Download Instrumental    It’s 1966, and you’re sitting in the back seat of your brand new Ford Falcon with your best girl. You’re trying hard to get to first base (wherever that is), but the Stones “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” is playing on the radio and it’s not helping…. at all!  But then, the silky smooth vocals of Smokey Robinson come across the AM dial and everything changes.  She snuggles closer and lets you put your arm around her.   Thanks, Smokey!

“Ooh, Baby, Baby” was written by Robinson in 1965 for his group, The Miracles.  The song went to number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but had its greatest commercial success 13 years later when Linda Ronstadt took it to number 7.  It’s a mournful tune, as Smokey laments cheating on his girl and won’t she please take him back.  He swears it’s not autobiographical but, really, haven’t we all been there and done that?  The tight backup vocals and strings (I love arranging the strings track on any song) make this one a classic and it should definitely be in your set list.

We used this piece a lot as the final song of the night.  You want your crowd to be all cuddly and sweet as they go out the door.  And, just think…. you helped a few of them get to that mysterious first base (actually, I think I do know where that is).

[Scroll down for another song written by Smokey… then scroll some more]