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Supremes song 'I Hear a Symphony' took new approach to hit-making

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Today's Morning Edition music is from "I Hear a Symphony" by the Supremes, which was No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart 50 years ago Monday.

The single that the group released before this one, "Nothing But Heartaches," failed to crack the top 10, breaking a streak of five straight singles that made it to No. 1. So the writing and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland were instructed to change the familiar formula that the other hits had followed. The result was the more musically-complex "I Hear a Symphony."

Diana Ross has called it one of her favorites to perform even though the key is a bit of a challenge.