Diana Ross: Touch Me in the Morning (1973)

Although Diana Ross had enjoyed a hit single in 1971 with ‘I'm Still Waiting’ and a few other Top Ten singles during the ‘70s, it wasn't until the album Touch Me in the Morning that she showed her full potential as a solo artist. Historically, the timing for the release of the album was of significant importance. Diana had stunned the world with her Oscar nominated and Golden Globe Award winning performance in Lady Sings the Blues. It was time to return to the studios and the result was a collection of beautiful, timeless classics that have stood the test of time. The title track is a masterpiece itself and is one of Diana's most memorable and timeless classics. The rhythm builds to the exciting chorus which Diana tackles with style and finesse. After a sluggish start on the U.S charts, Touch Me in the Morning eventually catapulted into pole position, whilst gliding into the U.K Top 10. Another timeless ballad, ‘All of My Life’ became a Top 10 success in the U.K deservedly. This soul classic contains a fantastic, stirring vocal performance from its star whilst the mood quickly turns chilly on the yearning, ‘We Need You’. Of equally strong musical merit was the effective ‘Leave a Little Room’, where Diana glides through the verses and is joined by a gospel-influenced choir on the tracks chorus. Diana surprisingly makes The Carpenters’ ‘I Won't Last a Day Without You’ her own, but it is the latter half of the album that displays a lot of true artistic flair. Perhaps holding onto Lady Sings the Blues in some way, Diana delivers two Jazz/Blues numbers that are both startlingly atmospheric. Her performance is almost dreamy on ‘Little Girl Blue’, whereas the mood goes deeper and more sombre on the haunting ‘My Baby (My Own)’. Her striking vocal delivery virtually turns into a subdued howl at the climax of this track. She then delivers a magnificent, stylish and sophisticated reading of John Lennon’s' famous classic, ‘Imagine’, and then finally the album winds down to its peak with the startling medley ‘Brown Baby/Save the Children’. Both numbers are chilly and hauntingly atmospheric and both display Diana’s' versatile vocal expertise. All in all, Touch Me in the Morning is a fantastic, unique affair all round and was one of her most artistic efforts. http://www.amazon.com/

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The diva sings live 'Touch Me (In the Morning)':

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Performing 'Corner of the Sky', from the Broadway musical "Pippin", live in Copenhagen, 1973: