A list (in no particular order) of my 500 favorite songs (singles, deep cuts, hits, and more) of all time. Includes a wide array of selections from rock, punk, funk, R&B, soul, classical, jazz, folk, and world music.
Showing posts with label smokey robinson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smokey robinson. Show all posts
The song "Cruisin'" has been covered by a slew of artists. One of the best and truest renditions was by the Howard Hughes of soul, D'Angelo, in 1995. There also was a dubious, saccharine version by Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow a few years later in 2000. But nothing bests the original by Smokey Robinson from his 1979 album Where There's Smoke... It's the consummate Robinson song: sensuous, romantic lyrics delivered by that unmistakable tenor over an enduring melody. In fact, that last point is why the track is a perennial favorite of mine. There's nothing about Robinson's production that particularly screams "1979": no cheesy synths, no drum machines clacking out a disco beat, no wah-wah guitars scratching away. Instead, he builds a timeless, smoldering groove atop undulating congas and real, live percussion and then brings the extra sweetness with a layer of lush, but tasteful, live strings. In short: you won't find a better track to set the mood for amour.
Smokey Robinson is so well known as a vocalist and performer that it's easy to forget he's also a prolific songwriter. For every song he wrote and turned into a hit for himself/The Miracles ("Shop Around," "Tears of a Clown," "Ooo Baby, Baby," "Being With You"), he wrote just as many for other Motown artists ("My Girl" by The Temptations, "My Guy" by Mary Wells, "Ain't That Peculiar" by Marvin Gaye...).
Add to that list the often overlooked classic "Still Water (Love)" from 1970, which Robinson co-wrote with Motown producer/arranger Frank Wilson for The Four Tops.
It's a shame the track isn't in heavier rotation on oldies radio, because it has everything going for it: a melody that sticks with you, a funky syncopated groove, and a perfect lead vocal from the late Levi Stubbs who, as the protagonist of the song, passionately tells his significant other that, although he may not boast to others about their relationship, his love is strong and true.
Also, somewhat unusual for a Motown song from this era, it has an instrumental intro that is well over a minute long, which sets the tranquil mood before Stubbs even sings his first note. In a way, the song points the way to the more experimental song structures that Marvin Gaye would explore on What's Going On the following year.
