SITE SHIP DATE: 12/13/11
In the history of Motown there is only one person more important in its evolution and everlasting success than Berry Gordy, and that’s Smokey Robinson – the only artist at the label to also become a class songwriter, producer and company vice-president. Though he reluctantly decided to go it alone in 1972, by the end of the decade he was an established solo star, and “Cruisin’,” a major pop hit in 1979, proved he didn’t need disco thump and flash to pull it off. He followed up with two releases that became major in their own right.
Warm Thoughts followed the success of “Cruisin’” with less fanfare on the pop charts but was a solid Soul chart winner in 1980, featuring the No. 4 hit “Let Me Be The Clock” and “Heavy On Pride (Light On Love),” as well an upbeat collaboration with labelmate Stevie Wonder, “Melody Man.” The record has beloved album tracks, but perhaps none more so than “Wine, Women And Song,” Smokey’s duet with his then-wife, Claudette. Amazingly, this album is now on CD for the first time!
Being With You was a worldwide smash, Smokey’s biggest solo album of all time. Its success was driven by the hit title song, which was not only a No. 1 R&B record for more than a month, it was No. 1 in the U.K. and top 4 Pop and Adult Contemporary. Other highlights include the second single, the lovely “You Are Forever,” and the reggae-inspired “Food For Thought.” Throughout the album Smokey is singing better than ever, an amazing feat for man who had been working for more than 20 years.
Warm Thoughts/Being With You, as Volume 6 in the Smokey Robinson Solo Album Series, not only new includes a reproduction of the LPs’ original artwork, its booklet features additional photos from the original cover art sessions as well as full lyric reprints. And, as in previous volumes, there are newly commissioned liner notes by U.K. author Peter Doggett.
Tracks 1-8: Warm Thoughts
Tracks 9-16: Being With You
Tracks 17 & 18: Bonus Tracks
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