Smokey Quotes

Everybody who I ever cared about has told me that they like my music: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Al Green, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson. Everybody that matters. ~ Daryl Hall

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

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

On the radio Smokey Robinson complained that a taste of honey is worse than none at all. ~ Tayari Jones

I literally had a very articulate, though highly impaired, homeless man say to me, "Smokey! I love you! What's happening with Jacob?" Here's a guy living on the street, but he finds a way to watch Lost! And I'm looking at him, thinking, Your priorities are completely ass-backward! ~ Titus Welliver

Smokey Robinson writes the heartfelt songs, whereas it was my job to write the songs about weakness and failure in love. ~ Elvis Costello

Smokey Joe (Williams) could throw harder than anyone. ~ Satchel Paige

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

This was one of those mid-thirties moments when you take a look at the stale, half-chewed bagel your life has become and kiss jealousy on its smokey mouth. ~ Steve Almond

Somebody said I sound like an old lady, and I was really insulted by that. I'm trying to sound like Skip James and Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye. ~ Tom Waits

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

Maureen O'Brien's Bakery Lingo: A Partial Glossary
• 9 donuts - A shutout
• 2 croissants - A full moon
• 3 croissants - A ménage à trois
• 4 bear claws - Full smokey
• 2 bear claws - Half smokey
• The last one of any item - The gift of the Magi
• A baker's dozen of doughnut holes - a PG-13
• Anything in the unlikely quantity of 36 or a lot of something - A Wu-Tang
• Blueberry muffin - Chubby Checker
• Bran muffin - Warren G the regulator
• Any customer who left no tip - A libertarian
• Any customer who only tipped the coins from their change - A couch shaker
• Any person who requested a substitution - Master and demander
• Any person who requested TWO substitutions - Demander in chief
• Any person who requested MORE than two substitutions - The new executive chef

and finally....

• Any vegan customer - A Morrissey ~ J. Ryan Stradal

I listen to a lot of old stuff like Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and The Temptations. ~ Brett Davern

Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules. ~ John Goodman

We decided to leave early, you wouldn't want to be there in the end, when the lights came on. You'd never sit down in here again. In a depressing shuffle we pushed to the door, now it was good to get up and out, while it was still a black hole, warm, and smokey, full of possibilities... ~ David Boutler

Before long, the smokey spectre appeared, as I knew it would, the barest whisper of a shadow, inky and incandescent. It darted forwards, then back, closer, then ppfft, it was gone in an instant, only to return, darker and more substantial. As ever, it grew bolder, and bolder, until finally it dared to drift through the window and into my home.
Every night I had lain here, the geist had come. ~ Hazel Butler

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

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

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

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. ~ Smokey Robinson

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

The tears of those who never cry, the calm, the levelheaded ones, are terrible to see. She seemed to be split or torn by the force of the tears, which she squeezed her eyes shut against, which she forced back with her fist against her lips. Smokey, afraid and awed, came immediately to her as he might to rescue his child from a fire, without thought and without knowing quite what he would do. When he tried to take her hand, speak softly to her, she only trembled more violently, the red cross branded on her face grew uglier; so he enveloped her, smothered the flames, Disregarding her resistance, as well as he could he covered her, having a vague idea that he could by tenderness invade her and then rout her grief, whatever it was, by main strength. He wasn't sure he wasn't himself the cause of it, wasn't sure if she would cling to him for comfort or break him in rage, but he had no choice anyway, savior or sacrifice, it didn't matter so long as she could cease suffering. ~ John Crowley

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

We're going to have ourselves one hell of a Ruckus, said Smokey with a grin that went quite beyond the boundaries of mischief and right into the realm of delinquency. ~ Joshua Donellan

smokey eye eyeliner as defiance. eyeliner as a statement, a declaration, a fuck you to a society that shames people for expressing themselves the way they feel the most at home, the same society that labels everything from toys to toothbrushes "boy" and "girl" rather than letting individuals cultivate their own identities. eyeliner as a call to arms. eyeliner as a weapon, a raised fist, a shield from judgmental expressions and microaggressions disguised as questions, from the insults and slurs shot out of car windows like bullets in a drive-by because i dare exist in a way they don't and refuse to understand. ~ Cyrus Parker

