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"Pure Smokey" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released in 1976 on his debut album for Dark Horse Records, ''Thirty Three & 1/3''. The song was the second of Harrison's musical tributes to American soul singer Smokey Robinson, following "Ooh Baby (You Know That I Love You)" in 1975. Harrison frequently cited Robinson as one of his favourite vocalists and songwriters, and Robinson's group the Miracles had similarly influenced the Beatles during the 1960s. In the lyrics to "Pure Smokey", Harrison gives thanks for the gift of Robinson's music, while making a statement regarding the importance of expressing appreciation and gratitude, rather than forgetting to do so and later regretting it. The song title came from the name of Robinson's 1974 album ''Pure Smokey''. Harrison recorded "Pure Smokey" at his Friar Park home studio in Henley, Oxfordshire. Jazz musician Tom Scott provided production assistance and the song features musical contributions from Scott, Richard Tee, Willie Weeks and Alvin Taylor, together with a pair of highly regarded guitar solos from Harrison. Several reviewers recognise the song as superior to "Ooh Baby", due in part to its more authentic musical setting; Harrison biographer Simon Leng views the track as its composer's most successful excursion in the soul music genre. "Pure Smokey" appeared as the B-side to the second single from ''Thirty Three & 1/3'' in the UK, which was Harrison's cover of the Cole Porter standard "True Love". ==Background and composition== During the Beatles' career, according to author Ian MacDonald, George Harrison had served as the band's "scout" regarding new American music, particularly soul music.〔MacDonald, p. 148fn.〕 In 1975, Harrison released ''Extra Texture'', his most soul-influenced album,〔Rodriguez, pp. 384–85.〕〔Clayson, pp. 348–49.〕 with songs such as "You", "Can't Stop Thinking About You" and "The Answer's at the End" all demonstrating his adoption of the genre.〔Leng, pp. 186–87.〕 Another track, "Ooh Baby (You Know That I Love You)", was a homage to "Ooo Baby Baby" by Smokey Robinson,〔Inglis, p. 52.〕〔Leng, p. 182.〕 the Miracles' lead singer whose music had a considerable influence on Harrison and John Lennon during the 1960s.〔Clayson, p. 84.〕〔MacDonald, pp. 57–58, 77–78, 92.〕 Among the frequent compliments he paid the American singer in interviews,〔 Harrison often praised Robinson as a songwriter,〔George Harrison interview, ''Rockweek'', (retrieved 28 July 2013).〕〔Badman, pp. 164, 165.〕 noting in his 1980 autobiography, ''I Me Mine'': "one tends to forget how many good tunes he has written."〔Harrison, p. 320.〕 After coming up with the song's "nice chord changes", as he puts it in ''I Me Mine'',〔 Harrison wrote a more personal musical tribute to Robinson in 1975,〔Madinger & Easter, p. 455.〕 titled "Pure Smokey" after Robinson's 1974 album of the same name.〔 In the lyrics to the song's first verse, Harrison acknowledges the tendency to forget to show appreciation for something:〔Harrison, pp. 319, 320.〕 He then refers to all those who have influenced and inspired him musically,〔Inglis, p. 63.〕 in the line "''Love that's filled my ears''", before stating: "''I want to thank you Lord for giving us Pure Smokey.''"〔Allison, p. 153.〕 Harrison offers further praise for Robinson's music in the words "''Now anyone who hears, hears that voice so free''",〔Huntley, p. 148.〕 and in the same middle eight he references the Miracles' hit song "You've Really Got a Hold on Me",〔 written by Robinson and, through the Beatles' 1963 cover version, one of Harrison's earliest recorded lead vocals (as a duet with Lennon).〔 In the song's final verse, Harrison compliments what he would describe in a 1987 ''Musician'' interview as Robinson's "effortless butterfly of a voice",〔 as well as his willingness to experiment as an artist:〔 Harrison biographer Simon Leng notes that musically the song reflects "many years' flipping of Atlantic and Stax classics" by Harrison, as well as his work over 1969–70 with two soul/R&B artists signed to the Beatles' Apple record label, Billy Preston and Doris Troy.〔Leng, p. 196.〕 Christian theologian Dale Allison describes "Pure Smokey" as a "prayer of thanks to God for the music of Smokey Robinson".〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Pure Smokey (song)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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