Four In Blue is a 1969 album by Motown R&B group 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...

, issued on the label's Tamla Records subsidiary (Tamla 297) in the U.S., and the Tamla-Motown label elsewhere in the world, (STML 11151), and was the final Miracles album of the 1960s . It reached #78 on the Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

pop album chart, and reached the Top 10 of Billboard's R&B Album chart,peaking at #3 ,despite the fact that no singles were released from this album in the U.S. or the UK.

The album takes its name from the blue silk tuxedos that The Miracles (Bobby Rogers

Bobby Rogers

Bobby 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...

, Pete Moore

Pete Moore

Pete 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...

, 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...

, and Ronnie White), wear on its cover. Although not featured on the cover, Miracles members Claudette Robinson and Marv Tarplin

Marv Tarplin

Marvin "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...

 also contributed to this album.

The album is a combination of covers and original material, written by Miracles lead singer 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...

, and Motown staff songwriters, such as Al Cleveland

Al Cleveland

Al Cleveland is a former American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most popular co-compositions are 1967's "I Second That Emotion" performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and 1971's "What's Going On" performed by Marvin Gaye.Cleveland was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United...

, Terry Johnson, Deke Richards

Deke Richards

Deke Richards, also known as Dennis Lussier and Deke Lussier, is a songwriter and record producer, one of many white musicians/songwriters who were affiliated with Motown...

, Ashford & Simpson

Ashford & Simpson

Nickolas Ashford , and Valerie Simpson , were a husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists....

, and Richard Morris. Cover songs in this collection included The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

' "Hey Jude

Hey Jude

"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song widely accepted as being written to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, during his parents' divorce—although this explanation is not...

", The Supremes

The Supremes

The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...

' "My World Is Empty Without You

My World Is Empty Without You

"My World Is Empty Without You" is a 1965 song recorded and released as a single by The Supremes for the Motown label.-Overview:Written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song's slow tempo accompanies a somber lyric which delves into the feelings of...

", The Righteous Brothers

The Righteous Brothers

The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform until Hatfield's death in 2003...

' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin", and The 5th Dimension's "California Soul

California Soul

"California Soul" is a pop-soul tune written by Ashford & Simpson, issued originally as a single by American pop quintet The 5th Dimension in late 1968...

".

The album was released on CD in 2001 in a two-in-one set with the Miracles' album, Time Out for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Time Out for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Time Out for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles is a 1969 album by Motown group Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. The album reached #25 on the Billboard Pop Album chart. It contains four pop Top 40 singles: "Doggone Right", "Abraham, Martin & John", "Here I Go Again", and the Top 10 pop smash hit "Baby,...

.

Tracklist

1. "You Send Me (With Your Good Lovin')" (Cleveland, Johnson, Robinson)
2. "Dreams Dreams" (Smokey Robinson)
3. "Tomorrow Is Another Day" (Richards, Verdi)
4. "Hey Jude" (Lennon, McCartney)
5. "California Soul" (Ashford, Simpson)
6. "A Legend in Its Own Time " (Smokey Robinson)
7. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (Mann, Spector, Weil)
8. "We Can Make It We Can" (Ashford, Simpson)
9. "When Nobody Cares" (Smokey Robinson)
10. "Don't Say You Love Me" (Richard Morris)
11. "Wish I Knew" (Dean, Richards)
12. "My World Is Empty Without You" (Dozier, Holland, Holland)

Personnel: The Miracles

• 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...
  
  
• Claudette Robinson
• Pete Moore
  Pete Moore
  Pete 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...
  
  
• Bobby Rogers
  Bobby Rogers
  Bobby 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...
  
  
• Ronnie White
• Marv Tarplin
  Marv Tarplin
  Marvin "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...