Yester Love
Encyclopedia
"Yester Love" was a 1968 song by Motown Records R&B group The Miracles
(aka "Smokey Robinson" and The Miracles) on its Tamla subsidiary label. It was recorded on December 18, 1967 (released on May 13, 1968), and was included on the group's album, Special Occasion.
Composed by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson
, and Motown staff songwriter Al Cleveland
and produced by Robinson, the song was a Billboard
top 40 pop hit, peaking at No. 31, and a top 10 R&B hit as well, peaking at No. 9.
A mid-tempo song, instead of the usual ballad, a trademark of The Miracles, this tune was a sad lament about a lost love, the theme of many Miracles' songs. The song's title, "Yester Love", is a shortened form of "Yesterday Love", or "Love of Yesterday", indicating the relationship has now ended. Smokey, as the song's narrator, portrays a heartbroken man, reminiscing about a once-happy relationship with his girl, with promise of a future, that ended in failure, with his wondering just how it got there:
During the song, Smokey, ever the master poet, also explains the meaning of his use of the term "Yester", in his usual fashion:
Miracle Marv Tarplin
's outstanding guitar work is evident throughout, and is actually the last thing the listener hears, as the song draws to a close. During the song, Miracles Claudette Robinson, her cousin Bobby Rogers
, Ronnie White, and Pete Moore
, project sympathetic background vocals to Smokey's lead, with Claudette's voice clearly audible in the chorus.
"Yester Love" was released during 1968, a period during which The Miracles, a normally guaranteed Top 20 and occasional Top 10 group, were undergoing an inexplicable chart decline, along with many of Motown's other top groups, including The Supremes
. Fortunately, this trend was soon reversed by the Top 10 success of their hit, Baby, Baby Don't Cry
, in Spring, 1969.
"Yester Love" has inspired a cover version by Gerald Wilson
and his Orchestra, and has been included in several Miracles "Greatest Hits" anthologies. Taken from the same album, the song's "B" side, "Much Better Off", like many Miracles "B" sides, was also a popular regional hit, and inspired a cover version by late rapper J Dilla
.
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...
(aka "Smokey Robinson" and The Miracles) on its Tamla subsidiary label. It was recorded on December 18, 1967 (released on May 13, 1968), and was included on the group's album, Special Occasion.
Composed by Miracles 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...
, and Motown staff songwriter Al Cleveland
Al Cleveland
Al Cleveland is a former American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most popular co-compositions are 1967's "I Second That Emotion" performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and 1971's "What's Going On" performed by Marvin Gaye.Cleveland was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United...
and produced by Robinson, the 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 No. 31, and a top 10 R&B hit as well, peaking at No. 9.
A mid-tempo song, instead of the usual ballad, a trademark of The Miracles, this tune was a sad lament about a lost love, the theme of many Miracles' songs. The song's title, "Yester Love", is a shortened form of "Yesterday Love", or "Love of Yesterday", indicating the relationship has now ended. Smokey, as the song's narrator, portrays a heartbroken man, reminiscing about a once-happy relationship with his girl, with promise of a future, that ended in failure, with his wondering just how it got there:
- "Yesterday, we made future plans....
- She loved me, I could tell...
- Can today be that tomorrow...
- That we planned so well...
- Yester Baby,I'll never forget her...
- Though tomorrow might bring me one better...
- Today, I go my way, dreaming of my Yester love..."
During the song, Smokey, ever the master poet, also explains the meaning of his use of the term "Yester", in his usual fashion:
- "Yester is.....
- The Prefix that we fix
- To things that have gone by...
- Forever, they say...."
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...
's outstanding guitar work is evident throughout, and is actually the last thing the listener hears, as the song draws to a close. During the song, Miracles Claudette Robinson, her cousin 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...
, Ronnie White, 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...
, project sympathetic background vocals to Smokey's lead, with Claudette's voice clearly audible in the chorus.
"Yester Love" was released during 1968, a period during which The Miracles, a normally guaranteed Top 20 and occasional Top 10 group, were undergoing an inexplicable chart decline, along with many of Motown's other top groups, including The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
. Fortunately, this trend was soon reversed by the Top 10 success of their hit, Baby, Baby Don't Cry
Baby, Baby Don't Cry
"Baby, Baby Don't Cry", released in December 1968, is a 1969 single recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for Motown Records' Tamla label. The composition was written by Smokey Robinson, Motown staff writers Al Cleveland and Terry Johnson, a former member of The Flamingos...
, in Spring, 1969.
"Yester Love" has inspired a cover version by Gerald Wilson
Gerald Wilson
Gerald Stanley Wilson is an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer/arranger, 8 time Grammy nominee, and educator. He has been based in Los Angeles since the early 1940s....
and his Orchestra, and has been included in several Miracles "Greatest Hits" anthologies. Taken from the same album, the song's "B" side, "Much Better Off", like many Miracles "B" sides, was also a popular regional hit, and inspired a cover version by late rapper J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
.
Personnel—The Miracles
- Smokey Robinson - lead vocals
- Pete Moore - bass vocals
- Claudette Rogers-Robinson - soprano vocals
- Ronnie White - baritone vocals
- Bobby Rogers - tenor vocals
- Marv Tarplin -guitar