61 Years Ago Today, This Legendary Love Song Hit No. 1

On March 6, 1965, "My Girl" by The Temptations hit No. 1 for the first time, cementing its status as a legendary love song.

Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, the song is a doting ode to the love of one's life. Fittingly, Robinson's inspiration for the song was his wife, fellow Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson. It's also a follow-up to the song "My Guy" by Mary Wells, which Robinson penned as well.

Although the song was dedicated to his wife, Robinson did not want to sing it himself. In fact, he wrote it specifically with The Temptations in mind. "Were it not for The Temptations and David Ruffin being in that group, I probably would not have written ‘My Girl,’" he explained in a video on his YouTube channel. "I wanted to write something sweet for David Ruffin to sing."

"My Girl" is best known for its instantly recognizable bass intro — which wasn't even supposed to be part of the song. Robinson explained in a 2025 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!that the intro came about while bassist James Jamerson and guitarist Robert White were warming up before recording. Robinson heard it and declared, "That's going on the record!"

In 2017, "My Girl" was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry, an honor reserved for "aural treasures worthy of preservation." At the time, Robinson said  he was "totally overwhelmed" by the accolade. "

“As a songwriter, it has become my international anthem," he explained. "People in countries where English is not the primary language know and sing ‘My Girl’ when I perform it.”

"My Girl" has been covered countless times, including by artist greats like Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder. It's also appeared on several movie soundtracks, including Cooley High, The Big Chill, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, and of course, the 1991 romantic comedy My Girl.