Finally Convinced To Take On the Genre, Diana Ross Owned Disco Floors With This No. 1 Hit

When disco first started making inroads into the pop music world, many top artists showed their skepticism. As it turned out, rock artists weren’t the only ones who hesitated to join the trend.

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No less an R&B legend than Diana Ross had to be coaxed into making her first foray into the world of disco. But she couldn’t have been more pleased with the result when “Love Hangover” hit the top of the pop charts in 1976.

Coaxing Diana

Diana Ross remained one of the biggest stars on the Motown roster in the middle of the 70s, long after her days with The Supremes had ended. Her solo career had been picking up steam at that time, as her burgeoning acting career gained her music even more exposure.

In 1975, Ross scored her third solo No. 1 hit with “Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)”. Meanwhile, as she prepared her self-titled album in 1976, Motown executives were tentatively trying to make some progress in the disco market, something that had eluded them to that point.

Songwriters Marilyn McLeod and Pamela Sawyer penned “Love Hangover”. Producer Hal Davis helped to put together the track, which segued from a ballad-like opening section into a four-on-the-floor workout. But could everyone convince Diana Ross that this was the right song for her?

The Atmosphere Leads to the Performance

To get Ross in the right headspace for the performance, Davis decked out the studio in strobe lights. He also offered the star a libation before she even made it to the microphone. She quickly found the groove, delivering a sultry, playful performance, especially when it came to the ad-libs in the disco portion.

Yet after convincing Ross to do the song, Motown didn’t quite go all-in. For the first single from the Diana Ross album, the label chose a ballad. Meanwhile, The Fifth Dimension, after hearing “Love Hangover” on the album, decided to hustle out a cover version.

As the ballad (“I Thought It Took A Little Time”) struggled to find its footing, Motown did a quick course correction. They released Ross’ version of “Love Hangover” as a single. It climbed the charts in a hurry, leaving the Fifth Dimension’s version behind and eventually making it all the way to No. 1.

Behind the Lyrics of “Love Hangover”

“If there’s a cure for this,” Ross sings at the beginning of the lyrics. “I don’t want it.” That sets up the theme for “Love Hangover”, as the narrator is quite OK with the heady after-effects of her romantic tryst. “If there’s a remedy,” she explains. “I’ll run from it.”

Things get a little steamy as the song progresses. “I don’t want to shake it,” Ross coos. “This love you’re making.” In the disco section, Ross starts barking out orders for everyone to steer clear of the situation. “Don’t call a doctor,” she exhorts. “Don’t call her mama/Don’t call a preacher.”

Towards the end of the song, the singer lets out a couple of chuckles. Maybe she was surprised that she loved singing the song so much. In any case, Diana Ross certainly enjoyed the last laugh when “Love Hangover” proved she could conquer yet another musical genre.

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