Smokey Robinson, whose real name is William Robinson Jr., is an american singer-songwriter who began his artistic career with the group "The Miracles" which he directed from 1955 to 1972. Group which managed to classify no less than 26 singles in the US Top40.
It was from 1973 that he started solo, releasing the album "Smokey" from which the hit "Baby come close" was mainly extracted.
A year later in 1974, the less successful album "Pure Smokey" was released, which produced no significant hits. Followed in 1975 by the album "A quiet storm" which did not do much better.
The albums "Smokey' family Robinson" in 1976, "Deep in my soul" and "Big time" in 1977, "Love breeze" and "Smokin" in 1978 did not do much better or produced only minor hits.
It was not until 1979 and the album "Where there’s smoke ..." that the singer finally landed his first mega hit with the enormous "Cruisin". Success confirmed a year later with the album "Warm thoughts" which will produce the flagship track "Let me be the clock".
The supreme consecration came in 1981 with the magnificent single "Being with you" from the eponymous album. The title is a real worldwide hit and remains to this day its biggest commercial success. Like the album by the way.
From 1982 to 1986, a slight drop in speed with a few minor hits like "Tell me tomorrow" and "Ebony eyes".
Back in favor in 1987 with the release of the album "One hearbeat", the artist's second biggest success and which will produce a second magnificent ballad with the sumptuous "Just to see her". Little followed by another top hit with the single "One Heartbeat".
These will be these last major hits, other albums will be released later but without ever being able to equal the previous successes.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Sweet harmony 1973
Baby come close 1973
It's her turn to live 1974
Just my soul responding 1974
Virgin man 1974
I am I am 1975
Baby that backatcha 1975
The agony and the ectasy 1975
Quiet storm 1976
Open 1976
When you came 1976
An old fashioned man 1976
There will come a day (I'm gonna happen to you) 1977
Vitamin U 1977
Theme from Big Time, Part I 1977
Daylight and darkness 1978
Why you wanna see my bad side 1978
Shoe soul 1978
Pops, we love you (A tribute to father) 1979
Get ready 1979
Cruisin 1979
Let me be the clock 1980
Heavy on pride (Light on love) 1980
Being with you 1981
You are forever 1981
Who's sad 1981
Tell me tomorrow – Part I 1982
Old fashioned love 1982
Blame it on love 1983
Don't play another love song 1983
I've made love to you a thousand times 1983
Touch the sky 1983
Ebony eyes 1984
And I don't love you 1984
I can't find 1984
First time on a ferris wheel 1985
Hold on to your love 1986
Sleepless nights 1986
Just to see her 1987
One heartbeat 1987
What's too much 1987
I know you by heart 1988
Love don't give no reason 1988
We've saved the best for last 1989
Indestructible 1989
Everything you touch 1990
(It's the) Same old love 1990
Take me trough the night 1990
Double good everything 1991
I love your face 1992
Rewind 1992
Easy to love 1999
Sleepin' in 1999
Let your light shine one me 2004
My world 2005
Our love is here to stay 2006
Night and day 2006
You're the one for me 2009
Don't know why 2009
That place 2009
Love bath 2010
Ooo baby baby 2021
Gasms 2023
If we don't have each other 2023
How you make me feel 2023
Beside you 2023
Clips :
1973 ... a fully successful debut with a first straight ranked single. Certainly not at the top of the Charts but in a more than honorable place...
1973 ... the confirmation of an obvious talent. Especially in the Intimist area. Domain which for the moment is fully successful, to say the least...
1974 ... he confirmed the following year that the successes obtained the previous year were not due to a stroke of luck ...
1974...necessarily this is a good omen for the rest of the events and we therefore imagine that this young artist left to last a few years. Even a few decades...
1974...in just 2 years the singer has established himself as one of the most promising values of the moment. It now remains to confirm all the good that we can think of him...
1975...every title that comes out now is automatically rated. Certainly we are not talking about the first places on the podium but all the same...
1975 ... the tempo accelerates slowly but surely. He signs here his biggest success to date. A slow but inexorable rise in power ...
1975 ... return once again to the Intimist field with this very high class Ultimate Slow. A song that literally floats in the air ...
1976...a decade of the 60s which saw him emerge and rise in power in an obvious way. On the other hand, for the big takeoff, we will have to be a little patient...
1976...after as long as he manages to maintain this minimum level of success, he has no reason to worry about what will happen next...
1976...a title that will only be released in Canada, hence a level of influence that is limited to say the least. It would have been a shame to hide it anyway...
1976...this one, on the other hand, will go under the radar somewhat. It hadn't happened to him yet but there is a beginning to everything as they say...
1977...in a few years his level of expertise in the 'emotional' register has proven to be more than certain. Unquestionably one of the most prolific American singers in this field...
1977...a year 1977 that will see him drop somewhat in the Charts. Nothing to worry about at this stage, but he will have to ask himself some questions...
1977... the titles are certainly classified but at a level that is limited to say the least. It remains to be seen if the year 1978 will be a little more favorable to him...
1978 ... it's a little better with this title but only just. After a most flattering start to the decade, the singer seems to have reached a glass ceiling...
1978...and as a general rule, the beginnings of the year are better than the ends. As the previous title worked rather well, we imagine that this one will know a little less the favors of the public…
1978...and this one won't do much better. The artist is content to ensure the bare minimum and he pays cash in the Charts...
1979...a collective title that will allow him to return to the race for a while. It's always better than nothing as they say...
