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Tamla T 54127 (A), December 1965
b/w Choosey Beggar
(Written by Pete Moore, Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers and Marv Tarplin)
Tamla Motown TMG 547 (A), February 1966
b/w Choosey Beggar
(Released in the UK under license through EMI/Tamla Motown)
Strange, but coming fresh to an acknowledged Motown ClassicTM like Going To A Go-Go, it’s odd to realise this shouldn’t really work. Or at least, not as well as it does.
On paper, it should have come out forgettable; Smokey Robinson was having a banner year as a composer, producer and singer, but so far, every time the Miracles have gone from gorgeous ballads to uptempo rockers, the results haven’t been so special. I can understand the appeal of doing harder-edged material, letting off steam and showing off their chops as a surprisingly exhilarating live act – but they were so good at the slow stuff, it was always a risky move leaving sheer unadulderated loveliness behind in favour of rocking out. And Smokey, while he often wrote his best work with a trusted bandmate alongside to mix his palette for him (Pete Moore, Bobby Rogers, Ronnie White, guitarist Marv Tarplin), well, probably by this point he didn’t really strictly need to be democratic and share out the songwriting credits with pretty much all of them, especially since the results of such many-handed Miracles songwriting pitch-ins (for the Miracles themselves, not necessarily for other Motown acts) turned into glorified jam sessions. You’re So Fine And Sweet, Since You Won My Heart, Come On Do The Jerk… entertaining enough in various degrees (well, except maybe that last one), but not really what we came for.
But yet again, records are to be judged on vinyl, not paper. Going To A Go-Go is the best of the Miracles’ rockers to date, grand and sweeping in the way all the best uptempo Motown singles are, but not afraid to be seen dancing. It’s excellent, all the more so for standing out.
The Miracles had been using Mickey’s Monkey as a high-energy pressure valve in live shows for two and a half years now, and it was getting decidedly long in the tooth; Come On Do The Jerk, supposedly created as a stopgap replacement, was really no kind of replacement at all. The need was there, as it was for almost every great group of the mid-Sixties (and not just in the soul spectrum – the Beatles, Stones and Beach Boys were all faced with similar dilemmas, trying to keep live fans happy with straight-ahead dance numbers while experimenting in the studio).
So far, so understandable – but like I said at the start, looking at this from the artificial perspective of someone who’s never heard it before, the surprise isn’t that the Miracles would come up with another daffy dance rocker, or even that Motown would issue an entire LP named after it (left) – both group and label had previous form in this regard. No, the surprise is that this is absolutely essential listening, the sort of single that both demands and deserves your attention; the ambition to move the hips and feet can be as noble as the ambition to move the heart and soul, and it can take just as much craftsmanship.
I think this probably works because it’s riveting – not only is the tune catchy and the beat infectious (as you’d expect by now, Smokey and his compadres having honed their skills writing not just for the Miracles but for the likes of the Temptations and Marvin Gaye, learning more and more how best to dominate the radio airwaves), there are lots of little touches which keep the listener interested. The belting drum riff which opens the track, making way for a shoulder-flexing bassline and great dirty chunks of chiming guitar, shows the Funk Brothers (and the Miracles’ own guitarist, Marv Tarplin, who inevitably co-wrote this one) were at least having more fun than usual; rocking out might have been more fun than endless balladeering for them too, I guess. But it grabs you straight away – already it’s a cut above something like You’re So Fine And Sweet: it’s substantial, it’s exciting, it’s got that almost undefinable quality of a Motown single such that you’d expect the vinyl to be slightly heavier, to sound a bit more solid if you tapped it. This is good stuff alright.
And then there’s Smokey’s vocal delivery, his most idiosyncratic performance in years, Robinson adopting a weird, almost scat-like cadence, the sort of vocal Michael Jackson would later build an entire career around, somehow breathless and yet never out of breath – lots of spare ah!s and uh!s and Mm!s shoved up against words and between syllables, to the point where any transcription of the lyrics seems too staid and precious without attempting to get his vocal tics in there too (“It doesn’t matter if-a you-go stag-AH! / It doesn’t matter if-a you go-a drag-AH!”), which is wholly inadequate to convey just what he’s doing here.
