Originally Posted by
marybrewster
I'm not doubting the story, but the track was recorded in September of 1967.
If Smokey wished this woman "Merry Christmas", that would have been December of 1966? So it took Smokey almost a year to write and record the song?
Of course, wiki tells a completely different story than Al's recollection: One morning in 1967, Robinson and Cleveland were shopping at Hudson's, a Detroit department store. Robinson found a set of pearls for his wife, Claudette. "They're beautiful." he said to the salesperson. "I sure hope she likes them." Cleveland then added "I second that emotion." Both songwriters laughed at Cleveland's malapropism; he had meant to say "I second that motion." The two were immediately inspired to write a song using the incorrect phrase.
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