Love me some Mary Wells with her smooth and sultry voice. Written by Smokey Robinson , this song went to #1 in 1964 during midst of the Beatle invasion
@@patticrichton1135 I used to sing all of her songs around the house on cleaning day! It was Mary Wells and Dusty Springfield. It made the day fly by and there was no time for whining- just singing and cleaning!😊
Also, from the 60’s try the Great Dionne Warwick, you should check her out too!!!! Hits such as “Do you know the way to San Jose” and “I say a little prayer for you”, Also try Freda Payne and the song "Band of Gold” from 1970 one hit wonder but GREAT!!!
Warwick had the advantage of singing much of the Bacharach/David songbook. The three of them were a hit-making machine that was second to none at the time.
And her reward was to be dogged by Berry Gordy when she had the nerve to leave Motown to try to have a career away from them. No doubt in my mind that Berry conspired with the labels she went to afterward to ruin her by not pushing her records.
🇬🇧 This was number 1 in 1964, coincidentally the year I was born. But thanks to my wonderful mum I was brought up with all this kinda music playing all day, everyday. ❤🎼🔥
Jay and Amber, you two do the most in depth and meaningful reactions to songs that I have seen on TH-cam. Some TH-camrs who do reaction videos do not go much beyond saying they liked a song, but you two really talk about the music, vocal qualities, and performances in such a way that I can tell you are serious about music appreciation THANK YOU ❤❤
I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS BLACK. omg.... I was just a little kid and ran around the house singing this song to tease my older sister. Especially the jerky part at the end. But we only had radio and didn't care about color or race or anything..... A good song was a good song. Just looked her up and she's gorgeous at this time. Knew every word of her song and didn't know her name until today. Thanks for the great memories. Love your channel.... It's really the best. ❤️❤️
I was this year old when I found out that Bobby Goldsboro is Black. No matter,I liked his songs and voice. I should have guessed from rhe name that Hot Chocolate had a Black singer. Silly me, but, they were good.
It's called Motown Magic....so much talent in the background singers, producers, writers & especially the musicians and their arrangements...all organic , pure melody.
5:43, Amber, The jazzy feel is there because most of the Motown house band were jazz club players in Detroit..Gordy was soooo smart to recruit them for his label when he was starting.
One female singer from the 1950's and 1960's was Della Reece, the Song was Don't You Know. Sadly, Della Reece passed away only a year ago. But Della was a trailblazer, as well as a minister!
I remember the first time I ever heard this song I was at a fraternity party and the disk jockey played this song. Everybody was dancing and it was like embedded in my memory because it was one of my favorite Motown songs. What fun we had what great music we had.😊😊😊
Great that you got back to Mary Wells with this big hit. For similar sounds of the 60s, please do more Shirelles. Also Lesley Gore had a number of hits as well as Petula Clark for other women/femaile groups of the 60s.
I have always loved Mary Wells and especially this song. There's just something about it. Makes me want to call up Amber and the two of us do the backup singers with the choreography and all! My Guy!
Good lyrics. Good backing vocals. Good arrangement. One of my all-time favorite lines is where she rhymes honor with gonna. And the line where she says he may not be a movie star but when it comes to being happy we are. Great tune, thanks!
Other ladies from the 60s to check out, Barbara lynn (guitarist) - you’ll lose a good thing; Erma franklin (Aretha's sister) - piece of my heart (later covered by Janis Joplin); Gloria jones - tainted love (covered by Soft Cell in the 80s); Irma Thomas (New Orleans royalty) - time is on my side (covered by the Rolling Stones); Doris troy - just one look (covered by Linda Ronstadt). Groups from the 60's; Shirelles - baby it’s you (covered by Smith), dedicated to the one I love, soldier boy, mama said; The ronettes - baby, I love you, (the best part of) breakin’ up (another one covered in the 80s), walking in the rain
note: The Shirelles "Baby Its You" is different than Barbara Lewis' "Baby Its You". The Shirelles one written by Burt Bacharach, Barbara Lewis' one written by Van McCoy. edit- got Baby Its You mixed up with Barbara's Baby I'm Yours.
Definitely has that MO TOWN sound. I graduated high school in 1965....this song was played round the clock at every dance, cookout, sock hop that we had that year.
