Smokey really has a hold on soul life
The Age
Friday December 11, 2009
A pioneer of 1960s music is in Melbourne and speaks with Patrick Donovan. THE soul music of Smokey Robinson is universally loved. In 1987, British band ABC immortalised him in a song called When Smokey Sings: "When Smokey sings/I hear violins/When Smokey sings/ I forget everything."You've Really Got a Hold on Me, The Tracks of My Tears, Tears of a Clown, I Second That Emotion and My Girl, which he wrote for the Temptations, have provided the soundtracks to four decades of love affairs.And the man once hailed by Bob Dylan as America's "greatest living poet" continues to win hearts. In 2004, he released an album of spirituals called Food for the Spirit for the church-going set. And last week he released Time Flies When You're Having Fun €” a sexy contemporary R&B album for a younger generation to groove to.Is it hard to be sexy at 69?"I did want it to be sexy," says Robinson at an inner-city hotel."I wanted it to be something that people could put on and say, 'Let's make love'."The new album also features a cover of Michael Jackson's song with the Jackson 5, I Want You Back. But after the singer's death, Robinson decided to include it as a secret track rather than list it. "I always wanted to do an adult version of that," says Robinson."And after I recorded it, Michael died. I didn't want people thinking I had exploited his death. Because he's my little brother and I love him very much. I didn't want it to be a sales point. So it's just there, hidden."Robinson achieved an astonishing 37 Top 40 hits for Motown Records, was inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters' Hall of Fame, received the Grammy Living Legend Award, an Honorary Doctorate and the National Medal of Arts Award from the President of the United States.Five decades on, his Motown hits have stood the test of time."Good music endures, and people never get tired of hearing it," he says. "It's like old cars. There's still cars on the road that were built in 1910. It's a good car and someone loves it, so it's still there being driven around."Many of his old labelmates will tour Australia in February as part of Motown's 50th anniversary celebrations, but Robinson has decided to tour separately on his own next year."I've been doing separate things. I haven't joined in on the Motown 50th anniversary shows. But they're all my brothers and sisters . . ."While he has seen singers and trends come and go, Robinson's favourite artist is the same 40 years on."I can't tell you what my favourite song is. But I can tell you my favourite album €” Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. It was prophecy. It is more poignant today than it was when it came it out."
© 2009 The Age
