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Smokey Robinson: Writing for the Souls of Others
Growing up in a house with “grown folks music,” my sisters and I have heard many people or groups played loudly, (Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Natalie Cole, and Smokey Robinson just to name a few) while watching our father sing along, swaying back and forth, while snapping his fingers, closing his eyes, and being taken away by the music and it’s lyrics. He would often say to us, “You don’t know nothing ‘bout this, y’all too young to understand.” However, what he failed to realize was by hearing this genre of music all the time, I felt I did. Smokey Robinson, a rhythm and blues connoisseur, captivated me at a young age hitting that tender spot in my soul. He could make me cry of happiness or cause me to be sad relating my own situations with his songs. I can remember at the gentle age of 16, I befriended a guy the same age, who was taken aback by the lyrics to Smokey Robinson’s song “Cruisin.” In fact, I think he took some of the lyrics too serious because he had just stolen his stepfather’s car and called me to see if I wanted to go with him (to runaway). When I sat in the car to talk him down, he played this song and sung it to me. He was having family issues, and I knew this was my moment to convince him to work through these issues, that and he did not have a permit or license to drive; I definitely did not want him to hurt himself. Well we talked and as the night went on, several different artists played, and I thought of a plan. I had to get my cassette player, because I had a tape for him with the perfect song to change his emotions and convince him to stay. Imagine sitting in the backseat of a car and listening to Smokey Robinson’s, “Ooo Baby Baby.” This song took the mood over; he was now from a tense eye-twitching frown to a teary-eyed smile. He knew this wa...