| The Season for Miracles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 23, 1970 | |||
| Genre | Soul, Christmas | |||
| Length | 37:41 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | Tamla | |||
| The Miracles chronology | ||||
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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)
 
