Warm Thoughts

1980 studio album by Smokey Robinson

Warm Thoughts

Studio album by

Smokey Robinson

Released

1980

Genre

R&B

Label

Motown

Producer

Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder

Smokey Robinson chronology

Where There's Smoke...
(1979)

Warm Thoughts
(1980)

Being with You
(1981)

Warm Thoughts is an album by the American musician Smokey Robinson, released in 1980.^[1]^[2] It features the top 40 hit, "Let Me Be the Clock". The album was arranged by Reginald "Sonny" Burke. This album also featured the semi-autobiographical tune "Wine, Women and Song", which proved to be the closest thing to a Miracles reunion that occurred in the 1980s, with Smokey doing a duet with his then-wife, former Miracle Claudette Robinson, and Miracle Marv Tarplin, with whom he shared songwriting credits, on guitar. The song "Travelin' Thru'" was written by Smokey's real-life sister, Rose Ella Jones, and two songs written by Robinson with fellow Motown artist, Stevie Wonder, and singer, songwriter, and former Starsky and Hutch star, David Soul. This album was a success, reaching the Top 20 of The Billboard 200 Pop Album chart, peaking at No. 14, and the Top 10 of Billboard's R&B Album Chart, peaking at No. 4.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Billboard	(unrated)^[4]
Rolling Stone	(favorable)^[5]

The Boston Globe wrote that "Robinson's silky smooth tenor glides over a collection of eight cuts, most lush, heavily orchestrated ballads."^[6]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Smokey Robinson, except where indicated.

"Let Me Be the Clock" - 5:10
"Heavy on Pride" - 4:07
"Into Each Rain Some Life Must Fall" (Doris Fisher, Allan Roberts) - 4:34
"Wine, Women and Song" (Robinson, Marv Tarplin, Pamela Moffett) - 4:45
"Melody Man" (Robinson, Stevie Wonder) - 4:53
"What's in Your Life for Me" (Robinson, David Soul) - 4:43
"I Want to Be Your Love" - 3:57
"Travelin' Thru'" (Rose Ella Jones) - 4:22

Personnel

Smokey Robinson – lead and backing vocals
Reginald "Sonny" Burke – keyboards, arrangements (1-4, 6, 7, 8)
Ron Rancifer – keyboards
Marlo Henderson – guitars
Melvin Ragin – guitars
Marv Tarplin – guitars
Phil Upchurch – guitars
David T. Walker – guitars
Keni Burke – bass
Scott Edwards – bass
Wayne Tweed – bass
James Gadson – drums
Scotty Harris – drums
James Sledge – congas, backing vocals
Fred Smith – flute, reeds, solos
Michael Jacobson – cello
Stevie Wonder – arrangements (5)
Cheryl Cooper – backing vocals
Ivory Davis – backing vocals
Patricia Henley Talbert – backing vocals
Claudette Robinson – backing vocals, lead vocals (4)

Production

Producer – Smokey Robinson
Co-Producer on Track 5 – Stevie Wonder
Production Assistant – Randy Dunlap
Engineer – Michael Lizzio
Assistant Engineers – Ernestine Madison and Ginny Pallante
Mixing – Michael Lizzio and Smokey Robinson
Mix Assistants – Randy Dunlap and Ginny Pallante
Mastered by John Matousek
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Motown Recording Studios (Hollywood, CA).
Recording Coordinator – Barbara Ramsey
Talent Coordinator – Simone Sheffield
Art Direction and Design – Ginny Livingston
Cover Photo – Ron Slenzak
Lettering – Vigon/Nahas/Vigon

References

^ Marsh, Dave (Jun 12, 1980). "Warm Thoughts". Rolling Stone. No. 319. p. 53.
^ Cocks, Jay (Jun 16, 1980). "The perpetual miracle of Smokey". Time. Vol. 115, no. 24. p. 49.
^ Ruhlmann, William. Warm Thoughts at AllMusic
^ "Review: Smokey Robinson – Warm Thoughts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 10. 8 March 1980. p. 55. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 31 May 2020 – via American Radio History.
^ "The 80 Greatest Albums of 1980". Rolling Stone. 11 November 2020.
^ McAdam, Sean (24 Apr 1980). "Records". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 1.