It’s still recognisably Smokey, but not really as we’ve heard him before, harking back to the earliest days of the Miracles – you’d have to go back as far as 1959 and The Feeling Is So Fine to find anything really comparable. And that’s without mentioning the bizarre sing-song lilt he adopts throughout (e.g. making the single word “everybody” come out like some kind of alien Caribbean patois, “Ev-ry-BOD-ee”). Written down, it sounds like something done for a bet, a bad joke, but again, it’s nothing short of riveting.
Also, I don’t know how many Motown singles we’ve had so far which have been lyrically dedicated not to love, sex, heartbreak or money, but to the joys of going out and partying – it’s quite stupid, of course, which is no kind of bar to greatness at all, but as with the Contours’ First I Look At The Purse, another similarly loose-limbed Smokey co-write, there’s real enjoyment to be had watching Smokey Robinson being faintly silly (my favourite bit being immediately after the stag/drag bit I mentioned above, Smokey then rhyming that with Every taxi-uh that you flag is…). It all works: by the end of it, this go-go is the only place you want to be going tonight, and even if the party Smokey’s singing about actually finished 49 years ago, it feels like it could still be happening down the road right now this very evening. Time to call your friends, get dressed up and head on out.
But.
(There’s always a “but”, isn’t there? With me there is, anyway.)
Every time I listen to this – every single time – it has the same effect. I want to get up and dance, and either metaphorically or physically I do; I marvel at its quality, get swept up in the groove, admire the workmanship. I gear myself up for a 9 or maybe – maybe – whisper it – one step higher, which would mean this was one of my all-time top fifty Motown sides. At its peak, Going To A Go-Go seems like it would brook no argument over such a placing – listen to me, it shouts, of COURSE I’m one of your favourites!
And then it ends.
And I’m left thinking, well, hang on, brilliant though that was, there was something missing – the only time when its collaborative, jam-session origins peek through from behind the curtain. It’s the most convincing Miracles rock-out so far, but once the surprise has worn off (because, after all, by this stage you get the feeling Smokey could pretty much do anything he seriously turned his hand to), the feeling emerges that, wait, hold on, isn’t there something else to this? It’s missing just one magical extra ingredient – a thrilling middle eight diversion, a startling chord change, the equivalent of the lyrically-dubious but musically-thrilling Well, every woman should try to be… break from Marvin Gaye’s I’ll Be Doggone, yet another multi-handed Smokey/Miracles effort. I don’t know, it’s like this is just so close to greatness that it’s almost within touching distance, tantalisingly close, but its fingertips just can’t quite reach.
Without such a final push up to the summit, this is still excellent. Genuinely excellent, the sort of thing that helps give Motown its good name. And it’s better than anything the Miracles have ever done in this mode until now, there’s no doubt about it. Excellent. Just not quite as excellent as some of the Miracles’ 1965 highlights. Except when it’s actually playing, of course. Get up and dance.
MOTOWN JUNKIES VERDICT
(I’ve had MY say, now it’s your turn. Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment, or click the thumbs at the bottom there. Dissent is encouraged!)
You’re reading Motown Junkies, an attempt to review every Motown A- and B-side ever released. Click on the “previous” and “next” buttons below to go back and forth through the catalogue, or visit the Master Index for a full list of reviews so far.
(Or maybe you’re only interested in Smokey Robinson & The Miracles? Click for more.)
Chris Clark “Don’t Be Too Long” |
The Miracles “Choosey Beggar” |
DISCOVERING MOTOWN |
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Rhine Ruder said:
well, “come ’round here” is my smokey rocker, and it’s an hdh tune! “going to a-go-go” is very, very good … but as you say something is missing.
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John Plant said:
I think its obsessiveness is part of its charm… It’s not quite a one-chord song (like Shotgun or Money Won’t Change You) but it’s quite close – and a break like the one you mention in ‘I’ll be doggone’ (which, I agree, is brilliant) would spoil the concentrated undiluted intensity. That descending chord progression which repeatedly punctuates the song only intensifies its haunting single-mindedness. And yes, the silliness is glorious, vintage Smokey… as for the album, I prize it. I hope ‘In Case You Need Love’ is the B-side to something…would love to hear your take on that. You’re spot on in terms of Smokey’s idiosyncratic, indelible vocals… Wonderful stuff. I agree with the 8… not quite up there with Oo Baby Baby – but DELIGHTFUL. As is your account.
