Away We a Go-Go
Away We a Go-Go is a 1966 album by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. The album features the singles " [I'm the One You Need]", a Billboard top 20 Pop hit, written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland; and "Whole Lot of Shakin' in [My Heart ]", written and produced by Frank Wilson. The album uses a different take of "I'm the One You Need" than what was issued on the single. A third single was planned for release from this album, the tune "More, More, More ", cataloged as Tamla T-54005, but the single was never released. It was later covered by the regional group Bob Brady and The Con Chords. Another single from this album, the Stevie Wonder/Ivy Jo Hunter composition of "Can You Love a Poor Boy", was released to radio stations as a special Disc Jockey Advanced Single, Tamla T-540, but was never given an official catalog number for general release. It too, inspired cover versions by Gil Bernal and Ronnie Walker.
Also featured are covers of contemporary hits, among them the Temptations' "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, and two Dionne Warwick songs, "Walk On By" and "Don't Know What to Do with Myself".The original ballad, "Baby Baby", was composed by Motown staff songwriters and recording artists the Lewis Sisters who had also written songs for other Motown artists, including Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Brenda Holloway, and Martha & the Vandellas. Although not pictured on the front cover, original Miracles member Claudette Robinson is pictured with the group on this album's back cover. Away We a Go-Go was originally released on CD in 1992, and was re-released in 2002 in a Motown two-fer set with the Miracles' 1965 album Going to a Go-Go.
Track listing
Side one
- "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart " - 2:42
- "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" - 2:37
- " I'm the One You Need" - 2:33
- "Save Me" - 2:25
- "Oh Be My Love" - 2:49
- "Can You Love a Poor Boy" - 3:16
Side two
- "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" - 2:16
- "I Just [Don't Know What to Do with Myself]" - 2:27
- "Baby Baby" - 2:58
- "Walk On By" - 2:45
- "Swept for You Baby" - 3:00
- "More, More, More of Your Love" - 2:42
Personnel
The Miracles
- Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
- Ronnie White – background vocals
- Bobby Rogers – background vocals
- Warren "Pete" Moore – background vocals
- Claudette Robinson – background vocals
- Marv Tarplin – guitarist
Other performers
- The Funk Brothers and various New York session musicians – instrumentation
- The Andantes – background vocals
Producers
- Smokey Robinson – "Save Me", "Oh Be My Love", "Swept For You Baby", "More, More, More of Your Love"
- Mickey Gentile – "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself", "Walk On By"
- Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier – " I'm the One You Need"
- Frank Wilson – "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart ", "Baby Baby"
- Ivy Jo Hunter – "Can You Love a Poor Boy"
- Norman Whitfield – "Beauty is Only Skin Deep"