When Smokey Sings

"When Smokey Sings"
Single by ABC
from the album Alphabet City
B-side	"Chicago"
Released	May 1987
Format	CD single, 7" 12"
Genre	New Wave synthpop
Length	4:22
Label	Mercury
Writer(s)	Martin Fry, Mark White
Producer	Martin Fry, Mark White
ABC singles chronology
"Ocean Blue" (1986) "When Smokey Sings" (1987) "The Night You Murdered Love" (1987)

"When Smokey Sings" is the name of a song by the New Wave band ABC. The lyrics and name of the song are a tribute to R&B and Soul singer Smokey Robinson. It was released in mid-1987, on ABC's album Alphabet City. Smokey Robinson himself was on the pop charts with his single "One Heartbeat" at the same time as this tribute song, marking one of the only times to date that a singer simultaneously was the performing artist of one Top 40 hit, while the subject of another chart hit. For the week ending October 3, 1987, both songs were in the Top 10 simultaneously. In 1964, The Carefrees hit #39 with We Love You Beatles during a time when The Beatles had several hits simultaneously in the Top 40.

"When Smokey Sings" and its B-side, "Chicago" also topped the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song reached number 11 on the UK chart and proved to be their second American Top 10 hit, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. There is a slight difference in the lyrics between the album and single version in the bridge of the song.

In the album version, references are made to "Luther", "Sly", "James" and "Marvin" (most likely referring to Luther Vandross, Sly & the Family Stone, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye respectively). In the single version, this is replaced by alternate lyrics, followed by a short saxophone solo.

Chart positions

Chart (1987)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	11
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	5
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	1
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	2

Versions released

1. Album version - 4:19
2. Single version - 4:21
3. Miami Mix - 7:05
4. Miami Mix (European single edit) - 5:08
5. Bonus Beats - 4:43
6. Detroit mix - 6:56

Preceded by "Tina Cherry" by Georgio

Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (with "Chicago") August 29, 1987 - September 5, 1987 two weeks

Succeeded by "How Soon We Forget" by Colonel Abrams