Smokey Robinson

Songwriter: Marv Tarplin Smokey Robinson

Producer: Smokey Robinson

Mama gave us all her life
Now it's hard to live
(Yeah)
Mama gave us everything, boy
Now it's her turn to live

Little brother
Brother, don't you know?
You got the best mother that the world has ever known
Worked her fingers to the bone
Now you're almost grown
And out on your own
She got the right to be left alone

I'm twenty
You're sixteen
And brother that's a-plenty
'Cause when came on the scene
Mama was only seventeen
So she's still a young woman
If you know what I mean

She got the right
To the man of her dreams
(Yeah)
She got the right
To the man of her dreams
She got the right
To the man of her dreams

Mama gave us all her life
And now it's her turn to live
Her turn to live
Mama raised us all her life
And now it's her turn to live

Mama gave us everything, boy
And now it's you're turn to give
Well, well, well
Because our mama, our mama
(Mama loves him)
(And ? her)

But what [?] us then
Is when a man comes in
And give him a chance to be your friend

She got the right to be loved again
(Talkin' about mama)
She got the right to be loved again
(Mama)
She got the right to be loved again
(Mama, mama)

Mama gave us all her life
Now it's her turn to live
Mama gave us everything
Our turn to give
Her turn to live

And our turn to give
Her turn to live
Our turn to give
(Mama got the right)
(Mama got the right)
(Mama got the right)

Arguably the greatest songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century, Robinson’s timeless creations for Motown, both for his own group and for other artists, provided the ultimate example of what a pop song can be. From The Beatles to Bob Dylan, the rest of the 60s followed in his wake

As if that wasn’t enough, he created a whole new genre in the mid-70s with “quiet storm”, a radio format named after one of his songs. He continues writing and performing today.

more tracks from the album

Pure Smokey

From the album

Pure Smokey (1974)

Smokey Robinson popular songs

It’s Her Turn to LiveSmokey Robinson

Smokey Robinson

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