Smokey Robinson: Top 100 Songs

First posted 2/14/2020.

Smokey Robinson Image from shazam.com

R&B singer/songwriter born William Robinson, Jr. on 2/19/1940 in Detroit, Michigan. With The Miracles (55-72) and later a solo artist. Record executive and songwriter for Motown.

Awards:

Top 100 Songs This list includes Robinson’s work as a solo artist, with the Miracles, and as a songwriter. The recording artist is noted in parentheses. Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.) DMDB Top 1%: 1. My Girl (Temptations, 1964) #1 US, RB 2. The Tracks of My Tears (The Miracles, 1965) DMDB Top 5%: 3. The Tears of a Clown (The Miracles, 1970) #1 US, CB, RB, UK 4. My Guy (Mary Wells, 1964) #1 US, CB, RB, AU 5. Shop Around (The Miracles, 1960) #1 RB 6. You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me (The Miracles, 1962) #1 RB 7. Being with You (Smokey Robinson, 1981) #1 CB, HR, RR, RB, UK 8. The Way You Do the Things You Do (The Temptations, 1964) 9. Ooo Baby Baby (The Miracles, 1965) DMDB Top 10%: 10. I Second That Emotion (The Miracles, 1967) #1 RB 11. Love Machine (The Miracles, 1975) #1 US, CB, HR 12. Cruisin’ (Smokey Robinson, 1979) #1 CB 13. The Tracks of My Tears (Linda Ronstadt, 1975) 14. Get Ready (The Temptations, 1966) #1 RB 15. Going to a Go-Go (The Miracles, 1965) 16. Ooh Baby Baby (Linda Ronstadt, 1978) 17. Get Ready (Rare Earth, 1969) 18. The Way You Do the Things You Do (UB40, 1989) DMDB Top 20%: 19. Ain’t That Peculiar (Marvin Gaye, 1965) #1 RB 20. Shop Around (Captain & Tennille, 1976) #1 AC 21. The Way You Do the Things You Do (Hall & Oates, 1985) 22. More Love (Kim Carnes, 1980) 23. Since I Lost My Baby (The Temptations, 1965) 24. Just to See Her (Smokey Robinson, 1987) #1 AC 25. My Girl (Hall & Oates, 1985) 26. Going to a Go-Go (The Rolling Stones, 1982) 27. More Love (The Miracles, 1967) 28. Floy Joy (The Supremes, 1971) 29. It’s Growing (The Temptations, 1965) 30. Who’s Lovin’ You (The Jackson 5, 1969) 31. Come ‘Round Here, I’m the One You Need (The Miracles, 1966) 32. Automatically Sunshine (The Supremes, 1972) 33. Still Water (Love) (The Four Tops, 1970) 34. I’ll Try Something New (The Miracles, 1962) 35. One Heartbeat (Smokey Robinson, 1987) 36. I’ll Be Doggone (Marvin Gaye, 1965) #1 RB 37. I Don’t Blame You at All (The Miracles, 1971) 38. The Composer (The Supremes, 1969) 39. Mickey’s Monkey (The Miracles, 1963) 40. Do It Baby (The Miracles, 1974) 41. My Guy (Sister Sledge, 1982) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 42. If You Can Want (The Miracles, 1968) 43. Pops, We Love You (A Tribute to Father) (Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, & Stevie Wonder; 1978) 44. I’ll Be in Trouble (The Temptations, 1964) 45. The Tracks of My Tears (Aretha Franklin, 1969) 46. Don’t Look Back (The Temptations, 1965) 47. One More Heartache (Marvin Gaye, 1966) 48. The Way You Do the Things You Do (Rita Coolidge, 1978) 49. My Baby (The Temptations, 1965) 50. Two Lovers (Mary Wells, (1962) #1 RB 51. I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying (The Miracles, 1963) 52. The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage (The Miracles, 1967) 53. First I Look at the Purse (The Contours, 1965) 54. Your Wonderful, Sweet, Sweet Love (The Supremes, 1972) 55. A Breath Taking Guy (The Supremes, 1963) 56. Cruisin’ (Huey Lewis & Gwyneth Paltrow, 2000) #1 AC, AU 57. You Threw a Lucky Punch (Gene Chandler, 1962) 58. Who’s Lovin’ You (Brenda & the Tabulations, 1967) 59. The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game (The Marvelettes, 1966) 60. You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me (Eddie Money, 1977) 61. You Beat Me to the Punch (Mary Wells, 1962) #1 RB 62. When I’m Gone (Brenda Holloway, 1965) 63. That’s What Love Is Made Of (The Miracles, 1964) 64. What’s So Good About Goodbye (The Miracles, 1962) 65. Way Over There (The Miracles, 1960) 66. Take This Heart of Mine (Marvin Gaye, 1966) 67. The One Who Really Loves You (Mary Wells, 1962) 68. Don’t Mess with Bill (The Marvelettes, 1966) 69. Ebony Eyes (Rick James with Smokey Robinson, 1983) 70. My Guy/My Girl (Amii Stewart & Johnny Bristol, 1980) 71. Ain’t It Baby (The Miracles, 1961) 72. Baby, Baby Don’t Cry (The Miracles, 1969) 73. Happy (Bobby Darin, 1972) 74. A Love She Can Count On (The Miracles, 1963) 75. My Guy (Petula Clark, 1972) 76. I Like It Like That (The Miracles, 1964) 77. Everybody’s Gotta Pay Some Dues (The Miracles, 1961) 78. Mighty Good Lovin’ (The Miracles, 1961) 79. The Tears of a Clown (The English Beat, 1979) 80. Blame It on Love (Smokey Robinson & Barbara Mitchell, 1983) 81. Walk and Don’t Look Back (Peter Tosh with Mick Jagger, 1978) 82. Who’s Lovin’ You (Terence Trent D’Arby, 1987) 83. My Girl Has Gone (The Miracles, 1965) 84. Happy (Michael Jackson, 1973) 85. Tell Me Tomorrow (Smokey Robinson, 1982) 86. Old Fashioned Love (Smokey Robinson, 1982) 87. We’ve Saved the Best for Last (Kenny G with Smokey Robinson, 1989) 88. Come on Do the Jerk (The Miracles, 1964) 89. What’s Too Much (Smokey Robinson, 1987) 90. Special Occasion (The Miracles, 1968) 91. Yester Love (The Miracles, 1968) 92. My Girl (Suave, 1988) 93. Double Good Everything (Smokey Robinson, 1991) 94. We’ve Come Too Far to End It Now (The Miracles, 1972) 95. Bad Girl (The Miracles, 1959) 96. You Can’t Let the Boy Overpower the Man in You (The Miracles, 1964) 97. Whole Lot of Shakin’ in My Heart Since I Met You (The Miracles, 1966) 98. Doggone Right (The Miracles, 1969) 99. Point It Out (The Miracles, 1969) 100. Abraham, Martin and John (The Miracles, 1969) Resources and Related Links: Smokey Robinson’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry The Miracles’ DMDB Encyclopedia entry