Oh yes, Mary Wells is my gal. I was a teeny bopper dancing to her songs. Doris Day was before our time, my parents liked her songs, but we liked her movies. Motown was in Detroit, which brought us teens great music before The British Invasion came to the U.S. Such a great time, but not for the young guys who got drafted to the Vietnam war. Most of us knew someone who were killed, my best friends husband was one of them. Thank goodness we had great music at the time, it helped!
Glad to see you guys to react to some Motown classics. Give a listen to " Two Lovers" and her duet with Marvin Gaye " Once Upon a Time", a really beautiful song. There are so, so many great Motown songs, you could spend months and months reacting to them. " Don't Look Back " by The Temptations and " Never Had A Dream Come True" by Stevie Wonder, 2 great songs from the 60's. Great reaction guys.
A lovely, all-time summer classic from a lovely Motown singer. Some of her other great songs included "You Beat Me to the Punch" (which you've already done), "Two Lovers," and "The One Who Really Loves You," but this was her biggest hit.
I was born in ‘78 so a lot of these songs were still playing on certain radio stations when I was a little kid. And my mom loved Motown; she was in high school when this came out. I remember her cleaning in the kitchen and stopping to stand by the radio to sing when her faves came on. BUT (and I feel like a couple of Okies can appreciate this), this song always scared me and made me cry when I was little-I am from West Michigan, and the first chord of the horns in the beginning sound exactly like our tornado sirens! Blame it on watching The Wizard of Oz on TV when I was probably too young to understand it but I was terrified of tornadoes as a little girl, to the point that I was often inconsolable during bad thunderstorms. 😅 I like the song now at least. The girls in my choir in high school did a number to it for our fundraiser Variety Show. Complete with 60s dresses and hair and all!
In the 60's we had a travelling fair that used to come to Leeds in Yorkshire UK, every September for 5 days on a waste ground. THIS song always played on the Speedway or the Waltzers ( both rides) and it would spread all over the fair! ( We called it The Feast, not a Fair) The other song was My boy Lollipop by Millie so this takes me back to being 7 and wandering around with my friends ( no parents present!) eating candyfloss on sticks ( spun sugar) and hooking ducks ( plastic!) to win little toys. EXCELLENT!
Exactly 60 years ago this past week: "My Guy" became the biggest hit ever for Wells, Motown's first female star, and reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart on 16 May 1964. The song led the Cashbox magazine R&B chart for seven weeks. the musical riff was taken from another song, non-Motown, called Canadian Sunset.
Kathie says…Now…please listen to another AWESOME song that Smokey Robinson originally wrote for Mary Wells, but she had left Motown, so BRENDA HOLLOWAY recorded it. The song is WHEN I’M GONE. If you loved MY GUY sung by MARY WELLS, I do believe that you will love this BRENDA HOLLOWAY song as well!
Good choice guys! I’m 61, hard for me to grasp you hearing this song for the first time, and good for you. Grew up with Motown tunes, glad to see it still has that magic today…
Classic early to mid 1960s "Motown" (I think). No matter, it was when Motown was on top of the music world as a record label. Good memories from my days in grade school. Yes, I'm old. Lol!
You two are so cute! Just love your positive attitude and how you get into the music. And I just know you want to look at each other when you hear those love songs. Go ahead! ☺️ I believe I was in the 7th grade when this song, “My Guy”- hit and I would daydream of the hope of finding “my guy”. I’m glad to say my husband & I have been married 51 years. ❤️ We have made our living as musicians all this time.
Very nostalgic song for me, songs like this played on through the 60s into the 70s. Another very nostalgic song for me was "Hello Stranger" by Barbra Lewis, that came out in 1960.
The Temptations' classic "My Girl" was the answer song to this one. Smokey Robinson wrote and produced both. At first Motown's Berry Gordy wasn't crazy about an "answer song' but as it turned out both have stood the test of time. The early Beatles loved Mary and she toured with them back in 1964-'65.
This song is tied to one marvelous songwriter : William "Smokey" Robinson. He was the lead singer of the Miracles and he wrote the single, My Girl, for the Temptations. Both songs went to #1. He began the Miracles in 1958 and, to this day, his group has the shortest #1, Stay, in length of song time at 1 min and 58 seconds. If you listen close this is the song that is sampled in the movie Sister Act (Whoopi Goldberg film) when choir of nuns sings. My Goodness 😍!
