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William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an R&B and soul singer and songwriter. Robinson is noted for being one of the primary figures associated with the Motown record label, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy As both a member of Motown group The Miracles and a solo artist, Robinson recorded seventy Top 40 hits for Motown between 1959 and 1990, and also served as the company's Vice President from 1961 to 1988.
Song lyrics
With The Miracles
- She's not a bad girl because
She made me see, hmmm...
How love could be.
But she's a bad girl because (bad girl because)
She wants to be free, hmmmm... (bad girl because)
She wants to be free (bad girl)- Bad Girl, written by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, Jr. (1959)
- Ah, they tell me that the river's too deep
And it's much too wide for you can't get across to the other side.
But they don't know I've got to get there and hold her in my arms
Just a one more time like I did before when she was mine all mine.
Cause I can hear her saying (come to me baby)
I'm going away.
I'm going to stay.
I'm gonna get to you, no matter what I have to do.- Way Over There, written by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, Jr. (1960)
Just because you've become a young man now,
There's still some things that you don't understand now.
Before you ask some girl for her hand now,
Keep your freedom for as long as you can now.My mama told me...'you better shop around'
(Shop, shop around) a-whoa-yeah
You better (uh-huh) shop around.- Shop Around, written by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, Jr. (1960)
If ever I have a son in life, I'll call him in one day
Sit him down upon my knee and here is what I'll say.You might lose your lover, people do sometime.
Oh, but it won't make sense for you to sit around cryin'.
Son, don't you know that when you fall in love,
Sometimes, you're gonna have the blues.
Well it may take years, but you're gonna shed some tears.
'Cause everybody's got to pay some dues, now, now.
Everybody's got to pay some dues.- Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues, written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White (1961)
What's so good about goodbye?
All it does is make you cry.
Well, if leaving causes grieving,
And depart can break you heart,Tell me (what's so good about it)
I could have done without it.
What's so good about goodbye?- What's So Good About Goodbye (1961)
- I will build you a castle with a tower so high
It reaches the moon.
I'll gather melodies from birdies that fly
And compose you a tune.
Give you lovin' warm as Mama's oven.
And if that don't do,
Then I'll try something new.- I'll Try Something New (1962)
- I don't like you
But I love you.
See that I'm always
Thinking of you.
Oh, oh, oh,
You treat me badly;
I love you madly.
You've really got a hold on me.
You've really got a hold on me, baby.
- You better beware, my friends all told me
When they saw that I was falling for you.
You better beware they told me that girl ain't gonna be true.
She'll have you walking with your head in the air,
Have you thinking that she really, really care.
Then-a, then she'll let you down, she'll really let you down.
She's a girl with no understanding.
And when she's getting tired of you hanging around,
She'll let you drop and say... have a happy landing (happy landing).- Happy Landing, written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White (1962)
- No don't you know my daddy told me,
Told me right from the start
About youth.
He said no matter how old a man is,
He's partly a boy in his heart.
Yeah, and that's the truth.
Ooo la la la la
I did you wrong; my heart went out to play.
But in the game I lost you.
What a price to pay, hey I'm crying.Ooo baby baby.
Ooo baby baby.- Ooo Baby Baby, written by Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore (1965)
People say I'm the life of the party
'Cause I tell a joke or two.
Although I might be laughing loud and hearty,
Deep inside I'm blue.So take a
good look at my face.
You know my smile looks out of place.
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears.- The Tracks of My Tears, written by Smokey Robinson, Marvin Tarlin, and Pete Moore (1965)
- My girl has gone, and said goodbye.
Don't you cry, hold your head up high.
Don't give up, give love one more try,
'Cause there's a right girl for every guy.- My Girl Has Gone, written by Smokey Robinson, Ronald White, Pete Moore, and Marvin Tarplin (1965)
- Maybe you want to give me kisses sweet,
But only for one night with no repeat.
Maybe you'd go away and never call,
And a taste of honey is worse than none at all (oh little girl)
Oh little girl, in that case I don't want no part. (I do believe that)
That would only break my heart.
Oh, but if you feel like loving me,
If you got the notion,
I second that emotion.- I Second That Emotion, written by Smokey Robinson and Al Cleveland (1967)
- Now if there's a smile on my face,
It's only there tryin' to fool the public,
But when it comes down to foolin' you;
Now honey, that's quite a different subject.
But don't let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression.
Really I'm sad.
I'm sadder than sad.
You're gone and I'm hurtin' so bad.
Like a clown I pretend to be glad.- The Tears of a Clown, written by Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and Hank Cosby (1970)
Solo
Baby, let's cruise away from here.
Don't be confused, the way is clear.
And if you want it, you got it forever.
This is not a one night stand, babe, yeah.
So let the music take your mind, whoa.
Just release and you will findYou're gonna fly away, glad you're going my way.
I love it when we're cruisin' together.
The music is playing for love.
Cruisin' is made for love.
I love it when we're cruisin' together.- Cruisin' (1979)
- I don't care what they think of me,
And I don't care what they say.
I don't care what they think if you're leavin'.
I'm gonna beg you to stay.
I don't care if they start to avoid me.
I don't care what they do.
I don't care about anything else
But bein' with you,
Bein' with you.- Being with You (1981)
External links
- Official Website of Smokey Robinson
- Smokey Robinson interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)