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Dedicated to the One I Love

"Dedicated to the One I Love" is a song written by Lowman Pauling and Ralph Bass that was a hit for the "5" Royales, the Shirelles, the Mamas & the Papas and Bitty McLean. Pauling was the guitarist of the "5" Royales, the group that recorded the original version of the song, produced by Bass, in 1957. Their version was re-released in 1961 and charted at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Shirelles version

A cover version recorded by American girl group the Shirelles reached number 83 in 1959. This version was re-released in 1961 and reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two on Billboards Hot R&B Sides. The song was subsequently included on their 1961 album Tonight's the Night. In Canada, the re-release reached number 13.

The Mamas & the Papas version

In 1967, a subsequent and slightly more popular cover version by the Mamas & the Papas released on the Dunhill label went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, kept from number 1 by "Happy Together" by The Turtles. This version also reached number 2 on the UK's Record Retailer chart. The lead singer on the first verse was Michelle Phillips—the first time that Phillips was given the lead. The song was also included on the group's 1967 album The Mamas & The Papas Deliver.

The song has the same mix on both the single and album versions, unlike some of their other tracks. However, there are different versions of the song:

  • The mono single and mono album versions are the same. Michelle's voice is double-tracked but mixed to sound like one voice. Cass's vocals and the piano are more prominent. The song ends with all four members singing in harmony.
  • The stereo album version moves the piano to the background, and Cass's voice is more blended with the others, especially at the end, where her vocals are almost absent.

Cash Box called the single a "groovey, harmonic, soft rock venture that is sure to please all of the group's many fans."

The group appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1967 to perform both this song and the single to follow, "Creeque Alley". Although the single has a running time of 2:56, and the group performed the song in its entirety, edited versions of the song appear on internet video sites with a much shorter running time.

In popular culture

DTV, in 1984, set the Mamas & the Papas version of the song to Sleeping Beauty and was featured on the VHS DTV: Groovin' for a 60's Afternoon.

The song was featured in a 2025 trailer for the British soap opera EastEnders, which promoted the long-awaited return of Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan). The trailer showcased Zoe’s reunion with her mother Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) after two decades apart.

Personnel

According to the AFM contract sheet, the following musicians played on the track.

Charts

Other versions

References