Hold on to your seats, we’re travelling back nearly half a decade to recall a time when Motown ruled the world. Well, not quite, but sometimes it felt like it. Let’s TCB…
During February 1981, following releases from two major artists – Diana Ross with “It’s My Turn” from the film of the same name, and the other from The Temptations with “Take Me Away” from the Loving Couples movie – Smokey Robinson released the mid-tempo ballad “Being With You”, the title track from his thirty-third album. Produced and arranged by George Tobin, only four of the album’s nine tracks were written by the singer. And “Being With You” was his most commercial album to date, which perhaps answered a load of questions about Smokey’s work of late.
Anyway, you’re probably aware of the story behind the single, but if not, I’ll quickly explain. George Tobin had produced The Miracles’ song “More Love” on Kim Carnes, with which she enjoyed a top ten US hit. Smokey was thrilled and told George he had written another song with Kim in mind, but by this time, George and Kim had gone their separate ways: they had had a major fight over Kim’s recording of “Bette Davis Eyes”.
George further explained in The Billboard Book Of Number One R&B Hits “So I didn’t tell Smokey that I wasn’t producing (her) anymore. I said ‘Come on over’ and when he did, he played ‘Being With You’ for me on a Fender Rhodes in my office. He’s pitching it to me for Kim, and I’m saying ‘No, no, this is great for you, you ought to do it.'” Smokey was dismayed that George failed to share his enthusiasm for the song, but when the producer offered to work on it with him for no charge, Smokey agreed, although pressed home that nobody had ever produced him as a solo artist before. With the singer’s first wife, Claudette, singing back-ups, “Being With You” was recorded in three takes, with George combining the best sections from each.
Next step was to play the song to Berry Gordy. It was an immediate thumbs down, but Smokey firmly insisted on its release. Within a few weeks, “Being With You” was the hottest sound around, enjoying airtime on pop and R&B radio stations, as it rapidly climbed the US chart. Hah, it stalled at number two – Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes” kept him from the top! (As a little aside here, actress Bette Davis was seventy-three years old when the single hit. So thrilled was she that she wrote letters to Kim, thanking her for elevating her ‘into modern times’. And when the song won a pair of Grammy Awards, Bette sent her roses, whereupon Kim gifted the actress with gold and platinum records. Aw!)
“Being With You” was Motown’s eighty-eighth chart-topping US R&B hit, six of which were now credited to Smokey, four of which were recorded with The Miracles (“Shop Around”, “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me”, “I Second That Emotion”, “The Tears Of A Clown”, and his solo release “Baby That’s Backatcha”).
So let’s move to the UK, London precisely, where I was publicist for Motown during this time. I recall we were under immense pressure from America to repeat the US single’s success, particularly as 1981 also marked Smokey’s silver anniversary in the business. Sure, “Being With You” was an ideal, easy-to-listen-to, radio record but sales were so sluggish, as had been the case with most of Smokey’s solo work to date, because – and I hazard a guess here – the public had grown very fond of, and preferred, that exciting, pulsating Motown Sound he and The Miracles had generated through songs like “Going To A Go-Go”, their debut UK single charter, with its mouth watering extended tempo-defining introduction, which went on to peak in the top fifty in 1966. (Phew – that was a mouthful!)
The trend continued with the more popular top forty single “(Come Round Here) I’m The One You Need”, introducing listeners to the meaty beat of the song after a sweeping orchestral introduction, and the gloriously smooth “I Second That Emotion”, a top thirty hit, a year later. How I loved this decade in Motown’s history as it delivered young, honest, enthusiastic music, defining a sound that would last a lifetime, although nobody realised that at the time.
Motown had sent us the artwork for the “Being With You” album, so I had the front cover printed in black and white to use as a promotional picture to accompany my press statement. Wearing his striped jumper, Smokey looked cute with his smiley face and cheeky little moustache. The chances of him popping by to London to help us were negligible, so we got on the best we could. I don’t know what our promotion guys did – and that included the disco department headed up by Noreen Allen – but they gave the single an almighty push and suddenly we got a little chart action.
Meanwhile in America, Motown celebrated Smokey’s silver anniversary year by booking Sunset Boulevard billboards in his honour, in-depth artist profiles for radio and television – including a ninety-minute programme Salute To Smokey Robinson – and the exploitation of his back catalogue. Smokey supported all this with an extensive US tour, with plans to visit the UK to promote the single and album. We were gutted when this trip failed to materialise. Yah! Boo! We did it without him.
“Being With You” hit the top spot where it stayed for two weeks. It was Motown’s fastest selling UK single since the Commodores with “Three Times A Lady”. Champagne all round! We did receive (rather belatedly) a promotional video featuring Smokey singing and lounging around at Berry Gordy’s magnificent beach house which, when shown on the BBC chart show Top Of The Pops to celebrate the single’s pole position, was partly obliterated by the programme’s closing credits. Sometimes we just couldn’t win.
However, we had another ace up our sleeves. A 1975 Michael Jackson ballad “One Day In Your Life” from “Forever Michael” was re-mixed and re-issued. It replaced “Being With You” at the top, and was, naturally, a blatant cash-in on Michael’s unprecedented success at CBS with “Off the Wall”. Champagne was ordered again, and I seem to remember also celebrating with some Epic staff in their Soho Square offices.