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nafalmat said:
Certainly not one of Smokey’s best songs from either melodic or lyrical content. What carries this through to its position as a great pop record is the arrangement, production and mix that make it a truly exciting piece of entertainment. There’s so much going on it always gives me a lift. However, I always find I get even more pleasure when I turn the 45 over and listen to the flip side which is nothing short of wonderful. Smokey used the same basic idea for Go-Go on ‘The Soulful Shack’ the opening track on the highly enjoyable ‘Make it Happen’ album.
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tomovox said:
To look for lyrical and melodic greatness in this is missing the single point of this ine song: it’s a club song designed for dancing. It isn’t even trying for masterpiece status; this is the type of song where, for just a few minutes, all that matters is that killer groove and upbeat, joyous thrill.
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Robb Klein said:
One of my least favourite, if not THE least favourite Miracles’ song. I don’t like it at all. I’d give it a 3.
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Landini said:
Hi Robb! Even though I like this song I can also understand why you might not like it. I wonder if your reaction was similar to people’s reactions when a favorite artist (say the Bee Gees!) “went disco”. This was probably the closest thing we had to disco back in the mid-60s.
I do hope you are well & having a good summer!
Off topic a bit – I just got the Tempetations 1984 album “Truly for You” on CD. It is quite a good album. Yes it has some 80s feel to it but is kind of a “return to roots” collection as well. Very enjoyable album – the songs have certainly aged better than most 80s music.
Smokey Robinson continued to make some good solo work in the 70s-80s-90s. I just picked up a copy of his LOVE SMOKEY CD for $1 (!) from 1990 & it is quite pleasant as well.
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Robb Klein said:
I’m well (working in Munich, right now). I don’t like “Going To A’Go Go” because of its monotony and I don’t like the melody much. It was a real disappointment, as I generally love almost everything by The Miracles.
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John Plant said:
Smokey is STILL doing good solo work! I downloaded his ‘Time Flies’ CD – perhaps one or two too many bedroom songs, but the title track and Don,t Know Why are absolutely vintage Smokey. And I think ‘Being with you’ is a little masterpiece..
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MIchaelS said:
Nothing’s missing in this great uptempo classic that I can hear. A solid “9.”
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Randy Brown said:
Correct. It isn’t a tune for being fancy or clever; it’s a tune to get people to shake their money-makers. And on that score it’s a winner.
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Lord Baltimore said:
The Intro to this “Club Banger” just calls you to the dance floor! The thing about this song is that it doesn’t really evolve; It starts out on fire, but reaches a plateau rather quickly. In its day, this was really a sensation but it didn’t transcend it’s generation. I’m not inclined to play this when I’m in the mood for Smokey; and if I want to hear a fast one by him it might be “If You Can Want” or the 7″ U.S. release of “The Tears Of A Clown” (And ONLY that version for me – T54199 – I’m waiting to hear your take on that). But all in all, this was a great time to be a Motown artist – this was around the time of 80% of their releases hitting the Billboard Charts. Personally a “7” for me, but I wouldn’t argue with an “8”.
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Nick in Pasadena said:
Appropriate score for this one. While I enjoyed this when it first appeared, I remember my initial reaction. For a song with “go-go” in the title, this didn’t seem to be “go-going” enough in the right direction. Yes, you can dance to it, but it’s not the kind of dancefloor raver you usually associate with mid-60s go-go clubs. Of course, being 14 at the time, I had no experience with such clubs outside of seeing them portrayed in lame films or on TV lip-synch shows. I think my vision was more inspired by the hand-clapping crowds on Johnny River’s albums at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go (which was not a dance club per se). Still, this is undeniably a great Motown disc, and I never tire of giving it a listen!
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144man said:
49 years ago, I would have given this a 10. Somehow, it sounds dated and I don’t think it’s as good now as I did then. I still like this enough to agree with you on a rating of 8 though.
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Dave L said:
After three good, but sad songs in a row, “Go Go” was like someone threw open a window. Smokey was probably very eager at this point to prove his chops again at being able to throw down a damn fine dance jam, the first one really since the Mickey’s Monkey/Dance To Keep From Crying days, which must have felt a long time ago by the autumn of ’65.
