Sweet Talkin' Guy

Album: Sweet Talkin' Guy (1966)
Charted: 4 10
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was written in 1966 by Doug Morris, who had joined Laurie Records as a songwriter and producer the previous year. He eventually became vice president and general manager of Laurie Records, before starting his own label, Big Tree Records, which was acquired by Atlantic Records in 1978. Morris went on to become one of the most respected and influential executives in the global music industry playing an integral role in making Atlantic the leading company in the Warner Music Group before becoming Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment in 2011.
  • Morris recalled the story of the song to Billboard magazine: "I was working in A&R for Laurie Records, the label Dion was on, when I wrote 'Sweet Talkin' Guy.' I wrote it in the office. It was very heavily influenced by one of the Supremes songs, I forget which one. The song came pretty easily and I probably finished it in a week. At the time, I was about 24 or 26 and living in Seaford, Long Island."

    "I was writing it for the Chiffons, so lyrically it would have to be something that they were interested in," he continued. "They loved it and did a great live take on it."

    "I produced the session, which was at Allegro Sound Studios in New York, with Elliot Greenberg, who was one of the owners for Laurie Records, along with Gene and Bob Schwartz," Morris added. "I wrote it, but back then the owners of the record labels also got the writing credit so that's why Elliot Greenberg and Bob Schwartz and Barbara Baer got credit."
  • This was the last of five Top 40 hits for The Chiffons in the US. The song originally peaked at #31 in the UK in 1966. Re-released six years later, it climbed to #4 on the UK singles chart.

Comments: 2

  • James from Diamond Bar Ca Just total 1966 - 1966 My favorite year for Music
  • Eric from United StatesIt says the song was written in 1966 and Morris doesn't know how old he is?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.