I Want a Guy
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (December 2022) |
| "I Want a Guy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Supremes | ||||
| from the album Meet The Supremes | ||||
| B-side | "Never Again" | |||
| Released | March 9, 1961 | |||
| Recorded | Hitsville U.S.A.; December, 1960 | |||
| Genre | Doo-wop | |||
| Length | 3:03 | |||
| Label | Tamla T 54038 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Berry Gordy Brian Holland Freddie Gorman | |||
| Producer(s) | Berry Gordy, Jr. | |||
| The Supremes singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Meet The Supremes track listing | ||||
11 tracks
| ||||
"I Want a Guy" is a song written by Freddie Gorman, Berry Gordy and Brian Holland and was the debuting single for Motown girl group The Supremes in 1961.[1] It was also recorded by The Marvelettes on their album Please Mr. Postman. Featuring Diana Ross in lead, the song was a doo-wop ballad similar to what the Supremes had been recording since forming as "The Primettes" two years earlier.
The song's lyrics tell about a lonely woman who wants a new lover who won't mistreat her and always be loyal to her.
- I want a guy to love me
- One who will love me completely
- Not like the last
- Who's in the past
- Who broke my heart and made me cry
When issued, the song failed to chart forcing Berry Gordy to find other options for the teenage quartet - its full lineup included Barbara Martin alongside Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson. Three members of the group (Ross, Wilson and Ballard), in fact, had already recorded a single, "Tears of Sorrow"/"Pretty Baby", in their previous quartet, "The Primettes". In between the two singles the teenaged girls would replace Betty McGlown with Martin, and the new quartet would be recording under a new name (and under a new record deal). This song would be issued as a b-side of a Marvelettes hit ("Twistin' Postman") later that year and would be led by Wanda Rogers, one of her first with the group.[1] Their version, more up-tempo than the original, also would not chart nationally, but became a regional hit.
Personnel
[edit]The Supremes version
- Lead vocals by Diana Ross
- Background vocals by Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Barbara Martin
- Musitron & Ondioline instrumentation by Raynoma Liles Gordy
- Other instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
- Additional keyboards by Joe Hunter
- Bass by James Jamerson
- Drums by Benny Benjamin
- Flute by Thomas "Beans" Bowles
- Guitar by Eddie Willis and Joe Messina
The Marvelettes version
- Lead vocals by Wanda Young Rogers
- Background vocals by Gladys Horton, Georgeanna Tillman, Wyanetta "Juanita" Cowart, and Katherine Anderson
- Musitron & Ondioline instrumentation by Raynoma Liles Gordy
- Other instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
- Bass by James Jamerson
- Drums by Benny Benjamin
- Guitar by Eddie Willis
- Organ by Richard "Popcorn" Wylie
- Piano by Marvin Gaye
- Tenor saxophone by Hank Cosby
- Baritone saxophone by Andrew "Mike" Terry