If “Come On Do The Jerk” was a weak Miracles dance single already, with “Go Go” setting a new standard, that older record was cast even more irrelevant.
It was a Tamla Christmas alright; it seemed the three of them were instantly there, bang-bang-bang: Uptight, Bill and Go Go, one right after the other, all of them bought by mid-December, all of us playing them exhausted till it was time to head back to school after New Years. The Miracles do a perfect job, but frankly, the record would have been plenty hypnotic even as an instrumental. Even if you were a terrible dancer – like me – that unrelenting bass and jangling guitar work made you too glad to possibly sit still. Imagine how happy a Christmas for Smokey, Pete, Bobby, Ronnie & Tarplin all of them with their names on the writer’s line of so much of the past year’s output, and so many destined to become evergreen classics.
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Landini said:
I first heard this song in 1968 when I was 10 & just getting into top 40/rock/soul music. I thought the song was really cool. That was probably the reason I purchased the Miracles Greatest Hits Vol2 album (also for “I Second That Emotion”). I remember seeing the Go-Go album & considered buying it (again at the tender age of 10). For some reason I thought it had a cool cover. At age 10 I probably would have been let down by the album since it was so ballad heavy (love it now!). Back then I wanted “fast songs you can dance to”. I remember at age 10 not being that into the ballads on Greatest Hits Vol2 even though many are classics today. Of course, I have grown to love those songs as well.
I thought the Rolling Stones did a HORRIBLE version of this song. I know I am probably the only person in the known solar system who has never been terribly impressed by the Stones. I thought the Beatles had more “soul”. Oh well!
Cheers to all!
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Robb Klein said:
They also did a TERRIBLE version of “My Girl”. I also don’t like any of The Beatles’ remakes of Motown songs.
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Landini said:
Hi Robb — Hope you are well. Wow! Where did summer go? I hope you are gearing up for a good autumn. Re. the Stones — one thing they did was help re-introduce American audiences to blues singers like Muddy Waters & Sonny Boy WIliliamson. By the mid-60s black (& most white) teens wanted more pop oriiented music. The Stones visited Chess Records & got Sonny Boy Williamson booked singing on some Teen Dance show surrounded by confused white teens. In her book, Mary Wilson talked about hanging out with Hilton Valentine of the Animals. He played her some of his R&B records & was shocked that she knew almost nothing about the music he played. Interesting. Take care friend! By the way, do you ever come to Washington DC area or Baltimore, MD? Just curious. I live near there. Would be great to meet you sometime. Thanks!!
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Robb Klein said:
I was in Baltimore and Washington D.C. once, for about 5 days, as a tourist, in 1969. I’ve only been near there in Dulles International Airport 4-5 times, but only to change planes. Same for New York. I was there only once, in 1969, despite being in Kennedy and LaGuardia and Newark Airports hundreds of times. I’m not likely to stop on The US East Coast. When I get any free time to spend in North America,, I need it to visit my two sisters in Winnipeg and L.A. and two of my best lifelong friends in British Columbia and Kansas City, and my cousins in Chicago, who are like brothers and sisters to me, as we all grew up in the same house. So, I have time only to visit The Midwest of USA and Canada, and The West Coast of those 2 countries (and not enough time to spend with those family members and friends. I also have my ladyfriend in Holland, who doesn’t get nearly enough of my time. I have no time for tourist-type trips on my own, as we are all getting old now, and want to spend as much time together as possible. Thank goodness for Skype! But it isn’t nearly as good as being with someone in person. With all those visitation trips each year, plus moving to work from Holland to Germany, Denmark and Sweden (at least I can visit my brother there), I don’t feel like adding any extra trips. I live out of a suitcase much too much, as it is. When I wake up in the morning, it’s often a surprise to find out in which country I am located!
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Landini said:
That’s cool. You are very blessed to have those loved ones in your life! Enjoy them. I have not doubt that they feel blessed to have you in their lives. All the best to you friend!
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Robb Klein said:
If I, for some unforeseen reason, need to go to Washington, Baltimore or Philadelphia, I’ll let you know ahead, so we can meet.
