What's So Good About Goodbye

1961 single by The Miracles

"What's So Good About Goodbye"

Single by The Miracles

from the album I'll Try Something New

B-side

"I've Been Good To You"

Released

December 14, 1961

Recorded

RCA Victor Studios, Chicago, Illinois October 14, 1961

Genre

Soul/pop

Length

2:23

Label

Tamla
T 54053

Songwriter(s)

Smokey Robinson

Producer(s)

Berry Gordy Jr.

The Miracles singles chronology

"Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues"
(1961)

"What's So Good About Goodbye"
(1961)

"I'll Try Something New"
(1962)

"What's So Good About Goodbye" was a 1961 hit single recorded by R&B group The Miracles for Motown Records' Tamla label, later included on their 1962 album I'll Try Something New. The single was the Miracles’ second Top 40 Pop hit, peaking at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States during the winter of 1962, and a Top 20 R&B hit as well, peaking at number 16 on Billboard's R&B singles chart.

Background

"What's So Good About Goodbye" was written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, "What's So Good About Goodbye" explores a relationship on the verge of breakup. This song, particularly Miracles member Marv Tarplin's guitar licks,^[1] proved a major influence on The Beatles, and inspired their song "Ask Me Why". Its B-side, "I've Been Good To You", was also a hit, charting at number 103 in the U.S. It too was an influence on The Beatles, most notably shown on their 1968 recording “Sexy Sadie”. Both songs were performed on the group's first live album, The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage.

Personnel

Smokey Robinson - lead vocals
Claudette Rogers Robinson - background vocals
Pete Moore - background vocals
Ronnie White - background vocals
Bobby Rogers - background vocals
Marv Tarplin - guitar
The Funk Brothers - instrumentation

Chart performance

Chart (1962)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100^[2]	35
US Billboard Hot R&B Sides^[3]	16

Cover Versions

"What's So Good About Goodbye" was later covered by:

The Temptations, who included on their 1965 album The Temptations Sing Smokey.^[4]
The Jackson 5 (Unreleased from 1969)^[5]
Rock band Quix*o*tic^[6]
Canadian group Giant Sunflower.^[7]

References

^ "144. The Miracles: "What's So Good About Good Bye"". Motown Junkies. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 578.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 404.
^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
^ "The Jackson 5 - What's So Good About Good Bye". YouTube. 2019-09-19. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
^ "Quix*O*Tic - Whats So Good About Goodbye". YouTube. 2010-10-07. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
^ "The Giant Sunflower - What's So Good About Goodbye [1967". YouTube. 2014-10-20. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2016-09-26.

External links

Hear the song on YouTube- The Miracles-What's So Good About Goodbye on YouTube
The Miracles: "What's So Good About Goodbye" - Song review from the " Motown Junkies" website

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)