Mary Wells - You Beat Me To The Punch / Two Lovers

Year Released: 1962 / 1963
Genre: Soul / Motown / Pop-Soul

Description:
Mary Wells, the “Queen of Motown,” scored consecutive hits with these two Smokey Robinson-produced singles. “You Beat Me to the Punch” won her a Grammy nomination and typified the new Motown sound — light, swinging, and flirtatious, with a jazz-inflected groove. “Two Lovers”, released shortly after, expanded her persona, fusing emotional storytelling with a sophisticated pop arrangement.

While these tracks pre-date the breakbeat era, their vocal phrasing and rhythm became templates for early female soul stylings later echoed in artists like Amy Winehouse and Macy Gray. Both songs were covered by The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, and Stacey Kent, ensuring their continued presence in the canon of classic soul songwriting.