Someday at Christmas cover art

  Studio Album · No. 8

Someday at Christmas Songwriting Credits by Stevie Wonder

1967 Tamla 12 tracks 36 min

Produced by Hank Cosby

Tamla ChristmasSoulR&B
0%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 0 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 0 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Stevie Wonder carries a lyricist or composer credit.

0%
0 trackswritten by Stevie Wonder 12 tracksoutside writers
Stevie Wonder's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist0%
Composer0%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
17
Lyricists
1
Producers
1967
Released
Data Insight

Someday at Christmas pairs four holiday standards with eight originals from Motown's own writers, a balance typical of the label's seasonal records. Most of the new material came from staff writer Ron Miller and his collaborators, including the title track he wrote with Bryan Wells, while "What Christmas Means to Me" was credited to Anna Gordy Gaye, Allen Story, and George Gordy. Stevie Wonder is the interpreter rather than the author here, singing over arrangements backed by the Funk Brothers and produced by Henry Cosby. Both "Someday at Christmas" and "What Christmas Means to Me" outgrew the album to become enduring holiday standards covered by many later artists.

Someday at Christmas is Stevie Wonder's holiday studio album, released in 1967 on Tamla Records. The title track, written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, became one of Wonder's most enduring recordings, a sincere, earnest plea for world peace delivered with the emotional gravity of a 17-year-old who genuinely meant it. The album blends Motown originals written for the record with traditional Christmas songs and secular holiday fare, all delivered with Stevie's characteristic warmth and vocal precision. The album has remained a perennial favorite decades after its release, and the title track in particular has been covered countless times and appears on Christmas radio playlists every year. Like most of Stevie's pre-creative-control records, the songwriting came from outside, but his performance transforms even the simplest material.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Someday at Christmas #24
Ron MillerBryan Wells Ron MillerBryan Wells Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
2
Silver Bells
Jay LivingstonRay Evans Jay LivingstonRay Evans Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
3
Ave Maria
Franz Schubert Franz Schubert Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
4
The Little Drummer Boy
Katherine K. DavisHenry OnoratiHarry Simeone Katherine K. DavisHenry OnoratiHarry Simeone Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
5
One Little Christmas Tree
Ron MillerBryan Wells Ron MillerBryan Wells Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
6
The Day That Love Began
Ron MillerDeborah Wells Ron MillerDeborah Wells Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
7
The Christmas Song
Mel TorméRobert Wells Mel TorméRobert Wells Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
8
Bedtime for Toys
Ron MillerOrlando Murden Ron MillerOrlando Murden Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
9
Christmastime
Sol Selegna Sol Selegna Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
10
Twinkle Twinkle Little Me
Ron MillerWilliam O'Malley Ron MillerWilliam O'Malley Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
11
A Warm Little Home on a Hill
Ron MillerBryan Wells Ron MillerBryan Wells Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
12
What Christmas Means to Me
Anna GordyAllen StoryGeorge Gordy Anna GordyAllen StoryGeorge Gordy Hank Cosby Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 19 contributors

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Frequently Asked Questions Someday at Christmas

Did Stevie Wonder write the songs on Someday at Christmas?
Stevie Wonder did not write most of the album. The eight original songs came chiefly from Motown staff writer Ron Miller and his collaborators, and the four remaining tracks are established Christmas standards. Wonder performs as the singer and instrumentalist rather than the songwriter on this record.
Who wrote the title track Someday at Christmas?
"Someday at Christmas" was written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, two Motown songwriters. The song carries a message of hope for peace alongside its holiday theme. It has since become a standard recorded by many other artists.
Who wrote What Christmas Means to Me?
"What Christmas Means to Me" was written by Anna Gordy Gaye, Allen Story, and George Gordy. Stevie Wonder's 1967 recording turned it into one of the album's best-known tracks. The song has grown into a widely covered Christmas standard, including a 2018 duet between Wonder and John Legend.
Which songs on Someday at Christmas are cover versions?
Four tracks are pre-existing standards and carols: "Silver Bells," "Ave Maria," "The Little Drummer Boy," and "The Christmas Song." The other eight songs are originals written for Motown. The mix of standards and new material was common for the label's holiday releases.
When was Someday at Christmas released and on what label?
Someday at Christmas was released on November 27, 1967, on Tamla, a Motown imprint. It was Stevie Wonder's first Christmas album. Henry Cosby produced the record.
Did Someday at Christmas chart when it was first released?
The album failed to chart in the United States on its original 1967 release. Decades later it returned to attention, reaching the US Top Holiday Albums chart in 2020. Its long shelf life reflects how its songs became seasonal staples over time.
Who played on Someday at Christmas?
Stevie Wonder handled lead vocals along with harmonica and keyboard parts, backed by Motown's house band the Funk Brothers. Backing vocals came from Motown groups including the Andantes. Henry Cosby produced the sessions.
Is Someday at Christmas considered a Christmas standard?
The album itself is a respected holiday record, and two of its songs in particular have become standards. The title track and "What Christmas Means to Me" are covered regularly by other artists each season. Both have outlived the album as recognizable Christmas songs in their own right.

Sources