Special Occasion (The Miracles album)

Special Occasion is an album by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles released in 1968. It contains three Top 40 hits: "If You Can Want", "Yester Love", and "Special Occasion". Also included are versions of the Motown hits "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Everybody Needs Love" (both made popular by Gladys Knight & The Pips) and The Beatles' "Yesterday". The album's biggest hit was the uptempo "If You Can Want", which just missed the Billboard Pop Top 10, peaking at # 11,and was performed by the group on their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1968 . The Miracles were actually the first group to record "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", before the later hit versions by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips were done, although the master used on this album is a re-recorded version prepared following the release of the Pips' version.This album also includes the popular Miracles regional hit "B" sides, Much Better Off (which inspired a cover version by late rapper J Dilla), and Give Her Up. Give Her Up first appeared on Martha & The Vandellas 1963 album Come And Get These Memories as Give Him Up.

Special Occasion

Special occasion can refer to one of the following:

See also

Special Occasion (The Miracles song)

"Special Occasion" is a 1968 hit single recorded by Motown Records R&B group Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, issued by its Tamla Records subsidiary and taken from the album of the same name. It was a Billboard Top 30 Pop hit, peaking at #26,and a Top 10 R&B hit as well, peaking at #4 It was written and composed by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson and Motown staff songwriter Al Cleveland,the authors of the group's Top 10 million-selling smash, I Second That Emotion the previous year. A joyous up-tempo tune with a calypso influence, Smokey, as the song's narrator, celebrates the happiness of being in love with his new girl, comparing it with other "special occasions" one has in life, such as dressing up for a night on the town ("like when you dress up in your tie and tails"),graduation ("like when in school, you get your cap and gown"), or giving a "salute" to something special ("something that calls for a toast of champagne"). Miracle Marv Tarplin's outstanding guitar work is evident throughout,while the other Miracles, Bobby, Ronnie, Pete and Claudette,punctuate the song's melodies with their tight harmonies on the chorus and elsewhere.

Special Occasion (Bobby Valentino album)

Special Occasion is the second studio album from R&B singer Bobby Valentino. Valentino co-wrote over three quarters of the album, which also features songwriting and production from Tim & Bob, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Timbaland, Sean Garrett, Don Vito, Bryan-Michael Cox and Dre & Vidal. Due to a lawsuit with a UK artist who has been going by Bobby Valentino for over 35 years, the album in the United Kingdom is labelled as "Bobby" instead of "Bobby Valentino".

The album was set to be released on December 12, 2006, but was delayed until May 8, 2007. Special Occasion's first official single was the Rodney Jerkins-produced track "Turn the Page". The ballad features Valentino singing about trust and taking risks in a relationship. The album features guest appearances by Ludacris, Timbaland and Fabolous. The second single from the album is "Anonymous," featuring and produced by Timbaland.

Special Occasion debuted at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 92,000 copies in its first week, just over one-half of his previous album's first-week sales. The album eventually peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. As of mid-2009 the album has sold approximately 550,000 copies making it certified Gold in the US.