Smokey Robinson, composer of umpteen romantic soul classics, was sued yesterday by four former housekeepers who accuse him of sexual assault and rape, among a raft of other charges. He hasn’t officially responded, but when The Daily Mail managed to get the 85-year-old singer on the phone he told them, “I am appalled. I can’t speak about this right now.”
“I’ve Been Good to You” wasn’t one of Robinson’s hits. It was released as the B-side of “What’s So Good About Goodbye,” a 1961 single that reached No. 35 on the Hot 100; the B-side got enough notice that it made the Bubbling Under chart. It left a legacy, though. It was John Lennon’s favorite Motown tune, and he quoted its opening lines almost verbatim for “Sexy Sadie.”
