The group's first single featuring Charlie Thomas on lead vocal, "Sweets for My Sweet" reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 10 on the R&B chart, in October 1961.[3] This was one of the few post-1958 Drifters singles that did not feature a string section. The song has a strong piano and bongo- led Cuban-style cha-cha rhythm. It also featured Jimmy Radcliffe and four female backup vocalists, all of whom would later have hit records, Cissy Houston, Doris Troy, Dionne Warwick, and Dee Dee Warwick. The recording also features an up in front piano provided by the song's co-writer, Mort Shuman. Other musicians on the recording included George Barnes and Allan Hanlon on guitar, Abie Baker on bass, Ed Shaughnessy and Gary Chester on drums and Bobby Rosengarden and Ray Kessler on percussion.[4]
C.J. Lewis version
In 1994, British reggae singer C.J. Lewis reached #3 in the UK with his remake of "Sweets for My Sweet". The song was produced by Phillip Leo, as also produced Lewis' debut album, Dollars. The female vocals are performed by singer Samantha Depasois.
Chart performance
"Sweets for My Sweet" had big success also in New Zealand, peaking at #3 for 2 weeks. After debuting at #6, it then spent a further impressive 10 consecutive weeks inside the top 10. After dropping to #11 the following week, it bounced back to #6 again. 6 weeks later after fluctuating around the top 40, it returned for one final week in the top 10, at #10. A total of 24 weeks on the chart, with 13 of those inside the Top 10. It was also a major hit in Austria (#9), the Netherlands (#4), Sweden (#16) and Switzerland (#16); the track also charted in Australia (#45) and France (#69).
Music video
The music video for "Sweets For My Sweet" was directed by Jerome Redfarne.[5]
Other cover versions
In 1963, "Sweets for My Sweet" became the debut single for Merseybeat band The Searchers, reaching number one on the UK Single Chart for two weeks that August.[1][6] The Searchers' version was also issued in the US in the spring of 1964, but failed to chart.
In the UK, Tina Charles remade "Sweets for My Sweet" in 1977 in tandem with "Love Bug". The track was included on her album Rendezvous and issued as a single reaching #26; however the single edit only featured one chorus from "Sweets for My Sweet" at its close.
In 1975, the British band Magnum released it as their first single.
The only US remake of "Sweets for My Sweet" to reach the Hot 100 or any Billboard chart to date is that by Tony Orlando which reached #54 and #20 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart in 1979.[8]
