A Breathtaking Guy

Infobox Single
Name = A Breathtaking Guy
Artist = The Supremes
from Album = Where Did Our Love Go
B-side = "(The Man with the) Rock And Roll Banjo Band"
Format = 7" single
Released = June 12, 1963
Recorded = Hitsville USA (Studio A); 1963
Genre = Soul
Length = 2:26
Label = Motown
M 1044
Writer = Smokey Robinson
Producer = Smokey Robinson
Last single = "My Heart Can't Take It No More"
(1963)
This single = "A Breathtaking Guy"
(1963)
Next single = "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes"
(1963)

"A Breathtaking Guy" is a 1963 song written and produced by Smokey Robinson and released by Motown singing group The Supremes. The single was originally set to be released under the title, "A Breath Taking, First Sight Soul Shaking, One Night Love Making, Next Day Heartbreaking Guy" but was shortened just before its official release despite the fact that all three Supremes members - Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson sung the chorus with the original title together.

One of the rare singles to feature the Supremes singing all lead vocals at one point, it also was their highest charting single at this point, reaching number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group was jokingly referred to at this time as the "no-hit Supremes" by the Motown staff. However, their next single, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes", would break the group's "no-hit" streak.

Much like their earlier single, "Your Heart Belongs to Me", Smokey Robinson produced the song with the same sound that had provided hit singles for early Motown star Mary Wells. The Supremes would sing background for Wells on her hit "You Lost the Sweetest Boy" with The Temptations.

About nine years later the song was used as the final single for the "already-defunct" group The Marvelettes (in reality it was a solo effort by Wanda Young Rogers featuring The Andantes as backing singers). Unfortunately, the single failed to chart.

Credits

The Supremes version

*Lead and background vocals by Diana Ross (verses; choruses), Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson (choruses)
*Produced and written by Smokey Robinson
*Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

"The Marvelettes" version

*Lead vocals by Wanda Young Rogers
*Background vocals by The Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps
*Produced and written by Smokey Robinson
*Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers