1965 Classic Wedding Anthem, Inspired by a Flirting Grandfather, Became One of Motown's Biggest Hits

"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" was recorded by the Four Tops in 1965. It was one of the biggest Motown hits of all time, earning the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and the No. 1 spot on the R&B chart for nine weeks. Billboard ended up ranking it the second biggest single of the year and the biggest R&B single of the year.

"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" was written and produced by a team that consisted of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, and Eddie Holland. Dozier spoke about the humorous origin of the lyrics in an interview with American Songwriter.

"I stayed with my grandmother when I was a kid," Dozier explained. "She owned her own home beauty shop, and when the women would come up the walkway to get their hair done, my grandfather would be piddling around in the garden. He was a bit of a flirt and would say, ‘How you doing, sugar pie? Good morning, honey bunch.' He was one of those types of guys. My grandmother had a big bay window to the front of the house. She'd say, ‘Look at that old codger. He thinks I don't see. I know what he's doing.'"

He continued, "He was just flirting with his big smile. I'm sitting there on the porch watching this. I'm probably 11 or 12. I was like a sponge, soaking it up. Years later, at Motown, I'm sitting at the piano. I'd take these mind trips back to my childhood, and I'm trying to see what this piano part is telling me. Sure enough, there my grandfather is, piddling in the garden. That memory comes to my mind's eye, and I know where the song is supposed to go."

Related: 1977 Soft Rock Song, Which Was a Hit Three Times, Became a Feel-Good Anthem

The Four Tops were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. They were also listed as one of the "Greatest Artists of All Time" by Rolling Stone. Some of their other big hits included "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Ain't No Woman," and "Baby I Need Your Loving."

The Four Tops stayed together for decades. However, they disbanded after one of the members of their quartet, Lawrence Payton, died in 1997. The last surviving member of the group, Abdul Fakir, retired in 2024. He died two days later.

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 6:25 AM.