RELEASE DATE

8 DECEMBER 1968

ALBUM

LABEL

TAMLA / MOTOWN

WRITERS

HENRY COSBY, LULA MAE HARDAWAY, SYLVIA MOY & STEVIE WONDER

PRODUCER

HENRY COSBY

TRIVIA

  • This is the fourth track on the playlist of For Once in My Life.
  • Stevie Wonder’s mom, Lula Mae Hardaway, co-wrote this song, as she did a few others from the first decade of his career.
  • The late Jim Ford (1941-2007) covered this song, as I’m Gonna Make Her Love Me, on 1969’s Harlan County, which is apparently the only project he ever dropped that charted.

LYRICAL ANALYSIS

This is a song of unrequited love, in a manner of speaking.  But the dilemma that Stevie is facing doesn’t read as if the apple of his eye is disinterested.  Rather, as implied in the second first, she’s from a different, higher class.  Or a simpler way of understanding the situation, all lyrics considered, is that this girl is “rich” and used to the finer things in life.  That’s why Stevie is “(working) three jobs trying to get what might please her”.  And that would also be the basis of why he’s intimidated by the likes of “Baby Face Pete” and “Lou”, the latter of whom “gave her… a diamond ring the other week”.  By the looks of things this girl is pretty hot stuff, “a ditty and as pretty as Mona Lisa”.  So the vocalist, to his chagrin, has competition for her heart who are better financed than he is.

But Stevie doesn’t sound like he’s about to give up.  His “papa used to tell him that a man could do anything he ever put his heart into”, and the singer is using that encouragement in pursuit of his elusive sweetheart.  Also, he’s banking on her realizing and appreciating that unlike the other guys, his love is “true”, with the singer coming off as if he’s ready to settle down with her for life.

MY PERSONAL OPINION

The lyrics of this track are sorta inspirational for us underdogs, in this current day and age where musicians rather tend to brag about having the romantic advantage due to their fame and wealth.

Upon listenting to I Wanna Make Her Love Me, I was expecting the song to sound dated, which of course it does to some degree.  But from a vocal perspective, the 1960s was arguably Stevie’s best decade.  And this is yet another track from that era in which he, somewhat surprisingly to me personally, put on a powerful display as a singer.

SOURCES

“Stevie Wonder – I Wanna Make Her Love Me Lyrics”.  Genius.  Accessed on 21 January 2023.

“For Once in My Life (Stevie Wonder Album)”.  Wikipedia.  Last edited on 27 October 2023.

“Jim Ford Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography”.  Music VF.  Accessed on 31 January 2024.

“Jim Ford”.  Wikipedia.  Last edited on 23 January 2024.

ubangistump.  “Jim Ford – I’m Gonna Make Her Love Me”.  YouTube.  31 October 2009.

OldschoolMusicJunkie.  “Stevie Wonder – I Wanna Make Her Love Me”.  YouTube.  14 December 2016.

I Wanna Make Her Love Me (1968)

I’m Gonna Make Her Love Me (1968)

by Jim Ford