The Miracles

Smokey Cover one

[ezcol_1third] Smokey Cover [/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end] In 1955 William “Smokey” Robinson, Warren “Pete” Moore, Ronnie White, Bobby Rogers and Marv Tarplin (writer/singer/guitarist) started off as the Five Chimes, changing their name to the Matadors two years later. The group then settled on the Miracles after the inclusion of Claudette Robinson in 1958. [/ezcol_2third_end]

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles are the OOO BABY BABY masters! The Tracks of My Tears recording is like trying to eat on potato chip, you just cannot listen to it just once, where listening to the soul placed within the mix over and over is habitual. My 1946 born older sister introduced me to the Miracles as the group was at their prime during her teenage years and a song like Shop Around meant something then. Before this song many felt love was taking what came along and called it a day, counting on fate to do the right thing. The Shop Around song not only made you want to do the smash potatoes, it made you think that whoever you were eying at the time would be for a short time as you were on your way shopping around for the next.

The Miracles delivered on a carryover style from the 1950’s with their harmony perfection and instrumentation of a tight rhythm section, which created the miracles of sound. Smokey and Marv Tarpin wrote some lyrics that should qualify for some type of International Poetry Award.

There remains no better sound to learn how to do a good Slow or Cha-Cha dance to than Smokey. Some of the best ‘B’ side tunes were on Miracle records, as that roughly 79¢ per record given to Dolphins of Hollywood Records was money well spent getting two records for the price of one. Swept for Baby, Satisfaction, and Second That Emotion for starters were all side ‘B’ tunes.

Top 20 US, Canadian and UK singles

1960: “Shop Around” (US: #2)

1962: “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” (US #8)

1963: “Mickey’s Monkey” (US #8)

1965: “Ooo Baby Baby” (US: #16)

1965: “The Tracks of My Tears” (US #16, Canada #11, UK #9)

1965: “My Girl Has Gone” (US #14)

1965: “Going to a Go-Go” (US #11)

1966: “(Come ‘Round Here) I’m The One You Need” (US #17, Canada #12, UK #13)

1967: “The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage” (US #20)

1967: “More Love” (Canada #8)

1967: “I Second That Emotion” (US #4)