Early years and formation of the Miracles
Robinson was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and was nicknamed "Smokey" as a child, because of his love of westerns. The name originally came when an uncle (who would take a young Robinson to see westerns) gave him the name "Smokey Joe", Robinson began being called "Smokey" whilst in his teens. In 1955, Robinson founded a group he called "The Five Chimes" with his best friend Ronnie White, and Northern High School classmates Pete Moore, Clarence Dawson, and James Grice. By 1957, the group was called "The Matadors" and included cousins Bobby Rogers and Claudette Rogers in place of Dawson and Grice. With Robinson as lead singer, the Matadors began touring the local Detroit venues. In 1958, Robinson met songwriter Berry Gordy, Jr., who co-wrote for them the single "Got a Job," an answer song to The Silhouettes' hit single "Get A Job." The group renamed itself The Miracles, and issued singles on both End Records and Chess Records before Robinson suggested to Berry Gordy that he start a label of his own.
In 1959, Gordy founded Tamla Records, which he soon reincorporated as Motown. The Miracles were among the label's first signees. Gordy and Robinson had a synergistic relationship, with Robinson providing a foundation for Motown's hit-making success and Gordy acting as a mentor for the budding singer and songwriter. By 1961, Gordy had appointed Robinson vice-president of Motown Records, a title Robinson held for as long as Gordy remained with the company.
Motown and The Miracles
The 1960 single "Shop Around" was Motown's first #1 hit on the R&B singles chart, and the first big hit for The Miracles. They scored many more hits over the years, including "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962), "Mickey's Monkey" (1963), "Ooo Baby Baby (1965), "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965), "Going to a Go-Go" (1965), "More Love" (1967), and "I Second That Emotion" (1967).
Besides penning hits for his own group, Robinson also wrote and produced hits and album tracks for other Motown artists. Mary Wells had a big hit with the Robinson-penned "My Guy" (1964), and Robinson served as The Temptations primary songwriter and producer from 1963 to 1966, penning hits such as "The Way You Do the Things You Do," "My Girl," "Since I Lost My Baby," and "Get Ready." Among Robinson's numerous other Motown compositions are "Still Water (Love)" by The Four Tops, "Don't Mess With Bill" by The Marvelettes, "When I'm Gone" by Brenda Holloway, "Ain't That Peculiar" and "I'll Be Doggone" by Marvin Gaye, "My Guy" by Mary Wells and "First I Look at the Purse" by The Contours.
Fellow singer/songwriter Bob Dylan described Robinson as "America's greatest living poet." Robinson's hit ballads also earned him the title "America's poet laureate of love." Over the course of his almost 50-year career in music, Robinson has over 4,000 songs to his credit.
After marrying Claudette Rogers, Robinson started a family, and named both of his children after Motown: his son was named Berry after the company's founder, and his daughter was named Tamla after the Motown imprint for which Robinson and The Miracles recorded.
The Miracles remained a premier Motown act through most of the 1960s. Albums were released as "Smokey Robinson & the Miracles" after 1965. By 1969, the group's fortunes began to falter, and Robinson decided to quit The Miracles so that he could remain at home with his family and concentrate on his duties as vice president. The group stopped recording and Robinson prepared to leave the group. Unexpectedly, however, their 1966 recording of "The Tears of a Clown" was released as a single in 1970, and became a #1 hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Due to the surprise success of "Tears of a Clown," Robinson was convinced to remain with The Miracles for a few more years. In 1972, he followed through on his original plans to leave the group, and The Miracles began a six-month farewell tour. On July 16, 1972, Smokey and Claudette Robinson gave their final performances as Miracles at the Carter Barron Amphitheater in Washington, DC, and Robinson introduced the group's new lead singer, Billy Griffin. The Miracles went on for a while, even having another #1 hit, "Love Machine," in 1976.
Successful solo career
Smokey Robinson began a low-key solo career while concentrating on his duties as vice-president of Motown, releasing his first solo LP, Smokey, in 1973. His first hit single, "Sweet Harmony" (1973), was dedicated to The Miracles.
In 1975, Robinson's solo career went into full-drive after the success of the #1 R&B hit "Baby That's Backatcha." Robinson's 1976 single "Quiet Storm" and its accompanying album typified a smooth, slow style of R&B that is today called "quiet storm." Other Robinson solo hits include "Cruisin'" (1979), "Being With You" (a UK #1 hit) (1981), "Tell Me Tomorrow" (1982), and "Ebony Eyes," a duet with labelmate Rick James (1983). He also recorded the soundtrack to the film Big Time (1977).
Spokesmanship
Smokey Robinson is the spokesman of the Great American Smokeout, which takes place annually one week before Thanksgiving. It's a day when smokers quit smoking for at least a day. In 2006, It takes place on November 16th.
Later years
During the mid-1980s, Robinson fell victim to cocaine addiction. His recording slowed, and his marriage to Claudette faltered; the two were divorced in 1986. Robinson eventually overcame the addiction and revitalized his career, scoring hits in 1987 with "Just To See Her" and "One Heartbeat." Also in 1987, British band ABC scored a US and UK hit with their tribute to Robinson, entitled "When Smokey Sings". In 1988, Robinson published his autobiography, Smokey, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Upon Motown's sale to MCA in 1988, Robinson resigned from his position as vice-president. After one last album for Motown, Love, Smokey (1990), Robinson departed the company. He released one record for SBK Records, Double Good Everything (1991), the same year he won a Soul Train Music Award for Career Achievement. Eight years later, he returned to Motown, which by then was a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and released Intimate (1999).
