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"You Lost the Sweetest Boy" is a song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and released as a single by Motown star Mary Wells. The song is most noted for the background vocals by The Supremes and The Temptations.

Song information

In this song, the narrator of the song gets back at a girl whom she says always chased after other boys while supposedly with a boyfriend. The narrator ends up winning the girl's boyfriend's affections and before she knew it, the boyfriend had left her for the narrator causing her to chant, "you lost the sweetest boy that you had that time".

Cash Box described it as "an exciting gospel-like thumper...that has a happy romantic ending."

Release and chart status

Released in late 1963, the single reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the R&B chart.

Personnel

• Lead vocal by Mary Wells
• Background vocals by The Supremes (Florence Ballard, Diana Ross, and Mary Wilson) and The Temptations (Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Elbridge Bryant, and Otis Williams)
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
  • Andrew "Mike" Terry: baritone saxophone solo

References

1. Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 497. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
2. The Complete Motown Singles Vol 3: 1963 . New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
3. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 14, 1963. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research.
5. "Obituary: Mike Terry". TheGuardian.com. December 2008.

• 1963 singles
• Mary Wells songs
• Songs written by Holland–Dozier–Holland
• 1963 songs
• Motown singles
• Song recordings produced by Lamont Dozier
• Song recordings produced by Brian Holland