Today in Music (1959): Motown founded

January 12, 1959 Motown founded

In 1957, Berry Gordy, Jr. wrote the hit “Reet Petite” for Jackie Wilson. He went on to write others, such as “Lonely Teardrops,” but aspired for more. With an $800 loan from his family, he founded Tamla Records on January 12, 1959. He added the Motown label later that year. He purchased property on Grand Boulevard, converting a photography studio into a recording studio and setting up administrative offices in other buildings. DH His first successful signing was The Matadors, who were rechristened as The Miracles. Gordy co-wrote Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want),” the company’s first big hit in 1960. The Miracles’ “Shop Around,” also released that year, became the company’s first million seller. Over the next decade, the company produced more than 100 top-ten hits from artists including the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Martha & the Vandellas, the Marvelettes, the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder. Gordy applied an assembly line approach to crafting the artists and their hits. Artists were trained in choreography and how to present themselves. OMC Songwriting was often handled by famous teams such as Holland-Dozier-Holland and the Funk Brothers served as studio musicians. The company owed much of its success to the ability to create music that crossed over to become popular with white audiences as well as black audiences. In 1972, the company moved its headquarters to Los Angeles. In 1988, Gordy sold his stake in Motown to MCA for $61 million. The original Motown location in Detroit – known as Hitsville U.S.A. – is now a museum where people can see the original recording studio. DH Resources: Dave’s Music Database: “History Index” for more important dates in music history Dave’s Music Database: “Music Makers’ Birthdays” Dave’s Music Database: “Motown: Top 100 Songs” DH Detroit Historical Society “Motown Records” OMC Oprah’s Master Class (6/16/2013). “Motown: How It All Began” Related Links: First posted 1/6/2024.

