If there was one lyric placed in a time capsule for future generations to stumble upon and discover everything pop music was capable of in the second half of the 20th Century, Smokey Robinson might be its author. Exhibit A: “If you feel like giving me/ A lifetime of devotion/ I second that emotion.” What more needs to be said about love in a song?
That’s just the tip of the iceberg of the creative force who shaped the way music would be composed, recorded and listened to. Robinson, 84, was a type-A Detroit schoolkid with a penchant for writing lyrics before his talent and expressive tenor were recognized by Motown founder Berry Gordy. He wrote hits for other artists, from “My Guy” by Mary Wells to “My Girl” by the Temptations, while performing with The Miracles.
That group featured his future wife Claudette when it had its breakthrough No. 1 single in 1960 with “Shop Around.” Her voice can be heard prominently in songs such as 1962’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” but she retired from touring after both Robinsons suffered health issues and alternated leading the band on the road for a time. The Miracles appeared as an all-male quartet with deft dance moves in most of their ’60s television appearances, changing their name to Smokey Robinson and The Miracles in 1965.
Robinson went solo in the ’70s, with 1975 album A Quiet Storm inspiring a smooth R&B radio format that grew in the 1980s. He didn’t have a major hit after leaving The Miracles until 1979’s “Cruisin’” set the stage for more visibility the following decade. Robinson scored big with 1981’s “Being with You” and enjoyed huge success with 1987’s One Heartbeat album. The title cut and “Just to See Her” became Top 10 singles.
At the same time he was asserting himself as a major adult contemporary figure, interest in The Miracles was being revived through soundtracks to films such as The Big Chill and Platoon. New wave bands such ABC and Japan paid homage to Robinson with a tribute song (“When Smokey Sings”) and cover (“I Second That Emotion”), respectively.
The latter just scratches the surface of countless Smokey Robinson covers. The Beatles recorded “You Really Got a Hold on Me” for their second album. Linda Ronstadt killed on her versions of “Ooh Baby Baby” and “Tracks of My Tears” in the ’70s. The Rolling Stones released a live version of “Going to a Go-Go” as a single and video in the ’80s.
Robinson’s favorite cover is jazz singer’s Nnenna Freelon’s torchy 2022 “Tears of a Clown,” which slows down the upbeat tempo and adds violin as a counterpart to Freelon’s vocal. To paraphrase what Daryl Hall told him upon hearing this, once the artist shares a song, it belongs to everybody. Robinson, who released slyly titled album Gasms last year, is happy to share them with audiences directly.
The Venetian, April 24, 26-27, starting at $55 plus tax and fee. ticketmaster.com
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