Election '08: Musical Shout-Outs, Part 3: To the Bleading Hearts

Smokey's first solo album is a truly underrated masterpiece that deserves its place next to the other great Motown albums of the early seventies by the likes of Marvin or Stevie. The whole thing is straight-up perfect with maybe one weak track among the batch. The original songs are all great Smokey compositions with a real intimate feel and contemporary lyrics and the production called on the help of new Motown producer and soon to be artist, Willie Hutch. I have a Soul Train video at home of him doing his very mellow thing to three of the songs from this album, but this baby-making tune was the only one I could find on the interwebs.

Smokey Robinson - Just My Soul Responding
Smokey's best attempt at a political song is this lesser-known tune with an unusual rhythm track and arrangement. Still one of the best social commentary song from the seventies if you ask me . . . To all those bleading hearts out there, Smokey feels your pain . . .