The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage

"The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" is a 1967 song recorded by the American R&B group The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Marv Tarplin and produced by Robinson, it is noted for being the first single to bill the group as "Smokey Robinson" & the Miracles,^[1] a billing already present on the group's albums by this time.

Lyric content and chart history

The single was a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and a Top 10 hit on Billboard's R&B singles chart.^[2] As with several of the Miracles' hits, "Mirage" begins with Tarplin's guitar and he plays the riff on a 12-string acoustic guitar. The song's lyrics feature Robinson's character as a man deceived by the beauty of a woman who showed "the promise of love", but then sadly discovered that her love was "just a mirage".

Films and cover versions

The Jackson 5, Vance Gilbert and The Uniques are among the acts who have recorded cover versions of "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage". The original 45 RPM single had The Miracles' "Come Spy with Me", (the original theme song to the 1967 20th Century Fox film of the same name), as the B-side.

The hit "A" side, The Miracles' "The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage," was also used in a film, the soundtrack of the 1980 crime drama, "American Gigolo" starring Richard Gere. Gere actually sang along to The Miracles' original recording in the film.^[3]

Personnel

The Miracles

• Lead vocals by Smokey Robinson
• Background vocals by Claudette Rogers Robinson, Pete Moore, Ronnie White and Bobby Rogers
• Guitar by Marv Tarplin

Other personnel

• Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

References

External links

• See The Miracles perform the song on YouTube

The Miracles
Smokey Robinson Ronnie White Pete Moore Bobby Rogers Claudette Robinson Marv Tarplin Billy Griffin Donald Griffin Carl Cotton Mark Scott Dave Finley Sydney Justin Alphonse Franklin Tee Turner Pre-Miracles: Emerson "Sonny" Rogers James Grice Clarence Dawson
Production	Berry Gordy Smokey Robinson Pete Moore
Studio albums	Hi... We're The Miracles (1961) Cookin' with The Miracles (1961) I'll Try Something New (1962) The Fabulous Miracles (1963) The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey (1963) I Like It Like That (1964) Going to a Go-Go (1965) Away We a Go-Go (1966) Make It Happen (The Tears of a Clown) (1967) Special Occasion (1968) Time Out For Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (1969) Four in Blue (1969) What Love Has Joined Together (1970) A Pocket Full Of Miracles (1970) One Dozen Roses (1971) Flying High Together (1972) Renaissance (1973) Do It Baby (1974) City of Angels (1975)
Live albums	The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage (1963) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles LIVE! (1969) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957-1972 (1972)
Other albums	Christmas with The Miracles (1963)
Compilations	Greatest Hits: From the Beginning (1965) Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1968) Anthology (1974) Anthology '86 (1986) Anthology: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1995) The Ultimate Collection (1998) Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology (2002) Depend On Me: The Early Albums (2009)
Singles (US/UK Top Twenty singles)	"Shop Around" "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"/"Happy Landing" "Mickey's Monkey" "Ooo Baby Baby" "The Tracks of My Tears" "My Girl Has Gone" "Going to a Go-Go" "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" "I Second That Emotion" "If You Can Want" "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" "The Tears of a Clown" "I Don't Blame You At All" "Do It Baby" "Love Machine"
Videography	The Definitive Performances (1963–1987) (2006)
Discography	Albums Songs
Related articles	Motown Records List of cover versions of The Miracles songs
Book:The Miracles

The Miracles singles discography
1950s	"Got a Job" (1958) "Your Love (Is All I Need)" (1958) "I Cry" (1958) "I Need a Change" (1959) "It" (1959) " Bad Girl" (1959) "The Feeling Is So Fine" (1959) / "(You Can) Depend on Me" (1959)
1960s	"Way Over There" (1960) "Shop Around" (1960) / "Who's Lovin' You" (1960) "Ain't It Baby" (1961) "Mighty Good Lovin'" (1961) / Broken Hearted" (1961) "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" (1961) "What's So Good About Goodbye" (1961) / "I've Been Good to You" (1961) "I'll Try Something New" (1962) "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) / "Happy Landing" (1962) "A Love She Can Count On" (1963) / "I Can Take a Hint" (1963) " Mickey's Monkey" (1963) " I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying" (1963) "The Christmas Song" (1963) "(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You" (1964) "I Like It Like That" (1964) "That's What Love Is Made Of" (1964) "Come On Do The Jerk" (1964) "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965) "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965) / "A Fork in the Road" (1965) "My Girl Has Gone" (1965) "Going to a Go-Go" (1965) / "Choosey Beggar" (1965) "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You)" (1966) "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" (1966) "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" (1967) "More Love" (1967) " I Second That Emotion" (1967) "If You Can Want" (1968) "Yester Love" (1968) "Special Occasion" (1968) "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (1969) "Here I Go Again" (1969) / "Doggone Right" (1969) "Abraham, Martin and John" (1969) "Point It Out" (1969) / "Darling Dear" (1969)
1970s	"Who's Gonna Take the Blame" (1970) "The Tears of a Clown" (1970) "I Don't Blame You At All" (1970) "Crazy About the La La" (1971) "Satisfaction" (1971) "We've Come Too Far to End It Now" (1972) "I Can't Stand to See You Cry" (1972) "Don't Let It End ('Til You Let It Begin)" (1973) "Give Me Just Another Day" (1973) "Do It Baby" (1974) "Don't Cha Love It" (1974) "Gemini" (1975) "Love Machine" (1975) "Night Life" (1976) "Spy for Brotherhood" (1977) "I Can Touch the Sky" (1977) "Mean Machine" (1978)
Book:The Miracles