I woke up this morning with “Tracks of My Tears” playing in my head. “Take good look at my face” and the whole heartbroken melody filled my mind. I went on line and did a deep Smokey dive, not just for his Miracles’ classics, but his compositions for the Temptations and his best female muses, Mary Wells and the Marvelettes. Smokey is still making music and is on tour now with a recent album ‘Gasms.’ At eighty-three the Bard of romance endures. My favorite Smokey solo album is his third, the 1975 landmark, A Quiet Storm, that ignited his post Miracles career and ushered in an entire late night radio format. Working regularly with musical collaborators like guitarist Marv Tarplin, Smokey penned some of the greatest lyrics in pop, both for himself, other Motown acts and the many singers who’ve covered his songs over the last six decades. The songs below aren’t neccesarily Smokey’s biggest hits. Just music that has stayed with me over the years and are testimony to his inventive word play and deep soul.
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