72+ Smokey Robinson Quotes On Education, Creativity And Being Black

Smokey Robinson is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. He is one of the most successful musical performers of the 20th century, with more than 4,000 songs recorded by him and his group, The Miracles. Robinson was the founder and frontman of the Motown vocal group The Miracles, and is credited with the creation of the Motown Sound. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Smokey Robinson on life, love, education.

Top 10 Smokey Robinson Quotes

1. As human beings, we're very materialistic and have all this stuff - furs and cars and diamonds and money.
2. If you feel like loving me, if you've got the notion, I second that emotion.
3. I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. The Beatles were huge. And the first thing they said when you interviewed them, 'Oh yeah, we grew up on Motown.'..They were the first white act to admit they grew up listening to black music.
7. A taste of honey is worse than none at all.
8. Drugs are in every walk of life - doctors, lawyers, preachers, the guy who works for IBM, teenagers on the street, teenagers in school.
9. I had been stockpiling Gospel songs for other artists, and had planned to submit them to Gospel artists.
10. 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 Short Quotes

• They don't tell you this in school, Everybody plays the fool.
• I will build you a castle with a tower so high it reaches the moon.
• We're all going to be victims of temptation at several points in our lives.
• Songwriting is my gift from God.
• Baby, let's cruise, let's flow, let's glide.
• Mistakes, I know I've made a few. But I'm only human, you've made mistakes, too.
• I will bring you a flower from the floor of the sea to wear in your hair.
• Everybody has their own soul.
• One thing I can say about the Motown acts is that we were a family. That's not a myth.
• In fact, I wouldn't really call this a Gospel album, I call it more an inspirational album.

Smokey Robinson Quotes About Life

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

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

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

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

Smokey Robinson Quotes About Love

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

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

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

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

I don't like you, but I love you. — Smokey Robinson

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

I love hearing my music, I love hearing it by other people. I hope it will always be played. — Smokey Robinson

Smokey Robinson Quotes About People

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

There's so many wonderful gospel people out there, and I don't necessarily want to compete with those people. — Smokey Robinson

I left Motown because of the regime of people who were there. — Smokey Robinson

It kills me to see people think that, show business is sex, drugs and rock and roll. And I have what you call a meet and greet. I do it before the show. But when I was doing it after the show especially, there would be people who would come back and said, OK, Smoke, where's the party? — Smokey Robinson

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

And I can say this, most of the people who have recorded my songs are songwriters themselves. — Smokey Robinson

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

Smokey Robinson Quotes About Songs

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

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

Had I not come out with an inspirational CD, you perhaps would have never known that I feel like I feel, that all songs, all the music I've ever done is a gift from God. — Smokey Robinson

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

I still perform because it's a necessity for my innards. And those songs, some of those songs, I have sung, I don't know how many thousands of times. And I promise you, every single solitary night, they're new to me. They are brand-new to me that night. — Smokey Robinson

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

When someone picks up one of my songs and records it, I'm a flattered man, it's a blessing to me. — Smokey Robinson

I always try to write a song, I never just want to write a record. — Smokey Robinson

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

Smokey Robinson Quotes About Music

That's because we did not set out to make black music. We set out to make quality music that everyone could enjoy and listen to. — Smokey Robinson

I don't ever balk at being considered a Motown person, because Motown is the greatest musical event that ever happened in the history of music. — Smokey Robinson

I really haven't strayed too far, musically, from my roots. — Smokey Robinson

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

You are most certainly the inspiration for all of today's rock 'n' roll guitarists. Your music is timeless. — Smokey Robinson

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

Smokey Robinson Famous Quotes And Sayings

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

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

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

I've never been to rehab, I've never been to psychotherapy or the doctor or anything like that. I went to a church and I was prayed for, and I've always had a great relationship with God. — Smokey Robinson

Once you're a Motown artist, you're always a Motown artist. — Smokey Robinson

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

Without you hearing a melody or music or anything like that, it would say something to you. So, that's what a song is to me. Now, you have a lot of songs that come out, and the beat carries them over there, because of the beat, and because of some other factors and so on and so forth. But I want mine to be a song, if you read it, it's going to mean something to you. — Smokey Robinson

She may be cute, but she's just a substitute. — Smokey Robinson

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

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

If I just gave you a piece of paper with the lyrics written down on it, it would mean something to you. It would tell you a story. — Smokey Robinson

We're very physical creatures, and we worry about how we look sometimes more than our spiritual selves. — Smokey Robinson

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

I played golf all over Detroit. — Smokey Robinson

My uncle Claude was my favorite uncle he was also my godfather. He and I were really, really close. He used to take me to see cowboy movies all the time when I was a little boy because I loved cowboy movies. He got a cowboy name for me, which was Smokey Joe. So from the time I was three years old if people asked me what my name was I didn't tell them my name was William, I told them my name was Smokey Joe. — Smokey Robinson

My philosophy on writing a song for myself is that I always, always, always want to write a song. I always want to write a song. I realize that as a record producer or a singer or whatever I might not, if I recorded on myself or someone else, the first time out I might not give it the right treatment, so that the world or many people will accept it and it'll be a public hit, or anything like that. — Smokey Robinson

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

There are very few courses around Detroit I haven't played. — Smokey Robinson

I've been speaking at churches for years, as well as juvenile jails, rehabs and hospitals, and I always talk about my faith. That is a declaration of my relationship with God. — Smokey Robinson

Life Lessons by Smokey Robinson

1. Smokey Robinson's work teaches us the power of collaboration and the importance of staying true to yourself. He often worked with other artists to create timeless music that pushed boundaries and inspired generations.
2. Smokey Robinson's career also shows us the importance of hard work, dedication, and resilience. He overcame many obstacles and remained dedicated to his craft for over six decades.
3. Smokey Robinson's work also serves as a reminder of the importance of staying humble and giving back. He has used his platform to support charities and causes he believes in, and has always stayed humble despite his success.