Released: September 19, 1961

Songwriter: Smokey Robinson Ronald White

Producer: Berry Gordy

[Intro]
If ever I have a son in life, I'll call him in one day
Sit him down upon my knee and here is what I'll say

[Verse 1]
You might lose your lover, people do sometime
Oh, but it won't make sense for you to sit around cryin'
Son, don't you know that when you fall in love
Sometimes, you're gonna have the blues

[Chorus]
Well it may take years, but you're gonna she'd some tears
'Cause everybody's got to pay some dues, now, now
Everybody's got to pay some dues

[Verse 2]
You might have money, yeah, and a big fine car
It don't matter what you look like, no, no it don't matter who you are
Son, don't you know you can't win all the time
Sometime you're gonna have to lose

[Chorus]
Just as long as you live, you got to take as well as give
'Cause everybody's got to pay some dues, now, now
Everybody's got to pay some dues

[Bridge]
Whoa whoa whoa
(Whoa whoa whoa)
Yeah yeah yeah
(Yeah yeah yeah)
Yeah hea hea hea hea hea
(Yeah hea hea hea hea hea)
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
(Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)

[Chorus]
Well now, everybody's got to pay some dues, yeah don't you know it now
Everybody's got to pay some dues

[Verse 3]
Make no mistakes now son about the things I told you
I don't want you to think, yeah yeah, that I'm tryin' to scold you
Son because I know you got to fall in love sometime
Be careful who you choose

[Chorus]
'Cause it's sure my son before your life is done
You'll find that everybody's got to pay some dues, yeah don't you know it now
Everybody's got to pay some dues

[Outro]
(Dues, got to pay some dues, got to pay some dues)
I've got to pay, he's got to pay
You've got to pay and she's got to pay
No matter what you do, I say
There is gonna come a day
When you gonna have to pay
Cain't nobody get away from dues
Yeah yeah yeah now

The Miracles

The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American rhythm and blues vocal group.

They were formed at school in Detroit in 1955 as The Five Chimes. In 1956 they changed their name to The Matadors, adding Claudette Rogers to the line-up. They were spotted by Berry Gordy at an audition in late 1957 and in February 1958 changed their name to The Miracles. Their first release, ‘Get A Job’ b/w ‘My Mama Done Told Me’, was issued via the End label that same month. Another single on End followed, and then one on Chess and Motown, before the group finally found a home on Tamla where they had a string of hits and Smokey established himself as a key songwriter for the label throughout the 1960s.

In late 1965 Berry Gordy decided to adjust the group’s name and they were billed thereafter as Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, until Smokey left the group in July 1972 (although the final Smokey Robinson & The Miracles single was not released until November). He was replaced by Billy Griffin, with the name being reverted back to The Miracles for the new line-up.