The Composer

{{Infobox song | name = The Composer | cover = 1969 - The Composer.png | alt = | type = single | artist = Diana Ross & the Supremes | album = Let the Sunshine In | B-side = The Beginning of the End | released = March 27, 1969 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = Pop | length = 2:58 | label = Motown<br><small>M 1146</small> | writer = Smokey Robinson | producer = Smokey Robinson | prev_title = I'll Try Something New | prev_year = 1969 | next_title = No Matter What Sign You Are | next_year = 1969 | misc = {{Extra track listing | album = Let the Sunshine In | type = single | tracks = {{Let the Sunshine In track listing}} }} }}

"'''The Composer'''" is a 1969 song released for Diana Ross & the Supremes by the Motown label.

==Background== Written and produced by Smokey Robinson, the song is featured on their album ''Let the Sunshine In'' and peaked at number 27 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States in May 1969.<ref>{{cite magazine |year=1969 |title=''Billboard'' Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |volume=81 |issue=20 |pages=82 |publisher=Nielsen Company |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xSgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA82 |access-date=10 May 2011 }}</ref> It was not released as a single in the UK. As with many Diana Ross & the Supremes singles recorded between 1968 and 1969, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong did not sing on the record but rather Motown session singers The Andantes. "The Composer" is one of only a few Supremes releases that was not performed on any television show. The song was rerecorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for their 1969 album, ''Time Out for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles''.

''Cash Box'' described it as "a sumptuous love song filled with the imagery of 'I Hear a Symphony'" and "standout production touches."<ref>{{cite news|title=CashBox Record Reviews|date=April 12, 1969|page=20|accessdate=2021-12-08|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1969/CB-1969-04-12.pdf|newspaper=Cash Box}}</ref>

==Personnel== * Lead vocals by Diana Ross * Background vocals by the Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps * Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers

==Track listing== *'''7" single (27 March 1969)''' (North America/Germany/Netherlands) #"The Composer" – 2:55 #"The Beginning of the End" – 2:29

==Chart history== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Chart (1969) !scope="col"|Peak<br>position |- !scope="row" | Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.top100singles.net/2013/02/every-amr-top-100-single-in-1969.html#show|title=Every Unique AMR Top 100 Single of the 1969|website=Top 100 Singles|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> |align="center"| 87 |- !scope="row" {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|14|artist=The Supremes|chartid=6006}} |- !scope="row" | Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/diana-ross-the-supremes/diana-ross-the-supremes-the-composer-21794|title=Diana Ross & The Supremes - The Composer {{!}} Top 40|work=Dutch Top 40|access-date=October 16, 2022}}</ref> |align="center"| 20 |- !scope="row" {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|27|artist=The Supremes}} |- !scope="row" {{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|21|artist=The Supremes}} |- !scope="row" |US ''Cashbox'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19690517.html |title=CASH BOX Top 100 Singles|work=Cashbox|date=May 17, 1969|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|21 |- !scope="row" |US ''Cashbox'' R&B<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives-r/60s_files/19690510R.html |title=The CASH BOX Top 50 In R&B Locations|work=Cashbox|date=May 10, 1969|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|14 |- !scope="row" | US ''Record World'' 100 Top Pops<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Record-World-IDX/IDX/60s/69/RW-1969-05-24-OCR-Page-0031.pdf#search=%22april%2013%22 |title=100 TOP POPS: Week of May 24, 1969|magazine=Record World|publisher=worldradiohistory.com|date=May 24, 1969|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|21 |- !scope="row" | US ''Record World'' Top 50 R&B<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Record-World-IDX/IDX/60s/69/RW-1969-05-24-OCR-Page-0037.pdf#search=%22supremes%20the%20composer%22 |title=TOP 50 R&B: Week of May 24, 1969|page=41|magazine=Record World|publisher=worldradiohistory.com|date=May 24, 1969|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|11 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Composer, The}} Category:1969 singles Category:Songs written by Smokey Robinson Category:The Supremes songs Category:The Miracles songs Category:Motown singles Category:Song recordings produced by Smokey Robinson Category:1969 songs