For Once in My Life (Stevie Wonder album)

For Once in My Life is the ninth (tenth overall) studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder on Motown Records, released in November 1968. Then eighteen years old, Wonder had established himself as one of Motown's consistent hit-makers. This album continued Wonder's growth as a vocalist, songwriter and producer. It featured songs like the title track, "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" and the modest hits "I Don't Know Why" and "You Met Your Match". It also marked the debut of the Hohner Clavinet on a Stevie Wonder album, which would become a mainstay on albums to come.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]

For Once in My Life
Studio album by Stevie Wonder
Released	December 8, 1968
Recorded	December 1967–February 1968; April–August 1968
Studio	Hitsville U.S.A., Detroit
Genre	Soul
Label	Tamla
Producer	Henry Cosby, Don Hunter, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder chronology
Eivets Rednow (1968) For Once in My Life (1968) My Cherie Amour (1969)
Singles from For Once in My Life
"Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" Released: April 30, 1968 "For Once in My Life" Released: October 15, 1968 "I Don't Know Why" Released: January 1969

Track listing

Side One

1. "For Once in My Life" (Ron Miller, Orlando Murden) 2:48
2. "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) 2:45
3. "You Met Your Match" (Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Wonder) 2:37
4. "I Wanna Make Her Love Me" (Henry Cosby, Hardaway, Moy, Wonder) 2:52
5. "I'm More Than Happy (I'm Satisfied)" (Henry Cosby, Cameron Grant, Moy, Wonder) 2:56
6. "I Don't Know Why" (Hardaway, Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder) 2:46

Side Two

1. "Sunny" (Bobby Hebb) 4:00
2. "I'd Be a Fool Right Now" (Cosby, Moy, Wonder) 2:54
3. "Ain't No Lovin'" (Hardaway, Hunter, Riser, Wonder) 2:36
4. "God Bless the Child" (Arthur Herzog Jr., Billie Holiday) 3:27
5. "Do I Love Her" (Wonder, Moy) 2:58
6. "The House on the Hill" (Lawrence Brown, Berry Gordy, Allen Story) 2:36

Personnel

• Stevie Wonder – vocals, harmonica, piano, organ, clavinet, drums, percussion
• The Originals – backing vocals
• The Andantes – backing vocals
• Earl Van Dyke – piano on "For Once in My Life"
• James Jamerson – bass on "For Once in My Life"
• Uriel Jones – drums on "For Once in My Life"
• The Funk Brothers – all other instruments

In other media

"I'd Be a Fool Right Now" would be remixed in 1977 for Wonder's Looking Back Anthology.

References

1. Ruhlmann, William (1968-12-06). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
2. "Stevie Wonder: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-06. Retrieved 2012-09-26.