Hi... We're The Miracles
| Hi... We're The Miracles | ||||
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| Studio album by The Miracles | ||||
| Released | June 16, 1961 | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 32:57 | |||
| Label |
Tamla TM-220 | |||
| Producer | Berry Gordy, Jr. | |||
| The Miracles chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Hi... We're The Miracles | ||||
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Hi... We're The Miracles is the first album by Motown's first group, The Miracles, released on Motown's Tamla subsidiary label in the summer of 1961. It also has the distinction of being the first album ever released by the Motown Record Corporation [1] The album features several songs which played an important role in defining The Motown Sound and establishing songwriters Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy.
The styles of the album tracks vary from the late doo-wop sound of "Who's Lovin' You" (later covered by The Temptations, the Jackson 5 as well as Terence Trent D'Arby and En Vogue) or "(You Can) Depend On Me", to the upbeat R&B of "Way Over There". Also featured is a rendition of Motown's first hit single, Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)". The album's biggest hit was the bluesy "Shop Around", which was released as a single in 1960 and peaked at #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart and #2 on the pop singles chart (#1 Pop, Cashbox). "Shop Around" was the first R&B #1 single for both the Miracles and Motown label. It was also the label's first million-selling hit single...and a 2006 Grammy Hall of Fame-inducted song.
Hi... We're The Miracles features the Miracles' classic original lineup: Smokey Robinson, Ronald White, Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, Marv Tarplin (mentioned on the back of the album, though not pictured on the front), and Smokey's wife (and Bobby's cousin), Claudette Rogers Robinson.
| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
Track listing
All tracks composed by Smokey Robinson, except where indicated.
Side one
- "Who's Lovin' You" – 3:06
- "(You Can) Depend on Me" (Robinson, Berry Gordy) – 3:08
- "Heart Like Mine" (Ronald White, Robinson) – 2:06
- "Shop Around" (Robinson, Gordy) – 2:50
- "Won't You Take Me Back" (Robinson, Gordy) – 2:40
- "'Cause I Love You" (White, Robinson) – 2:25
Side two
- "Your Love" – 2:51
- "After All" – 2:47
- "Way Over There" (Robinson, Gordy) – 2:57
- "Money" (Gordy, Janie Bradford) – 3:48
- "Don't Leave Me" (Robinson, Gordy, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman) – 2:43
Personnel
The Miracles
- Smokey Robinson, Ronnie White, Claudette Robinson: lead vocals
- Smokey Robinson, Ronnie White, Bobby Rogers, Warren "Pete" Moore, Claudette Robinson: backing vocals
- Marv Tarplin: guitar
Other personnel
- The Funk Brothers: additional instrumentation
- Berry Gordy: producer
Cover versions
This influential first album by the Miracles received good reviews from critics, and boasts several songs that have inspired numerous cover versions by other artists, such as the following: "Shop Around" - The Captain and Tennille, Don Bryant, The Astronauts, The Spinners, Allusions, and Georgie Fame, among numerous others. "After All" - The Supremes and The Marvelettes. "Way Over There" - Edwin Starr, The Temptations, The Marvelettes, The Royal Counts, New Man, and Eddie Adams Jr. "You Can Depend on Me" - The Temptations, The Supremes, Mary Wells and Brenda Holloway. "Who's Loving You - The Temptations, The Supremes, The Jackson Five, Terence Trent-D'arby, Brenda and The Tabulations, John Farnham, Human Nature, and En Vogue. Hi...We're The Miracles was released on CD by Motown Records in the early 1990s, but is now a valuable out of print collector's item.
Hi... We're The Miracles, and four other classic Miracles albums, have been re-released as part of the 2009 Motown 50th anniversary limited edition CD release: Depend on Me: The Early Albums.
External links
- Dusty Groove album review
- Hi... We're The Miracles at AllMusic
- Amazon.com album reviews- Hi...We're The Miracles
