For Once In My Life (1968)
RELEASE DATE
6 DECEMBER 1968
YEAR
1968
PLAYLIST
| SIDE ONE | SIDE TWO | ||||
| 1 | FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE | 7 | SUNNY | ||
| 2 | SHOO-BE-DOO-BE-DOO-DA-DAY | 8 | I’D BE A FOOL RIGHT NOW | ||
| 3 | YOU MET YOUR MATCH | 9 | AIN’T NO LOVIN’ | ||
| 4 | I WANNA MAKE HER LOVE ME | 10 | GOD BLESS THE CHILD | ||
| 5 | I’M MORE THAN HAPPY (I’M SATISFIED) | 11 | DO I LOVE HER | ||
| 6 | I DON’T KNOW WHY | 12 | THE HOUSE ON THE HILL |
LEAD VOCALS
BACKUP VOCALS
THE ANDANTES, THE ORIGINALS
PRODUCERS
DON HUNTER, STEVIE WONDER, HENRY COSBY
GUITAR
ROBERT WHITE (FUNK BROTHERS)
BASS
JAMES JAMERSON (FUNK BROTHERS)
DRUMS
STEVIE WONDER, URIEL JONES (FUNK BROTHERS)
PIANO/ORGAN
STEVIE WONDER
HARMONICA
STEVIE WONDER
PERCUSSION
STEVIE WONDER
CLAVINET
STEVIE WONDER
OTHER INSTRUMENTS
THE FUNK BROTHERS
TRIVIA
- The title track of the album is the cover of a song that was first dropped by another singer, Jean DuShon, in 1966.
- In 1967, Tony Bennett (1926-2023) covered For Once in My Life, as well as naming an album after the song, just as Stevie would do the following year. It may have even been Stevie’s admiration of Tony’s rendition which inspired him to follow Bennett’s lead.
- Tracks number 3, 4, 6 and 9 were co-written by Stevie Wonder’s mother, Lula Mae Hardaway.
- This was Stevie’s 10th studio album and the first in which he held down (co-)production responsibilities. Later down the line, he would start producing his albums entirely on his own.
SOURCES
“For Once in My Life (Stevie Wonder Album).” Wikipedia. Last edited on 6 August 2023.
“Stevie Wonder – For Once In My Life Lyrics and Tracklist”. Genius. Accessed on 21 December 2023.
Nicole Acosta and Bailey Richards. “Stevie Wonder Leads 2024 Grammy ‘In Memoriam’ Segment with Posthumous Tony Bennett Duet”. People. 4 February 2024.