The dense, echo-laden production and almost spoken vocals match this song’s dark, obsessive lyrics. A real obscurity, this Allied label also released “Mini-Skirt Blues” by the Flower Children.

“He Means So Much to Me” was written by Robert Bennett Bailey and Douglas Hunsaker. Hunsaker was in Starbuck and the Rainmakers (“I Who Have Nothing” / “Let Your Hair Hang Long” on Valiant in 1966), & Eddie Todd and the Rainmakers (“No Easy Way Down” / “Waiting For Wednesday” on Dot in 1969).

The flip side, “You Cheated”, is a version of the Slades 1958 hit, and the original A-side to the record. Sunday and the Menn released a similar arrangement of “You Cheated” in 1967 on the Sidewalk label; it’s possible Marilyn Mattson’s version slightly predates theirs.

This came with a picture sleeve (see comments below), and I’ve seen one scrawled with “Sioux Falls” (maybe she came from South Dakota?) and “”Scepter Wand just picked up” (except Scepter didn’t).

From photos in Nevada newspapers, it seems possible that Marilyn came from Sparks, Nevada, and married Donald Lee Jones in Reno in 1965.