Ace and Kent’s popular Songwriter Series goes from strength to strength and shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.
This month a master craftsman of 20th century songwriting gets a long overdue overview of his catalogue, featuring two dozen of his very best songs from a treasure trove that numbers over 150 published copyrights.
As well as fronting one of its flagship groups for more than 15 years William Robinson Jr – forever known as ‘Smokey’ - was an integral part of the original backroom team at Berry Gordy’s fledgling Motown company, writing and producing not only the Miracles’ hits but also those of many of Motown’s other breakthrough singers. Smokey wrote and recorded Motown’s first million seller ‘Shop Around’ and it’s only right and proper that our compilation borrows that title.
1. THE TEARS OF A CLOWN - THE BEAT
2. DON'T LOOK BACK - BETTYE SWANN
3. AIN'T THAT PECULIAR - FANNY
4. FIRST I LOOK AT THE PURSE (UK Mix) - THE CONTOURS
5. FROM HEAD TO TOE - ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS
6. YOU'VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME - SONNY & CHER
7. WHO YOU GONNA RUN TO - SHADES
8. I'LL BE DOGGONE - THE SEARCHERS
9. I WANT A LOVE I CAN SEE - THE TEMPTATIONS
10. THE HUNTER GETS CAPTURED BY THE GAME - BLONDIE
11. MY GIRL - OTIS REDDING
12. GET READY - ELLA FITZGERALD
13. OH I APOLOGIZE - LONNIE MACK
14. ONE MORE HEARTACHE - MARVIN GAYE
15. SHOP AROUND - JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES
16. I'LL TRY SOMETHING NEW - KIKI DEE
17. WHAT'S EASY FOR TWO IS SO HARD FOR ONE - INTRUDERS
18. MY GUY - HELEN SHAPIRO
19. THE FURTHER YOU LOOK - JOHN HOLT
20. THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO - LITTLE RICHARD
21. THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS - BILLY BRAGG
22. MORE LOVE - KIM CARNES
23. OOH BABY BABY - LAURA NYRO
24. MORE, MORE, MORE OF YOUR LOVE (Mono Mix) - SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES