Bad Girl

The Miracles

About Bad Girl

"Bad Girl" is a 1959 doo-wop single by The Miracles. Issued locally on the Motown Records label, it was licensed to and issued nationally by Chess Records because the fledgling Motown Record Corporation did not, at that time, have national distribution. It was the first single released (and the only one released by this group) on the Motown label - all previous singles from the company (and all following ones from the group) were released on Motown's Tamla label. Although The Miracles had charted regionally and on the R&B charts with several earlier songs, including "Got a Job", "I Cry", "I Need a Change", and "(You Can) Depend on Me", "Bad Girl" was their first national chart hit, reaching #93 on the Billboard Hot 100. Written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson and Motown Records' President and Founder Berry Gordy, "Bad Girl" is a sad, remorseful ballad about a young woman, whom Robinson, as the narrator, says "was so good at the start", but who later in the song "is breaking my heart". It is in the popular doo-wop style, as several of The Miracles' songs were during the late 1950s. The record's success, coupled with the distributor's failure to pay Gordy and The Miracles properly for its sales, prompted Robinson to urge Gordy to "go national" with it, meaning that Motown should do its own national distribution of its songs, and eliminate the middleman, to ensure that all money from sales of its records would go directly to the label. 


Year:
1990
87 

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She's not a bad girl
Because she made me see
How love could be

But she's a bad girl
Because she wants to be free
She wants to be free

She's not a bad girl to look at
Finer than fine
Said she was mine, mine, mine

But she's a bad girl
Because it was only a lie
I, I, I beg to the birds about

It brought me out to find out
She was bad and my only wish is that
I wish I could make a bad girl to be good

She wasn't a bad girl, girl at first
So good at the start
But now, now we must part

Oh yes, she's bad girl
Because she's breaking my heart
So, so, so bad, she's breaking my heart

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The Miracles

The Miracles were an American rhythm and blues group that was the first successful recording acts for Motown Records in the 1960s. Founded in 1955 by Smokey Robinson,Pete Moore , and Ronnie White, the group's most notable lineup included that of Robinson, White ,Moore, Bobby Rogers, Claudette Robinson and Marv Tarplin. more »

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Written by: AVON LONG, LILLIAN HARDIN ARMSTRONG

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

"Bad Girl" Song Creation
The song "Bad Girl" was released as the debut single by American singer-songwriter Jackie Jackson and The Miracles in 1959.
Record Label
Being released under Motown's Tamla label, "Bad Girl" marked an important moment in the history of the label, representing one of its earliest releases.
Song Composition
The song was co-written by Miracles' lead singer Smokey Robinson and Motown founder Berry Gordy, increasing its significant impact on the Motown sound and history.
Chart Performance
Despite being a debut release, "Bad Girl" managed to reach success. It peaked at #93 on the Billboard Pop chart and #15 on the R&B chart.
Release Format
At the time of its release, the song "Bad Girl" was released as a 7" vinyl single, keeping up with the main music format of the 1950s and 60s.
Re-release After 20 years
In 1981, to commemorate the release of Jackie Jackson's self-titled solo album, Motown re-released "Bad Girl" further thrusting the song back into the spotlight.
Backup Singers
The Matadors, who later formed the core of The Miracles, provided backup vocals to this Jackie Jackson's classic R&B tune.
Influence on Motown
"Bad Girl" is viewed as an influential contribution to the Motown discography. Its blues-oriented sound, with its soulful singing and unforgettable groove, helped shape what came to define the Motown Sound in the years to follow.
Song Theme
The song contains a theme of love and heartache, typical of the rhythm and blues genre in the late 50s and early 60s, depicting the protagonist's struggle with a "bad girl" he is infatuated with.
Legacy
Although not as widely-known as other Motown hits, "Bad Girl" by Jackie Jackson and The Miracles still managed to make a significant impression contributing to their initial popularity and continued legacy in the music industry.

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    Bad Girl

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1959

    Billboard #93


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