Shop Around
Encyclopedia
"Shop Around" is a 1960 single by The Miracles
(credited as "The Miracles featuring Bill 'Smokey' Robinson
") for the Tamla (Motown) label, catalog number T 54034. It is notable as being the label's first #1 hit on the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart, and also hit #2 on the Hot 100.. "Shop Around" also reached #1 on The Cash Box magazine Top 100 pop chart and is also noted for being the first million-selling record for The Miracles and for The Motown Record Corporation, as well as a 2006 Grammy Hall of Fame inductee.
The Miracles' original version was ranked #495 on Rolling Stone
's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
.
, depicts a mother giving her now-grown son advice about how to find a woman worthy of being a girlfriend or wife ("My mama told me/'you better shop around'"). The original recorded version of the song had a strong blues
influence, and was released in the local Detroit, Michigan
area before Gordy decided that the song needed to be re-recorded in order to be more commercially viable outside of Detroit. So at 3 a.m. one morning, Robinson, Claudette Rogers, Bobby Rogers
, Ronnie White, and Pete Moore
recorded a new, poppier
version of "Shop Around" that became a major national hit. The original record label credits Bill "Smokey" Robinson as the writer, with Berry Gordy as producer.
Since its release, "Shop Around" has become an often-remade tune, on record, in live performance, and on television. One notable version by Captain & Tennille
hit number four on the Billboard Hot 100
in 1976; Toni Tennille changed the song's lyrics slightly so that they were sung from a woman's perspective. Their version also topped the easy listening chart for one week in 1976, the duo's fourth number one on this chart.
"Shop Around" also inspired an answer record, "Don't Let Him Shop Around," performed by Debbie Dean
(the first white female artist, but sometimes misidentified as the first white artist ever signed to a Motown label-this distinction actually belongs to instrumental combo Nick and the Jaguars). Dean's "Don't Let Him Shop Around" charted #92 on the Hot 100 in February 1961 and was Dean's only chart entry. Smokey Robinson later recorded a sequel song for his 1987 album One Heartbeat, entitled "It's Time to Stop Shopping Around."
"Shop Around's" B-side, "Who's Lovin' You
", also became a Motown classic composition, mostly due to its plethora of covers, including a famous one by The Jackson 5
in 1969.
The Miracles can be seen performing "Shop Around" on the Motown DVD release: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Definitive Performances (1963-1987)
.
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...
(credited as "The Miracles featuring Bill '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...
") for the Tamla (Motown) label, catalog number T 54034. It is notable as being the label's first #1 hit on the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart, and also hit #2 on the Hot 100.. "Shop Around" also reached #1 on The Cash Box magazine Top 100 pop chart and is also noted for being the first million-selling record for The Miracles and for The Motown Record Corporation, as well as a 2006 Grammy Hall of Fame inductee.
The Miracles' original version was ranked #495 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
.
History
The song, written by Robinson and Berry GordyBerry 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:...
, depicts a mother giving her now-grown son advice about how to find a woman worthy of being a girlfriend or wife ("My mama told me/'you better shop around'"). The original recorded version of the song had a strong blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
influence, and was released in the local Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
area before Gordy decided that the song needed to be re-recorded in order to be more commercially viable outside of Detroit. So at 3 a.m. one morning, Robinson, Claudette Rogers, 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, and 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...
recorded a new, poppier
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
version of "Shop Around" that became a major national hit. The original record label credits Bill "Smokey" Robinson as the writer, with Berry Gordy as producer.
Since its release, "Shop Around" has become an often-remade tune, on record, in live performance, and on television. One notable version by Captain & Tennille
Captain & Tennille
Captain & Tennille are American pop music recording artists who achieved chart success from 1975 to 1980. The duo consists of husband and wife duo "Captain" Daryl Dragon , and Cathryn Antoinette "Toni" Tennille . They are best known for their singles "Love Will Keep Us Together" and "Do That to Me...
hit number four on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The 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...
in 1976; Toni Tennille changed the song's lyrics slightly so that they were sung from a woman's perspective. Their version also topped the easy listening chart for one week in 1976, the duo's fourth number one on this chart.
"Shop Around" also inspired an answer record, "Don't Let Him Shop Around," performed by Debbie Dean
Debbie Dean (singer)
Reba Jeanette Smith, known professionally as Debbie Dean was an American singer who was the first white solo artist to record for Motown.-Biography:...
(the first white female artist, but sometimes misidentified as the first white artist ever signed to a Motown label-this distinction actually belongs to instrumental combo Nick and the Jaguars). Dean's "Don't Let Him Shop Around" charted #92 on the Hot 100 in February 1961 and was Dean's only chart entry. Smokey Robinson later recorded a sequel song for his 1987 album One Heartbeat, entitled "It's Time to Stop Shopping Around."
"Shop Around's" B-side, "Who's Lovin' You
Who's Lovin' You
"Who's Lovin' You" is a Motown soul song, written in 1960 by William "Smokey" Robinson. The song has been recorded by many different artists including The Miracles, who recorded the 1960 original version, The Temptations, The Supremes, Terence Trent-D'arby, Brenda and The Tabulations, John Farnham,...
", also became a Motown classic composition, mostly due to its plethora of covers, including a famous one by The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
in 1969.
The Miracles can be seen performing "Shop Around" on the Motown DVD release: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Definitive Performances (1963-1987)
The Definitive Performances (1963-1987)
The Definitive Performances is an anthology of performances by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. It was produced by Reelin' in the Years Productions and the Universal Music Group International,in conjunction with Motown.In addition to the musical performances,this DVD also features the first - ever...
.
Awards and accolades
The Miracles' original version of "Shop Around" has received the following awards and acknowledgments:- The Motown Record Corporation's first million-selling hit record .
- Inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2006
- The Motown Record Corporation's first BillboardBillboard (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...
number-one R&B hit. - Voted as # 500 on Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All TimeThe 500 Greatest Songs of All Time"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
. - Reached number one on the Cash Box Magazine Pop Chart.
- The first Motown Records song to reach the top 5 on the Billboard pop chart (#2).
Cover versions
- Johnnie RayJohnnie RayJohnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage personality.-Early life:John Alvin Ray was born in...
(1961) - Georgie FameGeorgie FameGeorgie Fame is a British rhythm and blues and jazz singer and keyboard player. The one-time rock and roll tour musician, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still a popular performer, often working with contemporaries such as Van Morrison and Bill Wyman.-Early life:Fame took piano lessons from the...
(1964) - The Captain and Tennille (1976)
- Other cover versions by: Don Bryant, The Astronauts, The Allusions, Neil Merryweather and Lynn Carey , among numerous others.
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 - 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 - 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...
- 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 - Ronnie White - Background 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
Other personnel
- Written by Berry Gordy, Jr. and William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr.
- Produced by Berry Gordy, Jr.
- Other instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
See also
- List of number-one R&B singles of 1961 (U.S.)
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1976 (U.S.)
External links
- -Shop Around- by The Miracles (video)