On this day in music history, December 27, 1969 Diana Ross and the Supremes had their last #1 hit on the Billboard charts with Someday We’ll Be Together. The song was co-written by Johnny Bristol. He said he and one of the other co-writers, Jackie Beavers, were often on the road as Jackie and Johnny for the Tri-Phi label. They missed their wives and that inspired them to write the song. When Tri-Phi was absorbed by Motown Johnny signed on as a writer and producer. He kept trying to get Barry Gordy to sign up the act of Jackie and Johnny but was always told he was more valuable to Motown behind the scenes. One of those times he took a tape of them singing Someday We’ll Be Together to Mr. Gordy. Gordy said it would be a smash hit for the Supremes. Knowing Gordys instincts were usually right Johnny thought this would at least give Jackie and Johnny a hit song as writers.
The only one of the Supremes on the song is Diana Ross. The others were not asked to go into the studio to record it. So while it is billed on the record as Diana Ross and the Supremes it is really Diana’s first solo effort. A male voice is also heard on the record. That is the voice of Johnny Bristol. Near the end of the recording session Diana was getting tired and not giving as much emotion as she did in the beginning. Johnny went in to sing the rest of the song with her to give her an added spark. He was to be edited out but Barry liked it so much that he kept it on the record. So in the end Johnny Bristol did get to record a version of his song. It helped to make it a #1 hit on this day in music history.
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