I Don't Blame You at All
"I Don't Blame You at All" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Miracles | ||||
from the album One Dozen Roses[1] | ||||
B-side | "Oh Baby Baby I Love You" | |||
Released | February 25, 1971 | |||
Recorded | Hitsville USA (Studio A); January 15, 1971 | |||
Genre | Pop/soul | |||
Length | 3:05 | |||
Label | Tamla T 54205 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
Producer(s) | Terry "Buzzy" Johnson Smokey Robinson | |||
The Miracles singles chronology | ||||
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"I Don't Blame You At All" was a 1971 R&B song by The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson & The Miracles) on Motown Records' Tamla label. It was composed by Miracles lead singer, William "Smokey" Robinson, produced by Robinson and Terry "Buzzy" Johnson, and was taken from their album, One Dozen Roses. This song was actually the follow-up hit to their #1 smash, "The Tears of a Clown", and reached the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, charting at #18, and the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B chart, peaking at #7. It was also a Top 20 hit in the UK, reaching #11 on the British charts that year. It is also noted as the group's last Top 20 pop hit before Smokey Robinson's departure from The Miracles the following year, and was performed by the group on Dick Clark's American Bandstand on an episode dated July 10, 1971.[2][3]
Background
The song is a sad, mournful tune that belies its up-tempo nature. Smokey, as the song's narrator, tells a girl that he obviously wants (who does not reciprocate his feelings) that he doesn't blame her for "playing it cool" when she decides to call off the relationship. Lamenting the fact that his attraction to her covered the fact that she had just casual feelings for him, he sings:
"I don't blame you at all, 'cause you played it cool
You don't owe me a thing 'cause I was a fool
I'm only paying the price
For a trip I took to Paradise
'Cause I looked into a pair of eyes, and what I thought was The Look Of Love
Was only hurt in disguise"
"I Don't Blame You At All" was the group's final big hit with Robinson, though the Miracles did continue to chart several times before his departure, with songs including "Satisfaction", "I Can't Stand To See You Cry", and "We've Come Too Far to End It Now". This song has inspired a cover version by Rosetta Hightower, and appears on many Miracles' "Greatest Hits" album and CD compilations.
Personnel
- The Miracles
- Additional instruments
Chart performance
Chart (1971) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[4] | 11 |
US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 18 |
US Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles[6] | 7 |
References
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "American Bandstand - Season 14, Episode 45: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles". TV.com. 1971-07-10. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
- ^ "Watch American Bandstand Season 14 Episode 45 Online". SideReel.com. 1971-07-10. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
- ^ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 579.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 404.
External links
- I Don't Blame You At All-by The Miracles- on YouTube
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- Smokey Robinson
- Ronnie White
- Pete Moore
- Bobby Rogers
- Claudette Robinson
- Marv Tarplin
- Billy Griffin
- Donald Griffin
- Carl Cotton
- Mark Scott
- Dave Finley
- Sydney Justin
- Alphonse Franklin
- Tee Turner
- Hi... We're the Miracles (1961)
- Cookin' with the Miracles (1961)
- I'll Try Something New (1962)
- The Fabulous Miracles (1963)
- Christmas with The 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)
- The Season for 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)
- The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage (1963)
- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles LIVE! (1969)
- Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957–1972 (1972)
- Greatest Hits: From the Beginning (1965)
- Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1968)
- Anthology (1974)
- Anthology '86 (1986)
- Anthology: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1995)
- The Ultimate Collection (1998)
- Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology (2002)
- Depend On Me: The Early Albums (2009)
- "Bad Girl"
- "Way Over There"
- "Shop Around"
- "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues"
- "What's So Good About Goodbye"
- "I've Been Good to You"
- "I'll Try Something New"
- "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"/"Happy Landing"
- "A Love She Can Count On"
- "Mickey's Monkey"
- "I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying"
- "(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You"
- "I Like It Like That"
- "That's What Love Is Made Of"
- "Come On Do the Jerk"
- "Ooo Baby Baby"
- "The Tracks of My Tears"
- "A Fork in the Road"
- "My Girl Has Gone"
- "Going to a Go-Go"
- "Choosey Beggar"
- "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You)"
- "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need"
- "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage"
- "More Love"
- "I Second That Emotion"
- "If You Can Want"
- "Yester Love"
- "Special Occasion"
- "Baby, Baby Don't Cry"
- "Here I Go Again"
- "Doggone Right"
- "Abraham, Martin and John"
- "Point It Out"
- "The Tears of a Clown"
- "I Don't Blame You at All"
- "We've Come Too Far to End It Now"
- "Give Me Just Another Day"
- "Do It Baby"
- "Love Machine"
- The Definitive Performances (1963–1987) (2006)