Maps of Music

Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz (2015)

Where the lyrics of Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz take you, and where it was really made.

This album was planned for release in 1979 but was shelved after the film it was based on performed poorly, and it did not come out until 2015.

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Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz: album by Diana Ross, released 27 November 2015 by Motown Records/Universal
Contains Ross' versions of songs from the film version of the musical The Wiz
Ross starred in the film alongside Michael Jackson
Thirteen tracks in the track listing
Most songs written by Charlie Smalls; a few credited to other writers
Reissue remastered and produced by Andrew Skurow, George Solomon, and Harry Weinger

Songs originally recorded in 1978
Produced by Ross, Suzanne de Passe, and Grammy Award winner Lee Holdridge
Motown originally planned the release for 1979, a year after the film's original soundtrack
The plan was canceled after low box-office returns
A highly negative critical response to the film also weighed on the decision
The album stayed largely unreleased until 2015

Ross recorded new versions of "Be a Lion" and "Home" for the album
A previously unreleased song, "Wonder, Wonder Why", was added
"Home" had earlier appeared on a 2001 Motown compilation album
A different version of "Ease On down the Road" came out in 1978 as a duet with Michael Jackson
All other tracks remained unreleased until 2015

1	The Feeling We Once Had	4:37
2	He's the Wizard	3:35
3	Soon as I Get Home	2:52
4	Trio Medley: You Can’t Win / Slide Some Oil / (I’m a) Mean Ole Lion	5:42
5	Ease on Down the Road	3:50
6	Be a Lion	3:21
7	So You Wanted to Meet the Wizard	2:51
8	Is This What Feeling Gets (Dorothy’s Theme)	3:18
9	Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News	2:06
10	Wonder, Wonder Why	3:50
11	A Brand New Day (Everybody Rejoice)	3:43
12	Believe in Yourself	2:37
13	Home	3:46

Diana Ross was born March 26, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan, and was the lead singer of the Supremes.
The Supremes joined Motown in 1961 under the name chosen by Florence Ballard, after the group first formed as the Primettes.
The Supremes became Motown's most successful act in the 1960s and one of the best-selling girl groups of all time.

The Supremes' members included Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and later Cindy Birdsong.
Ross left the Supremes in 1970 and began a solo career.

The Supremes remain the best-charting female group in history, with 12 number-one pop singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ross's solo career produced six Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Endless Love".
Ross starred in Lady Sings the Blues (1972), earning Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations, and later starred in Mahogany and The Wiz.
Ross has sold over 100 million records worldwide as a solo artist.
Ross was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a member of the Supremes and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

Motown originally planned to release the album in 1979, a year after the film's original soundtrack
The planned release was canceled after the film returned low box-office receipts
The decision also followed a highly negative critical response to the film itself
The songs had been recorded in 1978 with Ross, Suzanne de Passe, and Lee Holdridge producing
The project was therefore tied closely to the fortunes of the film it was built around

The album finally appeared in November 2015, decades after the planned 1979 date
The reissue was remastered and produced by Andrew Skurow, George Solomon, and Harry Weinger
Ross' versions of the film songs make up the main body of the release
The track listing opens with "The Feeling We Once Had" and closes with "Home"
The trio medley combines "You Can't Win", "Slide Some Oil", and "(I'm A) Mean Ole Lion"
"Is This What Feeling Gets? (Dorothy's Theme)" is credited to Quincy Jones, Nick Ashford, and Valerie Simpson
"A Brand New Day" is credited to Luther Vandross
"Wonder Wonder Why" was previously unreleased before this album
"Be a Lion" and "Home" were recorded again as new versions for the album
Most of the remaining tracks were unreleased until the 2015 release

The album was planned for 1979 but its release was canceled after the film's weak box-office returns.
"Wonder Wonder Why" was a previously unreleased song added to this album.
"Home" had already been released on a 2001 Motown compilation album.
A different 1978 version of "Ease On down the Road" was a duet between Ross and Michael Jackson.
Michael Jackson co-starred with Ross in the film The Wiz from which these songs come.