Smoke Signals
Studio album by
Smokey Robinson
Released1986
Recorded1986
GenreR&B, soul
Length42:53
LanguageEnglish, Spanish
LabelMotown
ProducerSmokey Robinson, Reginald "Sonny" Burke
Smokey Robinson chronology
Essar
(1984)		 Smoke Signals
(1986)		 One Heartbeat
(1987)

Smoke Signals is a studio album by the American singer Smokey Robinson, released in 1986 by Motown.[1][2] "Be Kind to the Growing Mind", featuring the Temptations, encourages songwriters to avoid distasteful lyrics.[3] "Hold On to Your Love" was written with Stevie Wonder.[4] Robinson supported the album with a North American tour.[5]

Critical reception

The Houston Chronicle wrote: "Less personal than many of his solo projects, Smoke Signals is reassuring, if not a renewal for Robinson."[6] The San Diego Union-Tribune noted that Robinson "retains his inimitable sense of cheerful optimism and wholesomeness."[7] The Chicago Sun-Times deemed the album "a little too much in the middle-of-the-road."[8]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Smokey Robinson; except where indicated

  1. "Some People (Will Do Anything for Love)" (Bobby Sandstrom, Michael Price) - 4:22
  2. "Sleepless Nights" (Alan Gorrie, Michael Mugrage) - 4:07
  3. "Because of You (It's The Best It's Ever Been)" - 4:12
  4. "Be Kind to the Growing Mind" (featuring the Temptations) - 4:45
  5. "Te Quiero Como Si No Hubiera Un Mañana (I'm Gonna Love You Like There's No Tomorrow)" (Robinson, Ivory Stone, Mark Davis) - 4:21
  6. "Hold On to Your Love" (Robinson, Stevie Wonder) - 5:12
  7. "Photograph in My Mind" (J.C. Crowley, Tom Campbell) - 3:51
  8. "No Time to Stop Believing" (Don Black, Simon Climie) - 4:11
  9. "Wishful Thinking" (Bobby Sandstrom, Michael Price, David Paul Bryant) - 4:05
  10. "Hanging On by a Thread" (Robinson, Davis) - 3:45

Personnel

  • Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
  • Bobby Sandstrom – synthesizers (1, 9), bass (1), drum programming (1, 9), backing vocals (1), BGV arrangements (1), keyboards (9), arrangements (9)
  • John Hobbs – keyboards (2, 10), synthesizers (2, 10), arrangements (2, 10), acoustic piano (4, 5)
  • Jim Lang – keyboards (3, 6), synthesizers (3), arrangements (3, 6), bass (6), drum programming (6)
  • Michael Boddicker – arrangements (4), synthesizers (5)
  • Michael Omartian – arrangements (4), additional keyboards (6), additional synthesizers (6)
  • Tony Peluso – arrangements (2, 3, 4), additional synthesizers (5), guitar solo (9, 10)
  • Robbie Buchanan – synthesizer solo (5), synthesizers (7, 8), bass (7, 8), drum programming (7, 8), arrangements (7, 8)
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (1-9)
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (2, 4, 5, 9, 10)
  • Mike Baird – drums (2, 6, 10)
  • John Robinson – drums (3, 4, 5)
  • Freddy Alwag – drum programming (3)
  • Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (7, 8)
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 2, 5, 9)
  • Steve Barri – additional percussion (2, 5), percussion (4)
  • Greg Adams – horn arrangements (1, 9)
  • Tower of Power Horns (Emilio Castillo, Greg Adams, Mike Cichowicz, Richard Elliot, Stephen Kupka) – horns (1, 9)
  • Richard Elliot – lyricon solo (2, 3), saxophone (8)
  • Calvin Davis – alto saxophone (5)
  • Michael Jacobsen – tenor saxophone (5)
  • Fred Smith – tenor saxophone (5)
  • Herb Alpert – trumpet solo (5)
  • Mark Davis – arrangements (3, 5)
  • Stevie Wonder – arrangements (6)
  • David Bryant – arrangements (9)
  • Michael Lovesmith – backing vocals (1, 2, 10), BGV arrangements (1)
  • Maureen Steele – backing vocals (1, 2)
  • Richard Carpenter – backing vocals (2, 10), BGV arrangements (2, 10), additional keyboards (10)
  • Brenda Eager – backing vocals (3, 5, 6), additional backing vocals (4)
  • Patricia Henley – backing vocals (3, 5, 6), additional backing vocals (4)
  • Ivory Stone – backing vocals (3, 5, 6, 9), additional backing vocals (4)
  • The Temptations – backing vocals (4)
  • Bunny DeBarge – backing vocals (6)
  • Mark DeBarge – backing vocals (6)
  • Howard Smith – backing vocals (6)
  • Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (7, 8)
  • Dennis Lambert – backing vocals (7, 8)
  • Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals (7, 8)
  • Oren Waters – backing vocals (7, 8)
  • Julie Waters – backing vocals (9)
  • Maxine Waters – backing vocals (9)

Production

  • Producers – Steve Barri (Tracks 1-10); Tony Peluso (Tracks 1-6, 9 & 10); Mark Davis (Track 5); Smokey Robinson (Track 5); Dennis Lambert (Tracks 7 & 8).
  • Co-Producer on Tracks 7 & 8 – Robbie Buchanan
  • Executive Producer – Steve Barri
  • Engineers – Tony Peluso (Tracks 1-6, 9 & 10); Dennis McKay and Jack Joseph Puig (Tracks 7 & 8).
  • Second Engineers – Sabrina Buchanek (Tracks 1-6, 9 & 10); Bino Espinoza (1-10); Toni Greene (Tracks 1-6, 9 & 10); Karen Siegel (Tracks 1-6, 9 & 10); Steve Ford (Tracks 7 & 8).
  • Recorded at Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios (Hollywood, CA); Monkey Dust Studio (Granada Hills, CA); Soundcastle Studio Center (Los Angeles, CA).
  • Mixing – Tony Peluso (Tracks 1-6, 9 & 10); Jack Joseph Puig (Tracks 7 & 8).
  • Mixed at Mama Jo’s Recording Studio (Hollywood, CA).
  • Mastered by Steve Hall at Future Disc (Hollywood, CA).
  • Album Coordinator – Gail Pierson
  • Art Direction – Johnny Lee
  • Design – Janet Levinson
  • Photography – Ron Slenzak

References

  1. ↑ Brogan, Daniel (3 Jan 1986). "Smokey Robinson's 'Smoke Signals'...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 48.
  2. ↑ The Complete Encyclopedia of African American History Jessie Carney Smith, Lean'tin Bracks, Linda T Wynn - 1578595835 2015 - Page 386 "Between 1986 and 1991 Robinson released five more albums, including Smoke Signals, One Heartbeat, and Love, Smokey."
  3. ↑ "Tracks of Smokey's Tears Left on Broadway". Part II. Newsday. 29 Dec 1986. p. 7.
  4. ↑ Gilbert, Calvin (January 24, 1986). "Robinson's voice, songs still strong on 'Signals'". Fun. The Advocate. Baton Rouge. p. 2.
  5. ↑ DeVault, Russ (August 16, 1986). "Smooth Smokey Robinson – He's been singer, writer, talent scout, executive and happy". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. L23.
  6. ↑ Spies, Michael (February 2, 1986). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 13.
  7. ↑ Varga, George (March 9, 1986). "Robinson art alive in 'Smoke Signals'". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. E4.
  8. ↑ Hoekstra, Dave (July 18, 1986). "Smoke Signals". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 7.
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