The Tracks of My Tears

"The Tracks of My Tears" is a song written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin. It is a multiple award-winning 1965 hit R&B song originally recorded by their group, The Miracles, on Motown's Tamla label. The Miracles' million-selling original version has been inducted into The Grammy Hall of Fame, has been ranked by the Recording Industry Association of America and The National Endowment for the Arts at No. 127 in its list of the "Songs of the Century" – the 365 Greatest Songs of the 20th Century, and has been selected by Rolling Stone Magazine as #50 in its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", among many other awards.[1]

"The Tracks of My Tears"
Single by The Miracles
from the album Going to a Go-Go
B-side"A Fork in the Road"
ReleasedJune 23, 1965
RecordedHitsville USA (Studio A); 1965
GenreSoul
Length2:55
LabelTamla
T 54118
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Smokey Robinson
The Miracles singles chronology
"Ooo Baby Baby"
(1965)		 "The Tracks of My Tears"
(1965)		 "My Girl Has Gone"
(1965)

The Miracles original version

Background

"The Tracks of My Tears" was written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson (lead vocalist), Pete Moore (bass vocalist), and Marv Tarplin (guitarist).

In the five-LP publication The Motown Story, by Motown Records, 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 [sings melody], you know, and we worked around with it, and worked around, and it became 'Tracks of My Tears'." Tarplin's guitar licks at the song's intro are among the most famous in pop music history.[2][3]

"The Tracks of My Tears" was a number 2 hit on the Billboard R&B chart, and it reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. On initial release in the UK in 1965 it did not chart, but like several other Motown singles reissued there in 1969, it became a Top Ten hit in the summer, reaching No. 9, credited to "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles".[4] This song is considered to be among the finest recordings of The Miracles, and it sold over one million records within two years, making it The Miracles' fourth million-selling record.[5]

The Miracles can be seen performing "The Tracks of My Tears" on their 2006 Motown DVD release, The Miracles' Definitive Performances.

Awards and accolades

The Miracles' recording of "The Tracks of My Tears" ranked at #50 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004;[1] the track was also a 2007 inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame. On May 14, 2008, the track was preserved by the United States Library of Congress as an "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significance" to the National Recording Registry. The song "The Tracks of My Tears" was also awarded "The Award Of Merit" from The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) for Miracles members/composers Pete Moore, Marv Tarplin, and Smokey Robinson.[6]

Ranked by the RIAA and the National Endowment for the Arts at number 127 in its list of the Songs of the Century - the 365 Greatest Songs of the 20th Century - "The Tracks of My Tears" was also chosen as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Additionally the song ranked at number 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.[7]

Chart performance

The Miracles

Linda Ronstadt version
"The Tracks of My Tears"
Single by Linda Ronstadt
from the album Prisoner in Disguise
B-side"The Sweetest Gift"
ReleasedDecember 1975
RecordedThe Sound Factory, Los Angeles 1975
GenreRock, country rock
Length3:12
LabelAsylum
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Peter Asher
Linda Ronstadt singles chronology
"Heat Wave"
(1975)		 "The Tracks of My Tears"
(1975)		 "That'll Be the Day"
(1976)

Background

In 1975, Linda Ronstadt recorded a cover version of "The Tracks of My Tears" for her studio album Prisoner in Disguise that became a pop Top 40 hit in the US. The single was produced by Peter Asher and issued on Asylum Records as that album's second single. Ronstadt's version of the song was a success peaking at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching number 11 on the Billboard C&W chart in tandem with its B-side: the Emmylou Harris duet "The Sweetest Gift", and number 42 in 1976 on the UK Singles Chart.[11]

Conversely, Ronstadt would score one of her biggest hits with her 1978 single "Ooh Baby Baby" which was a remake of the Miracles' hit single release precedent to "The Tracks of My Tears". Ronstadt and Smokey Robinson performed both "The Tracks of My Tears" and "Ooh Baby Baby" on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever special broadcast on May 16, 1983.

Chart performance

Other versions
  • In 1967, "The Tracks of My Tears" was covered by Johnny Rivers. His version of the song reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
  • Aretha Franklin recorded the song for her Soul '69 album from which it was issued as a single although as the B-side. Franklin's version of "The Weight", became the favored track with "Tracks of My Tears" peaking at number 76 Pop and number 21 R&B.
  • Shirley covered the song in 1977, reaching #20 in Australia.[17]
  • A 1982 version by Colin Blunstone reached number 60 in the UK Singles Chart.[18]
  • In 1993, English pop duo Go West reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart,[19] number 38 on the Icelandic Singles Chart[20] and number 82 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart[21] with "Tracks of My Tears".
  • In 2000, American singer Pru sampled "The Track of My Tears" for her single "Candles", which was released from her self-titled debut album.[22] The lyrics and instrumental for "Candles" were directly inspired by The Miracles' single.[23]
  • In 2012, Swedish DJ Avicii sampled the song. While he played it in sets and it can be found on YouTube under the title "Tracks of my Tears", he never officially released the remix.

References
  1. "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". RollingStone.com. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  2. "We Remember Marv Tarplin: Miracles Guitarist Dies at 70". EURweb.com. 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  3. ""The Tracks of My Tears" by The Miracles". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 370. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  5. "WBMM The Miracles Facts". Gbelv.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2012-12-02.
  6. "WBMM Pete Moore Awards". Gbelv.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  7. Gregg, Jonathan (2000-07-12). "So, What Are Your Ten Best Songs of All Time?". Time.com. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  8. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  9. "Cash Box Top 100 8/28/65". Tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  10. "Top 100 Hits of 1965/Top 100 Songs of 1965". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  11. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 469. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  12. "Song artist 414 - Linda Ronstadt". Tsort.info. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  13. "Cash Box Top 100 2/28/76". Tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  14. "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  15. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
  16. Top 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 1976
  17. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  18. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 67. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  19. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 229. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  20. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (07.10–13.10)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). October 7, 1993. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  21. "RPM 100 Hit Tracks – February 28, 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  22. Coveney, Janine (September 30, 2000). "Capitol Lights 'Candles' to Expose World to Artist Pru". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017.
  23. Proefrock, Stacia. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017.

Bibliography

Coryton, Demitri; Joseph Murrells. Hits of the Sixties: The Million Sellers. p. 131.

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