The Miracles are significant contributions to R&B and Rock-n-Roll cannot be understood. The first group signed to Motown Records, their success paved the way for countless others who joined the powerhouse label that would dominate the mid to late ‘60s. Beyond this, The Miracles also influences some of the biggest Rock-n-Roll bands coming up… like The Beatles! A mix of exceptionally unique vocals that matched with great songs, many penned by the members themselves, no one should ever overlook the group’s importance. Recognized with a lineup of Ronnie White, Robert Rogers, Marv Tarplin, Warren Moore, Claudette Robinson, and of course, leader Smokey Robinson, altogether the group had fifty charted hits, including twenty-six Top 40 pop hits and four number-one songs on Billboard’s R&B lists.
Renamed Smokey Robinson & The Miracles in 1965, the change was followed by further success with hits such as 1965’s “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Going to a Go-Go,” but by 1967 some may say they were just starting to peak with the album Make It Happen. Released on August 29, 1967, while the album did enter the US chart at number 196 and climbed to number 28, its true worth was not discovered until much later.
In fact, Make It Happen’s two singles, “The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage” and “More Love,” are not even its biggest hits. Respectfully great songs in their own right, tucked inside this collection were a list of other impressive entries that could have easily been singles on their own. For example, “Soulful Shack,” and “Good Feeling” may have been chart toppers, but then there was also a gem called “The Tears of a Clown.” To many, the signature Smokey Robinson & The Miracles tune, “The Tears of a Clown” did not reach the radio until three years after the release of Make It Happen. Hard to believe in hindsight, it was a re-released in the United Kingdom market as a single in July 1970 that changed everything. A number-one hit in that market, naturally, it was then re-released in the United States as a standalone single and became a number-one hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts.
Showing you that sometimes a hit is about making the right selection, timing, and luck, the 1970’s edition of “The Tears of a Clown” is probably the one everyone knows, with few realizing that the Make It Happen version is slightly different. In short, three different versions of this song are floating around, but the album edition was presented in mono and features an alternate lead vocal with a subtle change to the verse’s melody. Extremely fascinating to hear, if you appreciate such detail, it is also important to recognize that 1967 was also the last year mono options on vinyl were available in the USA. So, unless you have one of those mono LP editions, you may not have much familiarity with the original cut of “The Tears of a Clown.” However, now in 2024, you can own a newly pressed edition of Make It Happen thanks to Elemental Music.
One of a long list of Motown reissues emerging throughout 2024 through Elemental Music, the limited edition pressing of Make It Happen arrived on August 16, 2024; alongside Jackson 5’s Get It Together and the mono edition of the Supremes’ More Hits. Pressed to a solid 140-gram vinyl, this new pressing of Make It Happen is transferred from the original mono master, and in itself, that is exciting. Yes, you can likely track down a first press of the album at a local record shop or on eBay, but with nearly six decades passing, chances are those copies are worn, and if they are pristine, you will pay highly for them. Knowing this makes the prospect of owning a brand-spanking new copy appealing. The best part of Elemental Music’s repress is that it sounds ultra crisp and clean, and even includes the original artwork for the ultimate authentic vibe. That is why Cryptic Rock finds this new release something real fans will adore, giving it 5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment