“My Guy” was singer Mary Wells’ biggest hit, and it’s today’s classic song of the day. Released as a single on the Motown label in March of 1964, “My Guy” went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 charts.
Smokey Robinson was the guy who wrote “My Guy.” He also produced the record. The recording was made at Motown’s Hitsville USA Studio A, featuring the normal crew of Funk Brothers: Earl Van Dyke on keyboards, Johnny Griffith on piano, Eddie Willis and Robert White on guitars, Dave Hamilton on vibes, James Jamerson on bass, and Benny Benjamin on drums. The Andantes provided the backing vocals.
“My Guy” was so successful that it encouraged Smokey Robinson to pen a gender-reversed follow-up later that year, “My Girl.” That one, which you all know, was an even bigger hit for fellow Motown group the Temptations.
By the way, Mary Wells had just turned 21 with “My Guy” hit the top of the charts. Pretty nice birthday present, that was.
And here’s today’s daily bonus video of the day, Mary Wells on the September 28, 1965, episode of Shindig, singing “My Guy” live. As the program’s host, Jimmy O’Neill said in his intro, Mary Wells was the Beatles’ favorite singer. Yeah!
