Soul Music

If you’re going to find the right girl, the “one who’s gonna give you true loving,” then “you better shop around.” Good advice. The song was written by Smokey  Robinson and record producer/songwriter Berry Gordy. In 1960, it went to #1 on the R&B Chart, #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, and #1 on the Cash Box Top 100 Chart. Group members for the recording included Robinson, Claudette Rogers Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Ronnie White, and Pete Moore with Marv Tarplin on guitar. “Shop Around” was the first million-selling record for The Miracles and for the Motown Record Corporation. It is on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and is honored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.” The B-Side was “Who’s Lovin’ You,” which was written by Smokey Robinson and also charted.

Here are the lyrics to “Shop Around” by The Miracles:

When I became of age my mother called me to her side,
She said, “Son, you’re growing up now pretty soon you’ll take a bride.’
And then she said, “Just because you’ve become a young man now,
There’s still some things that you don’t understand now,
Before you ask some girl for her hand now
Keep your freedom for as long as you can now.”

My mama told me, “You better shop around, (shop, shop)
Oh yeah, you better shop around.” (shop, shop around)

Ah, there’s some things that I want you to know now.
Just as sure as the winds gonna blow now
The women come and the women gonna go now
Before you tell em that you love em so now.

My mama told me, “You better shop around, (shop, shop)
Oh yeah, you better shop around.” (shop, shop around)

A-try to get yourself a bargain son.
Don’t be sold on the very first one.
A-pretty girls come a dime a dozen,
A-try to find one who’s gonna give you true lovin’

Before you take a girl and say I do, now,
Make sure she’s in love with-a you now.
My mama told me, “You better shop around.”

Ooh yeah, a-try to get yourself a bargain son.
Don’t be sold on the very first one.
A-pretty girls come a dime a dozen,
A-try to find one who’s gonna give you true lovin’.

Before you take a girl and say I do, now,
Make sure she’s in love with-a you now.
Make sure that her love is true now.
I hate to see you feelin’ sad and blue now.”

My mama told me, “You better shop around (shop, shop)
Don’t let the first one get you
Oh no cause I don’t want to see her with you
Before you let her hold you tight, ah yeah make sure she’s alright
Before you let her take your hand my son
Understand my son, be a man my son I know you can I love you

For more songs from Smokey Robinson and The Miracles: “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Tracks of My Tears,” and “I Second that Emotion.”

For More Golden Oldies Music                                

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop music, rock and roll hits, R&B, or rockabilly songs that werewere hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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