Who loves Smokey?

Casino, I'm afraid you've got the story backwards. Stevie wrote the music first and presented it to Smoky who, reminded of a circus, then wrote the lyrics.

I remember hearing Smokey being interviewed about that. He said that the music reminded him of a circus but in a sad way so he asked himself "What is the saddest thing you can think of in regard to the circus?"

And the rest is history

although I must admit that I have heard the song so many times over the nearly 40 years since it was a number one in the UK that it has literally been played to death for me.

Being with you is going the same way too. Whenever Mr Robinson comes up with a real biggie the radio jocks just won't leave it alone!

This is why a song like Cruisin' is so refreshing, because I only discovered it recently from a film soundtrack [don't ask me which film - I can't remember] and it isn't high on the agenda of every DJ who does a smoothe love song slot in his programme.

I remember hanging out with my father at a lunch counter back in the early 60's. I couldn't have been more than 7 or 8 years old. You got 3 songs on the jukebox for a quarter and the two songs I played over and over until he refused to give me another quarter was "The Name Game" and "Tracks of My Tears". He understood the appeal of "The Name Game" to a little kid but was baffled by "Tracks..." and my need to hear it again and again like some lovesick teenagaer. I remember "feeling" those lyrics, the ache in Smoky's voice, the intensity of the melody. He moved my 7 year old soul.

I think the Soundtrack was 'Duets' - Gwyneth Paltrow(!) sang it with Hughie Llewis, a (surprisingly) good version, but I think the original is on the Soundtrack too.

x

The name game...I'll have to look out for that one. I don't think I know it unless I have heard it but don't recognise the title.

I love finding strong tracks by Mr Robinson that I havn't heard before. Maybe you could give us a few more less well known ones to look out for, eoe?

Thanx for the name of the film that the soundtrack was from Smorgs. I knew I could rely on somebody to come up with an answer. Names of films are abit of an Achille's heel for me!

We used to buy 45's with a side A and a side B and the great thing about Smoky and alot of Motown music, moreso than other record companies IMO, was that alot of the time, side B would be just as strong as side A, which got all of the airplay. I remember an obscure little ditty that Smoky and the Miracles sang called "Come Spy With Me". It was on the back of one of the hits.
"Come spy with me
Live a life of danger and of mystery
Never trust a stranger in our company
We'll just have each other..."

That's all I remember but again, it was cute, the lyrics were clever, as always, and very timely with James Bond movies and I Spy and The Man From U.N.C.L.E very popular on television at the time.

You've heard "The Name Game"!
Shirley, shirley bo-birley, banana fana fo firley, me mi mo mirley...Shirley!

The name game...I'll have to look out for that one. I don't think I know it unless I have heard it but don't recognise the title.

The only Smokey songs I remember seeing on UK juke boxes were Tears of a clown of course, usually backed by Tracks of... and -also of course - Being with you.

I love finding strong tracks by Mr Robinson that I havn't heard before. Maybe you could give us a few more less well known ones to look out for, eoe?

Thanx for the name of the film that the soundtrack was from Smorgs. I knew I could rely on somebody to come up with an answer. Names of films are abit of an Achille's heel for me!

They have done a great remix of Tears of a clown which I found on Limewire today, freshens it up abit even for those as jaded as Tino and eoe with this great song.

Don't have detail of who sat at the mixing desk etc but it's on LM for anybody who is interested.

PS Has anybody heard The Beat's version of this [in US they were known as The English Beat and had a top ten hit with I confess]. Apparently Smokey approved, so much so that he sent them a letter congratulating them on their reinterpretation of this classic.