Smokey Robinson Quotes

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

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

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.

When you write a song, a song has longevity.

There's some sad things known to man, but ain't too much sadder than, the tears of a clown when noones around.

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

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

I had been stockpiling Gospel songs for other artists, and had planned to submit them to Gospel artists.

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

Mistakes, I know I've made a few. But I'm only human, you've made mistakes, too.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 played golf all over Detroit.

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.

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.

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

In fact, I wouldn't really call this a Gospel album, I call it more an inspirational album.

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

Songwriting is my gift from God.

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

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

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

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.

Everybody has their own soul.

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

With a heart that is truthful, keeping you youthful.

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

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

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

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