The Supremes (not yet Diana Ross and the Supremes) bring us today’s classic song of the day, “My World is Empty Without You.” Released as a single at the end of December, 1965, this one rose to #5 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 early in 1966.
“My World is Empty Without You” was written and produced by the hit-making team of Briand Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, otherwise known as Holland-Dozier-Holland or HDH. A top-five hit is no slouch, but this was the rare HDH song for the Supremes that failed to get all the way to #1; other HDH-penned chart toppers for the group included “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Back in My Arms Again,” “I Hear a Symphony,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Love is Here and Now You’re Gone,” and “The Happening.”
Musicians on this track were the usual members of the Funk Brothers, Motown’s house band. Those players included Earl Van Dyke on organ, James Gittens on piano, Joe Messina on guitar, James Jamerson on bass, Jack Ashford on vibes, Benny Benjamin on drums, and Mike Terry on bari sax. Paul Riser did the string arrangements for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Diana Ross sang lead, of course, backed by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard.
And here’s today’s daily bonus video of the day, the Supremes performing “My World is Empty Without You” on the February 20, 1966, episode of The Ed Sullivan Show. Ed liked the girls and had them on the show a lot.
