When Smokey ( Robinson ) Sings

What a vocalist !

I'm a sucker for ' Tears Of A Clown ' ( one of my favourite songs ) but dig this :
"I'm only paying the price \ of a trip I took to paradise \ when I looked into a pair of eyes \ what I thought was the look of love \was only hurt in disguise" ( 'I Don't Blame You At All' )

Or :
" You led me on with untrue kisses \ you held me captive in your false embrace\ Quicker than I could bat an eye \ seems you were telling me goodbye "

Please share your Smokey appreciation.

 

I'm not too big on the old Motown sound in general, but I love me some latter day Smokey:

Cruisin'
Being With You
Just To See Her
One Heartbeat
We've Saved The Best For Last

 

"More Love" has always been my favorite, especially the way he ad libs on the final chorus.

But I rate Smokey higher as a composer than a singer. Case in point is this very song, which actually charted much higher when Kim Carnes covered it about 13 years later. Considering all the other hit cover songs, Smokey was writing '70s and '80s hits over a decade earlier.

 

Love this tune but I easily like Kim's version best.

 

Love all of Smokey... The Composer, The Producer, The Writer, The Band Leader, The Singer, Motown Exec., and just one of the all time cool cats in the music biz.

A Giant and a National Treasure. Is that too over the top? I don't think so.

 

My favorite Smokey song - You Really Got A Hold On Me. The simple intro is everything for me. Such a soulful song that I get lost in.

 

Smokey has a unique voice that he rightly and deftly treats like a musical instrument.

His singing went through a series of phases during the 60s, but I’d say that by the beginning of the 70s, and much like Marvin Gaye, he’d settled on a more mature and less strident style that was full of light and shade.

If you want to hear him at the height of his powers, then check out the final three tracks of “Warm Thoughts” from 1980, i.e. “What’s In Your Life For Me?”, “I Want To Be Your Love”, and “Travellin’ Thru.” His tone is rich and musical, and his vibrato is well-judged.

Lovely stuff!

 

What's not to like?

 

Greatest ever combination of songwriting and vocal talent

 

Simply a great singer & composer. I saw him in concert back in 1985 & his vocal abilities were just as strong then as ever.

We need to give special mention to the late, great Marv Tarplin, Smokey's guitarist & frequent collaborator from 1958-2008. The two of them cowrote many classic songs & shared a special musical bond, & that was evident when I saw them live.

 

' Cruisin' is fantastic.
Like the story where Motown was promoting ' Get Ready ' as the single from Smokey's new album. A DJ told Smokey that ' Cruisin' was an obvious smash hit and to release it as a single. The DJ was right , ' Cruisin' cruised to #4 on the Billboard chart, his biggest hit in ten years.

 

Celebrating his 81st birthday tomorrow.
Happy birthday, Smokey!

 

One of the best voices ever. Hearing him sing is so comforting.
No slouch as a songwriter either.

 

This is one of my favorite Smokey tunes right here. His voice sounds downright angelic, and I love the instrumentation and arrangement.

"I'll Try Something New"

 

And one more stone-cold classic: "The Agony And The Ecstasy"

 

"Going To A Go-Go" Live at the Carter Barron Ampitheater, Washington DC, 1972


Smokey announces it as his last gig with the Miracles. Before and after, they rock out. Got to love that bass line.

 

Ooh Baby Baby - that song is amazing.

My 8-year old son loves Mickey’s Monkey. So do I.

You Really Got A Hold On Me - The Beatles’ version doesn’t touch the original.

And Tracks Of My Tears - that guitar intro, in particular where one of the strings is fluffed, melts my heart. Then the drums kick in, The Miracles light the hob, and Jamerson swoops down. It’s then that my head falls off.

 

That voice.

 

What’s So Good About Good-Bye is absolute perfection IMHO:

 

At last a Smokey thread! Thanks, Wildest Cat. Smokey Robinson is a brilliant singer, writer, arranger, and producer (did I leave anything out?)
Way back in 1979 I first heard his song "I'll Try Something New" on a syndicated Wolfman Jack show that I used to listen to...it totally blew me away. Like many other people my first Miracles record was "Tears Of A Clown" in 1970.

 

A great example of Smokey's writing and production is the Temptations' "Since I Lost My Baby"...arguably their best records were the ones with Smokey producing.

 

Smokey Rules. One of my faves -


Tell Me Tomorrow

 

I was just listening to the 35thAnniversary Collection yesterday; a great 4-CD set. Smokey's a living legend with a voice like pure honey. Hard to pick a favorite Miracles single as there are just too many great ones to choose from. I actually saw Smokey & The Miracles at the Brooklyn Fox Theater in 1965. They were part of a Murray The K show.

 

Love 60s Smokey. I've got loads of the Motown stuff on CD plus Make It Happen and Four In Blue on vinyl.