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I Want a Guy
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = I Want a Guy
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = The Supremes
| album = Meet The Supremes
| B-side = Never Again
| released = March 9, 1961
| recorded = Hitsville U.S.A.; December, 1960
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Doo-wop
| length = 3:03
| label = Tamla
T 54038
| writer = Berry Gordy
Brian Holland
Freddie Gorman
| producer = Berry Gordy, Jr.
| prev_title = Tears of Sorrow
| prev_title2 = Pretty Baby
| prev_year = 1960
| next_title = Buttered Popcorn
| next_year = 1961
| misc =
}}
"'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.The Complete Motown Singles Vol 1: 1959-1961 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records. 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. Their version, more up-tempo than the original, also would not chart nationally, but became a regional hit.
Personnel
'The Supremes version'
*Lead vocals by Diana Ross
*Background vocals by Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Barbara Martin
*Musitron & Ondioline instrumentation by Raymona Liles Gordy
*Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
'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
References
Category:1961 debut singles
Category:The Supremes songs
Category:The Marvelettes songs
Category:Songs written by Berry Gordy
Category:Songs written by Brian Holland
Category:Songs written by Freddie Gorman
Category:Tamla Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Berry Gordy
Category:1961 songs
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