Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)

This uplifting song was Diana Ross' first single as a solo artist, released on April 6, 1970, just three months after her final show with The Supremes. It was written by the Motown team of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, who composed 10 of the 11 tracks on her debut album. Most of the songs on that album had already been recorded by other Motown acts, but "Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)" was an original. It was a modest hit, reaching #20 on the Hot 100 and #7 R&B, but not the breakout smash Motown boss Berry Gordy was looking for to launch her solo career. The smash was her next single, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough, an Ashford and Simpson composition that was originally recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1967. Ross first recorded that one in 1968 on the album Diana Ross & The Supremes Join the Temptations.

This song champions kindness with a gospel vibe that gives it a communal feel, producing a warm, fuzzy feeling. Ross would often use it near the end of her shows to bring the crowd together, encouraging them to sing along at the end. She performed it at the Grammy Awards in 2019 to celebrate her 75th birthday.

In 1966, The Four Tops had a huge hit for Motown with "Reach Out I'll Be There, which Ross included on her 1971 album, Surrender. That song has a similar sentiment to "Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)," with the singer offering to be there no matter what.