Dirty Looks (song)

Last updated
"Dirty Looks"
Dirty Looks 7" Single.jpeg
Single by Diana Ross
from the album Red Hot Rhythm & Blues
ReleasedApril 29, 1987
Genre R&B, Pop, Soul
Length4:09 (album version)
3:20 (edit/UK album version)
Label RCA, EMI
Songwriter(s) Lotti Golden
Richard Scher
Producer(s) Tom Dowd
Diana Ross singles chronology
"Experience"
(1985)
"Dirty Looks"
(1987)
"Tell Me Again"
(1987)

"Dirty Looks" is a song from the 1987 album Red Hot Rhythm & Blues by Diana Ross. It was written by Lotti Golden and Richard Scher, and produed by Tom Dowd. It was also released as the album's lead single on April 29, 1987, by RCA and EMI. The song, which peaked at #12 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles, [1] originally appeared on Warp 9's second LP on Motown, Fade in, Fade Out. [2] The European releases of Red Hot Rhythm & Blues features the short version of the song.

The 30th Anniversary (2017) of the 1987 album Red Hot Rhythm & Blues generated new perspectives on the LP: "Despite its fiery title, Red Hot Rhythm & Blues went with a soft, pastel take of Quiet Storm, adult contemporary pop and vintage soul," noting two exceptions: "the urbane percussive funk of the LP's first single “Dirty Looks” (U.S. R&B #12, UK #49) and the tasteful take of Simply Red's guitar soul injected [track] “Shine” [3] Described as "a sexy, mature number that incorporates elements from the burgeoning Hip-hop genre, “Dirty Looks”’ exudes the “glossy soul Diana Ross has perfected over the past two decades. The song was written by Lotti Golden and Richard Scher, who’d first produced the song for their electro Hip-hop group Warp 9 on their 1986 Motown LP..." [4] Further details from Diana Ross: A Biography by J.Randy Taraborellii [5] describes (p. 556) how Ms. Ross found "Dirty Looks" herself, and brought the song to producer, Tom Dowd, who was forced to rethink the LP in order to accommodate the song due to its urban, hip hop values; it wasn't the direction Dowd was planning for the album, but Ross was adamant about recording “Dirty Looks” [6]

Charts

Chart (1987)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [7] 88
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [8] 60
UK Singles (OCC) [9] 49
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [10] 12
West Germany (Official German Charts) [11] 58

Related Research Articles

Someday Well Be Together 1969 single by Diana Ross and the Supremes

"Someday We'll Be Together" is a song written by Johnny Bristol, Jackey Beavers, and Harvey Fuqua. It was the last of twelve American number-one pop singles for Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label. Although it was released as the final Supremes song featuring Diana Ross, who left the group for a solo career in January 1970, it was recorded as Ross' first solo single and Supremes members Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong do not sing on the recording. Both appear on the B-side, "He's My Sunny Boy".

The Supremes discography Cataloging of published recordings by The Supremes

American girl group The Supremes have released 29 studio albums, four live albums, two soundtrack albums, 32 compilation albums, four box sets, 66 singles and three promotional singles. The Supremes are the most successful American group of all-time, and the 26th greatest artist of all time on the US Billboard charts; with 12 number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and three number-one albums on the Billboard 200. The Supremes were the first artist to accumulate five consecutive number-one singles on the US Hot 100 and the first female group to top the Billboard 200 albums chart with The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966). In 2017, Billboard ranked The Supremes as the number-one girl group of all-time, publishing, 'although there have been many girl group smashes in the decades since the Supremes ruled the Billboard charts, no collective has yet to challenge their, for lack of a better word, supremacy.' In 2019, the Official Charts Company placed 7 Supremes songs—"You Can't Hurry Love" (16), "Baby Love" (23), "Stop! In The Name Of Love" (56), "Where Did Our Love Go?" (59), "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (78), "Come See About Me" (94) and "Stoned Love" (99)—on The Official Top 100 Motown songs of the Millennium chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all time UK downloads and streams.

Aint No Mountain High Enough 1966 song by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla label, a division of Motown. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and became a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes frontwoman Diana Ross. The song became Ross's first solo number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

<i>Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5</i> 1969 studio album by the Jackson 5

Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 is the debut studio album from Gary, Indiana-based soul family band the Jackson 5, released on the Motown label on December 12, 1969. The Jackson 5's lead singer, a preteenage boy named Michael, and his four older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon, became pop successes within months of this album's release. Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5's only single, "I Want You Back", became a number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 within weeks of the album's release. The album reached number 5 on the US Pop Albums chart, and spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the US R&B/Black Albums chart.

"(I Know) I'm Losing You" is a 1966 hit single recorded by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label, written by Cornelius Grant, Eddie Holland and Norman Whitfield, and produced by Norman Whitfield.

Up the Ladder to the Roof

"Up the Ladder to the Roof" is a 1970 hit single recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. It was the first Supremes single to feature new lead singer Jean Terrell in place of Diana Ross, who officially left the group for a solo career two weeks before the recording of this song in January 1970. This song also marks a number of other firsts: it is the first Supremes single since "The Happening" in 1967 to be released under the name "The Supremes" instead of "Diana Ross & The Supremes", the first Supremes single solely produced by Norman Whitfield associate Frank Wilson, and the first Supremes single to make the United Kingdom Top 10 since "Reflections" in 1967.