Another soul singer from the 60s is Irma Thomas , she recorded “Time Is On My Side” in 1964 that was later covered by The Rolling Stones and became their first #1 U.S.. hit. Irma is in her 80s and still performing, just a few weeks ago she did a duet with Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones.
Mary Wells fun fact : In Australia the Beatles occupied the number one selling record spot from Christmas 1963 until mid June 1964, usually with one record for many weeks at a time. Mary Wells with My Guy was the artist to finally break through with her number one for two weeks. Some quality to do that. Just saw that remarkable fact yesterday when looking at a vid of all the Australian number ones of the sixties. I imagine Mary would have been tickled pink with that news. Was also interesting that as well as some Australian artists making it there were quite a few from the US that did much better in Australia thsn the US.
Mary Wells had such a great voice which the right producer could really showcase so well. Next? "When I'm Gone" or "Two Lovers" - or if you want to hear her (and the Motown house band) really go for it "Bye Bye Baby"
Summer of 64 this is one of the Hits that got a lot of play at Sypres Pool in Brooklyn NY. The jurk box there was always up to date on the latest Hits.
You are right. She was very early in Motown's history with a string of hits that began in 1962, when she was 19, and helped the company get going. This song is from 1964 and was #1 and the biggest R&B song of the year. Other big hits were The One Who Really Loves You, Two Lovers and You Beat Me to the Punch. She left Motown in a dispute and went to another company and that was the end of her string of hits. Like all of the early Motown stars, she grew up and came from the Detroit neighborhoods around Motown and many of them grew up knowing each other or at least knowing of each other. Smokey Robinson and Aretha Franklin were friends from way back and the Miracles, Temptations and Four Tops competed in school and neighborhood competitions. The Supremes were kids who hung around the studio/house hoping for an alternative to college. Stevie Wonder auditioned at age 12 by playing many of the instruments in the studio and Michael Jackson, age 10, auditioned by singing a Smokey Robinson song better than Smokey (Who's Loving You?). Motown's history is just amazing.
I can just picture Amber cutting loose at the school dances when the kids are in their teens. Amber will be chaperone but will completely be taken over by the groove😂
Continue to R.I.P First lady of Motown Miss Mary Wells .❤Please check out Prove It by Mary Wells an unreleased song from the 60’s that should definitely be heard and What Two Can Easily Do (1966) Thanks again Jay and Amber 😊
Guys the writer of this number one hit William "Smokey" Robinson wrote and sings with his own group The Miracles also wrote songs for other Motown artists that year he wrote a number one song for The Temptations called My Girl that song should be your next reaction song it's just as good My Guy Mary Wells My Girl The Temptations keep up the great work guys.
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Smokey Robinson is a genius. He wrote My Guy and My Girl and dozens of Motown hits.
Love me some Mary Wells with her smooth and sultry voice. Written by Smokey Robinson , this song went to #1 in 1964 during midst of the Beatle invasion
Martha and the Vandellas - Heatwave
Oh gosh...Mary Wells "My Guy!" We boomers danced through the streets with this song....and others! She was a queen! "Two Lovers" next? RIP Sweet lady.
"Two lovers and I ain't ashamed..." GREAT song!😍
@@joycewalbert1413 LOVE that MARY WELLS song!!
@@patticrichton1135 I used to sing all of her songs around the house on cleaning day! It was Mary Wells and Dusty Springfield. It made the day fly by and there was no time for whining- just singing and cleaning!😊
I dont know why, it makes me think of Katrina and The Waves, Walking on Sunshine, from the 1970's (77?) Just picks you up
Still do ❤...snap those fingers!
I love Mary Wells and I love this song. Couple people have sung it but no one can sing it like her.
A classic early Motown tune. She was the first individual star to emerge from Motown.
Mary’s “You beat me to the punch” is my fave. Great reaction ❤
Also, from the 60’s try the Great Dionne Warwick, you should check her out too!!!! Hits such as “Do you know the way to San Jose” and “I say a little prayer for you”, Also try Freda Payne and the song "Band of Gold” from 1970 one hit wonder but GREAT!!!
Warwick had the advantage of singing much of the Bacharach/David songbook. The three of them were a hit-making machine that was second to none at the time.
