How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Live

The Motown songwriters Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland (Holland-Dozier-Holland) wrote this song. It was inspired by the trademark line of Jackie Gleason, "How sweet it is!" as it was said on The Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason was one of the biggest TV stars of the time.

Lamont Dozier said the lyric was "wishful thinking." He was "sitting at the piano, fantasizing about how good it would be if the woman I had eyes for was madly in love with me. But the truth is she never gave me a second look. So I created this fantasy world where I was the object of all her affections, a bit of fiction that eventually came true due to my persistence and showering her with affection."

This was the second of Gaye's 13 Top 10 hits. His first was 1963's "Pride and Joy," which peaked at #10.