From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For Once in My Life
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“For Once in My Life” is a swing song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records’ Stein & Van Stock publishing company, and first recorded in 1966.
It was written and first recorded as a slow ballad. There are differing accounts of its earliest versions, although it seems that it was first recorded by Barbara McNair, but first released in 1966 by Jean DuShon. Other early versions of the ballad were issued by The Four Tops, The Temptations, Diana Ross and Tony Bennett, whose recording was the first to reach the pop charts.
The most familiar and successful version of “For Once in My Life” is an uptempo arrangement by Stevie Wonder, recorded in 1967. Wonder’s version, issued on Motown’s Tamla label, was a top-three hit in the United States and the United Kingdom in late 1968 and early 1969.
Stevie Wonder’s version was recorded at about the same time as The Temptations’ in the summer of 1967. However, Berry Gordy did not like Wonder’s version, an upbeat rendition produced by Henry Cosby. Gordy vetoed the single’s release, and the recording was shelved. Billie Jean Brown, the head of the Motown Quality Control department, finally coerced Gordy into allowing Wonder’s version to be released in October 1968.
Wonder’s version of the track is often singled out by bassists as the greatest example of James Jamerson’s playing style, with no two bars of music played alike during the whole song; a completely improvisational line that is both melodic and complementary to Wonder’s vocal. Background vocals are by The Originals (Freddie Gorman, Walter Gaines, Hank Dixon, C.P. Spencer) and The Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, Louvain Demps), and instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.
Contrary to Gordy’s instincts, “For Once in My Life” was a highly successful record, peaking at number-two on both the Billboard Pop Singles and Billboard R&B Singles[15] (it was held off from the number-one spot on each chart by another Motown single Gordy had originally vetoed, Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”). “For Once in My Life”, issued by Tamla with “Angie Girl” as its B-side, was later included as the title track on Wonder’s For Once in My Life album.
Wonder’s version of the track is often singled out by bassists as the greatest example of James Jamerson’s playing style, with no two bars of music played alike during the whole song; a completely improvisational line that is both melodic and complementary to Wonder’s vocal. Background vocals are by The Originals (Freddie Gorman, Walter Gaines, Hank Dixon, C.P. Spencer) and The Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, Louvain Demps), and instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.
Personnel
Stevie Wonder – vocals, keyboards, harmonica
James Jamerson – bass
Benny Benjamin – drums
Background vocals are by The Originals (Freddie Gorman, Walter Gaines, Hank Dixon, C.P. Spencer) and The Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, Louvain Demps)
Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
Later recordings
Jackie Wilson recorded a modified ballad version, more uptempo than Tony Bennett, but downbeat compared to Stevie Wonder. It lost in a cover record war, Wilson reaching number 70 in late 1968, Wonder peaking at number 2 in Billboard’s Hot 100.
In 1969, Dorothy Squires recorded the song, arranged and conducted by Nicky Welsh on the President label, and had a chart hit in the UK.
Glen Campbell recorded the song in 1969 on his album Glen Campbell Live which hit number two on the Billboard Country Albums chart.
Jazz-pop guitarist Buddy Fite saw chart action with his single version. The Cyclone records single reached number 142 in the US Record World charts, February-March 1970.[citation needed]
On June 17, 2012 The Voice Australia finalist Darren Percival performed a cover of the song reaching number 6 on the iTunes download list.