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

Songwriting is my gift from God. ~ Smokey Robinson

...Rejoice for a comrade deceased,
Our loss is his infinite gain,
A soul out of prison released,
And free from its bodily chain."
~Smokey Lonesome ~ Fannie Flagg

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

I love Motown, that whole era. Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson. I just put on Pandora, and put it on Motown, and it makes me smile; makes me smile so much. ~ Tika Sumpter

I remembered the boy crying the day they buried Smokey in the yard, and I hoped he wouldn't cry over my death. My purpose, my whole life, had been to love him and be with him, to make him happy. ~ W. Bruce Cameron

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

Full disclosure here - I had a terrible crush on Smokey Robinson, like every other female on the planet. ~ Linda Ronstadt

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

The Simi gots some barbecue sauce in her bag. It kind of looks like blood if you squint at it the right way. And it don't coagulate between your teeth like blood or give you them funky burps, not to mention it tastes a lot better too. Especially over that type A stuff. Bleh! I'd rather eat my shoes. But that O-flavored blood ... yum! (She straightened and held one finger up in a gesture that strangely reminded him of Smokey the Bear.) And just remember, kids, three out of four demons all prefer barbecue sauce over hemoglobin. (Simi) ~ Sherrilyn Kenyon

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. ~ Smokey Robinson

It wasn't until 'Smokey Joe's' came out that I actually got to step out from behind the curtain and meet our 'fans.' ~ Mike Stoller

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

I played golf all over Detroit. ~ Smokey Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

There were times I used to go to parties when I was, you know, like 15-, 16-years-old, and I'd always bring my guitar, and all my friends would be like, sing one of the Smokey songs. And everything I sang was his music, and I could sound just like him. ~ Teena Marie

I don't see no more Billie Holidays, no more Marvin Gayes, no more Smokey Robinsons. I don't even see no more Nirvanas. ~ Wyclef Jean

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

I have had so many Dwellings, Nat, that I know these Streets as well as a strowling Beggar: I was born in this Nest of Death and Contagion and now, as they say, I have learned to feather it. When first I was with Sir Chris. I found lodgings in Phenix Street off Hogg Lane, close by St Giles and Tottenham Fields, and then in later times I was lodged at the corner of Queen Street and Thames Street, next to the Blew Posts in Cheapside. (It is still there, said Nat stirring up from his Seat, I have passed it!) In the time before the Fire, Nat, most of the buildings in London were made of timber and plaister, and stones were so cheap that a man might have a cart-load of them for six-pence or seven-pence; but now, like the Aegyptians, we are all for Stone. (And Nat broke in, I am for Stone!) The common sort of People gawp at the prodigious Rate of Building and exclaim to each other London is now another City or that House was not there Yesterday or the Situacion of the Streets is quite Changd (I contemn them when they say such things! Nat adds). But this Capital City of the World of Affliction is still the Capitol of Darknesse, or the Dungeon of Man's Desires: still in the Centre are no proper Streets nor Houses but a Wilderness of dirty rotten Sheds, allways tumbling or takeing Fire, with winding crooked passages, lakes of Mire and rills of stinking Mud, as befits the smokey grove of Moloch. (I have heard of that Gentleman, says Nat all a quiver). It is true that in what we call th ~ Peter Ackroyd

[...]They offended Hood,' he stated flatly.
'And How they did that?' Silk enquired.
'They demanded a tithe upon the temple. I demonstrated Hood's tithe.'
'And who are you to judge?' Smokey demanded. The lad's Dark, almost blue-black eyes edged aside to Smokey. 'I am Hood's Sword. ~ Ian C. Esslemont

I feel scared and unsure of what to do next, but decide that no matter what happens, I'm glad I ran away. A pony like Smokey is worth fighting for - even if we did get him for free. A pony like Smokey is no small thing. ~ Natale Ghent

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

When we were on acid, we would go into the woods, because there was less chance that you would run into an authority figure. But we ran into a bear. My friend Duane was there, raising his right hand, swearing to help prevent forest fires. He told me, "Mitchell, Smokey is way more intense in person!" ~ Mitch Hedberg

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. ~ Smokey Robinson

She smiles and snuggles into me as we wait for our table. I inhale her scent. Vanilla and something else. Something different. Smokey almost. Sexy. It drives me crazy with need and I have to move away while I can. ~ Christine Fonseca