Since then, Robinson has continued to periodically perform and tour. In 2003, Robinson served as a guest judge for American Idol during "Billy Joel Week." He issued a gospel LP, Food for the Spirit in 2004. A new album of pop standards from the early 20th century, Timeless Love, was released in June 2006. It was originally recorded with a jazz combo, but strings were added after the fact, giving the album more of a lush sound but removing much of the jazz feeling of the disc.
In 2004, Robinson's company, SFGL Foods, launched a special brand of gumbo called "Smokey Robinson's 'The Soul is in the Bowl' Gumbo." [1].
In May 2006, at its 138th Commencement Convocation, Howard University conferred on Robinson the degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa.
Smokey Robinson is scheduled to appear on Duets on Fox along with Randy Travis, Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick, Aaron Neville, Clint Black, Michael Bolton, Kenny Loggins, Brian McKnight, Macy Gray, Richard Marx, and Cyndi Lauper. David Foster will be a judge.
On 27th October 2006 Smokey appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Smokey Robinson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Bout your plans to make me blue
With some other guy you knew before
Between the two of us guys
You know I loved you more
It took me by surprise I must say
When I found out yesterday
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
Oh I heard it through the grapevine
Oh I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey yeah.
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine baby
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
But these tears I can't hold inside
Losin' you would end my life you see
'Cause you mean that much to me
You could have told me yourself
That you loved some one else
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine
And I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey yeah
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine, baby
People say believe half of what you see
Son and none of what you hear
But I can't help but be confused
If it's true please tell me dear
Do you plan to let me go
For the other guy you loved before?
Don't you know I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
I heard it through the grapevine
I'm just about to love my mind
Honey, honey, yeah
I heard it through the grapevine,
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
The song I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles is a classic soulful ballad in which the singer is finding out from someone else that his partner is planning to leave him. The lyrics reveal the singer's intense love for his partner and his despair at the prospect of losing her. He reflects on the fact that he had no idea his partner was unhappy in the relationship and is shocked at the news he hears through the “grapevine”. The phrase “grapevine” refers to informal channels of communication, often used to spread rumors and gossip.
The song touches on themes of betrayal, trust, and love as the singer is feeling deeply hurt by his partner's actions. He is struggling to come to terms with the fact that the relationship is coming to an end and tries to understand why his partner did not tell him directly that she no longer wanted to be with him.
The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and recorded by many different artists over the years, including Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The Miracles' version was released in 1967 and became a smash hit, reaching number one on the Billboard R&B chart.
Line by Line Meaning
I bet you're wonderin' how I knew
You must be curious about how I found out
'Bout your plans to make me blue
That you wanted to hurt me
With some other guy you knew before
You were seeing someone else who you knew from before
Between the two of us guys
Out of the two of us men
You know I loved you more
I loved you more than he did
It took me by surprise I must say
I was shocked when I heard
When I found out yesterday
That you were leaving me to be with him
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
I found out through gossip, not from you
Not much longer would you be mine
You were going to leave me soon
Oh I heard it through the grapevine
I learned this from rumors
Oh I'm just about to lose my mind
This news is driving me crazy
Honey, honey yeah.
A term of endearment directed at you
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
It's not expected for a man to show emotions
But these tears I can't hold inside
But I can't hold back my tears
Losin' you would end my life you see
Losing you would be devastating to me
'Cause you mean that much to me
Because you are so important to me
You could have told me yourself
You should have been honest and told me
That you loved some one else
That you were in love with someone else
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
But instead I found out through gossip
People say believe half of what you see
Some say only believe part of what you see
Son and none of what you hear
And none of what you hear
But I can't help but be confused
But I can't help but to feel uncertain
If it's true please tell me dear
If this is really happening, please tell me
Do you plan to let me go
Do you plan to break up with me
For the other guy you loved before?
To be with the man you loved before?
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
You were going to leave me soon
I'm just about to love my mind
I am about to go crazy over this
Honey, honey, yeah
A term of endearment directed at you
I heard it through the grapevine,
I heard gossip about our relationship
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
You were going to leave me soon
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JohnHolton
I don't care who does it, this is a hell of a song and everyone who does it does a great version.
@roller325
Beautiful attitude to have John!
@ceeemm1901
Couldn't agree more.This is a rare song that's been able to be a great song with all the 'majors' that have recorded it. It didn't sound that much different between them, but they all had a subtle tweek and fingerprint that you could tell who it was. A perfect song..., like Monster Mash...(teehee)
@101Licious
Love the version of Creedence Clearwater Revival
@tlove610
I have to completely agree with you on that. Also, I did not know Smokey Robinson and the Miracles were the original artists of this song.
@Tarantulisimo
No doubt -- A great song is a great song, & will be a hit time after time
@diannerebedew259
I use to get listen to this on my little blue and white record player....especially when mom was having a bad day...I would get lost in Motown music...😂❤
@msoileau83
This was the first recorded version, in 1966. It wasn't released until much later. Marvin Gaye's version was the second one RECORDED (1967) but was initially rejected as a single and put on Gaye's "In The Groove" album (1968). DJs played the song on the radio and forced Motown to make it a single. Gladys Knight and the Pips' version was the first one RELEASED but the third RECORDED...
@shomzlezilebovic
what about temptations version?
@msoileau83
I don't know.