"I've Been Good to You" is a 1961 R&B song by the Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label.[1] It was released as the B-side of their Billboard Top 40 hit, "What's So Good About Goodbye", and was included on their album I'll Try Something New the following year. This sad, melancholy ballad charted #103 on the Billboard Pop chart.[2][3] Despite its relatively modest chart placing, this song has been hugely influential, and is noted as Beatle John Lennon's favorite Miracles tune, and was the inspiration for The Beatles' songs "This Boy" and "Sexy Sadie". Written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, the song begins with the lyric, "Look what you've done...You've made a fool out of someone..." which Lennon later paraphrased in Sexy Sadie song as, "What have you done...You've made a fool of everyone."
During a 2009 appearance by Robinson on the Internet/television show Live from Daryl's House, hosted by Daryl Hall, the duo performed "I've Been Good to You" (video on YouTube), among other songs. During some playful, improvisational singing at the end, Robinson sang, "I don't know where you came up with this song... I haven't heard it in so long..."
References
^Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The 35th Anniversary Collection (1994)Discography: "The Miracles' Albums" [CD liner notes]. Motown Records
^Inc, Nielsen Business Media (21 April 1962). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^Hackel, Stu. The Miracles:Depend On Me-The Early Albums [CD Liner Notes]. Motown Records/Hip-O Select
^The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 7: 1967 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records
^50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 1961-1971 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records
