Smokey's tearjerkers

**arr&bee** · 04-13-2021, 03:18 PM

Part of the genious of the master songwriter is just as he's written happy songs of love, with one stroke of his mighty pen he will write a sonnett so sad that you'll reach for the hanky...the sadness of[the tracks of my tears]the dire warning to those at[the fork in the road]the desperate plea of[oo baby baby]the loneliness of[i can't find]do you have a fav? For me the greatest song ever written about lost love is[i can't find].

**Motown Eddie** · 04-13-2021, 04:17 PM

Yes Indeed: Smokey Robison is the master at writing about the Good & the Bad Times of Love. I've got too many "tearjerkers" by him to try to list them all here but some of my favorites are-
"A Fork In The Road"
"The Tracks Of My Tears"
"The Love I Found In You Was Just A Mirage"
"What's So Good About Goodbye"
"In Each Rain, Some Life Must Fall"
"After You Put Back The Pieces [I'll Still Have A Broken Heart]"

**jboy88** · 04-13-2021, 09:12 PM

“Since I Lost My Baby” which was actually written after Claudette had one of her miscarriages. So while the Temptations were singing about losing a woman, Smokey was writing about losing his unborn child.

**144man** · 04-14-2021, 03:52 AM

Originally Posted by Motown Eddie

Yes Indeed: Smokey Robison is the master at writing about the Good & the Bad Times of Love. I've got too many "tearjerkers" by him to try to list them all here but some of my favorites are-
"A Fork In The Road"
"The Tracks Of My Tears"
"The Love I Found In You Was Just A Mirage"
"What's So Good About Goodbye"
"In Each Rain, Some Life Must Fall"
"After You Put Back The Pieces [I'll Still Have A Broken Heart]"

Sorry to correct you Eddie but "After You Put Back the Pieces..." was written by Wonder/Paul/ Broadnax not Smokey. [i remember only because I've made the same mistake myself.]

**Motown Eddie** · 04-14-2021, 05:04 AM

Originally Posted by 144man

Sorry to correct you Eddie but "After You Put Back the Pieces..." was written by Wonder/Paul/ Broadnax not Smokey. [i remember only because I've made the same mistake myself.]

Ooops! Totally forgot that Smokey didn't write that one. Thanks for the correction 144man.

**fourtopsjim** · 04-14-2021, 11:18 PM

Not about Love, per sé, but I always thought Holly was a very sad song and story.

**PeaceNHarmony** · 04-15-2021, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by jboy88

“Since I Lost My Baby” which was actually written after Claudette had one of her miscarriages. So while the Temptations were singing about losing a woman, Smokey was writing about losing his unborn child.

Interesting, but of course heartbreaking. Always a great song and performance.

**tjl** · 04-15-2021, 05:32 PM

I Cry
Can You Love A Poor Boy
My Girl Has Gone
Broken Hearted
Give Her Up
I've Been Good To You
We've Come Too Far To End It Now
Sweet Harmony

**WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance** · 04-15-2021, 07:37 PM

"Baby, Baby Don't Cry" is the one that brings me close to tears. There is something profound about it that seems to go deeper than what's on the surface. "Much Better Off" is a VERY close second."

**Philles/Motown Gary** · 04-18-2021, 02:55 AM

"Who's Gonna Take The Blame" has never moved me to tears, but it's a really pretty tune designed to be sad in which a young girl searching for love ends up resorting to prostitution. I just realized that it's actually an Ashford & Simpson composition, but Smokey sings it from the heart as if he, himself, did write it and is feeling the pain.

**144man** · 04-18-2021, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Philles/Motown Gary

"Who's Gonna Take The Blame" has never moved me to tears, but it's a really pretty tune designed to be sad in which a young girl searching for love ends up resorting to prostitution. I just realized that it's actually an Ashford & Simpson composition, but Smokey sings it from the heart as if he, himself, did write it and is feeling the pain.

Going off-topic, the same fate befalls the girl in Lamont Dozier's "Rose"[ABC]. The song was written by Freddie Gorman and Janie Bradford, and The Originals' original version is presumably somewhere in the Motown vaults.

**Philles/Motown Gary** · 04-18-2021, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by 144man

Going off-topic, the same fate befalls the girl in Lamont Dozier's "Rose"[ABC]. The song was written by Freddie Gorman and Janie Bradford, and The Originals' original version is presumably somewhere in the Motown vaults.

You're right, 144man! I checked out Lamont's "Rose" and its identical theme to "Who's Gonna Take The Blame". I hope we get to hear The Originals' version before it's too late.

**144man** · 04-18-2021, 02:26 PM

When the Words In Your Heart Get Caught Up In Your Throat

Is there anyone here who that hasn't happened to?

**144man** · 04-18-2021, 04:51 PM

"What's So Good About Goodbye" was one of the first songs that got me into Motown.

**Rjacks** · 04-19-2021, 08:28 AM

I Can't Believe
Don't Take It So Hard - From 'A Pocketful of Miracles'. Smokey didn't write this one
I'm Loving You Softly - From 'Love Breeze'. Smokey didn't write this one either.

**reese** · 04-20-2021, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Philles/Motown Gary

"Who's Gonna Take The Blame" has never moved me to tears, but it's a really pretty tune designed to be sad in which a young girl searching for love ends up resorting to prostitution. I just realized that it's actually an Ashford & Simpson composition, but Smokey sings it from the heart as if he, himself, did write it and is feeling the pain.

This is probably my favorite Miracles recording. The last time I saw Smokey in concert, he had two buckets in which people could place requests. I put in a request for this song. Unfortunately, he didn't choose mine. But it would have been great if he had.

**Philles/Motown Gary** · 04-20-2021, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by reese

This is probably my favorite Miracles recording. The last time I saw Smokey in concert, he had two buckets in which people could place requests. I put in a request for this song. Unfortunately, he didn't choose mine. But it would have been great if he had.

Reese, I've loved that song since the very first time I heard it played on our local A.M. radio station. In fact, I raced to the record store to buy it! It would have been cool if Smokey had chosen your request. A few years ago, I attended an Anne Murray concert in Nashville where she was backed by the Nashville symphony. During the intermission, when the orchestra was on breakable, Anne and her back-up singers moved to the front of the stage and asked the audience for requests which they performed "unplugged". I hollered up "Blue-Finger Lou" and, by golly, they played it! It really is a special moment when one of your favorite recording artists honors your request. It's like they're singing it just for you! [[A funny thing happened during the request-a-tune segment! An older woman sitting in front of us requested "I Am Woman" which, of course, was a Helen Reddy tune, not Anne Murray. The audience got a good laugh over that one!)