After nine years, soul pop legend Smokey Robinson is coming back with another studio album, however, his track list caught people by surprise.
The 82-year-old announced the title of his upcoming album, “Gasms,” in a recent Instagram post along with the names of his nine songs, which fans believe to be rather extreme. Robinson’s track list includes his newest single, “If We Don’t Have Each Other,”- which was released on Jan. 27, along with “I Wanna Know Your Body,” “You Feel Me Up,” and “I Fit In There.”
In a press statement obtained by Stereogum, Robinson explained why he decided to release “If We Don’t Have Each Other” as his first single.
“I chose this song as the first single of my new album because it’s different musically and has a slide dance feeling to it… which is different from what I’ve never done before.” He continued, “It also has a current rhythm of today that I love, and I hope everyone else does too.”
After Robinson announced his new project, record producer Brandon Williams comically brought more notice to the singing legend’s album on Twitter by screenshotting Robinson’s unreleased songs and writing, “Please look at the names of these songs. Do it. Do it NOW!”
Williams’ post received over 2.8 million views from fans who singled out the particular song title they felt was the most outrageous.
“He lettin’ us know what time it is, for real!”
“How did we get from ‘Baby Come Close’ to ‘I Fit In There’???”
“I’m stuck on gasms.”
“‘You Feel Me Up’ and ‘I Fit In There’ is absolutely unacceptable.”
“‘I fit in there’ isn’t even crazy… it’s insane!”
Robinson’s unique tracklist reveal comes weeks after the “Cruisin” singer’s interview with VLAD TV where he revealed having an affair with icon Diana Ross. According to Robinson, their affair took place while he was still married to his first wife, Claudette Rogers Robinson, who was also a member of his group “The Miracles.”
In his interview, the Motown singer said that their love affair that he says happened “after I got married” lasted “longer than it should.”
Robinson and his ex-wife were married from November 1959 to 1986. They share two children, Berry Robinson, and Tamla Robinson.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner has over 400 songs between solo music and songs with Smokey and the Miracles. His influence in the music industry has inspired big-time names. His last album was 2014’s “Smokey and Friends.” Fans can anticipate his new “Gasms” album on April 28.
