The One Who Really Loves You

Album: The One Who Really Loves You (1962)
Charted: 8
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Songfacts®:

  • This was written by Motown hit-maker Smokey Robinson and marks his first collaboration with Mary Wells. Wells plays the part as the "one who really loves you" and tries to convince her boyfriend to ignore the siren songs of other lovers.
  • The song climbed to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #2 on the Billboard R&B chart.
  • The backup vocals were provided by a male group called the Love Tones, while the instruments were played by the Motown house band Funk Brothers. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jerro - New Alexandria, PA, for above 2

Comments: 2

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1962 {May 13th} "The One Who Really Loves You" by Mary Wells peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Mashed Potato Time" by Dee Dee Sharp...
    As noted above, "The One Who Really Loves You" reached #8 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
    Between 1960 and 1981 the Detroit, Michigan native had twenty one records on the Billboard's R&B/Soul charts, fourteen made the Top 10 with three peaking at #1, "You Beat Me To The Punch" for one week in September of 1962, "Two Lovers" for four weeks in January of 1963, and "My Guy" for seven weeks in April of 1964...
    Two of her twenty one charted records were duets with Marvin Gaye, "What's The Matter With You Baby" and "Once Upon A Time"...
    Sadly, Mary Esther Wells passed away at the young age of 49 on July 26th, 1992 {cancer}...
    May she R.I.P.
    * "The One Who Really Loves You" was Mary Wells' first of two of her records to peak at #2, her other #2 record was the above "What's The Matter With You Baby" in 1964...
    And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot R&B Sides' Top 10 on May 13th, 1962:
    At #3. "Soldier Boy" by the Shirelles
    #4. "Soul Twist" by King Curtis
    #5. "Night Train" by James Brown
    #6. "I Found A Love" by the Falcons
    #7. "Hide Nor Hair" by Ray Charles
    #8. "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell
    #9. "Annie Get Your Yo-Yo" by 'Little' Junior Parker
    #10. "Don't Play That Song" by Ben E. King
    Note: "My Guy" actually peaked at #1 on Cashbox's R&B Top 10 chart, between November 30th 1963 and January 24th, 1965 Billboard Magazine didn't publish an R&B Singles chart...

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 3rd 1962, Mary Wells performed "The One Who Really Loves You" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #62 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; nine weeks later on June 3rd, 1963 it would peak at #8 {for 1 week} and spent 17 weeks on the Top 100...
    And on May 13th, 1962 it reached #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's R&B Singles chart; the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Mash Potato Time" by Dee Dee Sharp...
    Between 1961 and 1968 she had twenty-one Top 100 records; four made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "My Guy" for 2 weeks in 1964...
    Mary Wells passed away on July 26th, 1992 at the young age of 49...
    May she R.I.P.
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