THE MIRACLES-LOVE CRAZY.

dereksmusicblog ♦ October 19, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

THE MIRACLES-LOVE CRAZY.

Not many groups have enjoyed the longevity that The Miracles enjoyed. Having  released their debut album Hi..We’re The Miracles in 1961, they recorded seven studio albums for Motown between 1961 and 1964s I Like It Like That, which was never released. By the time The Miracles released Going To A Go-Go in 1965, the group were now billed as Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. As Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, they released a further eleven studio albums between 1965 and 1972s Flying High Together. Then in 1972, Motown decided to move from Detroit and head to Los Angeles. One man who’d begin to play a bigger part in the running of Motown and the newly formed Tamla label was Smokey Robinson. This meant Smokey leaving The Miracles, the group he’d formed in the mid-fifties. 

In 1972, Billy Griffin replaced Smokey and they released six albums between 1973s Renaissance and 1976s The Power of music. After 1976s The Power of Music, the unthinkable happened, and The Miracles left Motown after a fifteen year association with the Detroit label. The Miracles contract with Motown was almost up, but The Miracles felt Motown weren’t as committed to them as they’d should be. Although their previous album The Power of Music, hadn’t been successful, The Miracles consistently released successful albums and singles. They’d just had a number one US R&B single in 1976 with Love Machine, which was certified platinum. So it’s no wonder The Miracles felt let down, especially in former Miracle Smokey Robinson. On the advice of Stevie Wonder, The Miracles waited before resigning to Motown. They waited on a phone call from Berry Gordy or Smokey Robinson, which never came. Then when Columbia expressed an interest in signing The Miracles, that settled things. They signed to Columbia and set about recording their debut album for Columbia. This would be Love Crazy, which will be rereleased on 22nd October 2012 by SoulMusic Records. Would Love Crazy see a return to form for The Miracles and prove to Motown that they’d made a mistake in not resigning them sooner?

When The Miracles signed to Columbia, they arrived with the material for their Columbia debut Love Crazy. The eight tracks that became Love Crazy were written at the same time as their Motown finale The Power of Music. Six of the eight tracks were penned by Billy Griffin and Pete Moore, while Donald Griffin cowrote the two other tracks with Billy and Pete. With the material for Love Crazy already written, The Miracles headed straight to Crystal Sound, where the album would be recorded.

At Crystal Sound, Pete Moore was producing The Miracles Columbia debut Love Crazy. They were accompanied by a rhythm section of drummer James Gadson, bassist Willie Weeks and guitarists Billy and Donald Griffin. John Barnes who arranged the eight tracks, played keyboards, while Eddie “Bongo” Brown and Jack Ashford added percussion. Adding backing vocals were Julia Timan, Maxime Wilard and Myrna Matthews. Once Love Crazy was recorded, it was ready for release in 1978.

Before Love Crazy was released, Spy For The Brotherhood was released as single. It only reached number thirty-seven in the US R&B Charts and number thirty-five in the US Dance Charts. Women (Make the World Go Round) was the second single, but failed to chart. Then when Love Crazy was released, it reached number 117 in the US Billboard 100 and number nine in the US R&B Charts. This was an improvement on The Miracles Motown finale The Power of Love, which reached number 178 in the US Billboard 200 and number thirty-five in the US R&B Charts. Maybe as well as a new start at Columbia, The Miracles were enjoying a new lease of life. Was that the case? That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve told you about the music on Love Crazy.

Opening Love Crazy is Love Crazy (Introduction), an eighty-second amuse bouche, that sets the rest of the album up. Just a wistful, melancholy piano solo and tender heartfelt harmonies combine. Then all too soon it’s over.

Strings sweep and swirl, horns rasp and a pounding rhythm section drive the arrangement of Love Crazy along. Soaring harmonies give way to Billy’s impassioned, powerful vocal. Billy sings one verse, Pete Moore the next. They seem to drive each other to greater heights, as if trying to outdo each other. The rest of The Miracles add tight, dramatic harmonies, while flourishes of piano, dramatic drums, cascading strings and growling horns combine. It’s quick, hugely dramatic and soulful, as The Miracles fuse their trademark soulful sound with elements of funk and disco. Rather than The Miracles, this should be The New Miracles, given how dramatic, catchy and soulful a track this is.

Too Young is the third of six Billy Griffin and Pete Moore compositions. Just stabs of spacious piano dramatically open the track. Keyboards meander in the background while a sprinkling of percussion and subtle drums accompany Pete’s vocal. His vocal is full of sadness and emotion, with Jackie Kelso’s saxophone answering his call and adding to the sadness and emotion. Through the arrangement, it has understated, vintage sound. Key to the vintage sound is the standup bass, piano and saxophone. Pete’s vocal is perfect for the arrangement, laden with heartache and hurt. It breathes life, meaning and emotion to the lyrics.

