Smokey Robinson and The Miracles - Wichita Lineman

[marv2]

I was thinking about this song today when I remembered the Miracles covered it. Check it out:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA7tJ5rPTb4

[kenneth]

A song well suited to Smokey's voice. I love that kind of "soft soul" on the later Miracles albums. I think their last few albums were amongst their best, especially "A Pocket Full of Miracles," with what I think is a real gem of a "story song."

I always thought this song was kind of the boy's version of Cher's "Bang Bang," the story of a childhood romance that goes very wrong.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQapx5VqRcQ

[marv2]

A song well suited to Smokey's voice. I love that kind of "soft soul" on the later Miracles albums. I think their last few albums were amongst their best, especially "A Pocket Full of Miracles," with what I think is a real gem of a "story song."

I always thought this song was kind of the boy's version of Cher's "Bang Bang," the story of a childhood romance that goes very wrong.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQapx5VqRcQ

Kenneth you're reading my mind......stop that! LOL! "Who's Gonna Take the Blame" is one of my Top 5 Miracles records period! Early Summer 1970 as I remember it on radio. I was a kid and it had that kind of feel to it for me. Great song, great album.

[kenneth]

@Marv2, hey you have great taste! Of course I always think anyone who likes what I like has great taste!

Seriously, it is such a good song. Just a really overlooked gem. The last verse is just heartbreaking, in the best Smokey style, with that very ironic twist at the end.

[marv2]

@Marv2, hey you have great taste! Of course I always think anyone who likes what I like has great taste!

Seriously, it is such a good song. Just a really overlooked gem. The last verse is just heartbreaking, in the best Smokey style, with that very ironic twist at the end.

It really is a high-quality recording. It was well written and tells a story. Smokey put some emotion in singing it that easily comes across upon hearing it. The part that goes "that's when I knew it was how it was always going to be....put the blame, put on me" always got to me.

[marv2]

Mmh hmm, mmh
We were just kids playing in the rain
When you threw a stone
And you broke a window pane

You were so afraid of what you done
That I held your hand little one
And I wouldn't let you run, oh

Then you turned to me
With a look of shame on your face
And your eyes asked a question ever so tenderly

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
Right then, I knew, how it would always be
Put the blame, put it on me

Ooh, at the age of twelve
You were a fine young thing
But I felt much older 'cause I had to shoulder
The trouble you'd bring

Like the time you pushed Sonny down
And she cried on me
With those same big eyes
You turned and you looked at me

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
Right then, I knew, how it would always be
Put the blame, put it on me
Put it on me, put it on me

Now you're all grown up
And you're running wild
And they're so surprised
'Cause all along you seemed
Like such a sweet child

And there's nothing but bad news
From old friends I meet
How you've become
A woman of the street

And they give me a million
And one reasons why
But when I analyze it
I know where the real fault lies

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
No doubt about it, oh, this time rightfully
Put the blame, put it on me

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
Put the blame, put it on me

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
Put the blame, put it on me
Oh who will take the blame?

Songwriters: NICKOLAS ASHFORD, VALERIE SIMPSON
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
For non-commercial use only.
Data From: LyricFind
Show related videos

[alexstassi]

"No Wonder Love's A Wonder" from One Dozen Roses.... I agree that there were quite a few gems on those 70s Smokey & The Miracles albums. In fact for me those are my favourite albums of theirs.

[marv2]

Urban legend has it that "Who's Gonna Take the Blame" was about a young girl that got turned out as a prostitute. As a kid, I would have never guessed that.

[kenneth]

Urban legend has it that "Who's Gonna Take the Blame" was about a young girl that got turned out as a prostitute. As a kid, I would have never guessed that.

A "woman of the streets" used to mean a prostitute. Today, it could simply mean a homeless person. But back then I don't think the word "homeless" had even been coined really.

Sorry Marv, didn't mean to hijack your thread about "Wichita Lineman." Smokey really had a great voice for such songs. I think their version of "The Composer" from the "Time Out" album is even a much better arrangement than the Supremes' version [[which he must have produced, I'm assuming).

[marv2]

A "woman of the streets" used to mean a prostitute. Today, it could simply mean a homeless person. But back then I don't think the word "homeless" had even been coined really.