1979...another title with limited success, to say the least. Definitely times are getting harder and harder for the artist and a muscular takeover is becoming urgent to say the least...
1979... a muscular recovery which became more than necessary and which will start with this title. Hope it lasts...
1980.. the relapse behind is cause for concern. The improvement was only short-lived and he will therefore have to redouble his efforts to get out of this bad situation...
1980...a year 1980 which will not remain as its best Vintage, it is clear. Hoping that the next one will allow him to straighten his head...
1981...and to straighten it, he will straighten it ! Here he performs a most salutary recovery which allows him to sign here his first planetary mega hit. A title that literally exploded his notoriety and which will remain as the biggest success of his discography. MAS-TER-FUL !
1981...difficult for this title to compete with its predecessor but it will do more than well. The singer finally seems to have taken the measure of the changes to be made…
1981...the 'little' hit of the year and as always at the end of the year. There is nothing to do, he always starts the years much better than he ends them...
1982 ... we had to wait for 1982 to finally see him release a Dance title worthy of the name. And you know what : it works, new global hit ! Like what...
1982...the beginning of the 80s which finally saw him go into cruising speed and chain the top hits with disconcerting ease...
1983 ... hunt the natural, it comes back at a gallop. Return to the Ultimate Slow and in duo mode of charm and shock. Two is even better !
1983...and as always he puts the package on the first title of the year and releases the grip thereafter. We won't remake him again as they say...
1983...a production of titles that continues to be bloated with winners and losers. The winners at the beginning of the year and the losers at the end...
1983...a title that grooves to perfection. An alternation of style and rhythm which finally shows all the versatility of the artist but which will not bring him more than that on this one...
1984 ... once again in duo mode. But this time guys-guys. Astonishing and extremely rare as a kind of association. And why not...
1984...who says second title of the year says necessarily decreasing success which is of course the case. Then, as long as there is minimum success...
1984... the basic fans are absolutely not concerned with the notion of the beginning or the end of the year. They take everything that comes from him with the same fervor...
1985...the exception that makes the rule. First year with a single title and a title that will go under the radar, too bad because this pretty duo deserved a little better in terms of recognition...
1986 ... after a year 1985 without much relief unfortunately, here he is again in 1986 in relatively good shape. Well, it won't be the global mega hit of the year, but it's not bad. We'll be satisfied...
1986... production of titles up in this year 1986 compared to the year 1985 but no miracle on the Charts side for the end of the year titles...
1987 ... his second biggest hit. Once again on a slow and rhythmic tempo at the same time. A glamorous mode that works perfectly on this title !
1987 ... one of his best years with a 2nd hit of very high caliber. At the height of his art and maturity, everything flows from now on ...
1987...a year 1987 which will undoubtedly remain as HIS reference year ! Three titles released including 1 mega hit and 2 top hits, what more could you ask for !
1988 ... new duo of shock and charm. An association once again completely improbable with this time, as partner, the queen of Country. And you know what ? Well it works too !
1988 ... finally a real Dance title. We were afraid that he would end his career without having produced any. It is now done !
1989 ... the end of the decade which once again combines with 2. And a new duo guys-guys. With as partner this time the king of the saxophone Kenny G ...
1989...a decade of the 80s which ends with this title once again with certain success. A decade that will have consecrated the singer indisputably as one of the very best of his generation !
1990...a change of decade which was not going to be the most favorable for the artist. But that he doesn't know yet at this stage...
1990... he will not know how to reinvent himself during this new decade and he will pay a high price because the competition will not give him any gift...
1990... after that will not prevent him from continuing the adventure. It's simply the level of success achieved that will no longer have much to do with what it was before...
1991...you still have to remember that he started his artistic career in the 1950s, which is still a real achievement in itself !
1992... what will come behind is therefore only a bonus for him, having already seen his incredible prize list. So a little more a little less...
1992 ... he will still succeed in classifying his titles during the year 1992 which shows that the public continues to follow him a minimum ...
1999...we will lose sight of him for nearly 7 years and here he is back at the very end of the 90s. Beginning of the end or just an air hole ? Good question...
1999...it's the passage - or not - to the next decade that will allow us to answer the question. Only he knows anyway...
2004...he will respond positively even if the return will be rather discreet. It must be said that the theme of this new opus concerns only a very limited audience...
2005...in any case, he continues to believe in it and that's the most important thing. A truly exceptional longevity for an artist who is no less necessarily...
2006...especially since he will make a successful comeback to the front of the stage in an unexpected way to say the least. Admittedly through the back door, but still...
2006...all in a style that isn't necessarily the most modern, to say the least. But on this one he will get away with it more than well...
2009...another nice duo but surprisingly not going to bring him more than that. When the young generation meets the Legend...
2009 ... here he is revisiting Norah Jones dating from 2002 and why not you say to me. Good work but which will not be able to match the original anyway...
2009...a 2000 decade that will have seen him reborn from his ashes in a spectacular way, especially in terms of albums. Everything is good to take as they say...
2010...and here he is attacking a new decade, one more ! A desire not to let go until the end which unquestionably commands respect...
2023...then nothing more interesting during this decade 2010. Here he is again in any case and still as motivated at first sight !
2023...then nothing more interesting during this decade 2010. Here he is again in any case and still as motivated at first sight !
2023...in any case, it's the grassroots fans who are extremely happy to see him back again, that's for sure !
2023...and always this timeless style, never outdated but never in fashion either. A style all in finesse and lightness which will have allowed him to last so long in any case...
2023... so we imagine that this title will surely not be the last because we now know with him, nothing is ever over !
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Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :