View source for More Love (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles song)

{{Infobox song
| name       = More Love
| cover      = More_Love_-_Miracles.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[The Miracles|Smokey Robinson and the Miracles]]
| album      = [[Make It Happen (Miracles album)|Make It Happen]]
| B-side     = "Swept for You Baby"
| released   = May 26, 1967
| recorded   = [[Los Angeles, California]] (instrumentation) <br /> [[Hitsville USA]] (Studio A) (vocals); April 26, 1967
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Soul music|Soul]]<ref name= "Marsh 1989">{{cite book|first=Dave|last=Marsh|title=The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Heart_Of_Rock_Soul.html?id=5t5DYDniSHEC|date=1989|publisher=[[Plume (publisher)|Plume]]|isbn=0-452-26305-0|page=544}}</ref>
| length     = 2:49
| label      = [[Motown|Tamla]]<br/><small>T 54152</small>
| writer     = [[Smokey Robinson]]
| producer   = Smokey Robinson
| prev_title = [[The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage|The Love I Saw In You Was Just a Mirage]]
| prev_year  = 1967
| next_title = [[I Second That Emotion]]
| next_year  = 1967
}}
"'''More Love'''" is a 1967 hit single recorded by the American [[soul music|soul]] group '''[[The Miracles]]''' for [[Motown Records]]' Tamla label. The single, included on the group's 1967 album ''[[Make It Happen (Miracles album)|Make It Happen]]'', later reissued in 1970 as ''The Tears of a Clown''.  [[Kim Carnes]]'s 1980 cover of the song reached the Top 10 of ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s Adult Contemporary and Hot 100 charts.
==The Miracles' original version==
This song's origins are born from real-life heartbreak and personal tragedy. Miracles lead singer [[Smokey Robinson]] wrote, produced, and sings lead on "More Love", which he considers one of his most personal compositions.<ref name="george">George, Nelson (1985). ''Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound''.New York: St. Martin's. P. 66</ref> Robinson wrote the song for his wife, Miracles member [[Claudette Rogers Robinson]]. Claudette had been a member of the Miracles since 1957, but retired from touring in 1964 after a series of miscarriages. She had a total of 8 miscarriages, which forced her off the road, never to tour with The Miracles again, though she continued to record with them as a non-touring member. On one occasion, the Robinsons had a set of twins that were [[stillbirth|stillborn]].<ref name="liners">Hackel, Stu (1997). ''Smokey Robinson and the Miracles: The Ultimate Collection'' [Liner Notes]. New York: Motown Records/Polygram.</ref> According to Smokey Robinson:
<blockquote>After she had a miscarriage [Claudette] would always tell me she was sorry she had let me down. I would explain that she had not let me down because she was there, she was alive; I wanted the babies, but I didn't know them. I wrote 'More Love' to let her know how I felt about her.<ref name="george" /> </blockquote>
Unlike most other Miracles songs, the track for "More Love" was recorded by [[Los Angeles]] [[session musician]]s, instead of in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]] by Motown session band [[The Funk Brothers]] and Miracles guitarist [[Marv Tarplin]].<ref name="liners" />
Smokey and Claudette Robinson would eventually have two healthy babies, both named after aspects of the Motown corporation: a boy named Berry (after Motown founder [[Berry Gordy, Jr.]]) and a girl, Tamla, after the Miracles' record label, [[Tamla]] (the Motown Records' subsidiary label for which The Miracles recorded).
''[[Cash Box]]'' called it "a feelingful, building romancer...that should appeal to thousands of teen-age listeners."<ref name=cb>{{cite magazine |title=CashBox Record Reviews |date=June 10, 1967 |page=22 |access-date=2022-01-12 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1967/CB-1967-06-10.pdf |magazine=Cash Box}}</ref>
"More Love" peaked at number 23 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] the weeks of July 29 and August 5, 1967 and number 19 on the ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100 in the United States, and was a Top 10 Billboard R&B hit, peaking at number five.<ref>[https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-miracles/chart-history/hsi/ The Miracles, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 &ndash; Billboard.com.] Retrieved November 5, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1967-08-05/ ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Week of August 5, 1967 &ndash; Billboard.com.] Retrieved November 5, 2024.</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=404}}</ref> Although not quite reaching the Pop Top 10 nationally, it was a regional smash, reaching #1 on the Cleveland Ohio Pop Charts for the week of August 11, 1967.<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys_item.php?svid=7112 |title=WKYC 1100 Cleveland Survey 08/11/67 |website=Las-solanas.com |date= |access-date=2016-10-01 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193512/http://las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys_item.php?svid=7112 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The song's "B" side, "Swept For You Baby", was also a popular regional hit, and has inspired cover versions by [[The Sylvers]], [[The Blenders]], and [[The Tamlins]] (as "Sweat For You Baby"). In Canada, however, The Miracles' "More Love" became a Top 10 Pop hit, reaching number 8, charting higher than [[Kim Carnes]]' subsequent cover version in that country on the Pop and Adult Contemporary charts (#3) years later.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.10087&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=p3ld82ng4v2bhblmi7fhln2dj3 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date= |access-date=2016-10-01}}</ref>
==Chart performance==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1967)
!align="left"|Peak<br />position
|-
|Canada ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' Top Singles <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.10087&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=5sbls1incd82rbfh8svutt8360 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date= |access-date=2016-10-01}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|8
|-
|Canada ''RPM'' Adult Contemporary <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.10090a&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=k58rae6dffak2a5tttgp11csd3 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1967-08-05 |access-date=2016-10-01}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|Canada ''RPM'' R&B <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.10095d&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.10095d.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.10095d |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1967-09-09 |access-date=2018-05-02}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|-
