"When You're Young and in Love" is a song composed by Van McCoy which first became a Top 40 hit single for the Marvelettes in 1967: a remake by the Flying Pickets reached the UK Top Ten in 1984.

Original version: Ruby & the Romantics

Background

The first recording of the song was by Ruby & the Romantics; like all the group's singles on Kapp Records the track was produced by label a&r head Allen Stanton. Released in September 1964, "When You're Young ... " reached the Top Five in Honolulu but otherwise failed to register strongly in any US market reaching #48 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1964. Ruby & the Romantics scored one subsequent Hot 100 placing, with "Does He Really Care For Me" (#87). However, "When You're Young ... " was a bigger hit in Canada, peaking at #25 on the RPM "Top Tracks".

Personnel

The Marvelettes version

Background

The song was covered in 1967 by the Marvelettes with the track - produced by James Dean and William Weatherspoon - reaching #23 on the Hot 100 that June; its R&B peak was #9. Although not one of the Marvelettes' very biggest US hits, "When You're Young and in Love" became the only record by the group to achieve hit status in the UK with a #13 peak in July 1967. The track is also one of the last Marvelettes' singles to feature Gladys Horton although the lead is by Wanda Rogers; Horton would only appear, and lead, on the following two B-Sides. Besides Horton and veteran Marvelette Katherine Anderson, Rogers' vocal backing on "When You're Young ... " features Motown's premier session singers the Andantes while the original instrumental backing on the track by the Funk Brothers was augmented by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Personnel

Charts

Flying Pickets version

The song had its strongest chart impact via a 1984 cover version by the Flying Pickets, produced by John Sherry. It reached number 7 in the UK. This version of the song was featured in Netflix's Sex Education (TV series).

Other versions