Today in Music (1965): The Miracles “The Tracks of My Tears” charted

The Tracks of My Tears The Miracles

Writer(s): Smokey Robinson/Warren Moore/Marv Tarplin (see lyrics here) Released: June 23, 1965 First Charted: July 10, 1965 Peak: 16 US, 16 CB, 27 GR, 17 HR, 2 RB, 9 UK, 5 CN, 3 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.2 UK Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 24.20 video, 131.0 streaming

The Tracks of My Tears Linda Ronstadt

First Charted: December 20, 1975 Peak: 25 BB, 25 CB, 23 GR, 38 HR, 30 RR, 4 AC, 11 CW, 24 CL, 42 UK, 22 CN, 10 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 12.70 video, 5.31 streaming

Awards (Miracles): Click on award for more details. Awards (Ronstadt):

About the Song: Smokey Robinson was more “Motown’s answer to Bing Crosby” DM than a soul singer. “If you’re going to be the coolest crooner around, it helps to know how to craft such material. Only one guy did.” DM His “talents as songwriter, arranger, and producer far surpass his vocal ability” DM although “The Tracks of My Tears” is marked by his “velvety high tenor voice” NRR which “conveys the passion and pain required to maintain a false, happy exterior after a romantic breakup.” NRR The Miracles’ guitarist Marvin Tarplin developed the main riff after he listened to “The Banana Boat Song” by Harry Belafonte. BBC Robinson almost immediately wrote most of the lyrics, but it took a few weeks before he came up with the idea of tears leaving tracks on the face. BBC It has been called “one of the most gut-wrenching songs on record.” SF The group’s Pete Moore said, “there was just something about it that people loved…It…tapped into the depth of their emotions. Every time we sang that song people in the audience would cry.” TC One line – “Although she may be cute/She’s just a substitute” – actually inspired Pete Townshend to write the Who’s 1966 hit “Substitute.” He explained that he “decided to the celebrate the word itself with a song all its own.” RS500 The song has endured over time, but was not a huge hit initially. It cracked the top 20 in the U.S. and didn’t make it onto the UK charts (#9) until it was reissued four years later. BBC It was actually a bigger hit for Johnny Rivers, who took it to #10 in 1967. Aretha Franklin had a #71 hit with it in 1969 and Linda Ronstadt took it to #25 in 1976. SF The song was prominently featured in the movies The Big Chill (1983) and Platoon (1986). Resources: BBC BBC Radio 2 (2004). “Sold on Song Top 100” TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Page 508. DM Dave Marsh (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. New American Library: New York, NY. Page 36. NRR National Recording Registry RS500 Rolling Stone (4/7/2011). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” SF Songfacts Related Links: First posted 4/20/2020; last updated 2/4/4/26/2024.

50 years ago: The Temptations hit #1 with “My Girl”

My Girl The Temptations

Writer(s): William “Smokey” Robinson/Ronnie White (see lyrics here) Released: December 21, 1964 First Charted: January 9, 1965 Peak: 11 US, 2 CB, 5 GR, 3 HR, 27 AC, 16 RB, 2 UK, 8 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.6 UK, 2.6 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 101.68 video, 685.02 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Smokey Robinson’s body of work is impressive enough to have earned him praise from Bob Dylan as one of “America’s greatest living poets.” FB With his group, the Miracles, Smokey gifted the world with such iconic hits as “Shop Around,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” and “The Tears of a Clown.” However, some of his biggest hits were for other Motown acts, including Mary Wells’ #1 “My Guy” and the Temptations’ “My Girl.” Smokey wrote the latter about his wife, Claudette, SF with Ronald White. All three were members of the Miracles and naturally Smokey intended his group to record it. When the Temptations heard it, though, they begged Robinson for the song. RS500 He relented, having already been looking for something for the Temptations’ “throaty tenor David Ruffin” RS500 to “belt out” WK that was also “melodic and sweet.” WK Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks had assumed lead vocal duties for the group; Kendricks even sang lead on the Smokey Robinson-penned “The Way You Do the Things You Do.” However, when Smokey saw the Temps perform as part of a collective tour of the Motown roster, he determined Ruffin was the group’s “sleeping giant.” WK Robinson’s hunch proved right. Not only did “My Girl” become a #1 in the hands of David Ruffin, but it gave the Temptations their signature song. Ruffin stepped out front as the primary lead singer after that. SF The song is so tied to the Temptations that the group evoked boos from their audiences when they tried cutting it from their set. NPR Resources: FB Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 168. NPR National Public Radio web site (1999). “The Most Important American Musical Works of the 20th Century” RS500 Rolling Stone (12/04). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” SF Songfacts.com WK Wikipedia.org Related Links: First posted 3/6/2013; last updated 2/3/2023.