|US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]
| style="text-align:center;"|23
|-
|US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[R&B]]
| style="text-align:center;"|5
|-
|align="left"|US ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100 <ref>{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19670812.html |title=Top 100 1967-08-12 |work=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox Magazine]] |access-date=2015-07-01 }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|19
|}
{{col-2}}
===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1967)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
|-
|US ''Cash Box'' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/1967YESP.html |title=Top 100 Year End Charts: 1967 |work=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox Magazine]] |access-date=2016-06-18 }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|89
|}
{{col-end}}
==Personnel==
===The Miracles===
*[[Smokey Robinson]] – lead vocals
*[[Claudette Rogers Robinson]] – background vocals
*[[Ronnie White]] – background vocals
*[[Bobby Rogers]] – background vocals
*[[Warren "Pete" Moore|Pete Moore]] – background vocals
*Assorted [[The Funk Brothers#Los Angeles musicians|Los Angeles studio musicians]] – instrumentation
==Kim Carnes version==
{{Infobox song
| name       = More Love
| cover      = KimCarnesMoreLove.gif
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Kim Carnes]]
| album      = [[Romance Dance]]
| B-side     = "Changin'"
| released   = June 4, 1980
| recorded   = 1980
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = {{flat list|
* [[Pop music|Pop]]
* [[Soul music|soul]]
* [[disco|synth-pop]]
}}
| length     = 3:38
| label      = [[EMI America Records|EMI America]]
| writer     = [[Smokey Robinson]]
| producer   = {{flat list|
* [[George Tobin]]
* [[Mike Piccirillo]]
}}
| prev_title = "[[Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer]]" (with [[Kenny Rogers]])
| prev_year  = 1980
| next_title = [[Cry Like a Baby]]
| next_year  = 1980
}}
The most successful recording of "More Love" was a 1980 version by American singer [[Kim Carnes]], included on her fifth studio album ''[[Romance Dance]]'' (1980). Carnes' version of "More Love" peaked at number ten on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] for the weeks of August 16, 23 and 30, 1980,<ref>[https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1980-08-16/ ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Week of August 16, 1980 &ndash; Billboard.com.] Retrieved October 17, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1980-08-30/ ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Week of August 30, 1980 &ndash; Billboard.com.] Retrieved October 17, 2024.</ref> spent two weeks at number nine on the [[Cashbox (magazine)|''Cash Box'']] Top 100 and reached number six on ''Billboard's'' [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|Adult Contemporary]] chart.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=47}}</ref> A [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-language version of the song, "Más Amor", was also recorded and released in some territories in [[Latin America]]. The single was the first top-ten solo hit for Carnes, formerly of [[The New Christy Minstrels]]. Despite "More Love" being a success, the follow-up, "[[Cry Like a Baby]]", would miss the [[Top 40]], peaking at number 44. This song would be Carnes' biggest solo hit until "[[Bette Davis Eyes]]" in 1981.
===Chart performance===
{{col-begin|width=67%}}
{{col-2}}
====Weekly charts====
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Chart (1980)
!Peak<br/>position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])
|46
|-
{{singlechart|Canadaadultcontemporary|7|chartid=0211|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2023}}
|-
{{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|13|chartid=0249a|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2023}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|6|artist=Kim Carnes|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2023}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|10|artist=Kim Carnes|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2023}}
|-
!scope="row"|US [[Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles|''Cash Box'' Top 100]]<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending August 23, 1980|magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/80s/1980/CB-1980-08-23-OCR-Page-0002.pdf|access-date=September 19, 2023|via=World Radio History}}</ref>
|9
|-
|}
{{col-2}}
====Year-end charts====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1980)
!Rank
|-
|Canada Top Singles (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0272&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=lkp98j2744216h3jh65brra912 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date= |access-date=2016-10-01}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|90
|-
|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1980.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1980/Top 100 Songs of 1980 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |date= |access-date=2016-10-01}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|39
|-
|US ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1980YESP.html |title=Top 100 Year End Charts: 1980 |work=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox Magazine]] |access-date=2015-07-22 |archive-date=2012-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915071244/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1980YESP.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|63
|}
{{col-end}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{YouTube|HN4ckXgbjjc|"More Love" (special mix) by The Miracles}}
* {{YouTube|UdrBSUX5xvU|"More Love"  (original recording) by The Miracles 1967}}
* [http://joelfrancis.com/2009/09/02/smokey-robinson-and-the-miracles-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%9cmore-love%e2%80%9d/ "More Love" song review by Joel Francis]
* [https://secondhandsongs.com/work/44460/versions List of cover versions of "More Love"] at SecondHandSongs.com
{{The Miracles}}
{{The Miracles singles}}
{{Kim Carnes}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:The Miracles songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Smokey Robinson]]
[[Category:Tamla Records singles]]
[[Category:1967 singles]]
[[Category:1980 singles]]
[[Category:Kim Carnes songs]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Smokey Robinson]]
[[Category:1967 songs]]
[[Category:EMI Records singles]]
[[Category:Songs based on actual events]]
[[Category:Songs inspired by deaths]]