Magic in the air didn’t end there. “Being With You” was certified gold on 12 June 1981, the same day as “One Day In Your Life” was certified silver. As a way of thanking us for keeping the Motown flag flying, we were each given framed discs – one bearing the blue M label, the other the black Tamla Motown one – and they both proudly hang on my home office wall. As you’ve probably realised, this was the first time in Motown’s UK history that one artist followed another to the top. “It doesn’t matter how many hit records you may have had before, it’s a great feeling,” Smokey said at the time. “In fact, the older you get, the more appreciative you become. From the moment I heard the completed tape (of ‘Being With You’) I knew it was a winner. I was pretty sure of the mechanics of the record beforehand, but you never quite know whether it will have the certain ‘touch’ until it’s finished. Fortunately, this one did. It was very satisfying too, as a few people at Motown were not too sure of the record.”
Back across the Atlantic, Smokey appeared at an anti-angel dust rally in Los Angeles, where he spoke at length about the horrors of the drug PCP, while offering his high profile status in support of the campaign, adding that he’d forbidden drug taking during his concerts. It’s ironic that within a matter of months, he would be fighting his own battle against drug addiction. He hit gutter level before reaching out for help, but gradually he beat his demons and returned to the life he knew best – making music.
Meanwhile, back in February 1981, Motown’s celebrations were highlighted by a concert held in Smokey’s honour at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. Performers included Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Teena Marie and Aretha Franklin. “It was a very special occasion for me and one that I’ll never forget. It was a magnificent gesture by everyone who came and I have to confess that I was totally choked up inside by their show of affection.”
Obviously, Smokey wasn’t a stranger to enjoying success but it wasn’t something, he said, he automatically expected. “As long as I am in show business I’m going to have to pay my dues. I’ve never reached the point where I feel that I had it made. I know I’ve been pretty lucky up to now, but I still have plenty of ambitions left. There’s an awful lot of talented competition out there, and I continually strive to compete. When that drive stops, then I’ll retire.” This chat was dated 1981, and it’s now forty-four years later. And in his eighty-fifth year Mr Robinson is still ‘ driving’ as a UK tour was recently announced to take in Glasgow, Birmingham, Cardiff, London, and the annual Love Supreme Festival in Glynde. He may look a bit different today, but he’s still the man with the smiley face.
In recent years, the singer diverted from the music business to become associated with a wine company but after I checked into the website (smokeyrobinsonwines.com) I’m not sure if it’s still operating as a couple of links wouldn’t open. However, two wines were still being advertised – “My Girl”, about which he said, “I wrote ‘My Girl’ for The Temptations as a way to showcase each group member’s specific voice. I knew instantly it would be a classic. Now, I offer you the ‘My Girl’ Chardonnay to showcase my love of wine.” The other was “I Second That Emotion”, a cheeky Cabernet Sauvignon: “Throughout the years I have given you this song as an expression of my emotions. Now I am excited to offer you this wine!” I scrolled a bit further to find “Being With You”, a crisp Pinot Noir, and “Cruisin'”, a smooth red wine. Then to push home the point, there’s even a short video from the top salesman himself promoting the product. So, what’s the price I hear you asking? $20 or $30 a pop is the reply, and the wine doesn’t appear to be available outside the US. I’m not bothered as the postage alone would be a killer.
Away from the booze and back to music, since late November 2023, Smokey has owned and hosted the SiriusXM channel Soul Town. It’s a station that plays soul and R&B from the fifties through to the eighties. Under the banner Smokey’s Soul Town, he occasionally contributes to the station by talking about his life and favourite music.
As I got into writing this, I tried to remember the first time I actually met up with Mr. Robinson, and all I came up with was 1977, when he was touring the UK. He admitted he’d been doing US solo concerts for a couple of years already but not at the pace he used to with The Miracles: “I’m freer to do them at my own pace because there’s no-one else involved.” And, he explained, his act varied from show to show because “I believe in pleasing people who come to see me. So the first four or five numbers are formatted – just to get started – then we sing whatever the people want to hear. Whatever they yell out, we sing it, because that’s why they came to see us.”
Unexpected visitors to his London concert were Stevie Wonder and his partner Yolanda who had flown to London from Paris as part of their European holiday on 1 November. Motown had no idea they were in the city until they casually walked into the London offices. There they met up with Smokey, and, among other things, together sang an impromptu “Happy Birthday” to beforementioned Noreen before presenting her with a bouquet of flowers. Now that’s something that doesn’t happen every day! Why didn’t I carry a camera! As well as attending Smokey’s gig, Stevie appeared on stage with Elton John at Wembley Arena, to play keyboards for the British star’s finale.
As you know, “Pure Smokey”, “Smokey” and “A Quiet Storm” are among the several Motown albums released by Elemental Music, but this month the company announced plans to issue its twenty-ninth and final title in their Motown Sound collection, namely, the Temptations’ “Psychedelic Shack”.
With this release, Elemental stated it officially completes the full collection. So, does this mean, that re-issued material will be available to other companies, that our much-loved specially compiled box sets will return, and that Motown will be the talk of the town at realistic prices? I’d like to think so. Meantime, I’ll content myself by listening to “Cellarful Of Motown – A Northern Soul Love Affair” due on the newly formed West Grand label. My thanks to Paul N.
And on that note, I’ll bid you a fond farewell until next month.
Sharon Davis