Huge number 1 hit in 64!!
-cheers !-
And Mary Wells hit #1 in USA at the very time The Beatles and the British Invasion were owning the pop charts. Not an easy task. "My Guy" was huge.
-the states here ...-
@@denpea-mm8zr The previous week Louis Armstrong had knocked the Beatles off of the #1 spot, opening up the gates for Mary to go to #1.
I consider Mary Wells ,the First Lady of Motown.She was very instrumental in putting Motown on the Map.
And her reward was to be dogged by Berry Gordy when she had the nerve to leave Motown to try to have a career away from them. No doubt in my mind that Berry conspired with the labels she went to afterward to ruin her by not pushing her records.
Love this ❤ you heard Whoopi and the Nuns singing this in Sister Act. ❤ hi from 🇬🇧
Thanks for mentioning Sister Act! I drop everything and watch it every time it's on tv!❤
Except they changed the words.
They were singing nothing can take me away from my God.
Beat me to it. LOL
I was waiting for them to realize it was "the" song in Sister Act.
My favorite Mary Wells song is The One Who Really Loves You. She was the first number one female Motown Star.
"THE ONE WHO REALLY LOVES YOU" Is my favorite Mary Wells song too
I’m 76, and I fell in love with Mary Wells and this song when I was 14! This was how I got hooked on Motown.
The Supremes and so many other female artists of Motown. You have only scratched the surface.
Had the great fortune to see Mary in concert with the Nashville Symphony.
Lucky you!
🇬🇧 This was number 1 in 1964, coincidentally the year I was born. But thanks to my wonderful mum I was brought up with all this kinda music playing all day, everyday. ❤🎼🔥
Doris Day was a singer mostly in the 40s and 50s. By the 60s she was primarily a very popular movie star.
Mary Wells was sensational
She Was always my favorite!!
This song was one of many written by Smokey Robinson. He could have easily sung the part that mary wells sang.
It sounds like Smokey is singing this.
Mary Wells was Smokey & Berry Gordys favorite singer.
Another Legendary singer from the 60's you should check out is Miriam Makeba , and her most famous worldwide hit "Pata Pata".
Great suggestion
Bernadette - The Four Tops...!!!
Surprised you guys hadn’t heard it - it’s a classic - it was used in the movie “ Sister Act”
They've reacted to that movie - I was surprised they didn't recognize the song!
@@gloriacardona6267 I was just about to say the same
Can't hear that without thinking of sister act. Makes me smile everytime.
R.I.P To A Beautiful Gorgeous Woman,Mary Wells , Still Miss You Always 😢
Jay and Amber, you two do the most in depth and meaningful reactions to songs that I have seen on TH-cam.
Some TH-camrs who do reaction videos do not go much beyond saying they liked a song, but you two really
talk about the music, vocal qualities, and performances in such a way that I can tell you are serious about music appreciation
THANK YOU ❤❤
I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS BLACK. omg.... I was just a little kid and ran around the house singing this song to tease my older sister. Especially the jerky part at the end. But we only had radio and didn't care about color or race or anything..... A good song was a good song. Just looked her up and she's gorgeous at this time. Knew every word of her song and didn't know her name until today. Thanks for the great memories. Love your channel.... It's really the best. ❤️❤️
I was this year old when I found out that Bobby Goldsboro is Black. No matter,I liked his songs and voice.
I should have guessed from rhe name that Hot Chocolate had a Black singer. Silly me, but, they were good.
It's called Motown Magic....so much talent in the background singers, producers, writers & especially the musicians and their arrangements...all organic , pure melody.
I remember this song from back in the day. I was just a kid, but remember it playing on the radio in the car, and my Mom singing along to it.
5:43, Amber, The jazzy feel is there because most of the Motown house band were jazz club players in Detroit..Gordy was soooo smart to recruit them for his label when he was starting.
This song was everything back in the 60's. Loved it then and love it still. 🥰
A classic Motown track from the 60's, written by Smokey Robinson among many other great tracks he did-Colin Ward
One female singer from the 1950's and 1960's was Della Reece, the Song was Don't You Know. Sadly, Della Reece passed away only a year ago. But Della was a trailblazer, as well as a minister!
She actually died in 2017 but you’re right she was a trailblazer in many fields
Such a monster hit!! Everyone could sing along!!!
