For Once in My Life was written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Jobete publishing company in 1967. The composition was originally recorded by Jean DuShon, while other artists, such as Tony Bennett and The Temptations, recorded slow-ballad versions of the song.
The most familiar and successful version of For Once in My Life is an uptempo hit version by Stevie Wonder, recorded immediately after DuShon's original. Wonder's version, issued on Motown's Tamla label in 1968, was a top-three hit in the United States in late 1968 and early 1969.
Stevie Wonder's version was recorded at about the same time as The Temptations' in the summer of 1967. However, Berry Gordy did not like Wonder's version, an upbeat rendition produced by Henry Cosby. Gordy vetoed the single's release, and the recording was shelved. Billie Jean Brown, the head of the Motown Quality Control department, finally coerced Gordy into allowing Wonder's version to be released in October 1968.
Contrary to Gordy's instincts, For Once in My Life was a highly successful record, peaking at number-two on both the Billboard Pop Singles and Billboard R&B Singles (it was held off from the number-one spot on each chart by another Motown single Gordy had originally vetoed, Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through the Grapevine). For Once in My Life, issued by Tamla with Angie Girl as its b-side, was later included as the title track on Wonder's For Once in My Life album.
Wonder's version of the track is often singled out by bassists as the greatest example of James Jamerson's playing style, with no two bars of music played alike during the whole song; a completely improvisational line that is both melodic and complementary to Wonder's vocal.
Watch Stevie Wonder sing the hit.
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