The Season for Miracles | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 23, 1970 | |||
Genre | Soul, Christmas | |||
Length | 37:41 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | Tamla | |||
The Miracles chronology | ||||
|
The Season for Miracles is a 1970 studio album by American soul group The Miracles. The Christmas album has received positive reviews and has been a strong seller for Motown, being reissued on compact disc in 1992.[1]
Reception
Critical reception
A brief review in Billboard recommended this release as being a "joyous" and "delightful holiday package".[2] The editors of AllMusic Guide scored this album three out of five stars, but do not have a detailed review.[3] The publication does review the 1973 various artists compilation A Motown Christmas, which includes tracks from this album and critic Jason Ankeny calls that an "outstanding sampler" of music that includes a "beautifully soulful vibe".[4] In 2011's The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, this album received three out of five stars.[5]
Sales
Although this release did not sell well enough to chart,[6] a 1987 review of the best-selling Christmas albums by Ebony notes that this is one of the best-selling from Motown.[7]
Track listing
- "Deck the Halls"/"Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella" (traditional) – 4:03
- "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (traditional) – 3:06
- "I Can Tell When Christmas Is Near" (Stevie Wonder) – 3:02
- "I Believe in Christmas Eve" (Smokey Robinson) – 2:03
- "The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé and Robert Wells) – 3:27
- "Jingle Bells" (James Lord Pierpont) – 2:47
- "It's Christmas Time" (Wonder) – 3:27
- "Go Tell It on the Mountain" (John Wesley Work Jr. and traditional) – 3:45
- "Away in a Manger"/"Coventry Carol" (William James Kirkpatrick / traditional) – 2:23
- "Peace on Earth (Good Will Toward Men)" (A. Roach) – 3:03
- "The Day That Love Began" (Deborah Miller and Ron Miller) – 3:53
- "A Child Is Waiting" (Joe Hinton and Patti Jerome) – 2:42
Personnel
The Miracles
- Warren "Pete" Moore – bass vocals
- Claudette Rogers Robinson – vocals
- Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
- Bobby Rogers – tenor vocals
- Marv Tarplin – vocals
- Ronnie White – baritone vocals
Additional personnel
- Jim Hendin – photography
- Wade Marcus – arrangement on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
- Curtis McNair – artwork, design
- Jimmy Roach – arrangement on "Deck the Halls"/"Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", "Away in a Manger"/"Coventry Carol", and "Peace on Earth (Good Will Toward Men)"
- Tom Schlesinger – graphic supervision
- David Van De Pitte – arrangement
References
- ^ McAdams, Janice (July 11, 1992). "Dynamic Diva: Buzz Builds On Mary Blige". The Rhythm and the Blues. Billboard. Vol. 82, no. 51. p. 17. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Billboard Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 82, no. 51. December 19, 1970. p. 50. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – Season for Miracles review". AllMusic Guide.
- ^ Ankney, Jason. "Various Artists – A Motown Christmas review". AllMusic Guide.
- ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (May 27, 2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958.
- ^ White, Adam (December 18, 1982). "Motown's Curious Yule Offering". Black. Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 50. p. 54. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Sound Off: The Best in Recorded Music". Ebony. Vol. 43, no. 2. December 1987. p. 18B. ISSN 0012-9011.
External links
- The Season for Miracles at Discogs (list of releases)
- The Season for Miracles at MusicBrainz (list of releases)