We've Come Too Far to End It Now was a 1972 single by

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

R&B 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 ...

(AKA 'Smokey Robinson & The Miracles') on its Tamla Label subsidiary (T54220F) and taken from their 1972 album, ''

Flying High Together ''Flying High Together'' is an album by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label, released in 1972. It is noted as The Miracles' last studio album with original lead singer Smokey Robinson, who retired from the act to conc ...

'', the group's final studio album with original lead singer

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 ...

. This song charted at #46 on 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, and reached the Top 10 of its R&B chart, peaking at #9.

Background

Written by Motown staff songwriter

Johnny Bristol John William Bristol (February 3, 1939 – March 21, 2004) was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a native of Morganton, North Carolina, about which ...

, along with writers David H. Jones, and Wade Brown, and arranged by legendary writer/producer

H. B. Barnum Hidle Brown Barnum (born July 15, 1936) is an American pianist, arranger, record producer, songwriter, and former child actor. Biography After winning a nationwide talent contest at the age of four and starring in the film ''Valley of the Su ...

, this song was conceived as the Miracles' "

swan song The swan song ( grc, κύκνειον ᾆσμα; la, carmen cygni) is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that swans sing a beautiful so ...

" with Robinson, who left the group shortly thereafter (even though the group actually had one more single release with Robinson from that same LP, "I Can't Stand To See You Cry", this song was the group's way of saying goodbye to the Smokey Robinson era and Smokey's way of saying goodbye to the group's fans and to his friends and singing partners in The Miracles,

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 ...

, Pete Moore, and

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 ...

). Motown singer/songwriter Johnny Bristol also co-wrote

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...

' final hit with

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...

, "

Someday We'll Be Together "Someday We'll Be Together" is a song written by Johnny Bristol, Jackey Beavers, and Harvey Fuqua. It was the last of twelve American number-one pop singles for Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label. Although it was released as the f ...

"). After singing in the group from 1955 until 1972, Robinson decided to retire from the group to spend more time with his family, and to concentrate on his duties as Vice President of the Motown Record Corporation. His wife, and fellow Miracles member

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 ...

, left the group when her husband did. Despite having retired from live performances eight years prior in 1964, Claudette continued recording with the group in the studio, finally retiring in 1972 to raise the couple's two children, Berry and Tamla.

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 ...

stayed with the group an additional year, then decided to leave the Miracles to work with Smokey, writing songs and eventually touring with him, once Robinson decided to do limited touring as a solo artist. Like the Miracles' 1965 hit, "

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 ...

", "We've Come Too Far" told the story of a troubled long-time relationship between a couple nearing a breakup, with Smokey, as the song's narrator, apologizing to his wife for his wrongs, with the hopes of saving the relationship: *''Last night ... we had an argument'' ... *''Oh but baby ... the things I said I never meant'' ... *''I'm so sorry, that I broke your tender heart'' ... *''For we've come too far to end it now.'' In the 2006 Motown DVD, '' Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Definitive Performances)'', Miracles bass singer and vocal arranger Pete Moore replied, when asked about Smokey's decision to depart the group, said it made him "very sad, because we had been together for so long, since we were kids, and had done so many wonderful things in the music industry up to that point ... and obviously, we didn't want to see Smokey leave ... because we loved him and he loved us ... so it took us a while ... for that idea to sink in ... but once it did ... we had to seek a replacement ..." This song has appeared in several Miracles "greatest hits" CD compilations. It was also performed by The Miracles live on their final live album with Smokey, '' Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957-1972''. The song's B-side, "When Sundown Comes", was earmarked as an A-side release, (Tamla 54211), but was cancelled in favor of the song "Satisfaction".Liner notes booklet, p. 62 : The Miracles Discography : The Singles

Credits: The Miracles

* Lead vocals by

* Backing vocals by Pete Moore,

and

* Guitar by

* Additional instrumentation by

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 ...

Chart performance

Cover versions

* The Escorts recorded a cover version of this song.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:We've Come Too Far To End It Now The Miracles songs Tamla Records singles 1972 songs Songs written by Johnny Bristol Song recordings produced by Johnny Bristol