William “Smokey” Robinson Jr. is an iconic American singer, songwriter, and record producer, born on February 19, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan. As a founding member of The Miracles and a key figure in the Motown sound, Robinson has left an indelible mark on the music industry. With his smooth tenor voice and unparalleled songwriting skills, he crafted timeless hits such as “Shop Around,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” and “Tears of a Clown.” Robinson’s contributions to Motown Records extended beyond his own recordings; he served as a prolific songwriter and producer for other artists on the label, helping to define the “Sound of Young America” in the 1960s and 1970s. Throughout his career, Robinson has earned numerous accolades, including inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, solidifying his legacy as a pioneer of soul music.

Smokey Robinson Quotes

1. “Songwriting is my gift from God.”
— Smokey Robinson

2. “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day.”
— Smokey Robinson

3. “I don’t like you, but I love you.”
— Smokey Robinson

4. “A taste of honey is worse than none at all.”
— Smokey Robinson

5. “Mistakes, I know I’ve made a few. But I’m only human, you’ve made mistakes, too.”
— Smokey Robinson

6. “People say I’m the life of the party Because I tell a joke or two Although I might be laughing loud and hearty Deep inside I’m blue So take a good look at my face You’ll see my smile looks out of place If you look closer, it’s easy to trace The tracks of my tears…”
— Smokey Robinson

7. “Though you treat me badly, I love you madly.”
— Smokey Robinson

8. “Pretty girls come a dime a dozen, try to find one who’s gonna give you true loving.”
— Smokey Robinson

9. “I will build you a castle with a tower so high it reaches the moon.”
— Smokey Robinson

10. “There’s some sad things known to man, but ain’t too much sadder than, the tears of a clown when noones around.”
— Smokey Robinson

11. “I always try to write a song, I never just want to write a record. Originally I was not writing songs for myself. Songwriting is my gift from God.”
— Smokey Robinson

12. “That’s what love is made of, snakes, snails, and puppy dog tails, sugar, spice, and everything nice.”
— Smokey Robinson

13. “Put your trust in me, let this love be. This is for real, let time stand still.”
— Smokey Robinson

14. “Baby, let’s cruise, let’s flow, let’s glide.”
— Smokey Robinson

15. “The only thing you’re taking out of here is your spirit and your soul, so we need to be conscious to try and develop that part of ourselves, because we’re all spiritual creatures.”
— Smokey Robinson

16. “You know what, life is full of temptations.”
— Smokey Robinson

17. “You know what, I’m probably one of the most blessed people there’s ever been, and I thank God for it.”
— Smokey Robinson

18. “Everybody has their own soul.”
— Smokey Robinson

19. “We’re all going to be victims of temptation at several points in our lives.”
— Smokey Robinson

20. “Once you’re a Motown artist, you’re always a Motown artist.”
— Smokey Robinson

21. “As a kid, this is what I wanted my life to be. Not in my wildest dreams did I ever dare to dream that it would be this.”
— Smokey Robinson

22. “Even if I don’t release it myself, somebody else might hear it and want to record it. When you write a song, it gives it that potential.”
— Smokey Robinson

23. “I will bring you a flower from the floor of the sea to wear in your hair.”
— Smokey Robinson

24. “They don’t tell you this in school, Everybody plays the fool.”
— Smokey Robinson

25. “Now if I appear to be carefree it’s only to camouflage my sadness. In order to keep my pride I try to cover the hurt with a show of gladness.”
— Smokey Robinson

26. “Just like Pagliacci did, I try to keep my surface hid. Smiling in the crowd I try, but in a lonely room I cry.”
— Smokey Robinson

27. “If you feel like loving me, if you’ve got the notion, I second that emotion.”
— Smokey Robinson

28. “Hickory dickory dock, I just want to be your clock. Just set me for a lifetime, and I’ll wake you up every morning.”
— Smokey Robinson

29. “Motown will always be a heavy-duty part of my life because those are my roots.”
— Smokey Robinson

30. “There is nothing that means more to a woman than a love she can count on.”
— Smokey Robinson

31. “She may be cute, but she’s just a substitute.”
— Smokey Robinson

32. “As human beings, we’re very materialistic and have all this stuff – furs and cars and diamonds and money.”
— Smokey Robinson

33. “My mother was a churchgoing lady, so I always heard about God at home.”
— Smokey Robinson

34. “With a heart that is truthful, keeping you youthful.”
— Smokey Robinson

35. “If I hear one of my songs by anybody, it’s a dream come true every time for me as a songwriter, because I want to write a song, I want to write a song that the world can sing and will always sing.”
— Smokey Robinson

36. “Drugs are in every walk of life – doctors, lawyers, preachers, the guy who works for IBM, teenagers on the street, teenagers in school.”
— Smokey Robinson

37. “You are most certainly the inspiration for all of today’s rock ‘n’ roll guitarists. Your music is timeless.”
— Smokey Robinson

38. “So I wanted to sing inspirational music, and that’s exactly how I approached it – only the words have been changed to declare my relationship with God.”
— Smokey Robinson

39. “Before you ask some girl for her hand now, keep your freedom for as long as you can now. My Mama told me, you better shop around.”
— Smokey Robinson

40. “I’m blessed, because I enjoy every part of my life. I enjoy writing songs. I’ve been trying to write songs since I was five years old.”
— Smokey Robinson

41. “There are very few courses around Detroit I haven’t played.”
— Smokey Robinson

42. “If some of those people who wanted to ban Beethoven’s music could hear the music that’s being played today, wow, what would they do, man?”
— Smokey Robinson

43. “Once you’re a Motown artist, that’s your stigmatism, and I was there from the very first day.”
— Smokey Robinson

44. “Ron White was not one of the very first original members of the Motown staff, but eventually he was.”
— Smokey Robinson

45. “Originally I was not writing songs for myself.”
— Smokey Robinson

46. “People still look at Michael Jackson as being a Motown artist.”
— Smokey Robinson

47. “One thing I can say about the Motown acts is that we were a family. That’s not a myth.”
— Smokey Robinson

48. “When you write a song, a song has longevity.”
— Smokey Robinson

49. “I really haven’t strayed too far, musically, from my roots.”
— Smokey Robinson

50. “Beethoven was just music, and it didn’t matter if he could hear it or not – he could feel it. He could hear it in his mind. He could write it down hearing it in his mind. He was just music. Yeah, he’s one of my favorite writers of all times.”
— Smokey Robinson