That's What Love Is Made Of
Encyclopedia
That's What Love Is Made Of was a 1964 hit song by Motown Records
' original vocal group ,The Miracles
, issued on the label's Tamla records subsidiary (Tamla 54102). It was taken from the group's album Greatest Hits from the Beginning
, but originally appeared on their abortive 1964 album, I Like It Like That
.
Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson
, Bobby Rogers
, and Pete Moore
, this song was a Billboard
Top 40 Pop hit , peaking at # 35, and a Top 10 Billboard R&B hit, peaking at # 9.
A showcase for poetic word-play, The Miracles utilized several famous nursery rhymes in this song . In fact , the song's title itself is a variation of the rhyme : "What Are Little Girls/Little Boys Made Of?" . Parts of this famous rhyme were incorporated into the lyrics of this song, which, like many Miracles songs,starts with the guitar licks of Miracles member Marv Tarplin
:Smokey, as the lead singer,serves as the song's narrator:
" You take Sugar and Spice...Everything Nice... and you've got a little girl,yeah,yeah...You take Snakes and Snails....Puppy Dog's tails...and you've got a little boy , yeah,yeah...That's what Love Is Made Of...." The song illustrates that love is never easy , consisting of good times and bad times , heartbreak, and jubilation ,breakups and makeups ..."That's What Love is Made Of" . While Marv plays and Smokey sings the lyrics, the other Miracles, Bobby, Ron, Pete, and Claudette, answer in classic call-and-response
style.
The Miracles performed this song before a live audience at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
on the 1964 American International Pictures
film, The T.A.M.I. Show
. Present on stage were Smokey, Marv, Bobby, Ronnie ,and Pete. Although present on the original recording, Miracle Claudette (Mrs.Smokey) Robinson, was not present at the concert , as she had retired from live on-stage performances earlier that year for health reasons.
The Miracles' That's What Love Is Made Of has inspired cover versions by Michael Jackson
, Bobby Vee
, Choker Campbell
, and The Magicians
, and has appeared on many Miracles "Greatest Hits albums and CD Anthologies. The song's flip side was the popular regional Miracles hit tune, Would I Love You, which also appears on several Miracles "Greatest Hits" album and CD compilations.
Personnel: The Miracles
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
' original vocal group ,The Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
, issued on the label's Tamla records subsidiary (Tamla 54102). It was taken from the group's album Greatest Hits from the Beginning
Greatest Hits from the Beginning
Greatest Hits from the Beginning is a compilation double LP by The Miracles released in 1965. It covers most of the group's hits from their pre-1965 albums, such as "Shop Around", "Who's Loving You", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" and "Mickey's Monkey" as well as the non-album singles from 1964...
, but originally appeared on their abortive 1964 album, I Like It Like That
I Like It Like That (album)
I Like It Like That is a 1964 album by Motown Records group The Miracles issued on its Tamla label subsidiary in the United States , and on the Tamla-Motown label elsewhere in the world. Known as The Miracles' "forgotten album" , few people, outside of Motown insiders,hard-core Miracles fans,...
.
Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, Bobby Rogers
Bobby Rogers
Bobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
, and Pete Moore
Pete Moore
Pete Moore is an African American soul singer, record producer, and songwriter, notable as the bass singer for Motown group The Miracles from 1955 onwards, and is one of the group's original members...
, this song was a Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top 40 Pop hit , peaking at # 35, and a Top 10 Billboard R&B hit, peaking at # 9.
A showcase for poetic word-play, The Miracles utilized several famous nursery rhymes in this song . In fact , the song's title itself is a variation of the rhyme : "What Are Little Girls/Little Boys Made Of?" . Parts of this famous rhyme were incorporated into the lyrics of this song, which, like many Miracles songs,starts with the guitar licks of Miracles member Marv Tarplin
Marv Tarplin
Marvin "Marv" Tarplin was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for The Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their biggest hits, including the 2007 Grammy Hall Of Fame inducted "The Tracks...
:Smokey, as the lead singer,serves as the song's narrator:
" You take Sugar and Spice...Everything Nice... and you've got a little girl,yeah,yeah...You take Snakes and Snails....Puppy Dog's tails...and you've got a little boy , yeah,yeah...That's what Love Is Made Of...." The song illustrates that love is never easy , consisting of good times and bad times , heartbreak, and jubilation ,breakups and makeups ..."That's What Love is Made Of" . While Marv plays and Smokey sings the lyrics, the other Miracles, Bobby, Ron, Pete, and Claudette, answer in classic call-and-response
Call and response
Call and response is a form of "spontaneous verbal and non-verbal interaction between speaker and listener in which all of the statements are punctuated by expressions from the listener."...
style.
The Miracles performed this song before a live audience at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is a multipurpose convention center in Santa Monica, California owned by the City of Santa Monica. It was built in 1958 and designed by Welton Becket....
on the 1964 American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
film, The T.A.M.I. Show
The T.A.M.I. Show
T.A.M.I. Show is a 1964 concert film, released by American International Pictures. It includes performances by numerous popular rock and roll and R&B musicians from the United States and England...
. Present on stage were Smokey, Marv, Bobby, Ronnie ,and Pete. Although present on the original recording, Miracle Claudette (Mrs.Smokey) Robinson, was not present at the concert , as she had retired from live on-stage performances earlier that year for health reasons.
The Miracles' That's What Love Is Made Of has inspired cover versions by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee
Robert Thomas Velline , known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.-Career:...
, Choker Campbell
Choker Campbell
Walter Luzar "Choker" Campbell was an American musician.Born as an only child in Shelby, Mississippi, his family moved to Saginaw, Michigan, when he was only five years old. Campbell studied saxophone under several influential musicians and left school at the age of nineteen...
, and The Magicians
The Magicians
The Magicians is a short novel by J. B. Priestley, first published in 1954. An example of Priestley's perennial concern with the true nature of time, the story uses fantasy elements to discuss the midlife crisis of a successful industrialist, briefly touching on social problems and mass...
, and has appeared on many Miracles "Greatest Hits albums and CD Anthologies. The song's flip side was the popular regional Miracles hit tune, Would I Love You, which also appears on several Miracles "Greatest Hits" album and CD compilations.
Personnel: The MiraclesThe MiraclesThe Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
- Smokey RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
- Marv TarplinMarv TarplinMarvin "Marv" Tarplin was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for The Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their biggest hits, including the 2007 Grammy Hall Of Fame inducted "The Tracks...
- Claudette Robinson
- Pete MoorePete MoorePete Moore is an African American soul singer, record producer, and songwriter, notable as the bass singer for Motown group The Miracles from 1955 onwards, and is one of the group's original members...
- Bobby RogersBobby RogersBobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
- Ronnie White
External links
- The Miracles- That's What Love Is Made Of plus 2 other hits-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LeXhlvAPmo
- Original recording http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEcyMloPfTk&feature=PlayList&p=284924C17E077712&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=95
- All Music Guide []