Someday We'll Be Together

Diana Ross and the Supremes' last hit, "Someday We'll Be Together," was actually a cover. It was originally recorded by songwriters Johnny Bristol and Jackie Beavers as Johnny and Jackey for co-writer Harvey Fuqua and Gwen Gordy's Detroit-based label Tri Phi Records. Tri Phi was absorbed by Motown with Bristol becoming a staff songwriter/producer. He thought about teaming up again with Beavers and re-recorded "Someday We'll Be Together." After hearing it, Motown founder Berry Gordy wanted to record the song with Diana Ross. When the sessions with Ross failed to jell, Bristol came up with the idea of singing a "coaching" duet with Ross. This approach was similar to the Stevie Wonder/Clarence Paul duet on Wonder's number one R&B/number nine pop cover of Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind." Issued on October 14, 1969, with a rhythm arrangement by Wade Marcus, "Someday We'll Be Together" held the number one R&B spot for four weeks and number one pop in late 1969. Some interpreted the lyrics as a ode to civil rights and favorably compared the performance to the Supremes' tender vocals on their version of "Somewhere" from West Side Story at the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr.