For Once In My Life

This was written by the Motown songwriters Ron Miller and Orlando Murden, and was originally recorded in 1966 by a Jazz/Soul singer named Jean DuShon, who was signed to Chess records. Miller had DuShon record the song as a demo, but liked her version so much that he thought she should sing it. Record company politics ensued as Berry Gordy, the head of Motown, was not pleased with one of his songwriters' compositions going to other labels. He made sure to have his artists record the song, and the first to do so was Barbara McNair, who performed it later in 1966 on a TV special and released it on her album Here I Am that year. The next Motown act to record it was The Temptations, who released it in 1967 on their album In a Mellow Mood. All versions of the song to this point were long, drawn-out ballads. Stevie Wonder was the first to pick up the tempo and use a joyful arrangement. Wonder's version, however, sat in the Motown vaults for nearly a year before Gordy finally released it in 1968. This became the hit record and definitive version of the song.

The song is about finding that special someone who gives you a feeling of boundless happiness. Wonder was just 17 when he first recorded it.

Ron Miller wrote a few more Motown favorites, including "Heaven Help Us All," "Yester-Me, Yester-You," "Yesterday" and "A Place In The Sun" for Stevie Wonder, and "Touch Me In The Morning" for Diana Ross. He also reworked "I've Never Been To Me" into a hit for Charlene.