LOVE TRAX: Why Didn’t This Song Go No. 1?

We are loving the opportunity to look back at our favorite THROWBACK LOVE TRAX of the ’80s and ’90s to share the stories behind the songs!

Today’s is “Being With You” by Smokey Robinson.

It’s from 1981 and it was his highest charting solo hit on the Billboard charts, hitting a high of No. 2.

What kept it from reaching No. 1?

Well, here’s a quick story from Casey Kasem on the “American Top 40!”

“Now let me tell you about a coincidental relationship between Smokey at #2 and Kim Carnes who’s at #1 again this week. Kim’s last hit was “More Love”, her remake of an old Smokey Robinson hit. Well, Smokey liked Kim’s version so much that he wrote her another song, but when Smokey’s producer heard the demo, he told Smokey, “You oughta record it yourself!”, and that’s the song we just heard in the #2 position. And how ironic it is that Smokey’s recording of the song he’d written for Kim Carnes has been kept out of the #1 spot by a Kim Carnes hit for 3 weeks running.”

Wow, right? Consider our minds blown!

Here’s that hit song by Smokey Robinson…