One Heartbeat

For the song, see One Heartbeat (song).

One Heartbeat
Studio album by Smokey Robinson
Released	February 24, 1987
Recorded	1986–1987
Studio	Conway Studios, with additional recording at Buckman Studios, Power Trax Studios and Ocean Way Recording
Genre	R&B, pop rock, adult contemporary
Length	38:10
Label	Motown
Producer	Peter Bunetta, Rick Chudacoff
Smokey Robinson chronology
Smoke Signals (1986) One Heartbeat (1987) Love, Smokey (1990)

One Heartbeat is an album by American R&B singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson, released in 1987 on Motown Records. This album peaked at No. 26 on the US Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. One Heartbeat was also certified Gold in the US by the RIAA. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Overview

The album contains Robinson's last two US Billboard top 10 singles: "Just to See Her" (which won Robinson a Grammy Award in the category of Best Male R&B Vocal performance) and "One Heartbeat". "What's Too Much" was released as the album's third and final single.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[5]

Ron Wynn of Allmusic in a 3/5 stars review, called One Heartbeat "Another superb Robinson album." ^[5] David Wild of Rolling Stone declared, "One Heartbeat is another of Smokey's breathy gems; it's his strongest and most accessible effort since 1982's underrated Touch the Sky. ^[6]

Robert K. Oermann of USA Today ranked this album at No. 1 on his list of 1987's top 50 R&B albums. ^[7]

Track listing

1. "Just to See Her" (Jimmy George, Lou Pardini) - 4:04
2. "One Heartbeat" (Brian Ray, Steve LeGassick) - 4:07
3. "It's Time to Stop Shoppin' Around" (Robinson, Marsha Gold) - 4:02
4. "Why Do Happy Memories Hurt So Bad" (Robinson, Marvin Tarplin) - 4:06
5. "You Don't Know What It's Like" (Robinson, Reed Nielsen, Sue Shifrin) - 3:55
6. "What's Too Much" (Robinson, Ivory Stone, Lonnie Kirtz, Pepi Talbert) - 4:23
7. "Love Brought Us Here Tonight" (duet with Syreeta Wright) (Robinson, Stephen Geyer, Allan Rich) - 3:57
8. "Love Don't Give No Reason" (Robinson, Steven Tavani) - 4:25
9. "Keep Me" (Robinson) - 4:58

Personnel

• Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
• Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9), arrangements (5, 8)
• Lou Pardini – synthesizer solo (1)
• Rick Chudacoff – arrangements (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9), synth bass (3), acoustic piano (6)
• Steve LeGassick – keyboards (2), arrangements (2)
• Bill Elliott – keyboards (3)
• Reginald "Sonny" Burke – keyboards (3, 4), acoustic piano solo (6), organ (6)
• Dann Huff – guitars (1, 3-9)
• Brian Ray – guitars (2), drum programming (2), arrangements (2)
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (1, 4, 9)
• John Robinson – drums (1, 4, 5, 9)
• Peter Bunetta – arrangements (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9), drums (3), bass synth programming (6), drum programming (6)
• Brad Buxer – drum programming (6, 7), bass synth programming (6), keyboards (7), synthesizer programming (7), rhythm track arrangements (7)
• Tom Seufert – drum programming (8)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 3, 9)
• Kenny G – sax solo (2, 9), soprano sax solo (4)
• Danny Pelfrey – alto saxophone (3)
• Greg Smith – baritone saxophone (3)
• Jerry Jumonville – tenor saxophone (3)
• Bruce Paulsen – trombone (3)
• Darrell Leonard – trumpet (3, 6), horn arrangements (3)
• John Thomas – trumpet (3)
• Jerry Peterson – EWI controller (8)
• Leslie Smith – backing vocals (1, 4, 5)
• Tim Stone – backing vocals (1)
• Patti Henley – backing vocals (2, 4-9)
• Ivory Stone – backing vocals (3, 4-9)
• The Temptations – backing vocals (3)
• Howard Smith – backing vocals (4, 5)
• Alfie Silas – backing vocals (5-9)
• Maxayn Lewis – backing vocals (5)
• Kal David – backing vocals (5)
• Syreeta Wright – lead vocals (7)

Production

• Producers – Peter Bunetta and Rick Chudacoff
• Executive Producer – Berry Gordy
• Coordination – Sharon Burston
• Engineered by Daren Klein
• Additional Recording – Richard McKernan and Frank Wolf
• Assistant Engineers – Troy Krueger, Bob Loftus, Richard McKernan, Marnie Riley and Gary Wagner.
• Mixing – Daren Klein (Tracks 1-9); Mick Guzauski (Tracks 1, 2, 4-7 & 9).
• Art Direction – Johnny Lee
• Design – Andy Engel
• Front Cover Photo – Bonnie Schiffman
• Back Cover Photo – Ron Slenzak

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1987) Peak position US Billboard 200 [8] 26 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [9] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1987) Position US Billboard 200 [10] 49 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [11] 12

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [12]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Singles

Year	Title	US	US R&B	AC	UK
1987	"Just to See Her"	8	2	1	52
1987	"One Heartbeat"	10	3	2	—

References

1. "Smokey Robinson - Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard . Retrieved April 27, 2025.
2. "Smokey Robinson - Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved April 27, 2025.
3. Smokey Robinson - One Heartbeat. Motown Records. 1987.
4. "Smokey Robinson - One Heartbeat". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved April 27, 2025.
5. Wynn, Ron. "Smokey Robinson - One Heartbeat". Allmusic . Retrieved April 27, 2025.
6. Wild, David (April 23, 1987). "One Heartbeat". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 27, 2025.
7. K. Oermann, Robert (December 31, 1987). "I'm looking over the albums that shook my soul in 1987". USA Today – via newsbank.com.
8. "Smokey Robinson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
9. "Smokey Robinson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
10. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
11. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
12. "American album certifications – Smokey Robinson – One Heartbeat". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved February 13, 2021.