Diana Ross and The Supremes was the new name used by The Supremes from 1967… Read Full Bio ↴Diana Ross and The Supremes was the new name used by The Supremes from 1967 to 1970. It was Motown boss Berry Gordy's idea to explicitly make Diana Ross the group's front woman.

The Supremes were a hugely successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia and disco. Second only to The Beatles in terms of records sales and chart success, The Supremes were the most successful American musical act of the 1960s, delivering twelve #1 hits between 1964 and 1969, many of them written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland.

Founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes.

Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in 1964 with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross and the Supremes in 1967. Ballard left the group that same year because of personal differences and was replaced by Cindy Birdsong.

Diana Ross left the group for a history-making solo career in 1970 and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of The Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.

Born of Mary
Diana Ross and the Supremes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The babe that was born of Mary
One cold and wintry night
He laid in the manger, lonely
A star that shined so bright

No, no, how the angels sing?
No, no, how did heavens ring?
The babe that was born of Mary

One cold and wintry night

The shepherds abiding in the fields
Were watching over their sheep
And then in the town of Bethlehem
Mary sang her darling to sleep

The Earth was filled with the precious love
Of the holy child sent from up above
The shepherds abiding in the fields
Were watching over their sheep

And out of the East three wise men came
To see the promised king
The knelt down before this holy child
And then all three...

They praised this one who had come to Earth
And the glories of this wond'rous birth
And out of the East three wise men came
To see the promised king

Born of Mary

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Born of Mary" by Diana Ross and the Supremes tell the story of the birth of Jesus. The first verse describes how the baby Jesus was born in a manger on a cold winter's night. The second verse talks about the shepherds who watched over their sheep in the fields and how Mary sang her baby to sleep in Bethlehem. The chorus repeats the phrase "No, no, how the angels sing?" which is like asking how are the angels singing? This emphasizes the joy and wonder that surrounded this miraculous event.

Further, the lyrics describe how three wise men from the east came to see the newborn king, and they knelt down and praised him. The song highlights the significance of Jesus' birth by describing it as a holy and wondrous event that filled the earth with precious love. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, offering a vivid picture of the nativity scene and the emotions and reactions of those who witnessed it.

Overall, the song "Born of Mary" is an uplifting tribute to the birth of Jesus and the miracle of his arrival on earth. It tells of the joy and wonder that surrounded his birth, and celebrates the love and hope that he brought to the world.

Line by Line Meaning

The babe that was born of Mary
The baby that was born to Mary

One cold and wintry night
On a cold, winter night

He laid in the manger, lonely
He was placed in a lonely manger

A star that shined so bright
A bright star shone above

No, no, how the angels sing?
Did you not hear the angel's song?

No, no, how did heavens ring?
Did you not hear the ringing of the heavens?

The shepherds abiding in the fields
The shepherds who were residing in the fields

Were watching over their sheep
Were keeping watch over their sheep

And then in the town of Bethlehem
And then, in the town of Bethlehem

Mary sang her darling to sleep
Mary sang her baby to sleep

The Earth was filled with the precious love
The earth was filled with the love of this precious child