I've Been Good To You
Encyclopedia
"I've Been Good To You" is a 1961 R&B song by The Miracles
on Motown Records' Tamla label. It was released as the B-side
of their Billboard
Top 40 hit, "What's So Good About Goodbye
", and was included on their album I'll Try Something New
the following year. This sad, melancholy ballad charted #103 on the Billboard Pop chart. Despite its relatively modest chart placing, this song has been hugely influential, and is noted as Beatle John Lennon
's favorite Miracles tune, and was the inspiration behind The Beatles
' song, "Sexy Sadie
". Written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson
, the song begins with the lyric, "Look what you've done...You've made a fool out of someone..." which Lennon later paraphrased in his song as, "What have you done...You've made a fool of everyone."
The song was performed live by the group on their album, The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage
, and has inspired cover versions by Marshall Crenshaw
, Joe Meek
, The Temptones, Ray, Goodman & Brown
(The Moments
), The Ones
, and fellow Motown artists, Brenda Holloway
, and The Temptations
. The Temptations' version would also be released as a "B" side and would chart at #124 on the Pop charts in 1967 (as well be released on their 1966 album Gettin' Ready
). In addition to being on their first Live album, The Miracles' original version of "I've Been Good To You" actually appears on two other of their early 1960s albums; 1962's I'll Try Something New
, and 1963's The Fabulous 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...
on Motown Records' Tamla label. It was released as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of their 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...
Top 40 hit, "What's So Good About Goodbye
What's So Good About Goodbye
"What's So Good About Goodbye" was a 1961 hit single recorded by R&B group The Miracles for Motown Records' Tamla label, later included on their 1962 album I'll Try Something New. The single was a Top 40 Pop hit, peaking at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States during the winter...
", and was included on their album I'll Try Something New
I'll Try Something New
I'll Try Something New is the third Tamla album by The Miracles. The title track was an important early single for the group, featuring Smokey Robinson's lead voice, a chorus led by his wife Claudette and an orchestra of strings...
the following year. This sad, melancholy ballad charted #103 on the Billboard Pop chart. Despite its relatively modest chart placing, this song has been hugely influential, and is noted as Beatle John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's favorite Miracles tune, and was the inspiration behind 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...
' song, "Sexy Sadie
Sexy Sadie (song)
"Sexy Sadie" is the name of a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon in India and credited to Lennon–McCartney.-Composition:Lennon originally wanted to title the song "Maharishi", but changed the title to "Sexy Sadie" at George Harrison's request...
". 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...
, the song begins with the lyric, "Look what you've done...You've made a fool out of someone..." which Lennon later paraphrased in his song as, "What have you done...You've made a fool of everyone."
The song was performed live by the group on their album, The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage
The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage
The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage is a 1963 live album by The Miracles, part of the early 60's Motown "Live on Stage" series by various artists...
, and has inspired cover versions by Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist best known for his song "Someday, Someway".-Biography:...
, Joe Meek
Joe Meek
Robert George "Joe" Meek was a pioneering English record producer and songwriter....
, The Temptones, Ray, Goodman & Brown
Ray, Goodman & Brown
Ray, Goodman & Brown is an American R&B vocal group. The group originated as The Moments, who formed in the mid-1960s and whose greatest successes came in the 1970s with hits including "Love on a Two-Way Street", "Sexy Mama" and "Look at Me "...
(The Moments
The Moments
The Moments may refer to:*The Moments, an American R&B vocal group later known as Ray, Goodman & Brown*The Moments , an English group of the early 1960s who featured Steve Marriott...
), The Ones
The Ones
The Ones are an American electronic dance music band, best known for their 2001 hit single "Flawless", which reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart. The trio consists of three male vocalists Paul Alexander, JoJo Americo, and Nashom Wooden, who met while working at the Greenwich Village boutique...
, and fellow Motown artists, Brenda Holloway
Brenda Holloway
Brenda Holloway is an American singer and songwriter, a recording artist for the Motown label during the 1960s...
, and The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
. The Temptations' version would also be released as a "B" side and would chart at #124 on the Pop charts in 1967 (as well be released on their 1966 album Gettin' Ready
Gettin' Ready
Gettin' Ready is a 1966 album by The Temptations for the label. It marks the transition of the group from having Smokey Robinson as its main producer, with new producer Norman Whitfield taking over Robinson's position...
). In addition to being on their first Live album, The Miracles' original version of "I've Been Good To You" actually appears on two other of their early 1960s albums; 1962's I'll Try Something New
I'll Try Something New
I'll Try Something New is the third Tamla album by The Miracles. The title track was an important early single for the group, featuring Smokey Robinson's lead voice, a chorus led by his wife Claudette and an orchestra of strings...
, and 1963's The Fabulous Miracles
The Fabulous Miracles
The Fabulous Miracles is a 1963 album by The Miracles featuring the million-selling hit, "You've Really Got a Hold on Me", one of the group's most popular singles...
.
Personnel - The Miracles
- 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 - 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 - 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...
- Background vocals - Claudette Robinson - Background vocals
- Ronnie White - Background vocals
- 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...
- Guitar
Personnel - The Temptations
- Eddie KendricksEddie KendricksEddie Kendricks was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. His was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do The Things...
- Lead vocals - David RuffinDavid RuffinDavis Eli "David" Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968...
- Background vocals - Melvin FranklinMelvin FranklinDavid Melvin English better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, was an American bass singer. Franklin is best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1960 to 1994....
- Lead & Background vocals - Paul WilliamsPaul Williams (The Temptations)Paul Williams was an American baritone singer and choreographer. Williams is noted for being one of the founding members and original lead singer of the Motown group The Temptations...
- Background vocals - Otis WilliamsOtis WilliamsOtis Williams is an American baritone singer. Nicknamed "Big Daddy", he has also acted as a sporadic songwriter and record producer. Williams co-founded the Motown vocal group The Temptations in early 1960 as The Elgins, a group in which he continues to perform...
- Background vocals