Two Lovers (2:44)

“Two Lovers” is a single released by Mary Wells on the Motown record label in 1962. The song was the third consecutive song released that was written and produced by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles as the singer-songwriter was quickly earning a reputation as a hit-making songwriter and as Wells herself had become the solo superstar of the young Motown label.

The sound wasn’t so different from previous hits such as “The One Who Really Loves You” and “You Beat Me to the Punch” and was a story of a girl who talked about her lover’s two sides telling listeners that at one hand her lover is “sweet and kind” and in another breath saying he also “treats me bad and makes me sad” and when the lover is confused by Mary’s message, she contends that the “two lovers” are him.

The song charted better than the previous two reaching number-one on the Billboard R&B chart and number seven on the Billboard pop chart becoming her best showing until “My Guy” two years later.

Smokey Robinson who wrote the song, said that it mirrored his feelings toward his wife Claudette.


Personnel

Lead (and additional) background vocal by Mary Wells

Background vocals by the Love Tones

Written and produced by Smokey Robinson

Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
————————————————————————————————
Single by Mary Wells