If You Can Want
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles | Artist Essentials
First released: 1968 (year verified)
Original 1968 studio recording
MusicAtlas editorial note: The full album presentation lets the brisk rhythm and tightly repeated vocal hooks build together.
YouTube opens a title-and-artist search. The selected recording and date are identified below.
Release evidence and recording details
First released: 1968 (year verified)
The original studio recording was released in 1968 and belongs to the original Special Occasion program. Year precision does not assign an album day to a single or a later reissue.
Recording: Original 1968 studio recording
Credit: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Role in this collection: Primary artist
Original album: Special Occasion
Original album association; the supported year is not an exact worldwide release day.
Special Occasion - original licensed Miracles program
The original album program identifies the selected Miracles performances and the original 1968 album association. Individual earlier single years are retained where established. Remaster years, expanded-edition bonuses, later solo Smokey Robinson tracks and alternate mixes are not original release events. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
Annual version match under review
The selected recording has release evidence, but its version has not been matched to the retained annual entry. It is omitted from Beyond the yearly lists until this match is resolved.
The original full Special Occasion presentation is longer than the separately retrieved historical single presentation. The actual annual title does not state which edition it retains. The actual retained candidate remains provisional and is excluded from Beyond.
Special Occasion - original licensed Miracles program
The original album program identifies the selected Miracles performances and the original 1968 album association. Individual earlier single years are retained where established. Remaster years, expanded-edition bonuses, later solo Smokey Robinson tracks and alternate mixes are not original release events. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 8 - original 1968 release program
The label-licensed historical 1968 singles program includes Baby, Baby Dont Cry and a shorter If You Can Want presentation. The Time Out original recording field independently supplies December 1968 for Baby; the modern box date is not adopted. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
About The Miracles
The Miracles were among the earliest vocal groups associated with Berry Gordy's recording enterprise. Their original lineup included Smokey Robinson, Claudette Robinson, Pete Moore, Bobby Rogers and Ronnie White, with guitarist Marv Tarplin closely involved in their sound. Songs such as Shop Around, The Tracks of My Tears and Ooo Baby Baby joined group singing with carefully crafted songwriting. Members also wrote for other Motown performers. After Smokey Robinson began a solo career, Billy Griffin led recordings including Do It Baby and Love Machine.
Artist background sources
Motown Museum: The Miracles
Supports group and contributor identities, named repertoire, songwriting for other acts and Griffin succession; disputed release/departure years are omitted and solo Robinson credits stay separate. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Profile reviewed: 2026-10-17. Artist background does not establish a song's creative origin or release date.
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