Forever Came Today

Infobox Single
Name = Forever Came Today
Artist = Diana Ross & the Supremes
from Album = Reflections
Released = February 29, 1968
Format = Vinyl record (7" 45 RPM)
Recorded = December 20, 1967, January 1 and January 23, 1968; Hitsville USA, Detroit, Michigan
Genre = Psychedelic soul
Length = 3:19
Label = Motown
1122
Writer = Holland-Dozier-Holland
Producer = Lamont Dozier
Brian Holland
Last single = "In and Out of Love"
(1967)
This single = "Forever Came Today"
(1968)
Next single = "Some Things You Never Get Used To"
(1968)

"Forever Came Today" is a 1967 song written and produced by the Motown collective of Holland-Dozier-Holland, and was first made into a hit by the Motown girl group Diana Ross & the Supremes in early 1968. A disco version of the song was released as a single seven years later by Motown group The Jackson 5.

Overview

The Supremes version

"Forever Came Today's" release was the result of a work slowdown by Holland-Dozier-Holland in late 1967. The song had originally been recorded in 1967, and was not approved for release by Motown's Quality Control team at the time. cite book |authorlink=Gerald Posner |last=Posner |first=Gerald |year=2002 |title=Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power |location=New York |publisher=Random House |isbn=0-375-50062-6 |page=205] By mid-1967, HDH, and particularly lyricist Eddie Holland, had become disatisfied with both their pay and the working atmosphere at Motown, and resultingly created very little music during the latter half of the year. cite book |authorlink=Nelson George |last=George |first=Nelson |year=1985 |title=Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound |location=New York |publisher=St. Martin's |isbn=0-312-01109-1 |page=152- 154]

With no other Supremes singles ready for release, Motown had "Forever Came Today" re-recorded, and prepared it for release as a single. The single features Diana Ross without Supremes members Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong; Motown session group The Andantes recorded the backing vocals.

The single peaked at number twenty-eight on the American pop singles chart, giving the group their lowest charted Top 40 record since their first hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes", peaked at number twenty-three in 1963. The song's lyrics feature a woman who is amazed by her boyfriend's love that she has waited 'forever' for, hence the saying "my forever came today". In spite of its showings on the pop charts, Holland-Dozier-Holland uphold "Forever Came Today" as one of the best Motown songs they ever wrote. Chin, Brian and Nathan, David (2000). "Reflections Of..." The Supremes [CD boxed set liner notes] . New York: Motown Record Co./Universal Music.]

By the time of the single's release in February 1968, Holland-Dozier-Holland no longer came to Motown's Hitsville USA studio. Motown sued for breach of contract in August 1968; HDH countersued. The trio went on to eventually start their own labels, Invictus Records and Hot Wax Records. Meanwhile, Berry Gordy was forced to find a new songwriting team for the Supremes, since Holland-Dozier-Holland had written all fo the group's hit singles since 1963.

Infobox Single
Name = Forever Came Today
Artist = The Jackson 5
from Album = Moving Violation
B-side = "All I Do Is Think of You"
Released = 1975
Format = Vinyl record (7" 45 RPM)
Recorded = 1975
Genre = Disco/funk
Length = 6:05
Label = Motown
Producer = Hal Davis
Last single = "I Am Love"
(1974)
This single = "Forever Came Today"
(1975)
Next single = "All I Do Is Think of You"
(1975)

The Jackson 5 version

The single was revived eight years later in a disco version by another Motown group, The Jackson 5. The Jacksons had replaced the Supremes as the label's top-selling act during the early 1970s and by 1975 were going through problems with Motown and making plans to leave the company. The Jackson 5's version peaked at number sixty on the pop chart in the U.S., but became a number-one hit on the "Billboard" dance chart. The single's B-side, "All I Do Is Think of You", was later extensively covered and sampled by contemporary R&B and hip hop artists.

Credits

upremes version

*Lead vocals by Diana Ross
*Background vocals by The Andantes: Marlene Barrow, Louvain Demps and Jackie Hicks
*Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
*Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier

Jackson 5 version

*Lead vocals by Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson
*Background vocals by The Jackson 5 and assorted background singers
*Instrumentation by assorted Los Angeles musicians
*Produced by Hal Davis

References