possible with the comparatively weak voiced Diana Ross. Lets not confuse vocal quality with the 60’s era of popularity. They are two completely different topics.

While Terrell had a distinctive soprano, Ross had the more distinctive style of voice…which is why there were Supremes AFTER Ross left.

The Supremes did not last long after Ross’ departure…regardless of Terrell’s distinctive vocal abilities. And it wasn’t all Motown’s doing either—the record buying public simply wasn’t interested in the Supremes…with Terrell.

And I might add, Syreeta Wonder had a much better soprano voice than Terrell ever did. And she became Gordy’s choice—after Terrell—was choosen.

Once again, whenever someone post any truth about the Supremes, some revisionist comes in and reduces Ross to insignifiance…without Ross, there would have been no Supremes, and therefore, no need for a Terrell.

Terrell’s high soprano was more akin to Syreeta than Ross.

Ross had a street singing style as the Supremes came from “Doo-wop” and “Rock n Roll”…not the “Church.”

Therefore, Ross and Terrell had different styles of singing..neither better nor worse.

As such, Touch is different, and that is good…but not better than what had come before…just different.

And, it took Smokey to bring the Supremes back to the “Motown Sound,” where Terrell sounds like Ross…particularly, with “The Wisdom Of Time.”

So, in the end, the Supremes came full cycle: from the sound of H-D-H and the sound of Frank Wilson to the sound of Smokey.

What Touch did was force Terrell to sing in a White, rock style, rather different than a black, church style.

Touch was a beautiful excursion, but Floy Joy brough it all back home.