More Love

"More Love" is a 1967 single recorded by the American soul group Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for Motown Records' Tamla label. The single, included on the group's 1967 album Make It Happen, later reissued in 1970 as The Tears of a Clown. Kim Carnes' 1980 cover of the song charted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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.^[1] 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. On one occasion, the Robinsons had a set of twins that were stillborn.^[2] According to Smokey Robinson:

"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." ^[1]

Unlike most other Miracles songs, the track for "More Love" was recorded by Los Angeles session musicians, instead of in Detroit, Michigan by Motown session band The Funk Brothers and Miracles guitarist Marv Tarplin.^[2]

Smokey and Claudette Robinson would eventually have two healthy babies, both named after aspects of the Motown corporation: A boy,Berry (after Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr.) and a girl, Tamla, after the Miracles' record label, Tamla ( A Motown Records subsidiary).

More Love peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, and was a Top 10 Billboard R&B hit,peaking at number five. 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).

Kim Carnes and other versions

"More Love"
Single by Kim Carnes
from the album Romance Dance
B-side	"Changin'"
Released	1980
Format	7" single
Recorded	1980
Genre	Pop, Soul
Length	3:35
Label	EMI America
Producer	George Tobin, Mike Piccirillo
Kim Carnes singles chronology
"Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer" (with Kenny Rogers) (1980) "More Love" (1980) "Cry Like a Baby" (1980)

"More Love" has been covered by several performers—among them Paul Young, Barbara McNair, and Mica Paris. A 1976 version by Teena Marie is included in the 2011 First Class Love: Rare Tee complilation.

The most successful recording of "More Love" was a 1980 version by Kim Carnes, included on her album Romance Dance. Carnes's remake of "More Love" peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 , and at number six on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. A Spanish language version of the song, "Más Amor", was also released in some territories in Latin America. The single was the first Top 10 U.S. solo hit for Carnes, formerly of The New Christy Minstrels. Despite "More Love's" success, the follow-up single, "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.

Personnel

Miracles version

• Lead vocals by Smokey Robinson
• Background vocals by Claudette Rogers Robinson, Ronnie White, Bobby Rogers, and Pete Moore
• Marv Tarplin guitar

• Instrumentation by various Los Angeles area musicians

Footnotes

External links

• "More Love" (special mix) by The Miracles
• "More Love" (original recording) by The Miracles 1967
• More Love song review - by Joel Francis

v t e The Miracles Bobby Rogers Mark Scott Claudette Robinson Dave Finley Tee Turner Smokey Robinson Ronnie White Pete Moore Marv Tarplin Billy Griffin Donald Griffin Carl Cotton Sidney Justin Alphonse Franklin Pre-Miracles: Emerson "Sonny" Rogers James Grice Clarence Dawson Production Berry Gordy Smokey Robinson Pete Moore Studio albums Hi... We're The Miracles (1961) Cookin' with The Miracles (1961) I'll Try Something New (1962) The Fabulous Miracles (1963) The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey (1963) I Like It Like That (1964) Going To A Go-Go (1965) Away We A Go-Go (1966) Make It Happen/The Tears Of A Clown (1967) Special Occasion (1968) Time Out For Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (1969) Four in Blue (1969) What Love Has Joined Together (1970) A Pocket Full Of Miracles (1970) One Dozen Roses (1971) Flying High Together (1972) Renaissance (1973) Do It Baby (1974) Don't Cha Love It (1975) City of Angels (1975) The Power of Music (1976) Love Crazy (1977) The Miracles (1978) Live albums The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage (1963) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles LIVE! (1969) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957-1972 (1972) Other albums Christmas with The Miracles (1963) The Season for Miracles (1970) Compilations Greatest Hits from the Beginning (1965) Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1968) Anthology (1974) Greatest Hits (1977) Anthology '86 (1986) The Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Collection (1994) Anthology: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1995) The Ultimate Collection (1998) Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology (2002) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: Gold (2006) Depend On Me: The Early Albums (2009) Singles (US/UK Top Twenty singles) "Shop Around" "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"/"(Have a) Happy Landing" "Mickey's Monkey" "Ooo Baby Baby" "The Tracks of My Tears" "My Girl Has Gone" "Going to a Go-Go" "(Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need" "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" "I Second That Emotion" "If You Can Want" "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" "The Tears of a Clown" "I Don't Blame You At All" "Do It Baby" "Love Machine - Pt. I" Videography The Definitive Performances (1963–1987) (2006) Discography Albums Songs Related topics Berry Gordy See also Motown Records Book:The Miracles

v t e The Miracles singles discography 1950s "Got a Job" (1958) "Your Love (Is All I Need)" (1958) "I Cry" (1958) "I Need a Change" (1959) "It" (1959) " Bad Girl" (1959) "The Feeling Is So Fine" (1959) / " (You Can) Depend on Me" (1959) 1960s "Way Over There" (1960) "Shop Around" (1960) / Who's Lovin' You" (1960) "Ain't It Baby" (1961) "Mighty Good Lovin'" (1961) / Broken Hearted" (1961) "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" (1961) "What's So Good About Goodbye" (1961) / " I've Been Good To You" (1961) "I'll Try Something New" (1962) "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) / "Happy Landing" (1962) "A Love She Can Count On" (1963) / "I Can Take a Hint" (1963) " Mickey's Monkey" (1963) " I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying" (1963) "The Christmas Song" (1963) "(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You" (1964) "I Like It Like That" (1964) "That's What Love Is Made Of" (1964) "Come On Do The Jerk" (1964) "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965) "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965) / "A Fork in the Road" (1965) "My Girl Has Gone" (1965) "Going to a Go-Go" (1965) / "Choosey Beggar" (1965) "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You)" (1966) "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" (1966) "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" (1967) "More Love" (1967) " I Second That Emotion" (1967) If You Can Want" (1968) "Yester Love" (1968) "Special Occasion" (1968) "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (1969) "Here I Go Again" (1969) / "Doggone Right" (1969) "Abraham, Martin & John" (1969) "Point It Out" (1969) / "Darling Dear" (1969) 1970s "Who's Gonna Take the Blame" (1970) "The Tears of a Clown" (1970) "I Don't Blame You At All" (1970) "Crazy About the La La" (1971) "Satisfaction" (1971) "We've Come Too Far to End It Now" (1972) "I Can't Stand to See You Cry" (1972) "Don't Let It End ('Til You Let It Begin)" (1973) "Give Me Just Another Day" (1973) "Do It Baby" (1974) "Don't Cha Love It" (1974) "Gemini" (1975) "Love Machine" (1975) "Night Life" (1976) "Spy for Brotherhood" (1977) "I Can Touch the Sky" (1977) "Mean Machine" (1978) Book:The Miracles