Songs of the Week: William "Smokey" Robinson

One of the most prolific songwriters of the second half of the twentieth century and definitely one of its more memorable performers. Bob Dylan declared him America's greatest living poet and there's merit to that hyperbolic declaration in that many of Smokey's songs are those that come readily to the lips after being recalled. His music is much more than "My Guy" and "My Girl" although those are two numbers that helped put Motown on the map. Suffice to say that early Motown is also much more than those two songs. There are very few artists that did not waver in their loyalty to Berry Gordy and the label, Robinson is foremost among them. There are very artists within Motown that were not touched by his musical magic.



His best work, of course, was with The Miracles, but he also wrote and produced memorable recordings for The Temptations, The Marvelettes, The Jean Terrell led Supremes, Brenda Holloway, and Marvin Gaye. The magic didn't seem to work for the crown(ed)jewels of the label, The Diana Ross led Supremes (but they had H-D-H).





Richard Perry made a valiant attempt producing Ella singing some of Robinson's songs and, as truly inspired as that may have been, it didn't work. Wanda Rogers of The Marvelettes, on the other hand, seems to embody much of Smokey's creativity. Her slightly dissonant delivery gives his smooth groove a grown up edge and is at its best on the first of this week's trio of songs, "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game." Brenda Holloway is heard on "When I'm Gone" which is a finger snapper that might have been given justice by La Fitzgerald and the third is Wanda again on "The Day You Take One."