Today’s classic song of the day is one of the 5th Dimensions later hits, and one not as often played today as their earlier ones. The song is ‘Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes” and it was released as a single in February of 1971. It peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.
Unlike many of the group’s other hits, which were written by well-known songwriters like Jimmy Webb, Burt Bacharach, and Laura Nyro, “Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes” was written by a relative unknown, Dorothea Joyce. According to her website, Ms. Joyce, who calls herself a “performance healer,” is a “performer, producer, healer, and award-winning songwriter” who offers “concerts, workshops, lectures, and individual & group counseling.” Her resume says she was a staff songwriter for the publishing arm of CBS Records and wrote songs for Astrid Gilberto and others. “Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes” was definitely her biggest success.
The 5th Dimension’s recording of “Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes” was, like all their big hits, produced by Bones Howe. Bob Aclivar did the vocal arrangement and members of the Wrecking Crew (including Larry Knechtel on keyboards, Hal Blaine on drums, and Joe Osborn on that gloriously sinewy bass part) played backup. Marilyn McCoo provided that soaring lead vocal.
Interestingly, the 5th Dimension were not the first to record “Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes.” That honor went to Diana Ross, who had recently left the Supremes for a solo career. Berry Gordy had initially asked Bones Howe to produce Ms. Ross’ first album, and he chose “Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes” for inclusion. Gordy didn’t like Howe’s direction for his superstar, however, and fired him and decided not to include that song on Ms. Ross’ self-titled 1970 solo album. That recording eventually got released as a bonus track on the 2002 extended re-release of that album.
