The Miracles

The Miracles is an American vocal harmony group, noted for original lead singer and founding member Smokey Robinson, who later became one of the most successful songwriters and record producers of all time.

Contents

1 Biography 2 Discography 2.1 Singles 2.1.1 The Miracles 2.1.2 Smokey Robinson & the Miracles 2.1.3 The Miracles (with Billy Griffin) 2.2 Albums 2.2.1 The Miracles 2.2.2 Smokey Robinson & the Miracles 2.2.3 The Miracles (with Billy Griffin) 2.3 Compilations

Biography

Formed in 1955 at Northern High School in Detroit, Michigan, The Miracles issued a few somewhat successful singles on End Records and Chess Records. In 1960, they were signed by Motown and had numerous hits on both the R&B and Pop charts.

Members included: lead singer Smokey Robinson (born February 19, 1940), Emerson Rogers (born February 19, 1940), Bobby Rogers (born February 19, 1940), Ronnie White (April 5, 1939 - August 26, 1995), and Pete Moore (born November 19, 1935). All five members were natives of Detroit. Emerson Rogers left the band in 1956 and was replaced by his sister, Claudette Rogers, who later married Smokey Robinson.

The group's single "Shop Around" (1960) was their first Motown hit, and the first Motown song to reach #1 on the R&B charts. This was followed by hits such as "Who's Lovin' You" (1961), "You Really Got A Hold On Me" (1962), "Mickey's Monkey" (1963), "Going To A Go-Go" (1965), "The Tracks Of My Tears" (1965), and their signature song, "Ooh, Baby Baby" (1965).

After Robinson and Claudette married, he started towards a solo career. The name of the group was changed to Smokey Robinson & the Miracles with the release of "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" in 1967. The Miracles' career faltered somewhat during the 1970s, though hits such as 1970's "The Tears of a Clown" still did quite well. "The Tears of a Clown" was in fact recorded in 1967, and became the group's first US #1 hit (and their only #1 hit with Smokey Robinson) after becoming a hit in the United Kingdom.

In 1972, Robinson left The Miracles for a successful solo career, replaced by Billy Griffin. The group continued, and scored the biggest hit of its existence with 1976's #1 hit "Love Machine (Part 1)". However, the group's other releases failed to match the success of "Love Machine", and The Miracles never managed to regain their former fame.

In 2001, the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Discography

Singles

The Miracles

• "Got a Job" (1958, End)
• "Your Love (Is All I Need)" (1958, Fury)
• "I Cry" (1958, End)
• "It" (1959, Argo)
• "Bad Girl" (1959, Chess) US: #93
• "I Need a Change" (1959, Chess)

Tamla (Motown) releases

• "It" (1959)
• "Bad Girl" (1959)
• "Way Over There" (1960, rereleased in 1962) US: #94
• "Shop Around" (1960) R&B: #1 US: #2
• "Ain't It Baby" (1961) R&B: #15 US: #49
• "Mighty Good Lovin" (1961) R&B: #21 US: #51
• "Broken Hearted" (1961) US: #97 ("b-side of Mighty Good Lovin")
• "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" (1961) R&B: #11 US: #52
• "What's So Good About Goodbye" (1961) R&B: #16 US: #35
• "I've Been Good to You" (1961) US: #103 (b-side of "What's So Good About Goodbye")
• "I'll Try Something New" (1962) R&B: #11 US: #39
• "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) R&B: #1 US: #8
• "A Love She Can Count On" (1963) R&B: #21 US: #31
• "Mickey's Monkey" (1963) R&B: #3 US: #8
• "I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying" (1963) US: #35
• "The Christmas Song" (1963)
• "You Can't Let the Boy Overpower the Man in You)" (1964) US: #59
• "I Like It Like That" (1964) US: #27
• "That's What Love Is Made Of" (1964) US: #35
• "Come On, Do the Jerk" (1964) US: #50
• "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965) R&B: #4 US: #16
• "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965) R&B: #2 US: #16 UK: #9
• "My Girl Has Gone" (1965) R&B: #3 US: #14
• "Going to a Go-Go" (1965) R&B: #2 US: #11
• "Choosey Beggar" (1965) R&B: #35 (b-side of "Going to a Go-Go")
• "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart" (1966) R&B: #20 US: #46
• "I'm the One You Need" (1966) R&B: #4 US: #17 UK: #13

