"I Like It Like That" was a 1964 hit song by

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

group

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 groups ...

on its

Tamla Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

label subsidiary. This is not the

Chris Kenner Christophe Kenner (December 25, 1929 – January 25, 1976) was an American, New Orleans-based Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and songwriter, best known for two hit singles in the early 1960s, "I Like It Like That (Chris Kenner song), I Like It Li ...

hit song of the same name but, rather, a Miracles original, written by Miracles members

Smokey Robinson William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive director. He was the founder and front man of the Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he was also chief ...

and Marv Tarplin, and is included on the group's first greatest hits album, ''

Greatest Hits from the Beginning ''Greatest Hits from the Beginning'' is a compilation double LP by The Miracles released in 1965. This was the first double album ever released by the Motown Record Corporation (Tamla TS2-254). It covers most of the group's hits from their pre-1 ...

''. It was also the title song from their long-since deleted 1964 album of the same name.

Background

Like many of the Miracles' hit songs, "I Like It Like That" begins with Tarplin's guitar. It has a "live party" feel, similar to their earlier 1963 hit, "

Mickey's Monkey Mickey's is a brand of malt liquor made by the Miller Brewing Company. It has a 5.6% ABV. The brand was created by Sterling Brewery in Evansville, Indiana, which brewed it from 1962 through 1972. It is known for its bright green barrel-shaped, ...

". Rpbinson encourages everybody to "clap your hands now, everybody, we're gonna have some fun tonight...we're gonna sing and shout...knock ourselves out...and everything's gonna be alright". The other Miracles, Bobby, Ronnie, Pete and Claudette, join in with their trademark harmony vocals, with chants of "alright", and "I like it like that" as

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 ...

add additional instruments to the mix. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' described it as "an infectious rhythmic shuffle-thumper...that sports a 'live' audience cheer and handclap support." "I Like It Like That" was released during a period (1964) when Smokey Robinson and the Miracles were so busy touring as the headline act with the famed

Motortown Revue The Motortown Revue was the name given to the package concert tours of Motown artists in the 1960s. Early tours featured Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes, Barrett Strong, and The Contours as headlining acts, and gave then ...

shows, and writing big hits for other Motown acts, principally Mary Wells and

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

, that their own chart action suffered. Of the group's four single releases that year (the others were " Come On Do The Jerk", "

(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You "(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You" is a 1964 R&B song by the Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla subsidiary label. It was written by Miracles lead singer Bill "Smokey" Robinson, and was produced by Robinson and Motown president/fo ...

" and " That's What Love Is Made Of"), "I Like It Like That" was the only one to enter the Billboard Pop Top 30, while two songs that they wrote for the two aforementioned acts, "

My Guy "My Guy" is a 1964 hit single by Mary Wells for the Motown label. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles, the song is a woman's rejection of a sexual advance and affirmation of her fidelity to her boyfriend, who is her ideal an ...

" and " My Girl" respectively, both reached number one. "My Girl" was originally intended to be recorded by The Miracles. The following year, 1965, was The Miracles' biggest year ever.

Personnel

The Miracles: *

- lead vocals * Bobby Rogers, Ronnie White, Pete Moore,

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 * Marv Tarplin - guitar *Additional instruments:

Chart history

"I Like It Like That" reached the Top 30 of the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' Pop chart, charting at number 27 and the Top 10 of

R&B chart, peaking at number 10. (Billboard Magazine's R&B chart was temporarily suspended during this time).

Cover versions

"I Like It Like That" has been covered by: * Bobby Vee * Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels. *The song's B side, "You're So Fine And Sweet", featured a rare lead by the Miracles' second tenor, Bobby Rogers (who had sung co-lead vocals with Smokey on the group's smash single "

You've Really Got A Hold On Me "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" is a song written by Smokey Robinson, which became a 1962 Top 10 hit single for the Miracles. One of the Miracles' most covered tunes, this million-selling song received a 1998 Grammy Hall of Fame Award. It has als ...

" the previous year), and inspired a cover version by The Undertakers.

References

External links

''I Like It Like That'' by The Miracles- Song review from the ''Motown Junkies'' website
* {{authority control The Miracles songs Motown singles 1964 songs Songs written by Smokey Robinson Songs written by Marv Tarplin Song recordings produced by Smokey Robinson