Smokey - Flat Out Soul

Even growing up in Detroit, even having the Motown sound in my blood, I never thought much of Smokey Robinson. That opinion is being rehabilitated. Somehow an mp3 of his, "Cruisin,'" ended up on my iPod. That tune filled me to overflowing with happiness and lightingbolts of soul and I listened to it non-stop for days. Now that I'm doing some digging in old soul dumptsters, I've found some real heartstopping gems. Like "Fallin,'" which provokes two questions. One, when did this track win the gold medal for sexy? And two, why has anybody bothered making slowjams since?

I remember now why I never used to like Smokey. I thought he was singing too flat. I just didn't understand that he was singing flat-out soul. I see now. Some of the Miracles stuff is cool, but I'm making my way through the later solo stuff. His voice sounds a little worse for wear, and he is just working that grit up and down. Miracles Smokey doesn't live up to the name. It's Silky Robinson, not Smokey. But the solo stuff, his pipes sound charred and that ugly croon is just beautiful.

Smokey Robinson - "Fallin'"

Smokey Robinson - "Cruisin'"