The Miracles

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Depend On Me: The Early Albums

Release date: October 5th 2009

Label: Universal/Hip-O-Select/Motown

Cat number: CDB0012855-02

LIMITED EDITION QUANITITY: 5,000

THE MIRACLES FIRST 5 ALBUMS ON 2 CDS!

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and Motown are intertwined forever. The company’s first hit group, led by its premier writer-performer-singer, the Miracles had the company’s first million-selling record, its first full-length LP release, and its first artist-executive. They were the stars of the first Motortown Revues, followed by fans who knew the words to every song. Those heady, thrilling, early years are fully documented on Depend On Me: The Early Albums, a 2-CD set that collects the Miracles’ first five albums, three of which are on CD for the first time, as well as rare bonus cuts.

“It was exhilarating, exciting, amazing, and unbelievable that it was happening, because there were so many other groups who were dynamic, who had so many hits. But this was happening to us,” says Miracle Claudette Robinson, as quoted in the collection’s liner notes.

Hi, We’re The Miracles, Cookin’ With The Miracles, I’ll Try Something New, The Fabulous Miracles and Recorded Live On Stage are each in their original mono mixes, as originally issued in the early sixties. So are the five bonus cuts, which include two non-LP singles “Mighty Good Lovin’” and “The Feeling Is So Fine” and rare single versions of “The Only One I Love” and “Shop Around.” For the latter, there is the “slow” regional version that’s appeared on compilations, but for this set we’ve tracked down an earlier alternate pressing that has not been heard in nearly 50 years.

Hi includes the hit versions of “Shop Around” and “Way Over There,” a rare Claudette lead on “After All,” and the classic slow jams “Who’s Lovin’ You” and “(You Can) Depend On Me.” Cookin’ shows the group maturing with more polished production, featuring “Everybody’s Got To Pay Some Dues,” “That’s The Way I Feel,” and surprising jazz vocal harmony in Gershwin’s “Embraceable You.”

I’ll Try Something New was another breakthrough, with the smash title track, “What’s So Good About Good Bye,” “I’ve Been Good To You” and more of the standard repertoire from the previous LP. Miracles Ronnie White and Claudette Robinson are spotlighted on “A Love That Can Never Be” and “He Don’t Care About Me.”

The Fabulous Miracles, sometimes known as “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me," has an assortment of classics all written or co-written by Smokey, from “A Love She Can Count On” to “Happy Landing.” Recorded Live On Stage, compiled from Revue performances at the Regal and Apollo Theaters, documents the excitement of the early live shows.

All of this wonderful Motown music has been remastered with the usual care and devotion; it’s in a delightful package showcasing the original Miracles LP covers, front and back, with rare photos, detailed track annotations and a rich essay by group chronicler Stu Hackel.

With Depend On Me: The Early Albums, the days of Motown fans shopping around for The Miracles’ early classics are finally over.

The Miracles

Depend On Me: The Early Albums

Track Listing

Disc 1

  1. Who's Lovin You
  2. (You Can) Depend On Me 
  3. A Heart Like Mine  
  4. Shop Around  
  5. Won't You Take Me Back  
  6. Cause I Love You  
  7. Your Love  
  8. After All  
  9. Way Over There 
  10. Money (That’s What I Want)  
  11. 11. Don't Leave Me
  12. That's The Way I Feel
  13. Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues
  14. Mama  
  15. Ain't It Baby
  16. Determination
  17. You Never Miss A Good Thing
  18. Embraceable You  
  19. The Only One I Love 
  20. Broken Hearted 
  21. I Can't Believe  
  22. Mighty Good Lovin 
  23. The Feeling Is So Fine  
  24. Shop Around regional version 2 
  25. I'll Try Something New  
  26. What's So Good About Good Bye 
  27. He Don't Care About Me  
  28. A Love That Can Never Be  
  29. I've Been Good To You

Disc 2

  1. Speak Low
  2. On The Street Where You Live
  3. If Your Mother Only Knew  
  4. I've Got You Under My Skin  
  5. This I Swear, I Promise  
  6. You've Really Got A Hold On Me
  7. I've Been Good To You  
  8. Such Is Love, Such Is Life  
  9. I Can Take A Hint  
  10. Won't You Take Me Back  
  11. A Love She Can Count On 
  12. Whatever Makes You Happy
  13. Heartbreak Road  
  14. Happy Landing  
  15. Your Love  
  16. Mighty Good Lovin' (live) 
  17. A Love She Can Count On (live) 
  18. Happy Landing (live) 
  19. I've Been Good To You (live) 
  20. What's So Good About Good Bye (live)
  21. You've Really Got A Hold On Me (live) 
  22. Way Over There (live) 
  23. Shop Around regional version  
  24. The Only One I Love single version