Spy For The Brotherhood was one of the singles released from Love Crazy. On its release, The Miracles feared the F.B.I. would take an interest in their activities.  It has a very different sound, with synths opening the track adding a dramatic, moody sound. They give way to bongos, guitars and the rhythm section that drive the arrangement along. Blazing horns usher in Billy’s vocal, which is full of frustration and anger. The is reflected by growling horns. The other four Miracles add harmonies, while Billy voices his fears of informers and feds. While very different from other tracks, it’s a song message and social conscience, and some of the best lyrics on Love Crazy. 

A Better Way To Live sees the synths open the track, again adding an atmospheric to Billy’s vocal and the heartfelt harmonies that accompany him. Flourishes of harp, percussion and bongos combine before it’s all change. The track almost bursts into life. Backing vocalists join the Miracles, accompanying their punchy harmonies. Billy’s vocal is joyous, as he delivers his message. With feeling he sings: “we must find A Better Way To Live.” A dramatic arrangement and sweeping harmonies provide the perfect accompaniment, before the vocal changes hands. Strings dance with joy, flourishes of piano and a driving rhythm section accompany The Miracles as they deliver their message with joy, feeling and more than a little flamboyance.

Women (Make The World Go ‘Round) was the second single released from Love Crazy, but if failed to chart. Penned by Donald and Billy Griffin with Pete Moore, it’s another track with a message. Stabs of brassy horns and keyboards join the pounding rhythm section, as Billy delivers a powerful, impassioned vocal. He mixes drama with emotion, while sweeping harmonies grow in power. Sometimes, Billy’s vampish, vocal takes on similar sound to Stevie Wonder’s, as it grows in power. It’s a quite different track, one where funk and soul unite with the passion and power of Billy’s vocal and the dramatic arrangement.

As The Bird Must Fly Away opens, it reminds me of briefly of Jon Lucien or Andy Bey. It’s the combination rhythm section, keyboards and percussion that draws that comparison. Lush strings accompany tender, heartfelt harmonies, as The Miracles reveal their most soulful side. This is very much a group effort, the harmonies swept along amidst the strings. Augmenting this combination are backing vocalists whose subtle, soulful contribution prove to be just the finishing touch to a very beautiful string-drenched ballad.

Closing Love Crazy, The Miracles debut for their new label Columbia, is I Can Touch The Sky. Just searing guitars are joined by a pounding rhythm section, percussion and keyboards. Before the vocal enters, a vocoder briefly makes an appearance. It gives way to Billy’s vocal, but answers his call. Blazing horns accompany his vocal as it grows in power. Soon the arrangement grows in power and drama, while The Miracles mix soul and funk, with the vocoder making brief appearances. Thankfully, it’s not overused, with producer Pete Moore deciding less is more, as The Miracles close Love Crazy fusing their usual soulful sound with a more experimental funky sound. This shows that after twenty-years in the music business, The Miracles were still willing to try something new.

Listening to Love Crazy, maybe leaving Motown was what The Miracles needed. Maybe after fifteen years at the same label, working with the same musicians, songwriters and producers, maybe they had to explore different styles of music. Moving to Columbia seemed to give The Miracles more freedom, freedom to write and produce their own music. There was no more having to use in-house songwriters whose music could be somewhat formulaic. Instead, Billy Griffin and Pete Moore cowrote six tracks and two with Donald Griffin. Pete also produced Love Crazy and with the help of arranger John Barnes, combined The Miracles’ trademark soulful sound with funk and disco. Another difference was the socially conscious lyrics. Would The Miracles have been able to record songs like this at Motown? The other problem The Miracles had at Motown was they felt undervalued. So having Columbia show an interest must have flattered The Miracles. The Miracles rewarded Columbia with Love Crazy, which reached number nine in the US R&B Charts and number 178 in the US Billboard 200. Love Crazy was something on an awakening from The Miracles, proof that they still had something to offer and that they still could write and record some cutting-edge music, some of which had a message and social conscience. So, sixteen years after releasing their debut album Hi..We’re The Miracles, The Miracles were still going strong and still, producing some quality, soulful music. Proof of this can be found on Love Crazy, which will be rereleased on 22nd October 2012 by SoulMusic Records where The Miracles found a new lease of live and found  A Better Way To Live in the Los Angeles sunshine.  Standout Tracks: Love Crazy, Spy For The Brotherhood, A Better Way To Live and The Bird Must Fly Away. 

THE MIRACLES-LOVE CRAZY.