''Going to a Go-Go'' is a 1965 album by

the Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...

, the first to credit the group as '' Smokey Robinson and the Miracles''. It includes four of the Miracles' Top 20 hits: "

Ooo Baby Baby "Ooo Baby Baby" is a song written by Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore. It is a classic 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label. The song has inspired numerous other cover versions by other artists over the years, including c ...

", "

The Tracks of My Tears "The Tracks of My Tears" is a song written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin. It is a multiple award-winning 1965 hit R&B song originally recorded by their group, The Miracles, on Motown's Tamla label. The Miracles' million-sell ...

", "

Going to a Go-Go ''Going to a Go-Go'' is a 1965 album by the Miracles, the first to credit the group as ''Smokey Robinson and the Miracles''. It includes four of the Miracles' Top 20 hits: "Ooo Baby Baby", "The Tracks of My Tears", " Going to a Go-Go", and "My G ...

", and "

My Girl Has Gone "My Girl Has Gone" is a 1965 R&B single recorded by The Miracles for Motown's Tamla label. Included on their 1965 album '' Going to a Go-Go'', "My Girl Has Gone" was the follow-up to the group's number 16 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 million-selling hi ...

". It was produced by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, along with Frank Wilson and

William "Mickey" Stevenson William "Mickey" Stevenson (born January 4, 1937) is an American former songwriter and record producer for the Motown group of labels from the early days of Berry Gordy's company until 1967. Life and career He was born William Stevenson and, a ...

. Primarily produced by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, ''Going to a Go-Go'' features compositions co-written by Miracles members Robinson, Ronald White, Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin. In fact, with the sole exception of the song, "My Baby Changes Like The Weather", this entire album was written by The Miracles. ''Going to a Go-Go'' was the only Miracles studio LP to chart within the Top 10 of the ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart, where it remained for 40 weeks, peaking at number 8. The LP peaked at number-one on ''Billboard's'' R&B albums chart. In 2003, the album achieved Gold Record status. It was ranked number 271 on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' magazine's list of

the 500 greatest albums of all time "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is a recurring opinion survey and music ranking of the finest albums in history, compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and indust ...

, and number 273 in the 2012 revised list, and number 412 in the 2020 revised list. ''Going to a Go-Go'' was reissued on CD in 2002, coupled with the Miracles' ''

Away We a Go-Go ''Away We a Go-Go'' is a 1966 album by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. The album features the singles "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need", a ''Billboard'' top 20 Pop hit, written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland; and " Whole Lot of ...

''.

Composition

Robinson wrote or co-wrote all the tracks, apart from "My Baby Changes Like the Weather", which was written by two other Motown writers,

Hal Davis Harold Edward Davis (February 8, 1933 – November 18, 1998) was an American songwriter and record producer. Davis was a producer and writer for Motown Records for nearly thirty years, and was a key figure in the latter part of the Mot ...

and Frank Wilson. Robinson's main writing partner was his childhood friend and co-founder of the Miracles,

Warren "Pete" Moore Warren Thomas "Pete" Moore (November 19, 1938 – November 19, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and record producer, notable as the bass singer for Motown group the Miracles from 1955 onwards, and was one of the group's original members. H ...

, who worked with him on seven of the album's twelve tracks. The other writers are: Miracles members

Bobby Rogers Robert Edward Rogers (February 19, 1940 – March 3, 2013) was an American musician and tenor singer, best known as a member of Motown vocal group the Miracles from 1956 until his death. He was inducted, in 2012, as a member of the Miracles to t ...

Ronald White Ronald is a masculine given name derived from the Old Norse ''Rögnvaldr'', Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 234; Hanks; Hodges (2003) § Ronald. or possibly from Old English '' Regenweald''. In some cases ''Ronald'' is an Anglicised form of ...

, and

Marv Tarplin Marvin Tarplin (June 13, 1941 – September 30, 2011) was an American musician, 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 bigges ...

, along with

, a Motown songwriter and producer, who contributed to one song. Marv Tarplin, the Miracles' lead guitarist, created the evocative opening chords of "The Tracks of My Tears". and the starting guitar riffs on the title song, and "My Girl Has Gone" .DVD: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Definitive Performances

Release

''Going to a Go-Go'' was released November 1, 1965, and reached number-eight on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart, and number-one on ''Billboard's'' R&B albums chart. It is the only Miracles studio LP to chart within the Top 10. (Another Miracles LP, ''Greatest Hits Vol. 2 '' was also a Top 10 success, but that was a compilation, not a studio album.) The tracks "

", "

", and "

", were released as singles, and reached the Top 20. "

Choosey Beggar "Choosey Beggar" was a 1965 song recorded by Motown R&B group The Miracles on its Tamla label subsidiary. It was issued as the B-side of the group's top-20 million-selling single,Coryton, Demitri; Joseph Murrells. Hits Of The Sixties: The Million ...

" charted on the '' Billboard''

Hot R&B Singles The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

chart at number 35. " A Fork in the Road" was a strong regional hit in several areas of the country and was regularly performed as part of the Miracles' live show. ''Going to a Go-Go'' was reissued on CD in 2002, coupled with the Miracles' ''

''.

Track listing

Personnel

* Smokey Robinson – lead vocals *

Ronnie White Ronald Anthony White (April 5, 1939 – August 26, 1995), usually referred to as Ronnie White, was an American singer, best known as the co-founder of The Miracles and its only consistent original member. White was also known for bringing Stevi ...

– background vocals *

Claudette Robinson Claudette Annette Rogers Robinson ( Rogers; born June 20, 1938) is an American singer, best known as a member of the vocal group The Miracles from 1957 to 1972. Her brother Emerson "Sonny" Rogers was a founding member of the group, which befor ...

– background vocals *

– guitarist *

The Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra – instrumentation Producers * Smokey Robinson – producer, executive producer * Frank Wilson – producer *

– producer * Pete Moore – vocal arrangements

References

External links

''Going to a Go-Go''
(

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) at

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(streamed copy where licensed) {{DEFAULTSORT:Going To A Go-Go 1965 albums The Miracles albums Albums produced by Smokey Robinson Albums produced by Frank Wilson (musician) Albums produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson Tamla Records albums Albums recorded at Hitsville U.S.A.

Composition

Release

Track listing

Personnel

See also

References

External links