I Don't Want to Take a Chance - Mary Wells, Gordy, Berry Jr.
Strange Love - Mary Wells, Stevenson, Mickey
The One Who Really Loves You - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
You Beat Me to the Punch - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
Old Love (Let's Try It Again) - Mary Wells, Dozier, Lamont
Two Lovers - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
Operator - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
Laughing Boy - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right - Mary Wells, Gordy, Berry Jr.
Goodbye and Good Luck - Mary Wells, White, Ronald [Moto
Your Old Standby - Mary Wells, Bradford, Janie
What Love Has Joined Together - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
You Lost the Sweetest Boy - Mary Wells, Dozier, Lamont
What's Easy for Two Is So Hard for One - Mary Wells, Bradford, Janie
My Guy - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
Oh Little Boy (What Did You Do to Me) - Mary Wells, Holland, Eddie
Once upon a Time - Mary Wells, Ales, Barney
What's the Matter with You Baby - Mary Wells, Ales, Barney
Whisper You Love Me Boy - Mary Wells, Dozier, Lamont
I'll Be Available - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
When I'm Gone - Mary Wells, Robinson, Smokey
Use Your Head - Mary Wells, Barksdale, Chuck
Never, Never Leave Me - Mary Wells, Gentile, Mickey
Dear Lover - Mary Wells, Davis, Carl [1]
Motown's "girl with the golden voice" actually spent only four of her 22 career years as a chart maker for the Detroit diskery, but Mary Wells was truly the Motor City machine's first bona fide solo female star. "Bye Bye B... more »aby," the first track on this fine 25-cut compilation, was written by a teenage Wells for then-superstar Jackie Wilson; while she managed to get it to Berry Gordy Jr., the author of many of Wilson's earliest hits, she didn't know that it would give her the first of 10 consecutive hits of her own. This collection provides a comprehensive overview of Wells's Motown years and is an essential purchase. Here are the obvious classics: the perennial "My Guy," written and produced by Smokey Robinson; the equally timeless "You Beat Me to the Punch"; the unforgettable "Two Lovers"; and the marvelous "One Who Really Loves You." But then there are some other wonderful inclusions, such as "I'll Be Available" and "When I'm Gone," two scheduled but never-issued singles; the equally obscure "Whisper You Love Me Boy" (redone by vanilla Motown diva Chris Clark); the hidden gem "Goodbye and Good Luck"; and some great B-sides. Duets with Marvin Gaye ("What's the Matter with You Baby" and "Once upon a Time") and three post-Motown hits ("Use Your Head," "Never, Never Leave Me," and "Dear Lover") make this a must for those wanting a comprehensive package of the singer's early years. --David Nathan« less
Motown's "girl with the golden voice" actually spent only four of her 22 career years as a chart maker for the Detroit diskery, but Mary Wells was truly the Motor City machine's first bona fide solo female star. "Bye Bye Baby," the first track on this fine 25-cut compilation, was written by a teenage Wells for then-superstar Jackie Wilson; while she managed to get it to Berry Gordy Jr., the author of many of Wilson's earliest hits, she didn't know that it would give her the first of 10 consecutive hits of her own. This collection provides a comprehensive overview of Wells's Motown years and is an essential purchase. Here are the obvious classics: the perennial "My Guy," written and produced by Smokey Robinson; the equally timeless "You Beat Me to the Punch"; the unforgettable "Two Lovers"; and the marvelous "One Who Really Loves You." But then there are some other wonderful inclusions, such as "I'll Be Available" and "When I'm Gone," two scheduled but never-issued singles; the equally obscure "Whisper You Love Me Boy" (redone by vanilla Motown diva Chris Clark); the hidden gem "Goodbye and Good Luck"; and some great B-sides. Duets with Marvin Gaye ("What's the Matter with You Baby" and "Once upon a Time") and three post-Motown hits ("Use Your Head," "Never, Never Leave Me," and "Dear Lover") make this a must for those wanting a comprehensive package of the singer's early years. --David Nathan
CD Reviews
Exquisite sixties R+B
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 06/05/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Mary will be forever remembered for My guy, but there was much more to her music than that. This collection encapsulates the best of it. She was a very soulful singer, able to wring every ounce of emotion from a song.Mary began her run of success in America with two minor pop hits, Bye bye baby (a song she wrote herself) and I don?t want to take a chance. These were followed by three top ten hits ? The one who really loves you, You beat me to the punch and Two lovers (a song about a man with a split personality). More hits followed, but Mary did not reach the top ten again until My guy reached the very top of the American chart in 1964. It also became a huge hit in Britain, which missed out on the earlier hits because Motown was slow to catch on there. This was followed by two American top twenty duets with Marvin Gaye ? Once upon a time and What?s the matter with you baby.After that, Mary quit Motown, tempted by a huge offer from another label, 20th century Fox. The move turned out to be an expensive failure for the new label and Mary?s career never recovered.This collection contains all the Motown hits, including the minor ones, plus some B-sides and failed A-sides. It also includes some tracks that were scheduled for singles release but cancelled because of Mary?s departure from Motown. To complete the collection, two minor hits for 20th century Fox and one minor hit for Atco make up the last three tracks.Nobody knows what Mary might have achieved had she stayed at Motown, but the music on this collection will live forever."