One of my favorite songs when I was a little kid.. great memories.
I remember the first time I ever heard this song I was at a fraternity party and the disk jockey played this song. Everybody was dancing and it was like embedded in my memory because it was one of my favorite Motown songs. What fun we had what great music we had.😊😊😊
James Jamerson on the Upright Bass!
My favorite part of the song is when it is just the two of them for a few bars. A song I have been hearing as far back as I can remember.
Great that you got back to Mary Wells with this big hit. For similar sounds of the 60s, please do more Shirelles. Also Lesley Gore had a number of hits as well as Petula Clark for other women/femaile groups of the 60s.
I have always loved Mary Wells and especially this song. There's just something about it. Makes me want to call up Amber and the two of us do the backup singers with the choreography and all! My Guy!
Good lyrics. Good backing vocals. Good arrangement. One of my all-time favorite lines is where she rhymes honor with gonna. And the line where she says he may not be a movie star but when it comes to being happy we are. Great tune, thanks!
"Baby I'm Yours" is another good song of hers.
@@db4982 yes, Barbara Lewis in 1965
LO)L, that ain't Mary Wells.
Nope that was Barbara Lewis in 1965 South Lyon, Michigan Girl.
@@db4982
Yes and a great song. We were so lucky. They were popping the new songs onto the radio right and left.
That’s a great one
Other ladies from the 60s to check out, Barbara lynn (guitarist) - you’ll lose a good thing; Erma franklin (Aretha's sister) - piece of my heart (later covered by Janis Joplin); Gloria jones - tainted love (covered by Soft Cell in the 80s); Irma Thomas (New Orleans royalty) - time is on my side (covered by the Rolling Stones); Doris troy - just one look (covered by Linda Ronstadt). Groups from the 60's; Shirelles - baby it’s you (covered by Smith), dedicated to the one I love, soldier boy, mama said; The ronettes - baby, I love you, (the best part of) breakin’ up (another one covered in the 80s), walking in the rain
Barbara Lynn will blow your minds.
note: The Shirelles "Baby Its You" is different than Barbara Lewis' "Baby Its You". The Shirelles one written by Burt Bacharach, Barbara Lewis' one written by Van McCoy. edit- got Baby Its You mixed up with Barbara's Baby I'm Yours.
@@surlechapeau I think Lewis' song was Baby, I'm Yours, but that would also be a good one for them to react to.
Carla Thomas- B-A-B-Y
@@db-gb5xi you are correct! Thank you.
Oh my word, I listened to my 45 of this sooo much, it's a wonder it survived. Absolutely loved this one!
Iconic song. Jay & Amber, you'd love her "The One Who Really Loves You" and "Two Lovers" !!
edit - My Guy written and produced by Smokey Robinson.
Indeed
we all loved this song❤thanks for the memories thsnks for ALL you do to reunite us with the great music of our life
Sitting here listening to My Guy tearing up after losing my little cat Harley 2 days ago Nothing soothes the soul like music.
Another great Roller Rink song we skated to back in the early 70s. Nice to hear it again!
Definitely has that MO TOWN sound. I graduated high school in 1965....this song was played round the clock at every dance, cookout, sock hop that we had that year.
They did a rendition of this song in the movie, "Sister Act", but they called it "My God".
ahhhh....the Great Mary Wells.....written (of course) by the great Smokey....love thar era
Another great reaction, guys...I love listening to this "my era " music...another banger... Keep being awesome !!!..
a killer tune that every young teen vibed to and dreamed over...how MOTOWN can you get!!!!
Oh yes, Mary Wells is my gal. I was a teeny bopper dancing to her songs. Doris Day was before our time, my parents liked her songs, but we liked her movies. Motown was in Detroit, which brought us teens great music before The British Invasion came to the U.S. Such a great time, but not for the young guys who got drafted to the Vietnam war. Most of us knew someone who were killed, my best friends husband was one of them. Thank goodness we had great music at the time, it helped!
This is one of the Motown songs I feel like I was born knowing and loving
Glad to see you guys to react to some Motown classics. Give a listen to " Two Lovers" and her duet with Marvin Gaye " Once Upon a Time", a really beautiful song. There are so, so many great Motown songs, you could spend months and months reacting to them. " Don't Look Back " by The Temptations and " Never Had A Dream Come True" by Stevie Wonder, 2 great songs from the 60's. Great reaction guys.
