Cookin' with The Miracles
Encyclopedia
Cookin' with The Miracles is the second Tamla album by The Miracles
and their second for the year 1961. Berry Gordy
and Smokey Robinson
co-wrote most of the songs here, including the two charting singles "Ain't It Baby" and "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues
". The album is composed mostly of upbeat R&B tunes with steady string riffs like "Determination" and "Broken Hearted". A cover of the jazz standard "Embraceable You
" by George
& Ira Gershwin
is also included. The Miracles' song, That's The Way I Feel, also from this album, was chosen for the soundtrack of the award-winning 1964 Ivan Dixon
film, Nothing But a Man
.
Personnel: The Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
and their second for the year 1961. Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
and Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
co-wrote most of the songs here, including the two charting singles "Ain't It Baby" and "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues
Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues
"Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" , was a 1961 R&B song by Motown Records group The Miracles released on the label's Tamla Records subsidiary. It was taken from Cookin' with The Miracles, the group's second album, and was written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White...
". The album is composed mostly of upbeat R&B tunes with steady string riffs like "Determination" and "Broken Hearted". A cover of the jazz standard "Embraceable You
Embraceable You
"Embraceable You" is a popular song, with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. The song was originally written in 1928 for an unpublished operetta named East is West. It was eventually published in 1930 and included in the Broadway musical Girl Crazy. where it was performed by...
" by George
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
& Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
is also included. The Miracles' song, That's The Way I Feel, also from this album, was chosen for the soundtrack of the award-winning 1964 Ivan Dixon
Ivan Dixon
Ivan Dixon was an American actor, director, and producer best known for his series role in the 1960s sitcom Hogan's Heroes, for his role in the 1967 telefilm The Final War of Olly Winter, and for directing hundreds of episodes of television series...
film, Nothing But a Man
Nothing But a Man
Nothing But a Man is a film made in 1964 and directed by Michael Roemer. The story is about a black railroad worker, who falls in love with a black school teacher, who is the town’s preacher’s daughter. The story depicts the struggle of their strife for “a meaningful place” in their society. It...
.
- The album was released in compact discCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1994, with "Mighty Good Lovin'" as a bonus track. A non-album single, "Mighty Good Lovin'" was originally issued on Tamla in June 1961, with "Broken Hearted" as its B-side. Both songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
- Cookin' with The Miracles is one of only two Miracles albums to feature on its cover the complete original six-member group lineup: Smokey Robinson, Bobby RogersBobby RogersBobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
, Claudette Rogers RobinsonClaudette Rogers RobinsonClaudette Rogers Robinson is an African-American soul singer, a member of The Miracles from 1957 to 1972. Her brother Emerson "Sonny" Rogers was an original member of the group, which was originally called "The Matadors" before 1957; Claudette Rogers took her brother's place after he was drafted...
, Pete MoorePete MoorePete Moore is an African American soul singer, record producer, and songwriter, notable as the bass singer for Motown group The Miracles from 1955 onwards, and is one of the group's original members...
, Ronnie White, and Marv TarplinMarv TarplinMarvin "Marv" Tarplin was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for The Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their biggest hits, including the 2007 Grammy Hall Of Fame inducted "The Tracks...
.
- Cookin' With The Miracles ,and 4 other classic Miracles albums , has been re-released as part of the 2009 Motown limited edition CD release: " The Miracles: Depend On Me" . http://soul-sides.com/2009/07/miracles-motown-and-memories.html http://www.hip-oselect.com/scr.public.product.asp?product_id=49FF2A95-6892-49EE-8180-9DED21E6875D&cat_id=9BE6C651-2C04-4F9B-A867-99626310086F
Side one
- "That's The Way I Feel" (Berry Gordy, Jr., William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr.Smokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
) (2:38) - "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some DuesEverybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues"Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" , was a 1961 R&B song by Motown Records group The Miracles released on the label's Tamla Records subsidiary. It was taken from Cookin' with The Miracles, the group's second album, and was written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White...
" (Robinson, Ronald WhiteRonald WhiteRonald "Ronnie" White was an African American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a founding member of The Miracles, and the only member to survive all of that group's line-up changes...
) (2:55) - "Mama" (Robinson, Janie BradfordJanie BradfordJanie Bradford is an American songwriter, most known for her tenure with Motown. With Berry Gordy, she co-wrote "Money ", originally recorded by Barrett Strong and used by The Beatles on their second album With The Beatles...
, Gordy) (2:18) - "Ain't It Baby" (Gordy, Robinson) (2:33)
- "Determination" (Robinson) (2:17)
Side two
- "You Never Miss A Good Thing" (Gordy, Robinson) (2:42)
- "Embraceable You" (GeorgeGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
& Ira GershwinIra GershwinIra Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
) (2:49) - "The Only One I Love" (Robinson) (2:34)
- "Broken Hearted" (Gordy, Robinson) (2:56)
- "I Can't Believe" (Robinson) (2:52)
Personnel: The MiraclesThe MiraclesThe Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
- Smokey RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
- lead vocals (tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
/falsettoFalsettoFalsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
) - Ronnie White-background vocals (baritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
) - Bobby RogersBobby RogersBobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
-background vocals (2nd tenor) - Warren "Pete" Moore-background vocals (bassBass (voice type)A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
) - Claudette Robinson- background vocals (soprano)
- Marv Tarplin- guitaristGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...