Was Smokey Robinson the best songwriter out of Motown?

I think Smokey was the best, most innovative songwriter out of Motown. More than a few of my friends, some of them Motown fanatics, agree with me. I can post my reasons how I came to this conclusion if the thread takes off.

Do you agree?

 

Hard to say - what about Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and, if you're considering teams, Holland-Dozier-Holland?

 

Why limit it to a record label? He's the finder of the Lost Chord.

I'm not a Soul music fan. I am a fan of Bill Robinson's savant-like way of pulling genius from thin air.

 

I could not agree more. I did not want to go too overboard in my praise of SR.

 

I thought Asford & Simpson, fantastic writers....

 

Yes.

 

Stevie Wonder should always be part of this discussion.

 

We'd be also talking about Otis Redding if he hadn't died young.

 

Otis Redding worked at Motown? I thought he was strictly Atlantic.

 

Bingo. You're right.

 

I'm not a Motown expert but I have some familiarity with the label I would say, yes, Smokey was the best singular writer. Producer as well, IIRC.

Whitfield/Strong
Holland/Holland/Dozier would be neck and neck for teams.

 

Holland-Dozier-Holland

 

yes he was , definitely , no need even to restrict it to Motown , one of the greatest ever
Mickey Stevenson came second at Motown

 

Norman Whitfield was a prodigious songwriter from 65 thru the mid seventies
He certainly approached and in certain ways surpassed all other candidates.
These would include HDH ,Smokey,Marvin Gaye,and Ashford and Simpson.......later would include Stevie Wonder, Johnny Bristol and Leon Ware
N.W was practically a one man money making machine for Motown at the turn of the seventies........rather apt when you consider his frequent collaborater
was Barret Strong!

 

YES!

I think Smokey in the top 10 greatest songwriters ever!

Stevie, Marvin, Norman, etc. also good, but a little behind

 

I'd say Holland/Dozier/Holland were first among equals in an incredibly talented roster of writers.

 

Yep, I'll go with Smokey. I love the stuff he did with the Temptations. I think a lot of those songs are forgotten but some are my favorites like "My Baby," "The Girl's Alright With Me," and "I'll Be in Trouble."

Smokey got a good run out of Marvin Gaye too with stuff like "Take This Heart of Mine" and "One More Heartache." Great stuff.

My favorite ones of all are probably "The Love I Saw In You Was Just a Mirage" and "My Baby Must Be a Magician."

 

I cannot pin down a favourite writing team from Motown........A lot of credit has to go to Berry Gordy for overall control and the cultivation of a distinct house sound.

 

That house sound disappeared when the Motown machine moved to L.A.

Great thread ,makes me want to play "Temptatations sing Smokey" and any early Four Tops record!!!!

 

I got to meet and talk with Smokey for about 10 minutes - still one of the highlights of my life.

 

Smokey was the most dynamic songwriter. H-D-H hits all look similar, and Asford & Simpson wrote only 3 or 4 really good songs

 

Smokey-is-God.

 

Seriously???

 

ALl those song writters have 1 common thread: The Funk Brothers.

 

Holland/Dozier/Holland would be my top pick.

However, if were are strictly talking one man operations, Smokey has come up with the most consistent track record (and in such a variety of styles). H/D/H were more prone to repeat themselves.

Here's a short list off the top of my head of hits that Smokey wrote or co-wrote. This is barely the tip of the iceberg:

Get Ready
My Girl
My Guy
Don't Mess With Bill
You've Really Got A Hold On Me
Shop Around
The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
The Tracks of My Tears
Ooo Baby Baby
I Second That Emotion
The Way You Do The Things You Do
Two Lovers
The One Who Really Loves You