She is an Icon of Motown.
A lovely, all-time summer classic from a lovely Motown singer. Some of her other great songs included "You Beat Me to the Punch" (which you've already done), "Two Lovers," and "The One Who Really Loves You," but this was her biggest hit.
Awe. Mary Wells! I saw her about 40 years ago at a small venue at Hollywood & Vine! She’s iconic!
I was born in ‘78 so a lot of these songs were still playing on certain radio stations when I was a little kid. And my mom loved Motown; she was in high school when this came out. I remember her cleaning in the kitchen and stopping to stand by the radio to sing when her faves came on. BUT (and I feel like a couple of Okies can appreciate this), this song always scared me and made me cry when I was little-I am from West Michigan, and the first chord of the horns in the beginning sound exactly like our tornado sirens! Blame it on watching The Wizard of Oz on TV when I was probably too young to understand it but I was terrified of tornadoes as a little girl, to the point that I was often inconsolable during bad thunderstorms. 😅 I like the song now at least. The girls in my choir in high school did a number to it for our fundraiser Variety Show. Complete with 60s dresses and hair and all!
The Funk Brothers!
In the 60's we had a travelling fair that used to come to Leeds in Yorkshire UK, every September for 5 days on a waste ground. THIS song always played on the Speedway or the Waltzers ( both rides) and it would spread all over the fair! ( We called it The Feast, not a Fair) The other song was My boy Lollipop by Millie so this takes me back to being 7 and wandering around with my friends ( no parents present!) eating candyfloss on sticks ( spun sugar) and hooking ducks ( plastic!) to win little toys. EXCELLENT!
such a hit...on constant "repeat" for teens like me.....thanks so much for loving' on the -60's....
Exactly 60 years ago this past week: "My Guy" became the biggest hit ever for Wells, Motown's first female star, and reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart on 16 May 1964. The song led the Cashbox magazine R&B chart for seven weeks. the musical riff was taken from another song, non-Motown, called Canadian Sunset.
In 1964 I was 14. As I was singing along I remembered, roller skating! This is definitely a skating song.
Kathie says…Now…please listen to another AWESOME song that Smokey Robinson originally wrote for Mary Wells, but she had left Motown, so BRENDA HOLLOWAY recorded it. The song is WHEN I’M GONE. If you loved MY GUY sung by MARY WELLS, I do believe that you will love this BRENDA HOLLOWAY song as well!
My Girl Mary Wells!
Mary Wells other hits were "two lovers", "you beat me to the punch", and "the one who really loves you".
Mary Wells put Motown Record Corp. on the map. She had many hit records before "My Guy".
Love this song. It's simple. Her voice is lovely. It doesn't need any bells & whistle and is better without them.
Good choice guys! I’m 61, hard for me to grasp you hearing this song for the first time, and good for you. Grew up with Motown tunes, glad to see it still has that magic today…
Classic early to mid 1960s "Motown" (I think). No matter, it was when Motown was on top of the music world as a record label. Good memories from my days in grade school. Yes, I'm old. Lol!
😂Now that summer is near, you need to check out Martha and the Vendellas doing "Heat Wave" They were a Motown super girl group like the Supremes.
Love this tune. Mary was a great singer.
Seventh grade in Passaic, NJ listening to Cousin Brucie on WABC am radio. Mary Wells was cranking out this hit and so many more.
In the 60s I used to play this all day (greatest hits album).
You two are so cute! Just love your positive attitude and how you get into the music. And I just know you want to look at each other when you hear those love songs. Go ahead! ☺️
I believe I was in the 7th grade when this song, “My Guy”- hit and I would daydream of the hope of finding “my guy”. I’m glad to say my husband & I have been married 51 years. ❤️ We have made our living as musicians all this time.
Loved that little stutter / stop at the end, nice technique.
This came out when I was just a little kid. Everyone was singing this and we seemed to always be dancing.
A legendary lady and classic song.
One of my faves from the Spectacular Sixties.
Very nostalgic song for me, songs like this played on through the 60s into the 70s. Another very nostalgic song for me was "Hello Stranger" by Barbra Lewis, that came out in 1960.
