Bad Girl
Smokey Robinson Lyrics


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She's not a bad girl because she made me see
Oh how love could be
But she's a bad girl because she wants to be free
Oh, she wants to be free (bad girl, ooh)

She's not a bad girl to look at
Finer than fine (finer than fine), she said she was mine (said she was mine)
But she's a bad girl because it was only a line

I, I, I bragged to the boys about the girl that I had
It broke me up to find out she was bad
And my only wish is that I wish I could make
A bad, bad girl be good

She wasn't a bad, bad girl at first, so good at the start
Mmh, but now we must part (now we must part)
Oh yes she's a bad, bad girl because she's breaking my heart





Oh, now she's breaking my heart, so so so bad
She's breaking my heart

Overall Meaning

The song "Bad Girl" by Smokey Robinson tells the story of a woman who is not necessarily bad in herself, but her behavior is causing trouble in a relationship. The lyrics suggest that the singer was initially attracted to her and that she showed him what love could be. However, the woman wants to be free, which is causing problems between them. The singer admits that the woman is "finer than fine," indicating that he is still attracted to her despite her actions. But he also acknowledges that she has lied to him about their relationship, and he is hurt by her actions. The line "I, I, I beg to the birds about [Incomprehensible]" shows how desperate he is for her to hear him out, but she is not listening. The singer concludes by saying that she is breaking his heart and that he wishes he could make her change her ways.


Overall, the song portrays a complicated relationship in which the woman's desire for freedom clashes with the singer's desire for stability within the relationship. Robinson's smooth vocals and simple instrumentation emphasize the emotional weight of the lyrics, making for a poignant and relatable song for many listeners.


Line by Line Meaning

She's not a bad girl
The girl is not bad because she helped me learn how to love.


Because she made me see How love could be
The girl showed me a new way to experience love and it was a positive experience.


But she's a bad girl Because she wants to be free She wants to be free
However, she is a bad girl because her desire for freedom means that she is not committed to our relationship.


She's not a bad girl to look at Finer than fine Said she was mine, mine, mine
Physically, she is an attractive woman and she even claimed to be exclusively mine.


Because it was only a lie I, I, I beg to the birds about [Incomprehensible]
Unfortunately, these claims were revealed as false and now I find myself in a situation where I have allowed myself to be deceived.


It brought me out to find out She was bad and my only wish is that I wish I could make a bad girl to be good
After uncovering the truth, I realized that she is indeed a bad girl and I wish that I had the power to change her.


She wasn't a bad girl, girl at first So good at the start But now, now we must part
Initially, she didn't appear to be a bad girl and our relationship was good but unfortunately, we must now separate.


Oh yes, she's bad girl Because she's breaking my heart So, so, so bad, she's breaking my heart
Ultimately, she is a bad girl because she has caused me immense emotional pain and heartbreak.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Actual Music, S.L., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BERRY JR GORDY, BERRY GORDY JR, SMOKEY ROBINSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@williamg2552

R.I.P. to original Miracles member Marvin "Marv" Tarplin (June 13, 1941 – September 30, 2011) One of the greatest guitarists and songwriters of ALL TIME !! Marv....you will be missed !!!

@stephenmarcus2825

1959. Can you believe what a 19 year old kid became? A legend, today’s greatest musical treasure. Think of all the tunes he’s written sung, and produced. Greatest of my era.

@rogerbowen4978

There was kindness and love and soul ! In the hood 💪🥰

@Madminute1968

Smokey has one damn fine voice, and the studio musicians are outstanding.

@oppothumbs1

this was the first song to be released by Motown.
The song was written by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy. In my top 5 favorite song by the Miracles because I love haunting songs and melodies and this is a killer.

@BluesInMySoul

I love the ones where Claudette's voice is so clear. This is one of my favorite songs. The harmonies are to die for .

@toniandrews9272

Memories 💜

@DetroitLives313

Listen to how pure their vocals were. Amazing!

@bjclark1017

Yes, this was a song from my early teen age years. My older sister played this song on repeat for 24 hours a day. I thank her for that, 'cause it is still one of the most beautiful love songs I've ever heard.

@immaggiethesenilegoldenret7918

Haunting. Just beautiful. Always loved it.

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