Characters cover art

  Studio Album · No. 21

Characters Songwriting Credits by Stevie Wonder

1987 Motown 10 tracks 49 min

Produced by Stevie Wonder  ·  Engineered by Gary Olazabal

Motown SoulR&BFunk
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Stevie Wonder carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Stevie Wonder 0 tracksoutside writers
Stevie Wonder's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist90%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
2
Lyricists
1
Producers
1987
Released
Data Insight

Characters is a largely self-contained Stevie Wonder production, with Wonder writing, arranging, and performing the bulk of the record himself. The chief exception is "Dark 'n' Lovely," whose lyrics come from poet Gary Byrd over Wonder's music. The album yielded two number-one R&B singles in "Skeletons," a paranoid funk workout that became Wonder's last American top-40 pop hit at number 19, and the ballad "You Will Know." "Get It" pairs Wonder with Michael Jackson, the only outside lead voice on the album and a rare studio meeting of two Motown-rooted superstars.

Characters is Stevie Wonder's twenty-first studio album, released in 1987 on Motown Records. 'Skeletons,' an infectious funk track built on a rolling groove, became a substantial hit and featured a satirical lyrical edge that showed Wonder's social commentary hadn't softened since 'You Haven't Done Nothin'.' 'Get It,' a duet with Michael Jackson, brought two of soul music's greatest forces together in a playful call-and-response that was a commercial highlight of both artists' late-80s output. 'With Each Beat of My Heart' demonstrated Wonder's ballad writing was still operating at the highest level. The album was entirely self-written and self-produced, maintaining the creative model Wonder had held since 1971. Characters is a solid, occasionally overlooked entry in his catalog, less celebrated than the classic period but containing some of his most commercially effective work of the decade.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
You Will Know #77
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)
2
Dark 'n' Lovely
Gary Byrd Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)
3
In Your Corner
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)
4
With Each Beat of My Heart
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)
5
One of a Kind
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)
6
Skeletons #19
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)
7
Get It #80
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)Michael Jackson (Vocals)
8
Galaxy Paradise
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)
9
Cryin' Through the Night
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)
10
Free
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica, Multi-Instrumentalist)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 3 contributors

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Frequently Asked Questions Characters

When did Stevie Wonder release Characters, and on what label?
Characters came out on November 6, 1987, on Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. It was Wonder's twenty-first studio album.
Did Stevie Wonder write all the songs on Characters?
Wonder wrote, arranged, and produced most of the album himself. The main exception is "Dark 'n' Lovely," which sets lyrics by poet Gary Byrd to Wonder's music.
What is "Skeletons" by Stevie Wonder about?
"Skeletons" is a tense funk track built on the idea of hidden secrets, the skeletons in the closet that come back to haunt people in power. It was the album's lead single, reaching number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the R&B chart, and it remains Wonder's most recent American top-40 pop hit.
Who sings the duet "Get It" with Stevie Wonder on Characters?
"Get It" is a duet between Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. It is the only track on Characters featuring an outside lead vocalist and was released as a single in 1988, reaching number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Which singles from Characters reached number one on the R&B chart?
Two singles topped the Billboard R&B chart: "Skeletons" and the ballad "You Will Know." "Skeletons" also crossed over to number 19 on the Hot 100, while "You Will Know" peaked at number 77 on the pop chart.
How did Characters perform on the charts?
Characters debuted strongly on R&B radio, spending seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. On the all-genre Billboard 200 it peaked at number 17, and it reached number 33 on the UK Albums Chart.
Is Characters by Stevie Wonder certified platinum?
Yes. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA for one million units shipped in the United States.
Did Characters earn Stevie Wonder any Grammy nominations?
Yes. The album earned Wonder three Grammy nominations across the 1988 and 1989 ceremonies, including nods for "Skeletons" in the R&B song and male R&B vocal categories, though it did not win.

Sources