Way Over There
Encyclopedia
"Way Over There" is a 1960 Motown soul
song and single, written by William "Smokey" Robinson, produced by Berry Gordy
, and first performed by The Miracles
(credited as "The Miracles featuring Bill 'Smokey' Robinson
") for the Tamla (Motown) label. It was one of The Miracles' earliest charting singles, reaching #94 on the Billboard
Pop chart. Motown president Berry Gordy, Jr. had The Miracles record the song several times during its chart run. The first version had minimal orchestration. The second version added strings, and this is the version played by most oldies stations today. Claudette (Mrs. Smokey) Robinson had several lead parts on this song (as the "lover way over there on the mountainside"), answering Smokey's leads with chants of "Come to me, Baby". The song's B-side
, "(You Can) Depend on Me
", while not charting nationally, did become a popular regional hit in many areas of the country,and Smokey still sings it in his live shows today.
"Way Over There" has inspired cover versions by Edwin Starr
, The Temptations
, The Marvelettes
, The Royal Counts, The Spitballs, and Eddie Adams Jr, while "(You Can) Depend on Me" has inspired cover versions by The Temptations
, The Supremes
, Mary Wells
, and Brenda Holloway
. The song was also used for the title of Hip-O Select's 2009 compilation: The Miracles: Depend on Me-The Early Albums, which collects the first five LP releases by the group.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
song and single, written by William "Smokey" Robinson, produced by 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 first performed by 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...
(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. It was one of The Miracles' earliest charting singles, reaching #94 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 chart. Motown president Berry Gordy, Jr. had The Miracles record the song several times during its chart run. The first version had minimal orchestration. The second version added strings, and this is the version played by most oldies stations today. Claudette (Mrs. Smokey) Robinson had several lead parts on this song (as the "lover way over there on the mountainside"), answering Smokey's leads with chants of "Come to me, Baby". The song's 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...
, "(You Can) Depend on Me
(You Can) Depend on Me
" Depend on Me" , was a 1959 song by Motown Records group The Miracles, which also appeared on the group's first album, Hi... We're The Miracles . It also appeared as the "B" side of the group's hit single, Way Over There. It was written by Motown Records' President and founder Berry Gordy and...
", while not charting nationally, did become a popular regional hit in many areas of the country,and Smokey still sings it in his live shows today.
"Way Over There" has inspired cover versions by Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr was an American soul music singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield produced singles of the 1970s, most notably the number one hit "War".-Biography:...
, 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 Marvelettes
The Marvelettes
The Marvelettes were an American singing girl group on the Tamla label. Motown's first successful female vocal group, the Marvelettes are most notable for recording the company's first #1 Pop hit, "Please Mr...
, The Royal Counts, The Spitballs, and Eddie Adams Jr, while "(You Can) Depend on Me" has inspired cover versions by 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 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...
, Mary Wells
Mary Wells
Mary Esther Wells was an American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s...
, and Brenda Holloway
Brenda Holloway
Brenda Holloway is an American singer and songwriter, a recording artist for the Motown label during the 1960s...
. The song was also used for the title of Hip-O Select's 2009 compilation: The Miracles: Depend on Me-The Early Albums, which collects the first five LP releases by the group.
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...
& Claudette Robinson - 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
Additional instruments
- 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...
- The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (later version)
- Various Chicago area musicians (later version)