The Temptations' classic "My Girl" was the answer song to this one. Smokey Robinson wrote and produced both. At first Motown's Berry Gordy wasn't crazy about an "answer song' but as it turned out both have stood the test of time. The early Beatles loved Mary and she toured with them back in 1964-'65.
Oh I LOVED Mary Wells! Bought her albums. This takes me back to high school😁😊
This song is tied to one marvelous songwriter : William "Smokey" Robinson. He was the lead singer of the Miracles and he wrote the single, My Girl, for the Temptations. Both songs went to #1. He began the Miracles in 1958 and, to this day, his group has the shortest #1, Stay, in length of song time at 1 min and 58 seconds. If you listen close this is the song that is sampled in the movie Sister Act (Whoopi Goldberg film) when choir of nuns sings. My Goodness 😍!
Another soul singer from the 60s is Irma Thomas , she recorded “Time Is On My Side” in 1964 that was later covered by The Rolling Stones and became their first #1 U.S.. hit. Irma is in her 80s and still performing, just a few weeks ago she did a duet with Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones.
Mary was the Queen! Loved her’
Classic Motown, feel good music. She had a few other hits but My Guy was her biggest. Thanks for the great reactions. 👏👏🥰
Mary Wells fun fact :
In Australia the Beatles occupied the number one selling record spot from Christmas 1963 until mid June 1964, usually with one record for many weeks at a time. Mary Wells with My Guy was the artist to finally break through with her number one for two weeks. Some quality to do that.
Just saw that remarkable fact yesterday when looking at a vid of all the Australian number ones of the sixties. I imagine Mary would have been tickled pink with that news.
Was also interesting that as well as some Australian artists making it there were quite a few from the US that did much better in Australia thsn the US.
Listened to this constantly as a child (60's early 70's)
Mary Wells had such a great voice which the right producer could really showcase so well. Next? "When I'm Gone" or "Two Lovers" - or if you want to hear her (and the Motown house band) really go for it "Bye Bye Baby"
Summer of 64 this is one of the Hits that got a lot of play at Sypres Pool in Brooklyn NY. The jurk box there was always up to date on the latest Hits.
You are right. She was very early in Motown's history with a string of hits that began in 1962, when she was 19, and helped the company get going. This song is from 1964 and was #1 and the biggest R&B song of the year. Other big hits were The One Who Really Loves You, Two Lovers and You Beat Me to the Punch. She left Motown in a dispute and went to another company and that was the end of her string of hits. Like all of the early Motown stars, she grew up and came from the Detroit neighborhoods around Motown and many of them grew up knowing each other or at least knowing of each other. Smokey Robinson and Aretha Franklin were friends from way back and the Miracles, Temptations and Four Tops competed in school and neighborhood competitions. The Supremes were kids who hung around the studio/house hoping for an alternative to college. Stevie Wonder auditioned at age 12 by playing many of the instruments in the studio and Michael Jackson, age 10, auditioned by singing a Smokey Robinson song better than Smokey (Who's Loving You?). Motown's history is just amazing.
The Beatles were huge fans of Mary Wells, and all Motown artists. Mary was friends with The Beatles in their hayday.
I can just picture Amber cutting loose at the school dances when the kids are in their teens. Amber will be chaperone but will completely be taken over by the groove😂
She was awesome lady and her voice wow ❤
Never heard this song before, and I love it, definitely going to add it to my playlist, thank you 👌🏻
Continue to R.I.P First lady of Motown Miss Mary Wells .❤Please check out Prove It by Mary Wells an unreleased song from the 60’s that should definitely be heard and
What Two Can Easily Do (1966) Thanks again Jay and Amber 😊
Just the intro with the piano, bass, and horns, then kicking in with the drums - gets stuck in my head sometimes.
Guys the writer of this number one hit William "Smokey" Robinson wrote and sings with his own group The Miracles also wrote songs for other Motown artists that year he wrote a number one song for The Temptations called My Girl that song should be your next reaction song it's just as good My Guy Mary Wells My Girl The Temptations keep up the great work guys.
I always loved this song. I was a young teen when this came out and as I recall kinda wished that I *was* Mary's guy 😍
I think it's about time you discovered the amazing voice of Randy Crawford. Some day I'll fly away is a good one to start with.