Im Livin in Shame

"I'm Livin' in Shame" is a 1969 song released for Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label. The sequel to the Supremes' number-one hit, "Love Child," the song peaked in the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 pop chart at #10 and the top 20 in the UK at #14 in April and May 1969.

Respect (song) 1965 single by Otis Redding

"Respect" is a song written and originally recorded by American soul singer Otis Redding. It was released in 1965 as a single from his third album Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul and became a crossover hit for Redding.

Diana Ross discography

The discography of American singer Diana Ross, the former lead singer of the Supremes, consists of 25 studio albums and 116 singles. Throughout her career, Ross has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Billboard ranked her as the 47th Greatest Artist of all time and the 11th Greatest Hot 100 Female Artist of all time. In 1993, Guiness World Records crowned Ross as the "most successful female artist in music history". Her 11th studio album "Diana" remains the best-selling album of her career, selling more than 10 million copies around the world.

<i>Swept Away</i> (Diana Ross album) 1984 studio album by Diana Ross

Swept Away is the fifteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 13, 1984, by RCA Records in North America and by Capitol Records in Europe. It was Ross' fourth of six albums released by the label during the decade.

<i>Red Hot Rhythm & Blues</i> 1987 studio album by Diana Ross

Red Hot Rhythm and Blues is the seventeenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on May 8, 1987 by RCA Records and EMI Records. It was Ross' last of six albums released by the label during the decade. It was produced by veteran Atlantic Records producer Tom Dowd with one track contributed by Luther Vandross.

<i>Workin Overtime</i> 1989 studio album by Diana Ross

Workin' Overtime is the eighteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on June 6, 1989, by Motown Records. Her first Motown album with new material since To Love Again (1981) after a short stint with RCA Records, Ross reunited with frequent collaborator Nile Rodgers, chief producer of her most successful album to date Diana (1980), to make this album which was an attempt to gear her to a much younger audience bringing in new jack swing productions and house music.

Mirror Mirror (Diana Ross song)

"Mirror, Mirror" is a 1981 rock-styled hit song recorded by American singer Diana Ross, released as her second single on the RCA label. The song, written by Dennis Matkosky and Michael Sembello, and produced by Ross herself, was release as the second single on December 11, 1981 from her Platinum-certified album, Why Do Fools Fall in Love.

Its My House 1979 single by Diana Ross

"It's My House" is a ballad composed by the rhythm and blues writing team of Ashford and Simpson, recorded by Motown icon Diana Ross for her 1979 album release The Boss, from which it was issued as the second single on 20 October 1979.

Floy Joy (song) 1971 single by The Supremes

"Floy Joy" is a song written by Smokey Robinson and released as a single in December 1971 by popular Motown female singing group The Supremes.

<i>Live at Caesars Palace</i> 1974 live album by Diana Ross

Live at Caesars Palace is a live album by the American singer Diana Ross, released in 1974. It was recorded during a 1973 performance at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace. It was the first of two live albums Ross recorded for Motown. It reached No. 64 in the USA.

Lotti Golden American singer-songwriter

Lotti Golden is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, poet and artist. Golden is best known for her 1969 debut album Motor-Cycle, on Atlantic Records.

Where Did Our Love Go 1964 song by The Supremes

"Where Did Our Love Go" is a 1964 song recorded by American music group the Supremes for the Motown label.

Pops, We Love You (A Tribute to Father) 1978 single by Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder

"Pops, We Love You " is a 1978 single recorded and released by Motown stars Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder, as a tribute to Berry "Pops" Gordy, Sr., father of Motown founder Berry Gordy, who had died that year from cancer.

Warp 9

Warp 9, an American Sci-Fi themed electro-funk, hip hop group is best known for its ground breaking, influential singles including "Nunk," "Light Years Away," and "Beat Wave," which ranked among the most iconic groups of the electro hip hop era. Described as the "perfect instance of hip hop's contemporary ramifications," Warp 9 was the brainchild of writer-producers Lotti Golden and Richard Scher. The duo wrote and recorded under the moniker Warp 9, a production project at the forefront of the electro movement.

References

  1. Joel Whitburn (1942–1995) Top R&B, Record Research Inc. Wisconsin USA, page 382
  2. Discogs.com
  3. "Sweet Soul Music: Diana Ross' 'Red Hot Rhythm & Blues' Turns 35 | Anniversary Retrospective".
  4. "Red Hot Rhythm & Blues (1987)". 3 June 2012.
  5. "Nonfiction Book Review: Diana Ross: A Biography by J. Randy Taraborrelli, Author . Citadel $26.95 (539p) ISBN 978-0-8065-2849-6". September 2007.
  6. Randy Taraborrelli, J. (2007). Diana Ross: An Unauthorized Biography. ISBN   9780330436007.
  7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0823." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  8. "Diana Ross – Dirty Looks" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  9. "Diana Ross: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  10. "Diana Ross Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  11. "Offiziellecharts.de – Diana Ross – Dirty Looks". GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 14, 2021.