MOTOWN'S FIRST LEGENDARY SUPERSTAR-MARY WELLS
Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 02/23/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Five stars is not enough for this legendary classic soulful DIVA!!! Mary Wells would rate double that for anyone who loves a smoldering soulful classic who has no peer!!! When I was in Jr. High I loved this awesome singer and bought every single that Mary released. Each and every one was total ear candy and Mary Wells was like a black Peggy Lee and equal to that master!!! Mary Wells built Motown in the crucial early years and was Motown's first Superstar!!! Listen to all these classics and weap that somehow her work after Motown didn't make it to the airwaves and finished off Superstar Mary Wells. It was not for lack of quailty that Mary Wells career when into decline as she continued to make great records close to the end of her life. In this Anthology you will see how after Motown Mary's talent grew and became greater as this is witnessed in the final three selections of this Anthology-listen and you will see!!! Do not miss this sultry soulful legend!!! She was "the" crown jewel of Motown and continued recording classics that any serious collector of great soul DIVA'S would be smart to seek out as they are all winners!!! I was fortunate to see Mary Wells a number of times in concert and these were always special events that were unforgettable. We miss you Mary!"
Pure Magic!
Brock R. White | Atlanta, GA USA | 08/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been a Mary Wells fan since the day I heard "You Lost the Sweetest Boy." Her voice is so unusual and big - every song is incredible! Moreover, this compilation has "Never Never Leave Me" which was underappreciated - great background, silky voice. The musical world lost this unique voice in 1992 - this collection keeps her talent alive."
Motown's first Female starr
Uncle Steven | Pikesville, Maryland USA | 01/23/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Mary Wells proved that with the right producers, she can make hits.(The first few records was writeen and produced by Berry Gordy. This is her ultimate collection which I highly recommend. Some say that she was the "Female" Smokey Robinson. She belted out a couple of singles, but when Smokey took over, her records was showing up in the national top 10 with hits like, "You Beat Me To The Punch", "The One Who Really Loves You", "Two Lovers", and many many more. In the inner city's, most of her records were 2 sided hits. That was rare back in the early 60's. On this CD, I love her verions of "When I"m Gone", which was gonna be the single release after "My Guy" but since Mary flew the coop (Left Motown), the company thew it in the vault. Later, Brenda Holloway did her version of it. They said that Mary's version would have made it to number one in the country. Other favorites are "Old Love", "You Lost The Sweetest Boy" and of course my favorite (not a single) "Whisper You Love Me Boy". The Supremes did this one also, but hold nothing to Mary's version. She died in the early 90's of throat cancer. This CD is just a reminder of what great talent that Mr. Gordy had in his music stable."
The One I Really Loved
Eclectic Revisited | Arizona | 11/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"THIS is the one you want but I'll be honest: I've heard "Bye Bye Baby". I don't recall it as a real "hit". I remember well the first song here that I could attach a name to and it was Mary Wells who had that certain urgent sound in her beautiful voice and the song was "The One Who Really Loves You". (I hope you mean me, Mary!). It was the spring of 1962. It was Mary's year. That song, along with "You Beat Me To The Punch", "Two Lovers", "Laughing Boy", were all penned by Smokey Robinson. Things were a little slow for awhile after that until "My Guy" took her to the top in 1964. After that I remember a magazine article that she was marrying some guy with a small band, leaving Motown. I believe these things happened all at once or close together anyway. Oh, no! Was she in love and was this guy going to have her front his band and make HIM money? What was going on? I don't recall anything else from Mary except when an oldies TV special might trot her out, hair dyed blond, to sign "My Guy". I did hear later that she was in bad health. Once Motown's biggest star, she now had cancer of the larynx but she soldiered on, personally lobbying the federal government for more money for cancer research for those who would follow her. After a bout with pneumonia, the exception Mary Wells died. She was only 49 years old."
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1