Smokey Robinson Quotes

Once you're a Motown artist, you're always a Motown artist

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day

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

As human beings, we're very materialistic and have all this stuff - furs and cars and diamonds and money.

If you feel like loving me, if you've got the notion, I second that emotion.

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.

Songwriting is my gift from God

One thing I can say about the Motown acts is that we were a family. That's not a myth

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.

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.

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

A taste of honey is worse than none at all.

Drugs are in every walk of life - doctors, lawyers, preachers, the guy who works for IBM, teenagers on the street, teenagers in school.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

With a heart that is truthful, keeping you youthful.

I know what God did for me. I know that He is my way out and my way in. He's my way out of all this havoc and my way into paradise. He suffered for me and for everybody listening. God loves us so much. He tried a lot of things to get our attention. He tried a lot of things to get us back to Him. So He said, "I'll tell you what. I'm going to make it real simple for you. I'm going to send my Son. He's going to take on all your iniquities and all your sins. He's gonna die in your place so you can have everlasting life. All you've got to do is accept that.

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

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

The one thing about God that's so beautiful is He is omnipotent, and He is the Almighty. But He's not a dictator.

There are very few courses around Detroit I haven't played

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

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.

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.

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.

They don't tell you this in school, Everybody plays the fool.

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

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

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

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

I remember my first check that I got for a thousand dollars, and where I grew up, I never thought I'd have a thousand dollars at one time.

Hickory dickory dock, I just want to be your clock. Just set me for a lifetime, and I'll wake you up every morning.

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

We're all going to be victims of temptation at several points in our lives.

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

Though you treat me badly, I love you madly.

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.

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.

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.

You know what, life is full of temptations

I don't like you, but I love you.

Just like Pagliacci did, I try to keep my surface hid. Smiling in the crowd I try, but in a lonely room I cry.

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.

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

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

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