William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. is an American R&B and soul singer,songwriter,record producer,and former record executive. He was the founder and frontman of the pioneering Motown vocal group the Miracles,for which he was also chief songwriter and producer. He led the group from its 1955 origins,when they were called The Five Chimes,until 1972,when he retired from the group to focus on his role as Motown Records vice president. Robinson returned to the music industry as a solo artist the following year. He left Motown in 1999.
The Miracles were an American vocal group formed in Detroit,Michigan in 1955. They were the first successful recording act for Motown Records and are considered one of the most important and most influential groups in the history of pop,soul,rhythm and blues and rock and roll music. The group's international fame in the 1960s,alongside other Motown acts,led to a greater acceptance of R&B and pop music in the U.S.,with the group being considered influential and important in the development of modern popular music.
"Ain't That Peculiar" is a 1965 song recorded by the American soul musician Marvin Gaye for the Tamla (Motown) label.
"The Tears of a Clown" is a song written by Hank Cosby,Smokey Robinson,and Stevie Wonder and originally recorded by Smokey Robinson &the Miracles for the Tamla Records label subsidiary of Motown,first appearing on the 1967 album Make It Happen. The track was re-released in the United Kingdom as a single in July 1970,and it became a number-one hit on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending September 12,1970. Subsequently,Motown released a partially re-recorded and completely remixed version as a single in the United States as well,where it quickly became a number-one hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts.
"You've Really Got a Hold on Me" is a song written by Smokey Robinson,which became a 1962 Top 10 hit single for the Miracles. One of the Miracles' most covered tunes,this million-selling song received a 1998 Grammy Hall of Fame Award. It has also been selected as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It was recorded by the Beatles for their second album,With the Beatles (1963). Many other musicians also recorded versions.
"The Tracks of My Tears" is a song written by Smokey Robinson,Pete Moore,and Marv Tarplin. It is a multiple award-winning 1965 hit R&B song originally recorded by their group,the Miracles,on Motown's Tamla label. The Miracles' million-selling original version has been inducted into The Grammy Hall of Fame,has been ranked by the Recording Industry Association of America and The National Endowment for the Arts at No. 127 in its list of the "Songs of the Century" –the 365 Greatest Songs of the 20th Century,and has been selected by Rolling Stone as No. 50 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time",among many other awards. In 2021,Rolling Stone ranked the Miracles' original recording of "The Tracks of My Tears" as "The Greatest Motown Song of All Time".
"Going to a Go-Go" is a 1965 single recorded by the Miracles for Motown's Tamla label.
Greatest Hits,Vol. 2 is the second greatest hits album for the Miracles,released in 1968 on Motown Records' Tamla label. It contained the most popular singles from the successful Going to a Go-Go,Away We A Go-Go and Make It Happen albums of the 1965–1967 period. It also featured the 1964 non-album single "Come On Do The Jerk",and two B-sides,"Choosey Beggar" and "Save Me". The hit single "I Second That Emotion" was new to the album. This album reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart,peaking at #7,and peaked at #2 on Billboard's R&B album chart. Ten of the albums' 12 songs were written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson,Pete Moore,Marv Tarplin,Bobby Rogers,and Ronnie White.
"One More Heartache" is a 1966 single recorded by Marvin Gaye for Motown Records' Tamla label. The single was written by the team of The Miracles members Bobby Rogers,Marv Tarplin,Pete Moore,Ronnie White and Smokey Robinson and produced by Robinson. The song was the third release and third consecutive Top 40 single from Gaye's Moods of Marvin Gaye album,and was produced with a similar sound to his hit "Ain't That Peculiar". "One More Heartache"was a Top 30 Pop hit,peaking at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100,and a Top 10 R&B hit,peaking at number four on the US Billboard R&B chart.
"Take This Heart of Mine" is a song written by The Miracles members Warren "Pete" Moore,William "Smokey" Robinson and Marv Tarplin,produced by Robinson and released as a single by American soul singer Marvin Gaye,on Motown Records 'Tamla label in 1966.
