Flying High Together
Encyclopedia
Flying High Together was a 1972 album by The Miracles
on Motown Records' Tamla label. It is noted as The Miracles' last studio album with original lead singer Smokey Robinson
, who retired from the act to concentrate on his duties as Vice President of The Motown Record Corporation. The album charted at #46 on the Billboard
Pop Album chart , and featured two singles: the appropriately-named "We've Come Too Far to End It Now", which matched the parent album's chart position on the Billboard singles chart,charting at #46, and reached the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B singles chart, charting at #9, and "I Can't Stand to See You Cry", which charted at #45 Pop,and #21 R&B.
The album also featured a cover of The Stylistics
' 1971 hit "Betcha By Golly Wow", the "Theme from Love Story
", and covers of the Michael Jackson
solo hit, "Got to Be There" (featuring outstanding guitar work by Miracle Marv Tarplin
), and The Chi-Lites
'#1 hit, "Oh Girl
". The album also features songs composed by Ashford & Simpson
, Stevie Wonder
and Syretta Wright, Bobby Miller , who was responsible for The Dells
' long string of hits, and Motown producer Johnny Bristol
. Interestingly, neither Smokey nor any of the other Miracles contributed to the writing on this album, and Smokey himself produced only one track, the aforementioned "Got to Be There".
The release of this album coincided with the group's final nationwide tour, before replacing Smokey with Billy Griffin
. As of 2009, Flying High Together has yet to be issued on CD, but several of its songs have showed up on various Miracles foreign and domestic CD compilations. The Miracles' next studio album was 1973's Billy Griffin
-led Renaissance
.
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...
on Motown Records' Tamla label. It is noted as The Miracles' last studio album with original lead singer 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...
, who retired from the act to concentrate on his duties as Vice President of The Motown Record Corporation. The album charted at #46 on the 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...
Pop Album chart , and featured two singles: the appropriately-named "We've Come Too Far to End It Now", which matched the parent album's chart position on the Billboard singles chart,charting at #46, and reached the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B singles chart, charting at #9, and "I Can't Stand to See You Cry", which charted at #45 Pop,and #21 R&B.
The album also featured a cover of The Stylistics
The Stylistics
The Stylistics are a soul music vocal group, and were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were composed of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads, graced by the...
' 1971 hit "Betcha By Golly Wow", the "Theme from Love Story
(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story
" Love Story" is a popular song published in 1970, with music by Francis Lai and lyrics by Carl Sigman. The song was first introduced as an instrumental theme in the 1970 film Love Story. The lyrics were added after the theme music became popular.-Covers:The song has been covered many times...
", and covers of the 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...
solo hit, "Got to Be There" (featuring outstanding guitar work by Miracle 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...
), and The Chi-Lites
The Chi-Lites
The Chi-Lites are a Chicago-based smooth soul vocal quartet from the early 1970s, one of the few from the period not to come from Memphis or Philadelphia...
'#1 hit, "Oh Girl
Oh Girl
"Oh Girl" is a number-one single recorded by the soul vocal group, The Chi-Lites and released on Brunswick Records in 1972. Included on the group's 1972 album A Lonely Man, "Oh Girl" centers around a relationship on the verge of break-up...
". The album also features songs composed by Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson
Nickolas Ashford , and Valerie Simpson , were a husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists....
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and Syretta Wright, Bobby Miller , who was responsible for The Dells
The Dells
The Dells are an R&B and crossover musical group. Their successful recordings spanned more than four decades. Formed in 1952 after attending high school together, the Dells' repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul, disco and contemporary rhythm and blues...
' long string of hits, and Motown producer Johnny Bristol
Johnny Bristol
Johnny Bristol , was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
. Interestingly, neither Smokey nor any of the other Miracles contributed to the writing on this album, and Smokey himself produced only one track, the aforementioned "Got to Be There".
The release of this album coincided with the group's final nationwide tour, before replacing Smokey with Billy Griffin
Billy Griffin
Billy Griffin is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known for replacing Smokey Robinson as lead singer of The Miracles in 1972.-Biography:...
. As of 2009, Flying High Together has yet to be issued on CD, but several of its songs have showed up on various Miracles foreign and domestic CD compilations. The Miracles' next studio album was 1973's Billy Griffin
Billy Griffin
Billy Griffin is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known for replacing Smokey Robinson as lead singer of The Miracles in 1972.-Biography:...
-led Renaissance
Renaissance (Miracles album)
Renaissance was a critically acclaimed 1973 album by R&B group The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label, noted as the first-ever album by the group not to feature original lead singer Smokey Robinson on lead vocals...
.
Side one
- I Can't Stand To See You Cry
- Theme From Love Story
- We've Come Too Far To End It Now
- Flying High Together
- With Your Love Came
- It Will Be Alright
Side two
- Oh GirlOh Girl"Oh Girl" is a number-one single recorded by the soul vocal group, The Chi-Lites and released on Brunswick Records in 1972. Included on the group's 1972 album A Lonely Man, "Oh Girl" centers around a relationship on the verge of break-up...
- You Ain't Livin'Till You're Lovin'
- We Had A Love So Strong
- Got to Be There
- Betcha by Golly,Wow
Credits: The Miracles
- 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...
– lead vocal - Claudette Rogers RobinsonClaudette Rogers RobinsonClaudette Rogers Robinson is an African-American soul singer, a member of The Miracles from 1957 to 1972. Her brother Emerson "Sonny" Rogers was an original member of the group, which was originally called "The Matadors" before 1957; Claudette Rogers took her brother's place after he was drafted...
– backing vocal - 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...
– backing vocal - Ronnie White – backing vocal
- 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...
– backing vocal - 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...
– guitar
- Other instruments by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
- Arrangers: H.B. Barnum, David Van De PitteDavid Van De PitteDavid J. Van De Pitte was an American music arranger and bass player. He is best known for his work at Motown Records during the 1960s and early 1970s, when he was responsible for arranging many of the best known and most successful of the company's records, including those by Marvin Gaye, The...
, Eddie Nucilli.
External links
- http://www.google.com/imgres?q=the+miracles+flying+high+together&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=788&bih=486&tbm=isch&tbnid=q3WyYT00r9SK9M:&imgrefurl=http://lyrics.wikia.com/Smokey_Robinson_%2526_The_Miracles&docid=wqHFAcgpnIJSCM&imgurl=http://images.wikia.com/lyricwiki/images/b/b1/Smokey_Robinson_%252526_The_Miracles_-_Flying_High_Together.jpg&w=320&h=320&ei=HhiWTqzzNo2OigKTgcm0DQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=1124&sig=100011542216889892090&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=131&start=0&ndsp=7&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=54&ty=36Flying High Together by The Miracles-original album cover]
- Allmusic review
- Dusty Groove America review:
- http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=wbjdbjt4wz