Choosey Beggar

1965 single by the Miracles

"Choosey Beggar"

Single by the Miracles

from the album Going to a Go-Go

A-side

"Going to a Go-Go"

Released

December 6, 1965

Recorded

Hitsville USA (Studio A): March 9, 1965

Genre

Soul/pop

Label

Tamla
T 54127

Songwriter(s)

Smokey Robinson
Pete Moore

Producer(s)

Smokey Robinson

The Miracles singles chronology

"My Girl Has Gone"
(1965)

"Going to a Go-Go" / "Choosey Beggar"
(1965)

"Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart"
(1966)

"Choosey Beggar" was a 1965 song recorded by Motown R&B group the Miracles on its Tamla label subsidiary. It was issued as the B-side of the group's top-20 million-selling single,^[1] "Going to a Go-Go", and was taken from the group's Billboard Top 10 Pop album of the same name.

Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore and produced by Robinson, this song also became a national hit, reaching number 35 on the Billboard R&B chart. As the song's narrator, lead singer Smokey Robinson, using a play on the old axiom, "Beggars can't be choosers", portrays a man who simply refuses to accept just "any girl":

Beggars can't be choicey, I know...that's what the people say...But though my heart is begging for love ...I've turned some love away..." Only one girl is right for him... "I'm a choosey beggar...and you're my choice..."

Cash Box described it as a "a slow-shufflin' lament about a decidedly one-man woman."^[2]

"Choosey Beggar" has inspired cover versions by Debby Boone, and Jazz artist Chazz Dixon, and has been included in the Miracles' compilation album Greatest Hits - Vol. 2, along with several other Miracles "Greatest Hits" compilations.

Personnel Credits

Personnel – the Miracles

Smokey Robinson – lead vocals, co-writer, producer
Claudette Rogers Robinson – background vocals
Pete Moore – background vocals, co-writer
Ronnie White – background vocals
Bobby Rogers – background vocals
Marv Tarplin – guitar

Other personnel

Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra

References

^ Coryton, Demitri; Joseph Murrells. Hits Of The Sixties: The Million Sellers
^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 18, 1965. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-01-12.

External links

The Miracles-"Choosey Beggar", YouTube video

The Miracles (1955–1964) / Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1965–1972) / The Miracles (1973–2011)

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

Studio albums

Hi... We're the Miracles (1961)
Cookin' with the Miracles (1961)
I'll Try Something New (1962)
The Fabulous Miracles (1963)
Christmas with The 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)
The Season for Miracles (1970)
One Dozen Roses (1971)
Flying High Together (1972)
Renaissance (1973)
Do It Baby (1974)
Don't Cha Love It (1975)
City of Angels (1975)
The Power of Music (1976)
Love Crazy (1977)
The Miracles (1978)

Live albums

The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage (1963)
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles LIVE! (1969)
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957–1972 (1972)

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

"Bad Girl"
"Way Over There"
"Shop Around"
"Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues"
"What's So Good About Goodbye"
"I've Been Good to You"
"I'll Try Something New"
"You've Really Got a Hold on Me"/"Happy Landing"
"A Love She Can Count On"
"Mickey's Monkey"
"I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying"
"(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You"
"I Like It Like That"
"That's What Love Is Made Of"
"Come On Do the Jerk"
"Ooo Baby Baby"
"The Tracks of My Tears"
"A Fork in the Road"
"My Girl Has Gone"
"Going to a Go-Go"
"Choosey Beggar"
"Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You)"
"(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need"
"The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage"
"More Love"
"I Second That Emotion"
"If You Can Want"
"Yester Love"
"Special Occasion"
"Baby, Baby Don't Cry"
"Here I Go Again"
"Doggone Right"
"Abraham, Martin and John"
"Point It Out"
"The Tears of a Clown"
"I Don't Blame You at All"
"We've Come Too Far to End It Now"
"Give Me Just Another Day"
"Do It Baby"
"Love Machine"

Videography

The Definitive Performances (1963–1987) (2006)

v t e The Miracles singles
Discography
1950s	" Bad Girl" (1959)
1960s	"Way Over There" (1960) "Shop Around" (1960) / "Who's Lovin' You" (1960) "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	"The Tears of a Clown" (1970) "I Don't Blame You at All" (1970) "We've Come Too Far to End It Now" (1972) "Give Me Just Another Day" (1973) "Do It Baby" (1974) "Love Machine" (1975)