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David Wilson said:
I’ve always wondered about the poor quality of this recording. Most Motown recordings sound clear and crisp- way ahead of their time, the balance, equalisation and sonic range still sound relatively good today and so much better than so many other contemporary 60’s recordings yet this effort by Smokey falls way short- it sounds more like a demo or as if it was recorded in a garage and very very distorted which makes it hard to listen to. Often thought it must’ve been recorded earlier than other tracks on the album. I would say it in Smokey’s 2nd tier of hits- clumsy clunky awkward- it kinda goes nowhere fast. I would give it 6/10
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bogart4017 said:
I think it was meant to be “foot food” and thats what it turned out to be. I agree with the “9” but give it “instant classic” status because “Choosey Beggar” is on the back side. Ahhhh…the best of both worlds!
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chris forrest said:
Going To A Go-Go clearly divides opinion and your perceptive review almost anticipates that. I can empathise as to why Robb could only consider this as a 3 and yet also understand why MichaelS can claim it to be a straight 9. I have a serious dilemma in regards to making judgement on this recording.
As you say Smokey had tasted success before with lyrics that reference contemporary dance styles and here it was probably the Go-Go rather than an actual dance that was the fashion at that time and unlike his romantic compositions these types of works seem somewhat anachronistic in the 21st century and are not quite as easy to relate to.
Where I would agree with Robb is that If I were asked to record an album of my favourite Miracles recordings it’s very unlikely I would include this because it doesn’t possess the usual craft of a Robinson lyric, as you have rightly observed there is ‘something missing’ , BUT, and here I would agree with the majority of comments, that’s not how we heard it in the winter of 1965. In the UK Going To A Go-Go quickly established itself as a club anthem, at least in the London area, and could be guaranteed to generate a stampede to the dance floor with its instantly hypnotic and addictive drum and bass pattern. It isn’t a great vehicle for Smokey’s vocals or lyrics in fact I have never fully understood them and when singing along with the record I would have dreaded anyone challenging me to repeat the words I was actually singing!
It’s also worth recalling that the ‘popularity’ of this release saw the name The Miracles appear for the very first time on the UK pop charts – a telling indictment in itself upon the general record buying public in the UK. For me then, it sounded far more exciting in 1965 than it does today, and with ‘Whole Lot Of Shaking’ and ‘I’m The One You Need’ just around the corner this would soon be seen as little more than just dance floor fodder.
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nafalmat said:
I was looking through my TMG collection the other day, the first time for several years as I usually play CDs or LPs nowadays and I noticed an anomaly on TMG 549 ‘Going to a Go-Go’ regarding the writing credits which I’d completely forgotten about. This UK pressing credits someone called ‘Johnson’ who is not mentioned on US pressings, and omits Marv Tarplin. Assuming the US labels are correct, where on earth did EMI get the Johnson from? Or is there any chance the UK label is correct? If so, who is the Johnson? Could it be Marv? Smokey did collaborate with Terry Johnson but that was latest so it’s probably not him. Anyone else noticed this and ever wondered.
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nafalmat said:
The above should of course read TMG547 not 549 I need to take some typing lessons!
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Robb Klein said:
I’m pretty sure that would be Marv Johnson, rather than Marv Tarplin. Marv may have corrected that error, himself,informing The Tamla-Motown people of the error, while he was in London. I’m sure that Terry Johnson was not at Motown that early.
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nafalmat said:
Thanks for your reply, I guess we’ll never know for certain
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Topkat said:
GOING TO A GO-GO by The MIRACLES (Million-Seller # 5 for the Miracles)
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Topkat said:
The Co-Writer was MARV TARPLIN. This was verified by Miraclres Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Bobby Rogers on an interview for The Miracles’ 2006 “Definitive” DVD.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Definitive_Performances_(1963%E2%80%931987)
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144man said:
“Whenever one speaks of pop music, one tends, simply because no great stars have emerged from there, to overlook the gigantic contribution made by the exotic rhythms of Latin America. It is immense, and is splendidly utilised in this change of pace opus from The Miracles. It is right in the bag of their previous hits in this vein, and the whole production sizzles with colour and zest. Nice too, to hear Claudette so plainly – she IS a quite indispensable part of the group, and even if she has retired from public performing it is good to know she is still on the record sessions. 5/5
“Flip is good, but at a different pace. 3/5”
[Dave Godin, Hitsville USA 12, 1966]
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