Tag: Smokey Robinson

Mary Wells – “Two Lovers”

by thedailyrecord, posted in Motown

Mary Wells – “Two Lovers,” Pop #7, R&B #1

Mary Wells’ follow up to “You Beat Me to the Punch” found her back with Smokey Robinson with the same results: a No. 1 R&B hit.

This song tends to get lost in the wake of the runaway success “My Guy,” but is the most complete musical Wells/Robinson collaboration. Here the sophistication of “The One Who Really Loves You” is improved – without being overshadowed – by a great chorus. What sounds scandalous at first blush, a early ‘60s black women singing openly about having more than one lover, takes a great turn in the final verse. (I’ll leave it to you to listen to the twist for yourself.)

By this point Wells had really stepped into her own as a singer. Her double-tracked vocals are both confident and confiding, as if she’s sharing a seductive secret. Wells sounds like a woman who could not pull off having two men at once, but enjoy it. And yet, there’s some hesitation and vulnerability present as well. Wells isn’t just boasting about her love, she’s working it out in her head at the same time.

This song, along with Wells’ two other No. 1 hits, demonstrates why Wells was Motown’s first true diva and remains one of its best female vocalists. — By Joel Francis

Mary Wells – “You Beat Me To the Punch”

by thedailyrecord, posted in Motown, Song Review

Mary Wells – “You Beat Me To the Punch,” Pop #9, R&B #1

If the Contours’ “Do You Love Me” was Motown at its most raw, “You Beat Me to the Punch” was really where the “Motown sound” started to be defined. The vibes in the background smooth all the rough edges while the bongos add an extra bounce to the melody. Backing vocals from the Love-Tones add to Mary Wells’ delivery without distracting from it and foreshadowed the relationship this song’s writer, Smokey Robinson, would have on record with The Miracles.

Wells sounded insecure in her debut single, “The One who Really Loves You,” (although the pedestrian songwriting doesn’t give her much to work with), but she nails the surprise and thrill of new love here. Smitten from the first time she saw her man, the shy girl is delighted to learn her feelings are reciprocated.

This is an underrated gem in Wells’ too-small Motown catalog. –By Joel Francis

Mary Wells – “The One Who Really Loves You”

by thedailyrecord, posted in Motown, Song Review

Mary Wells – “The One Who Really Loves You,” Pop # 8, R&B # 2

Mary Wells was billed as “Motown’s First Female star” but she got off to a slow start with this song. Penned by the usually reliable Smokey Robinson, “The One Who Really Loves You” suffers from overly simplistic lyrics and a melody that doesn’t try much harder. Wells’ vocals are frequently flat as she basically just calls out her smitten rivals – like Silly Lily – and points out their flaws. After listening to the song a half-dozen times, I think the singer may be exaggerating the threat of Ginnie and Minnie to steal her man, but I’ve also never been a lovelorn teenage girl. Then again, neither has Smokey Robinson.

Thankfully, while this song doesn’t work, it didn’t take long for the Robinson-Wells collaborations to click. Special note should also be made of Eddie “Bongo” Brown’s lilting percussion, supposedly inspired by the island rhythms of Harry Belafonte. — By Joel Francis

The Miracles – “Shop Around”

by thedailyrecord, posted in Motown, Song Review

Shop Around

The Miracles – “Shop Around” Pop #2, R&B #1

Barry Gordy borrowed $800 from his family to launch the Tamla label. The first group Gordy signed to Tamla was The Matadors, who changed their name to The Miracles.

It’s impossible to underestimate how important main Miracle Smokey Robinson was to Barry Gordy’s success. He not only brought dozens of hit records to the charts with The Miracles, but wrote most of Mary Well’s early hits and “My Girl” for the Temptations. It is impossible to get to Hitsville U.S.A. without going through Robinson.

This song was Motown’s first No. 1 hit (on the R&B charts, at least), over 45 years ago. If you updated the production and handed this song to Mariah Carey under the altered title to “Sleep Around” it would probably be a hit again today. Not that this is necessarily a good thing. — by Joel Francis