Sweets for My Sweet

"Sweets for My Sweet" is a song written by the songwriting team ofDoc PomusandMort Shuman,originally recorded by Americandoo-wopandR&B/soulvocal groupthe Drifters.
The group's first single featuringCharlie Thomason lead vocal, "Sweets for My Sweet" reachedNo.16 on theBillboardHot 100and No. 10 on the R&B chart, in October 1961.This was one of the few post-1958 Drifters singles that did not feature astring section. The song has a strong piano and bongo-led Cuban-stylecha-charhythm. It also featuredJimmy Radcliffeand four female backup vocalists, all of whom would later have hit records:Cissy Houston,Doris Troy,Dionne Warwick, andDee Dee Warwick. The recording also features an up-in-front piano provided by co-writerMort Shuman. Other musicians on the recording includedGeorge Barnesand Allan Hanlon on guitar,Abie Bakeron bass,Ed ShaughnessyandGary Chesteron drums andBobby Rosengardenand Ray Kessler on percussion.
In 1963, "Sweets for My Sweet" was released by EnglishMerseybeatbandthe Searchersas their debut single, reaching No. 1 on theUK Single Chartfor two weeks that August.According toBill Harry,Dusty Springfieldconsidered the Searchers' recording of the song to be "the best record to come out of Liverpool" as of July 1963.This version was also issued in the US in 1964 but failed to chart.
BritishreggaesingerC. J. Lewisreleased his version of "Sweets for My Sweet" as his debut single in April 1994 viaBlack Market InternationalandMCA. It reached No. 3 in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. The song was produced byPhillip Leo, who also produced Lewis' debut album,Dollars(1994). The female vocals are performed by singer Samantha Depasois. Jerome Redfarne directed the song's music video.
Pan-European magazineMusic & Medianoted that here,the Searchers1963 classic "is completely reworked in a dead trendyraggaversion, which is so cheerful that you can't believe storms and depression ever existed. Nobody will be surprised that it's heavily played onBay Radio/St. Julian's on holiday island Malta."Alan Jones fromMusic Weekwrote, "Yes, it is the old Searchers hit, and it sounds surprisingly good too considering it has been dragged uncompromisingly into the Nineties. Now an easy to swallow confection, partreggae, partjackswing, it slips down a treat."Pete Stanton fromSmash Hitsgave Lewis' version four out of five, adding, "Though CJ's a bit of a star in the reggae charts he has yet to set the proper charts alight — but Sweets should do that." He also remarked that the singer "has reggaed it up and turned it into a groovy, radio-friendly bopper."
In addition to reaching No. 3 on theUK Singles Chart, "Sweets for My Sweet" also had big success in New Zealand, peaking for two weeks at No. 3. After debuting at No. 6, it then spent a further 10 consecutive weeks inside the top 10. After dropping to No.11 the following week, it returned to No. 6. Six weeks later after fluctuating around the top 40, it returned for one final week in the top 10, at No. 10. At the end of 1994, the song was ranked No. 6 on New Zealand's year-end chart. "Sweets for My Sweet" was also a top-ten hit in Austria, Belgium, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. The track also charted in Australia and Germany.
The accompanying music video for "Sweets for My Sweet" was directed by Jerome Redfarne.