It was some twenty first birthday current. Within the week of her large private landmark, considered one of Motown’s earliest stars, Mary Wells, hit No.1 on the Billboard Scorching 100 with “My Guy.” For all her different hits, from “You Beat Me To The Punch” to “Two Lovers” and “The One Who Really Loves You,” this may change into the Detroit singer’s defining track.
Wells’ significance to the early Tamla success is now generally underrated. It’s partly due to some ill-advised profession selections that noticed her go away Motown later in 1964 for twentieth Century Fox, and partly due to her sadly early loss of life from most cancers on the age of simply 49 in 1992.
“In 1964, Mary Wells was our big, big artist,” Motown’s first gross sales chief Loucye Gordy Wakefield advised the New York Instances when the artist handed away. “I don’t think there’s any audience with an age of 30 through 50 that doesn’t know the words to ‘My Guy.’”
Such was Mary’s pre-eminence at Motown that as she climbed the charts with that track, she additionally turned an early vocal associate for Marvin Gaye on their Collectively album. It was not Gaye’s presence that the label hoped would profit Wells’ profession, however the different means round.
Smokey’s track succeeds Satchmo
“My Guy” was, in fact, written by the nice Smokey Robinson, who additionally produced it. On the Scorching 100 for Could 16, 1964, it changed Louis Armstrong’s “Hello, Dolly!” at No.1. The swinging quantity’s two-week reign was then ended by The Beatles’ “Love Me Do.” The irony was that Mary was not solely the Fab 4’s favourite early Motown singer, however would tour with them within the UK later that yr.
Hearken to the Greatest Motown Songs Ever playlist, starring Mary Wells, Jimmy Ruffin, Brenda Holloway and lots of extra.
However whereas “My Guy” ought to have opened the door to even larger achievements for Wells at Motown, it proved to be her final solo hit for them. The duets album with with Gaye delivered singles success with each “Once Upon A Time” and “What’s The Matter With You Baby.” However her twenty first birthday gave Wells the chance to get out of her deal and, unwisely, she took it. Her profession was by no means the identical once more, however she’s fondly remembered by Motown followers as the primary queen of the label.
Purchase or stream “My Guy” on Mary Wells’ The Definitive Assortment.