Sorry Marv, didn't mean to hijack your thread about "Wichita Lineman." Smokey really had a great voice for such songs. I think their version of "The Composer" from the "Time Out" album is even a much better arrangement than the Supremes' version [[which he must have produced, I'm assuming).

Thank you for saying that about "Wichita Lineman". I always liked that song by Glen Campbell. I was one of those people that just like good music no matter who performed it or what genre it was. I think the folks at Motown felt the same way.

[Boogiedown]

sorry not even close...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKeqXyY-9xA

...Smokey is singing words , 'smaaaaaalllllll vacation' , his delivery doesn't capture the needed angst. The drum happy arrangement doesn't help.

[Boogiedown]

now this has angst !!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85ZiNpNtGnQ

[arr&bee]

I like the miracles version,but glen campbell's is the definitive one for me.

[arr&bee]

urban legend has it that "who's gonna take the blame" was about a young girl that got turned out as a prostitute. As a kid, i would have never guessed that.fell in love with that gem the moment i heard it,it was just serious and sad.

[marv2]

I was not comparing this cover by The Miracles to the original. Glen Campbell did it best in my opinion. I would not compare covers of "Ooh Baby, Baby" or "The Tracks of My Tears" with the originals by the Miracles. To me, the original versions of songs I liked are very rarely topped by others.

[Boogiedown]

I was not comparing this cover by The Miracles to the original. Glen Campbell did it best in my opinion. I would not compare covers of "Ooh Baby, Baby" or "The Tracks of My Tears" with the originals by the Miracles. To me, the original versions of songs I liked are very rarely topped by others.

fair enough Marv. And even though I find the Miracles version pales in comparison , I still enjoy hearing renditions like this of songs I love . I appreciate that Smokey found value in the Jimmy Webb song enough to want to sing it. A cover isn't always meant to be an attempt to one-up the original, it's just meant as a recognition of a song worth stylizing in one's own way . I always try to figure out why a cover fails or succeeds with me, got to be a reason , and most often its as you say, its hard to top the one you already liked performed in a certain way in the first place.
Thanks for sharing this version.
I miss Glenn Campbell.

[kenneth]

Regardless of whose version you prefer, you gotta give Glen Campbell or his handlers credit for picking just great songs for his albums that covered nearly every genre back then. Look at the lineup for the "Wichita Lineman" album:

Side 1

"Wichita Lineman [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wichita_Lineman)" [[Jimmy Webb [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Webb)) – 3:08 - Obviously he was a great muse for Webb, though lots of people made Webb songs great.
"[[Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/[[Sittin%27_On)_The_Dock_of_the_Bay)" [[Otis Redding [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_Redding), Steve Cropper [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cropper)) – 2:35 - Another great song that many have recorded.
"If You Go Away [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_You_Go_Away)" [[Jacques Brel [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Brel), Rod McKuen [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_McKuen)) – 2:07 - A French song given English lyrics by McKuen
"Ann" [[Billy Ed Wheeler [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Ed_Wheeler)) – 1:56 - Not sure but I think Wheeler is a C&W artist
"Words [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Words_[[Bee_Gees_song))" [[Barry Gibb [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Gibb), Robin Gibb [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Gibb), Maurice Gibb [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Gibb)) – 2:50 - the Bee Gees song
"Fate of Man" [[Glen Campbell) – 2:38

Side 2


"Dreams of the Everyday Housewife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreams_of_the_Everyday_Housewife)" [[Chris Gantry [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Gantry)) – 2:45 - I had forgotten who had sang this one, then checked and realized it was Campbell! A lot of folks covered it though, I think, including a lot of MOR vocalists
"The Straight Life [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Straight_Life)" [[Sonny Curtis [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Curtis)) – 2:55 - wasn't this a Bobby Goldsboro hit?
"Reason to Believe [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason_to_Believe)" [[Tim Hardin [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Hardin)) – 2:20 - the great Tim Hardin, lots of people sang this one
"You Better Sit Down Kids [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Better_Sit_Down_Kids)" [[Sonny Bono [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono)) – 3:13 - the Cher single
"That's Not Home" [[Billy Graham) – 2:35 - Billy Graham!