The Tracks of My Tears

"The Tracks of My Tears" is a hit song of 1965 that was first recorded by The Miracles for Motown Records' Tamla label. This song is considered to be among the best songs of "The Miracles", and it sold over one million records within two years. "The Tracks of My Tears" has also been recorded as a cover song by such singers as Linda Ronstadt and made into hit songs by them, too.

"The Tracks of My Tears" has also been recognized by being placed on the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list. In addition, this song was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.

"The Miracles" original version of this song was also placed at #50 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.^[1]

The Writing of "The Tracks of My Tears"

"The Tracks of My Tears" was written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Miracles guitarist Marv Tarplin.

In the five-LP musics publication, The Motown Story, by Motown Records, Smokey Robinson explained the origin of this song in these words: "Tracks of My Tears" was actually started by Marv Tarplin, who is a young cat who plays guitar for our act. So he had this musical thing - [singing melody] – you know, and we worked around with it, and worked around, and it became "Tracks of My Tears."

Its Popular Reception

"The Tracks of My Tears" was a #2 hit on the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart, and it reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The 45 r.p.m. single also was a Top 10 hit in Great Britain, reaching #9 on the U.K. singles chart.

In a 2006 poll for Britain's Favorite Break-up Songs, a Network 5 TV program, "The Tracks of My Tears" was voted in sixteenth place.

Cover versions

"The Tracks of My Tears" is "The Miracles" most recognized, most honored, and most covered song. It has been ranked at or near the top of many "best of" lists in the music industry over the last 40 years. The American singer Linda Ronstadt recorded a highly successful cover version of this song in 1976, which hit #11 on the Billboard country singles chart. "The Tracks of My Tears" also became a hit song for Johnny Rivers and Aretha Franklin.

"Go West" recorded this song for their "best of" album in 1993, and they then released it as a single, which reached 16th place on the U.K. Singles Chart.

Other Cover Versions:

• Johnny Rivers (1967); reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100
• Aretha Franklin - Soul '69 (1969)
• Pat Kelly (1969)
• Dean Martin (1970)
• Gladys Knight & the Pips - B-side of single "If I Were Your Woman" (1970)
• Bryan Ferry - These Foolish Things (1973)
• Linda Ronstadt - Prisoner in Disguise (1975)
• The Mighty Diamonds - (1977)
• Colin Blunstone (1982)
• The Flying Pickets - Live at the Albany Empire (1982); an a cappella version
• Big Country - Live on the King Biscuit Flour Hour (1984)
• Go West - Aces and Kings - The Best Of Go West (1993)
• Dogbowl & Kramer - Hot Day in Waco (1994)
• La Toya Jackson - Stop in the Name of Love (1995)
• Patty Griffin with Billy Mann (1996); a live recording on Detroit's 93.9, The River
• Peter André - Time (1997)
• Mietta - La Mia Anima (1998)
• Gavin DeGraw (2004)
• Michael McDonald - Motown Two (2005)
• Mica Paris - Soul Classics (2005)
• Human Nature - Reach Out: The Motown Record (2005)
• Boyz II Men - Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA (2007); also released as the first single from the album
• Dolly Parton - Backwoods Barbie (2008)
• Adam Lambert - American Idol Season 8 (2009) When he sang the song during the competition Smokey gave him a standing ovation.

Also covered by: Soul Asylum, Billy Bragg, Susan Cadogan, The Contours, The Jackson 5, Martha and the Vandellas, Mary Beth Maziarz, The Mega Kids, The Mighty Diamonds, Q-Tip, Dianne Reeves, Brenda Russell, Mongo Santamaría, Paul Young and others. Despite the plethora of covers recorded over the years, however, The Miracles' original is still considered the definitive version.

Awards and Accolades

The Miracles' original version of The Tracks of My Tears has won the following awards and honors:

• The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) ranked it at #127 in its list of the Songs of the Century - the 365 Greatest Songs of the 20th Century.
• Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
• Chosen by Rolling Stone Magazine as #50 in its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
• Chosen as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
• Preserved by the United States Library of Congress into the National Recording Registry .
• Winner of "The Award Of Merit" from The American Society of Composers, Authors,and Publishers (ASCAP) for the song's writers, Miracles members Pete Moore, Marv Tarplin, and Smokey Robinson.^[2]
• Chosen as #5 of the Top 10 Best Songs of All Time by a panel of 20 top industry songwriters and producers including Hal David, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Jerry Leiber, and others as reported to Britain's Mojo music magazine.^[3]

Other uses

"The Tracks of My Tears" was featured in a memorable scene in the Vietnam War film Platoon in 1986, and it was also included in the soundtrack of the movie "The Big Chill" in 1983. In 2002, the folk singer Billy Bragg recorded the song in his album, England, Half-English. In "Tracks of My Tears", a man laments selling his vinyl record collection. Bragg had previously recorded a version of "The Tracks of My Tears" that was issued, along with other demos, b-sides, and rarities, on the second disk of the re-released Talking with the Taxman about Poetry.

On May 14, 2008, "The Tracks of My Tears" was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress as an "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significance" to the National Recording Registry. "The Miracles" can be seen performing "The Tracks of My Tears" on their Motown DVD release "The Definitive Performances (1963–1987)".

"The Tracks of My Tears" Credits

• Written by William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr., Warren "Pete" Moore, and Marvin "Marv" Tarplin of "The Miracles"
• Produced by "Smokey" Robinson
• Other Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra

It was also Sampled by Latin rap group Lighter Shade of Brown for the song Homies.

Recording Personnel for "The Miracles"

• Smokey Robinson - lead vocals, co-writer, producer
• Marv Tarplin - guitar, co-writer
• Claudette Rogers Robinson - background vocals
• Pete Moore - background vocals, co-writer, vocal arranger
• Ronnie White - background vocals
• Bobby Rogers - background vocals

References

Bibliography

Coryton, Demitri; Joseph Murrells. Hits Of The Sixties: The Million Sellers. pp. 131. 

External links

• - The Tracks Of My Tears- by The Miracles ( original version -1965)