Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Motown Records is a bit like the Walt Disney Studios, in the sense that both organizations made a good deal more money in recent decades marketing their histories and reputations than they have in creating very much that's new -- indeed, Motown hasn't been an active label, in the sense of recording any new artists, in more than a decade. Apart from its Anthology series in the mid-'70s, however, the label seldom came up with anything that could hold a permanent place in a collection, or was reasonably comprehensive. Then came the Ultimate Collection series, which was timed to coincide with the first technological upgrade in CD mastering to 20-bit digital audio. This disc has 25 songs that encompass all of the Top Ten hits by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles released between 1960 and 1969 (as well as their 1970 number one hit, "Tears of a Clown"), but also some of their finest B-sides ("Choosey Beggar," "Who's Lovin' You") and an album track or two of significance, and it also sounded significantly better than any prior hits collection on the group, including the upgraded Anthology two-CD set issued just three years earlier. What's more, while it in no way supplants the four-CD 35th Anniversary Collection, it offers one track that didn't make it onto that set, the second version of "Way Over There," which -- though it never charted -- is a brilliant piece of writing, singing, and production. After all, "Way Over There" was the very first actual "Motown" single; in fact, it was one of the most ambitious and beautiful records that Berry Gordy ever produced personally -- and it did sell a reported 50,000 copies, which was significant enough in helping to keep the fledgling company afloat. That's as much of a "history lesson" as this CD provides, though people will always happily hear history lessons like that. Mostly, it's a gorgeous flood of sound washing over you for 70 minutes, though not quite like you've ever heard these songs -- including the gently ringing rhythm guitar on "Tracks of My Tears," the in-your-face drums that open "My Girl Has Gone," and the strings of the Detroit Symphony on "Way Over There," but most of all the silky lead and backing vocals, which have never sounded closer or smoother. The standard is now 24-bit, and someday there may even be a DVD audio or SACD of hits by the Miracles, but for a collection featuring some of their most enjoyable and best-sounding music, no one is going to be cheated by buying this disc.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Marvin Tarplin, ComposerLyricist - Warren Moore, Producer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Robert Rogers, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Pete Moore, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - The Miracles, MainArtist - Marv Tarplin, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - The Funk Brothers, Unknown, Other - Ronnie White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Claudette Robinson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Rogers, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Robinson, Jr., ComposerLyricist - AL CLEVELAND, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist - Willliam Robinson, Producer
℗ 1967 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Berry Gordy Jr., Producer, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Pete Moore, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - The Miracles, MainArtist - Marv Tarplin, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ronnie White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Claudette Robinson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Rogers, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1960 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Berry Gordy Jr., Producer, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, ComposerLyricist - The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1960 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Robinson, Jr., ComposerLyricist - Berry Gordy Jr., Producer, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer - The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1959 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Berry Gordy Jr., Producer - SMOKEY ROBINSON, ComposerLyricist - The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1960 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Robinson, Jr., Producer - Berry Gordy Jr., Producer - SMOKEY ROBINSON, ComposerLyricist - The Miracles, MainArtist - Riley C. Hampton, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1962 UMG Recordings, Inc.
SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Pete Moore, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - The Miracles, MainArtist - Marv Tarplin, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ronnie White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Claudette Robinson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Rogers, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1962 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lamont Dozier, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Holland, ComposerLyricist - Brian Holland, Producer, ComposerLyricist - The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1963 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Marvin Tarplin, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1964 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Warren Moore, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1965 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Warren Moore, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1965 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Marvin Tarplin, ComposerLyricist - Warren Moore, ComposerLyricist - Ronald White, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1965 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Robinson, Jr., ComposerLyricist - Henry Cosby, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Stevie Wonder, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist - Pete Moore, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Marv Tarplin, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ronnie White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Claudette Robinson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Rogers, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1970 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Warren Moore, Producer - Terry Johnson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - AL CLEVELAND, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1968 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Marvin Tarplin, ComposerLyricist - Warren Moore, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist - Pete Moore, Vocal Arranger, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Marv Tarplin, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ronnie White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Claudette Robinson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Rogers, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Robinson, Jr., ComposerLyricist - Henry Cosby, Producer - Marvin Tarplin, ComposerLyricist - Warren Moore, Producer - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist - Lamont Dozier, Producer - Brian Holland, Producer - Marv Tarplin, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ronnie White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Warren "Pete" Moore, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Claudette Robinson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Rogers, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist - Lamont Dozier, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Holland, ComposerLyricist - Brian Holland, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1966 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Henry Cosby, Producer - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist - Lamont Dozier, Producer - Brian Holland, Producer - Marv Tarplin, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ronnie White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Warren "Pete" Moore, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Claudette Robinson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Rogers, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
AL CLEVELAND, Producer, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1968 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1968 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
AL CLEVELAND, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1968 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Bristol, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, MainArtist - Wade Brown Jr., ComposerLyricist - David Jones Jr., ComposerLyricist
℗ 1972 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Berry Gordy Jr., Producer - SMOKEY ROBINSON, ComposerLyricist - The Miracles, MainArtist - Riley C. Hampton, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Berry Gordy Jr., Producer, ComposerLyricist - SMOKEY ROBINSON, Producer, ComposerLyricist - The Miracles, MainArtist
℗ 1959 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Motown Records is a bit like the Walt Disney Studios, in the sense that both organizations made a good deal more money in recent decades marketing their histories and reputations than they have in creating very much that's new -- indeed, Motown hasn't been an active label, in the sense of recording any new artists, in more than a decade. Apart from its Anthology series in the mid-'70s, however, the label seldom came up with anything that could hold a permanent place in a collection, or was reasonably comprehensive. Then came the Ultimate Collection series, which was timed to coincide with the first technological upgrade in CD mastering to 20-bit digital audio. This disc has 25 songs that encompass all of the Top Ten hits by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles released between 1960 and 1969 (as well as their 1970 number one hit, "Tears of a Clown"), but also some of their finest B-sides ("Choosey Beggar," "Who's Lovin' You") and an album track or two of significance, and it also sounded significantly better than any prior hits collection on the group, including the upgraded Anthology two-CD set issued just three years earlier. What's more, while it in no way supplants the four-CD 35th Anniversary Collection, it offers one track that didn't make it onto that set, the second version of "Way Over There," which -- though it never charted -- is a brilliant piece of writing, singing, and production. After all, "Way Over There" was the very first actual "Motown" single; in fact, it was one of the most ambitious and beautiful records that Berry Gordy ever produced personally -- and it did sell a reported 50,000 copies, which was significant enough in helping to keep the fledgling company afloat. That's as much of a "history lesson" as this CD provides, though people will always happily hear history lessons like that. Mostly, it's a gorgeous flood of sound washing over you for 70 minutes, though not quite like you've ever heard these songs -- including the gently ringing rhythm guitar on "Tracks of My Tears," the in-your-face drums that open "My Girl Has Gone," and the strings of the Detroit Symphony on "Way Over There," but most of all the silky lead and backing vocals, which have never sounded closer or smoother. The standard is now 24-bit, and someday there may even be a DVD audio or SACD of hits by the Miracles, but for a collection featuring some of their most enjoyable and best-sounding music, no one is going to be cheated by buying this disc.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 25 track(s)
- Total length: 01:10:48
- Main artists: The Miracles
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UNI - MOTOWN
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.