“For Once in My Life” – Stevie Wonder
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I used to think Stevie Wonder wrote and made the first recording of this song, but that isn’t the case.
The lyrics to "For Once in My Life" were written in 1965 by Ron Miller (who penned a number of hit songs for Motown artists) and the music was composed by Orlando Murden. Several Motown acts performed the song before Stevie Wonder recorded his version in 1967.
Wonder's up-tempo rendition was in stark contrast to the slow, drawn-out versions that had been released earlier. Motown executive and record producer Berry Gordy reportedly didn't like Wonder's arrangement and he shelved the recording for over a year. He finally agreed to its release after another Motown executive intervened.
As it turned out, Stevie Wonder recorded the most successful version of “For Once in My Life”: His cover reached #2 on both the US singles and the US R&B charts in 1968-69, and in 2009, Wonder's recording was selected for inclusion in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
I used to think Stevie Wonder wrote and made the first recording of this song, but that isn’t the case.
The lyrics to "For Once in My Life" were written in 1965 by Ron Miller (who penned a number of hit songs for Motown artists) and the music was composed by Orlando Murden. Several Motown acts performed the song before Stevie Wonder recorded his version in 1967.
Wonder's up-tempo rendition was in stark contrast to the slow, drawn-out versions that had been released earlier. Motown executive and record producer Berry Gordy reportedly didn't like Wonder's arrangement and he shelved the recording for over a year. He finally agreed to its release after another Motown executive intervened.
As it turned out, Stevie Wonder recorded the most successful version of “For Once in My Life”: His cover reached #2 on both the US singles and the US R&B charts in 1968-69, and in 2009, Wonder's recording was selected for inclusion in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
