Smokey Robinson’s favourite album of all time: “God was writing it”
In the realm of Motown leaders, Smokey Robinson doesn’t rank too far behind Berry Gordy. As the leader of The Miracles and, more broadly, a soul virtuoso, Robinson has earned his reputation as an industry icon more than ten times over, having been an integral presence in the scene for over six decades and paving the way for numerous major names to follow suit.
Robinson’s work within The Miracles provided the soundtrack to many musical icons, who grew up listening to his sounds and carried them throughout their own endeavours. One such figure was George Harrison, who idolised the musician so much he even penned a song in honour of his hero. “I’ve always liked Smokey Robinson, and he’s probably one of the best songwriters around,” he once said.
Although Robinson appreciated The Beatles as much as anyone else, he once admitted to gravitating more towards the quiet one, which led to the pair striking up a longtime friendship. While talking about Harrison’s work, he described it as “wonderful”, adding that it was “flattering for him to feel like that” and “wonderful to me”.
Despite regarding The Beatles as “a very unique group”, Robinson’s favourites are more in the realm of Motown greats, including Marvin Gaye and his magnum opus, the concept album What’s Going On. Not only is this famously Robinson’s favourite LP of all time, but he likens its existence to divinity, saying that “God was writing it.”
Robinson admired Gaye so much that he felt it was a privilege just to know him. No, really—when Rolling Stone asked his favourite memory with the late musician, he warmly replied: “My favourite memory of him was just knowing him. He was my brother. We met at a Christmas party at Motown. Harvey Fuqua, one of the founders of the Moonglows, who I grew up idolising, brought him. He started singing this Christmas song and drew a crowd. We became very, very close after that.”
It’s easy to see why Robinson admired Gaye and What’s Going On: not only did the musician prove the power of breaking free from production constraints, but he also fearlessly tackled difficult themes and topics like poverty, racism, and drug abuse. As a concept album, it also provides a seamless listening experience, with each song effortlessly flowing into the next.
Gaye also led the charge when it came to revolution within Motown, showing others that gaining greater creative control over your work was not only possible but a necessary route to take for creating deeper, more complex and well-rounded art. While Robinson guided the label from a relatively macro point of view, Gaye infiltrated the nuances of its potential, incorporating new styles and setting the standard for many to come.
