‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ – Diana Ross

Gill writes:

Okay. So yes. I could have opted for the original version by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Believe me, it took me ages to decide which version to choose as I love both equally (and yes, I know there are more versions out there than these two…). In the end, I decided to go with the Diana Ross version because this Friday Fix is also influenced by a favourite film of mine which has this version as part of the soundtrack.

The whole story behind this song is interesting in itself. It was penned by songwriting couple Ashford and Simpson in 1966, and despite Dusty Springfield being keen to record it, Ashford and Simpson held on to the song because they really wanted it for the Motown label. In 1967, the song was recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and it became a hit. A few years later, in 1970, the song was the first solo hit for Diana Ross after parting company with The Supremes.

The ‘mountains’ that inspired Nickolas Ashford were actually the skyscrapers of New York and the thought came to him that even obstacles as tall and intimidating as these structures couldn’t quash his dreams and aspirations. As he pondered these ‘mountains’ with his wife, Valerie Simpson, they began to think about the peaks and troughs of love and the song was born.

To me, the Gaye & Terrell version comes across as very much a love song between two people; whereas this version feels more like a song about love in the wider sense. I sense empowerment and liberation in it; an acknowledgment that the act of loving involves letting go and watching from afar. It captures the love that realises that it doesn’t have any control over what happens to those they care about; it also highlights that to receive love involves asking for it too. Something that might not come easy to some of us.

If you need me, call me
No matter where you are
No matter how far
Just call my name

Just call my name. Ask and it shall be given.

I mentioned earlier that this song instantly invokes memories of one my favourite films. Some might be thinking ‘oh yeah, the ending of Guardians of the Galaxy‘ – and to be honest, that scene is probably a helpful way to understand unconditional love. However, I’m referring to Bridget Jones’s Diary. And to gently highlight a little observation of mine that I’m not sure many film critics have noticed.

I’ve said in previous Fixes that I love a good soundtrack and that if chosen well, it helps make a film. The soundtrack of Bridget Jones’s Diary is a great example, in my opinion. And the way that this song is used in the film is genius. Because it is used twice. Once when Bridget realises that Mark Darcy really does like her ‘just as you are’, and boots her Dad out of the driving seat so that she can get to the Darcy’s Ruby Wedding as quickly as possible (and thus declare her true feelings); and the second time is during the final scene when Bridget realises something once again and goes running through the snowy streets of London in camisole, knickers, cardi and trainers.

The song used this way reminds us that not only Bridget’s love life but life in general, is full of challenges and successes. Bridget thought she had summited the mountain of her love on her way to the Ruby Wedding, only to be confronted by an unseen obstacle that prevented her getting any further at that point. However, she had another chance at the summit which had a different outcome for her.

Mountains don’t often sit on their own, they are usually surrounded by a range of mountains. Some mountains are pretty straightforward to climb, many mountain ranges have lush valleys and plateaus to rest and enjoy, and then there are the mountains where we think we’ve reached the summit only to find that there’s a little way and a steeper climb yet.

Mountains are also key places in the bible. They are places of transformative encounters. Places of visions, covenants, transfigurations. Mountains are often thought to be places of spirituality within many beliefs and religions, in fact. If you have ever stood at the top of a mountain, you will know the light, the peacefulness and the beauty that exists there. 

But it is also the descent that holds importance too. People on the way down a mountain share their experiences and talk about what they have seen. Reaching the top of a mountain helps us to see the bigger picture, and it also helps us to understand the terrain that we might still need to tackle or support others through. 

The key thing is – we don’t have to navigate this all alone because we are not alone. There is love completely surrounding us. And there is also love from a distance, willing us on and moving in, willing to swoop if needed. Just reach out for it (as Ashford & Simpson also wrote in a different song…).

Ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from you

Find out more about Diana Ross at https://www.dianaross.com