One of the highlights of Stevie Wonder's previous album had been 'I Don't Know Why', and it was duly released as a single in January 1969. It's B-side was 'My Cherie Amour', which began to receive more airplay than its partner track. Sensing an increase in sales, Motown flipped the track, and saw the single head to number 4 on both the R&B and pop charts in the US.
The song itself has become one of Stevie's most popular recordings, and is still part of his sets to this day. It is typical of the MOR tracks coming out of Motown in the late 60s, when Berry Gordy was enjoying the chance to feature black artists in previously white-only establishments such as the Copacabana.
Whilst underpinning the song is some neat rhythm work, it is overpowered by the more traditional sound of the strings and Stevie's ever-maturing voice. A catchy and simple hook of 'la's' provides an easy sing-along.
Light My Fire
Due to the success of 'My Cherie Amour', Motown hastily threw together an album to capitalize on the chart position and public awareness. As a result, the record which emerged did not feature anywhere near the same level of creative input from Wonder which had marked For Once In My Life as an exciting new direction.
Those that were co-written by Stevie, such as 'I've Got You' and 'Angie Girl', were pleasant, but featured none of the new sounds - musically or vocally - which he had begun to show signs of.
Perhaps the most original output from the record lay in the odd choice of covers. 'Hello Young Lovers' from The King And I does not sound like a Rodgers and Hammerstein piece, transposing the lyrics on to a jaunty, horn and string laden up-tempo piece. It moves along fast enough to distract from the oddness therein.
The MOR take on The Doors classic 'Light My Fire' follows. The original was a blistering, testosterone-fuelled jam, featuring one of music's best remembered keyboard performances from Ray Manzarek. Stevie's version takes the opposite approach. Strings overwhelm the piece and contrast with Stevie's spirited attempt at a vocal.
Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday
The album was saved from the indignity of being a one-track record by the inclusion of 'Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday', which had been knocking around since 1966's Down To Earth. Though not particularly exciting or inventive, the track is catchy, and moves along at a steady tempo. It also produced Stevie with a top 10 US hit, and a surprise number 2 in the UK.
Notably, the song was written not by Wonder but by Bryan Wells and Ron Miller, and the album was solely produced by Henry Cosby. It was Cosby who agreed to the inclusion of filler material such as the covers, and who was responsible for a lot of the arrangements. Notably, For Once In My Life had seen Stevie take on some producing tasks, for the stand-out tracks 'You Met Your Match' and 'I Don't Know Why'.
As the 1970s dawned, it was clear that for Stevie Wonder to achieve his potential he was going to have to be given more responsibility and the chance to express himself musically. My Cherie Amour sold well, but in lacked the progression Stevie had shown, and he would have to live up to the standards he was setting for himself.
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