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‘Shop Around’: The Miracles Pick Up Motown’s First Million-Seller
Udiscovermusic ^ | Paul Sexton | February 12, 2025

Posted on 02/12/2025 5:40:30 PM PST by nickcarraway

‘Shop Around’ is an absolutely vital part of the early development of Motown, and on February 12, 1961 it became their first million-seller.

It was one of the first collaborations between Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, not just as flagship artist and label boss, but credited as co-writers. “Shop Around” is an absolutely vital part of the early development of Motown, and on February 12, 1961, it sent the message that they really meant business, when it became their first million-seller.

Robinson really did use his mother’s time-honored advice as the lyrical inspiration for the song. He had originally intended to give it to Barrett Strong, the man who had written an even earlier chapter in the Motown story with the 1960 hit “Money (That’s What I Want).” But Gordy persuaded Smokey that he should keep it for himself and the Miracles.

The group had had a very modest pop chart entry in late 1959 with “Bad Girl,” but this was where their career really took off. “Shop Around,” Tamla 54034, came out with a credit to “the Miracles featuring Bill ‘Smokey’ Robinson,” and entered the pop and R&B charts on December 12. In the new year, it reached No.2 on the Hot 100 and spent eight triumphant weeks atop the soul survey, from mid-January to mid-March.

The first version of the song was a slower, bluesier rendition which was serviced to local radio, but only a couple of weeks later, Robinson got a very late night call from Gordy. The Motown boss told Robinson to assemble the Miracles at Hitsville, because he wanted them to re-record the song.

The group, perplexed but dutiful, made their bleary way to the company HQ and set about recording the more uptempo version we know and love. On February 12, it turned into a million-seller. Not for the first and certainly not for the last time, Berry Gordy had been proved right.


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: motown; smokeyrobinson; themiracles
Shop Around
1 posted on 02/12/2025 5:40:30 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Loved that song. Gotta admit I shopped around.
That was a long time ago, when I could.


2 posted on 02/12/2025 5:47:23 PM PST by Veto! (Tump Is Superman)
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To: nickcarraway

Theme song for the ‘rats looking for black-robed toadies.


3 posted on 02/12/2025 5:51:26 PM PST by decal (They won't stop, so they'll have to be stopped)
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To: nickcarraway
The first version of the song was a slower, bluesier rendition which was serviced to local radio stations

I like that version, aka the Detroit version better, but it probably wouldn't have been as big a hit.

4 posted on 02/12/2025 5:52:08 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway
The Captain & Tennille also hit big with a cover of this song where it got as high as #4 on the Billboard Charts in July of 1976:

Shop Around · Captain & Tennille

5 posted on 02/12/2025 5:53:06 PM PST by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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To: fidelis
I prefer the Captain & Tennille version.

They also had a big hit with "Muskrat Love", another one of my alltime favorites.

6 posted on 02/12/2025 5:56:02 PM PST by SamAdams76
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To: nickcarraway
The Miracles' first release was Got a Job, an answer to the Silhouettes' 1958 hit Get a Job. Smokey didn't like his job, but James 'Shep" Sheppard of the Heartbeats was thrilled when he found a job. The economy was in a severe recession in 1958, so Smokey and Shep were lucky to find employment.
7 posted on 02/12/2025 6:00:37 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway
That demands an answer!

Don't Let Him Shop Around--Debbie Dean (1961)

8 posted on 02/12/2025 6:04:39 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway
Don'cha Shop Around--Laurie Davis (1961)
9 posted on 02/12/2025 6:07:13 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway
This mother offers similar advice.

Better Tell Him No--The Starlets (1961)

10 posted on 02/12/2025 6:11:48 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: SamAdams76
I prefer the Captain & Tennille version.

I grew up with the original Smokey version, but I like them both.

They also had a big hit with "Muskrat Love", another one of my alltime favorites.

That's the tune they took to Buckingham Palace to perform before the Queen. I've always wondered how she liked it.

11 posted on 02/12/2025 6:16:46 PM PST by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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To: fidelis

I liked that version best, too.


12 posted on 02/12/2025 6:18:27 PM PST by MayflowerMadam (It's hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. - Bongino)
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To: fidelis
That's the tune they took to Buckingham Palace to perform before the Queen. I've always wondered how she liked it.

She reportedly did not like it.

13 posted on 02/12/2025 6:35:44 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway
Later this song also made a huge contribution to pre-funk pop music. It is as popular today as when it first was released.

Let's Get It On

A more recent version presented on Americas Got Talent:

AGT Lets Get it On

14 posted on 02/12/2025 6:53:04 PM PST by Candor7 (Ask not for whom the Trump Trolls,He trolls for thee!),<img src="" width=500</img><a href="">tag</a>)
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To: Fiji Hill

She undoubtedly preferred the original version from Willis Alan Ramsey (who called the song “Muskat Candlelight”).


15 posted on 02/12/2025 7:39:37 PM PST by decal (They won't stop, so they'll have to be stopped)
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To: nickcarraway

Here's a version where they're doing something that looks a little like the Triumphant Trump Shuffle.

     Shop Around - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

16 posted on 02/12/2025 8:05:03 PM PST by Songcraft
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