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

There are two types of racers- cheaters and losers. ~ Smokey Yunick

As far as cheating goes, they'll never stop it. The only way it can be done successfully, only one person can know about it. ~ Smokey Yunick

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

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

And damn well no 5-0 with his Smokey the Bear looking sidekick, will ever tell me differently. ~ J.J. McAvoy

The Sherwood Forest Chronicles
.
1. If Robin Hood steals from the rich, doesn't that make them poor? Does he give them their money back? I mean, what the point of robbing to begin with if your mission statement is logically flawed?
2. If the Sheriff of Nottingham is such an asshole, why isn't he the Prime Minister of Nottingham?
3. Why don't I see elves here? Did all the elves of Sherwood Forest migrate to New Zealand to become extras on the Peter Jackson's Hobbit films?
4. Does Little John even know what an oxymoron is?
5. If Smokey the Bear came to Sherwood Forest to make a public service announcement about preventing forest fires, would he leave with arrows in his ass or would the Merry Men feast on bear meat for several days? And what makes the Merry Men merry in the first place?
6. What do you think? Does Robin Hood shop at Walmart or Target? ~ Beryl Dov

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

If your gonna play with rattlesnakes, you better know what rattlesnakes do. ~ Smokey Yunick

She strolled between shelves, looking at titles, smiling as she met old friends - books she had read three times or five times or a dozen. Just a title, or an author's name, would be enough to summon up happy images. Strange creatures like phoenixes and psammeads, moving under smokey London daylight of a hundred years before, in company with groups of bemused children; starships and new worlds and the limitless vistas of interstellar night, outer space challenged but never conquered; princesses in silver and golden dresses, princes and heroes carrying swords like sharpened lines of light, monsters rising out of weedy tarns, wild creatures that talked and tricked one another ... ~ Diane Duane

Everybody has their own soul. ~ Smokey Robinson

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

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

Trains are great dirty smokey thungs", said Will. "You won't like it."
Tessa was unmoved. "I won't know if I like it until I try it, will I?"
"I've never swum naked in the Thames, but I know I wouldn't like it."
"But think how entertaining for sightseers," said Tessa ... ~ Cassandra Clare

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

Can I throw harder than Joe Wood? Listen mister, no man alive can throw any harder than Smokey Joe Wood. ~ Walter Johnson

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

Barry White, Smokey Robinson and Curtis Mayfield are big influences for me. But I'm also a metal head. I was in a bunch of punk rock bands. The Bee Gees, hip-hop and the Beach Boys are just as much of an influence on me as Smokey. ~ Mayer Hawthorne

I went to England to tell jokes, and I wanted to tell my Smokey the Bear joke, but I had to ask the English people if they knew who Smokey the Bear is. But they don't. In England, Smokey the Bear is not the forest-fire-prevention representative. They have Smackie the Frog. It's a lot like a bear, but it's a frog. And that's a better system, I think we should adopt it. Because bears can be mean, but frogs are always cool. Never has there been a frog hopping toward me and I thought, "Man, I better play dead!" ~ Mitch Hedberg

There were many stars in Motown's firmament - among them, Stevie, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves and Diana Ross - but I happen to have loved the Four Tops most of all. ~ Jon Landau

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

I used the stormy gray and heather brown shadows from the Lilac Rose Eye Palette to create a soft smokey eye for Veronica Beard's Spring 2013 show. The look was dramatic but delicate. ~ Bobbi Brown

Like a sun: but a small sun, which she had within her, warming her from the inside out. She was conscious of a feeling she had had before, a sense that she was looking at him, and at all of them, from some far way off, or from a great height. There had been a time when she seemed to herself to be snug, and small, within the large house of Smokey, a safe inhabitant, room to run in yet never leave his encompassment. Now she oftener felt otherwise: over time it was he who seemed to have become a mouse within the house of her. ~ John Crowley

After living in Smokey Hollow these three months my bearded face was darkened to a tan, and for more than a moment, I couldn't tell what color I was. Black is what I saw and what I expected to see. I grabbed a towel and rubbed to get a clear look. No, I was white. At least my skin was. I had been through so much with my family here, and all I had seen was black faces, that I forgot for a split second that I wasn't black too. For weeks after the flood in the bathroom, I remembered the morning I forgot my skin color. ~ Peter Jenkins