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

Tamla (Motown) releases

• "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" (1967) R&B: #10 US: #20
• "More Love" (1967) R&B: #5 US: #23
• "I Second That Emotion" (1967) R&B: #1 US: #4 UK: #27
• "If You Can Want" (1968) R&B: #3 US: #11
• "Yester Love" (1968) R&B: #9 US: #31
• "Special Occasion" (1968) R&B: #4 US: #26
• "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (1968) R&B: #3 US: #8
• "Doggone Right" (1969) R&B: #7 US: #32
• "Here I Go Again" (1969) R&B: #15 US: #37 (b-side of "Doggone Right")
• "Abraham, Martin, and John" (1969) R&B: #16 US: #33
• "Point It Out" (1969) R&B: #4 US: #37
• "Darling Dear" (1969) US: #100 (b-side of "Point It Out")
• "Who's Gonna Take the Blame" (1970) R&B: #9 US: #46
• "The Tears of a Clown" (1970) R&B: #1 US: #1 UK: #1
• "I Don't Blame You at All" (1971) R&B: #7 US: #18 UK: #11
• "Crazy About the La La" (1971) R&B: #20 US: #56
• "Satisfaction" (1971) R&B: #20 US: #49
• "We've Come Too Far to End It Now" (1972) R&B: #9 US: #46
• "I Can't Stand to See You Cry" (1972) R&B: #21 US: #45

The Miracles (with Billy Griffin)

Tamla (Motown) releases

• "Don't Let It End ('Til You Let It Begin)" (1973) R&B: #26 US: #56
• "Give Me Just Another Day" (1973) R&B: #47 US: #111
• "Do It Baby" (1974) R&B: #4 US: #13
• "Don't Cha Love It" (1974) R&B: #4 US: #78
• "Gemini" (1975) R&B: #43 US: #101
• "Love Machine - Pt. I" (1975) R&B: #5 US: #1 UK: #3
• "Night Life" (1976) R&B: #60

Columbia releases

• "Spy for Brotherhood" (1977) R&B: #37 US: #104
• "I Can Touch the Sky" (1977)
• "Mean Machine" (1978) R&B: #55

Albums

The Miracles

Tamla (Motown) releases

• Hi... We're the Miracles (1961, Tamla)
• Cookin' With the Miracles (1961)
• I'll Try Something New (1962)
• The Fabulous Miracles (1963) US: #118
• Recorded Live on Stage (1963) US: #139
• Christmas With the Miracles (1963)
• The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey (1963) US: #113
• Greatest Hits from the Beginning (1965) US: #21
• Going to a Go-Go (1965) US: #8
• Away We a Go-Go (1966) US: #41

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

Tamla (Motown) releases

• Make It Happen (1967) US: #28
• Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (1968) US: #7
• Special Occasion (1968) US: #42
• Live (1969) US: #71
• Time Out For... (1969) US: #25
• Four in Blue (1969) US: #78
• What Love Has Joined Together (1970) US: #97
• A Pucket Full of Miracles (1970) US: #56
• Tears of a Clown (1970) US: #143
• The Season for Miracles (1970)
• One Dozen Roses (1971) US: #92
• Flying High Together (1972) US: #46
• 1957-1972 (1972) US: #75

The Miracles (with Billy Griffin)

Tamla (Motown) releases

• Renaissance (1973) US: #174
• Do It Baby (1974) US: #41
• Don't Cha Love It (1975) US: #96
• City of Angels (1975) US: #33
• The Power of Music (1976) US: #178
• Greatest Hits (1977)

Columbia releases

• Love Crazy (1977) US: #117
• The Miracles (1978)

Compilations

Motown releases

• Anthology (1974) US: #97
• The Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Collection (1994)
• The Ultimate Collection (1999)pl:The Miracles