As with the Supremes, the Miracles also added the name of an individual to their title. Both changes took place in 1967, as Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson prefixed the original groups.
Trying to pin down one song from the Smokey Robinson days (the Miracles continued after his departure) has proved to be difficult.
There are just so many to choose from and while most people would be familiar with The Tears Of A Clown and The Tracks Of My Tears, which reached number one and nine in the UK respectively, I’m going elsewhere for my favourite track.
It’s most certainly a case though of ask me again in a year’s time, and I may well come up with something else, but for now it’s I Second That Emotion.
It’s a great song and I love the version by Diana Ross and The Supremes when they joined forces with The Temptations.
It was a single for Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, in 1967, when it reached twenty-seven in the UK charts.
Pushing it all the way though is If You Can Want, which may not be a familiar tune to non-Motown fans .
It was released as a single though, peaking at number fifty in 1968.
Thinking about which ones to choose, I Don’t Blame You At All brought back memories, as I had that 45 in my collection as a teenager.
Again, it was released as a UK single, reaching number eleven in 1971, the year before Smokey Robinson left to pursue a solo career.
The lead image features Motown Gold and Motown Gold Volume 2, where The Tears Of A Clown and The Tracks Of My Tears can be found respectively.
Where do you start with a soul titan like Smokey Robinson. Bob Dylan a Nobel Laureate claimed Robinson was a great American poet. This is a track I like a lot but in all honesty, he could sing the Detroit phone directory and make it soulful. What’s So Good About Goodbye (Alternate Stereo Mix) https://youtu.be/Ad7vH2NJnV4 via @YouTube
So talented, Dave, just his own songs speak for themselves but when you consider what he’s written for other people, it becomes even more impressive.
Funnily enough, I’ve got The Temptations Sing Smokey in the car at the moment and last night at home that song was going through my mind.
It must have been the one on when I parked.
A lot of great soul artists have now passed Stewart so let`s treasure Smokey Robinson whilst he is still around. I must seek out The Temptations version of What`s So Good About Goodbye.
Sadly, like the rest of us, time waits for no one. It will always be my music golden era though.