151. Henry Lumpkin: “Don’t Leave Me”
A disappointing waste of both a good song and a good vocalist, paired together wholly inappropriately and satisfying no-one. (3)
Category Archives: Writing credit: Smokey Robinson
145. The Miracles: “I’ve Been Good To You”
Quite pretty, but utterly pedestrian. Which (once again) isn’t to say it’s dreadful, it’s just… there, which is really not good enough by the rarified standards set by Miracles records. (5)
144. The Miracles: “What’s So Good About Good Bye”
It sounds really good, but stripping away the quality of the performances, it soon becomes clear it’s not one of Smokey’s best songs. (6)
113. The Miracles: “I Can’t Believe”
This is a fuzzy, dreamy, lushly-arranged ballad-cum-lullaby; quite lovely in places, but ultimately inconsequential. (4)
112. The Miracles: “Everybody’s Gotta Pay Some Dues”
One of the best singles of the early years of Motown (and one of the least-known!), this really should have been a bigger hit. (9)
95. The Supremes: “Who’s Lovin’ You”
The song works well enough rearranged for a female vocal group – Flo, Mary and Barbara provide decent support for Ross as she struggles her way through the material – but it just doesn’t suit Ross’ voice, and (as was discussed when talking about the Miracles version) I really don’t think the song is anything special to begin with, despite the critical praise that has since been lavished on it. It’s an average B-side with a quite pretty tune, and no more than that. (4)
87. The Miracles: “Mighty Good Lovin'”
A fine record. It’s not a Miracles classic, not by Smokey’s rarified standards, and it’s not without its problems – it’s a trifle repetitive, and (most uncharacteristically for its writer and lead singer) it doesn’t really go anywhere having made such an explosive start – but it’s plenty of fun nonetheless.
86. The Miracles: “Broken Hearted”
Motown’s first double-sided hit. The public was right – Mighty Good Lovin’ is the better song – but this one is good stuff too. A lavish, expensive-sounding production, and the song underneath it is a strong one, a noticeable step forward from the group’s earlier work.
85. Barrett Strong: “Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right”
A final teaming of Strong with the then-Motown songwriting “A” squad of Smokey Robinson and company boss Berry Gordy, this is a good song, but Strong’s performance, while fun as far as it goes, doesn’t go far enough. Competent, but ultimately disappointing. (4)
74. Gino Parks: “Don’t Say Bye Bye”
A thin, charmless Everly Brothers pastiche, this throwaway B-side from 1959 by “Ron & Bill” wasn’t up to much even on original release, and so quite why it was dusted off and dragged out for another go-round two years later is really anybody’s guess.
61. The Contours: “Whole Lotta Woman”
A riveting, pounding number, featuring gutsy sax, barrelling piano and a tambourine being smashed to within an inch of its life, while (especially on the original version) Billy Gordon’s superb, screamed lead vocal could strip paint from the walls.
Motown Junkies 