One Dozen Roses is a 1971 album by Smokey Robinson &The Miracles,issued on Motown Records' Tamla label. The penultimate album before lead singer Smokey Robinson departed the group for a solo career,One Dozen Roses features the Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hit single "I Don't Blame You at All". Also included is the group's number-one smash hit "The Tears of a Clown",which was also made available through the reissue of the 1967 Miracles LP Make It Happen as The Tears of a Clown. Both of these songs were also huge hits in the UK,reaching #11 and #1 respectively.
"Baby,Baby Don't Cry",released in December 1968,is a single recorded by the Miracles for Motown Records' Tamla label. The composition was written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson,Motown staff writers Al Cleveland and Terry Johnson,a former member of The Flamingos. Robinson,Johnson,and Miracles member Warren "Pete" Moore were the song's producers.
"What's So Good About Goodbye" was a 1961 hit single recorded by R&B group The Miracles for Motown Records' Tamla label,later included on their 1962 album I'll Try Something New. The single was the Miracles’second Top 40 Pop hit,peaking at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States during the winter of 1962,and a Top 20 R&B hit as well,peaking at number 16 on Billboard's R&B singles chart.
"My Girl Has Gone" is a 1965 R&B single recorded by the Miracles for Motown's Tamla label. Included on their 1965 album Going to a Go-Go,"My Girl Has Gone" was the follow-up to the group's number 16 Billboard Hot 100 million-selling hit "The Tracks Of My Tears".
"The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" is a 1967 song recorded by the American R&B group The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Marv Tarplin and produced by Robinson,it is noted for being the first single to bill the group as "Smokey Robinson" &the Miracles,a billing already present on the group's albums by this time. Group members Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore were the song's producers.
"Way Over There" is a 1960 Motown soul song and single,written by William "Smokey" Robinson,produced by Berry Gordy,and first performed by the Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label. It was one of The Miracles' earliest charting singles,reaching #94 on the Billboard Pop chart. Motown president Berry Gordy,Jr. had The Miracles record the song several times during its chart run. The first version had minimal orchestration. The second version added strings,and this is the version played by most oldies stations today. Claudette Robinson had several lead parts on this song,answering Smokey's leads with chants of "Come to me,Baby". The song's B-side,"(You Can) Depend on Me",while not charting nationally,did become a popular regional hit in many areas of the country,and Smokey still sings it in his live shows today. "Way Over There" was subsequently recorded by Edwin Starr,The Temptations,The Marvelettes,The Royal Counts,The Spitballs,and Eddie Adams Jr,while "(You Can) Depend on Me" was later recorded by The Temptations,The Supremes,Mary Wells,and Brenda Holloway. The song was also used for the title of Hip-O Select's 2009 compilation:The Miracles –Depend on Me:The Early Albums,which collects the first five LP releases by the group.
"I Like It Like That" was a 1964 hit song by Motown group The Miracles on its Tamla label subsidiary. This is not the Chris Kenner hit song of the same name but a Miracles original,written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Marv Tarplin,and is included on the group's first greatest hits album,Greatest Hits from the Beginning. It was also the title song from their deleted 1964 album of the same name.
"My Baby Must Be a Magician" is a 1967 song written and produced by Smokey Robinson and recorded by the Marvelettes.
The Ultimate Collection is a compact disc by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles,released on Motown Records,catalogue 314530857-2,in February 1998. It is a collection of singles comprising many of the group's greatest hits,with liner notes written by Stu Hackel.
A Pocket Full of Miracles (TS306) is a 1970 album by Motown Records R&B group The Miracles,issued on its Tamla subsidiary label,one of three albums the group released that year. This album charted at #56 on the Billboard pop albums chart,and reached the top ten of the magazine's R&B albums chart,peaking at #10. It was released on September 30 of that year. Hit singles on the album included "Point It Out" and the topical Ashford &Simpson written-and-produced song "Who's Gonna Take the Blame",a sad,dark song about a girl that is turned out as a prostitute. Also included is the charting flip side "Darling Dear",B-side of "Point It Out",which reached #100 on the Billboard pop chart,and spawned a cover version by The Jackson Five.
