For Once in My Life is the ninth studio album by Stevie Wonder, released in November 1968 on Tamla and produced by Hank Cosby. The album captured Wonder during a transitional moment in his career, moving from his early teen-idol sound toward the more sophisticated soul he would fully realize in the 1970s. The title track, originally written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden, became one of the most successful recordings of Wonder's career and one of the most covered songs in the history of popular music. 'Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day,' 'I'd Be a Fool Right Now,' and 'You Met Your Match' demonstrated Wonder's growing vocal authority and his deepening command of emotion in performance. For Once in My Life is an important transitional work that shows the young artist absorbing the influences that would produce his extraordinary creative flowering of the following decade.
Track Listing & Credits
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | For Once in My Life | Ron Miller, Orlando Murden | Ron Miller, Orlando Murden | Hank Cosby |
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| 2 | Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day | Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | Hank Cosby |
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| 3 | You Met Your Match | Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Stevie Wonder | Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Stevie Wonder | Hank Cosby |
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| 4 | I Wanna Make Her Love Me | Henry Cosby, Lula Mae Hardaway, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | Henry Cosby, Lula Mae Hardaway, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | Hank Cosby |
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| 5 | I'm More Than Happy (I'm Satisfied) | Henry Cosby, Cameron Grant, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | Henry Cosby, Cameron Grant, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | Hank Cosby |
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| 6 | I Don't Know Why | Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder | Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder | Hank Cosby |
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| 7 | Sunny | Bobby Hebb | Bobby Hebb | Hank Cosby |
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| 8 | I'd Be a Fool Right Now | Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | Hank Cosby |
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| 9 | Ain't No Lovin' | Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder | Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder | Hank Cosby |
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| 10 | God Bless the Child | Arthur Herzog Jr., Billie Holiday | Arthur Herzog Jr., Billie Holiday | Hank Cosby |
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| 11 | Do I Love Her | Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy | Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy | Hank Cosby |
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| 12 | The House on the Hill | Lawrence Brown, Berry Gordy, Allen Story | Lawrence Brown, Berry Gordy, Allen Story | Hank Cosby |
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Data note: "For Once in My Life" written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden; "You Met Your Match" by Wonder/Cosby/Moy. Full writing credits to be verified.