Isn't She Lovely: Difference between revisions
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* Vocalist [[David Parton]] released the song, which was a UK number 4 hit, in mid-January 1977. It spent nine weeks on the chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book |first=David |last=Roberts |year=2006 |title=British Hit Singles & Albums |edition=19th |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |location=London |page= 419 |isbn=1-904994-10-5}}</ref> It was the 54th biggest hit of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1977.shtml |title=Top 100 1977 - UK Music Charts |website=Uk-charts.top-source.info |access-date=2016-08-19}}</ref> Parton's version gave him [[one-hit wonder]] status in the UK.<ref name=Lundy2007/> |
* Vocalist [[David Parton]] released the song, which was a UK number 4 hit, in mid-January 1977. It spent nine weeks on the chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book |first=David |last=Roberts |year=2006 |title=British Hit Singles & Albums |edition=19th |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |location=London |page= 419 |isbn=1-904994-10-5}}</ref> It was the 54th biggest hit of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1977.shtml |title=Top 100 1977 - UK Music Charts |website=Uk-charts.top-source.info |access-date=2016-08-19}}</ref> Parton's version gave him [[one-hit wonder]] status in the UK.<ref name=Lundy2007/> |
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*Jazz guitarist [[Lee Ritenour]] included the song on his 1977 instrumental album ''[[Captain Fingers]]''.<ref name=Perone2006/> |
*Jazz guitarist [[Lee Ritenour]] included the song on his 1977 instrumental album ''[[Captain Fingers]]''.<ref name=Perone2006/> |
||
*In 2002, a punk version sung by [[Me First And The Gimme Gimmes]] was included in their fourth album, Take a Break. |
*In 2002, a punk rock version sung by [[Me First And The Gimme Gimmes]] was included in their fourth album, Take a Break. |
||
*Pianist/percussionist [[Victor Feldman]] recorded a jazz instrumental version for his 1977 album ''The Artful Dodger''.<ref name=Perone2006/> Feldman also played congas on Ritenour's version released the same year.{{cn|date=July 2021}} |
*Pianist/percussionist [[Victor Feldman]] recorded a jazz instrumental version for his 1977 album ''The Artful Dodger''.<ref name=Perone2006/> Feldman also played congas on Ritenour's version released the same year.{{cn|date=July 2021}} |
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*Clarinetist and bandleader [[Woody Herman]] fronted a [[big band]] version in 1978 on the album ''Fatha Herman and his Thundering Herd''.<ref name=Perone2006/> |
*Clarinetist and bandleader [[Woody Herman]] fronted a [[big band]] version in 1978 on the album ''Fatha Herman and his Thundering Herd''.<ref name=Perone2006/> |
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Revision as of 17:04, 3 March 2022
| "Isn't She Lovely" | |
|---|---|
 Motown CD single reissue (1996) | |
| Promotional single by Stevie Wonder | |
| from the album Songs in the Key of Life | |
| Released | 1976 |
| Recorded | 1975 |
| Genre | Soul |
| Length | 6:33 (album version) 3:26 (edit) |
| Label | Tamla |
| Songwriter(s) | Stevie Wonder |
| Producer(s) | Stevie Wonder |
| Alternative cover | |
| File:Isn't She Lovely 45.jpg Tamla promotional single (1976) | |
| Official audio | |
| "Isn't She Lovely" on YouTube | |
"Isn't She Lovely" is a song by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album, Songs in the Key of Life. The lyrics celebrate the birth of his daughter, Aisha Morris. Wonder collaborated on the song with Harlem songwriter and studio owner Burnetta "Bunny" Jones.[1]
The song opens side 3 of Songs in the Key of Life, and starts with a baby's first cry recorded during an actual childbirth. A recording of Wonder bathing Aisha as an older toddler is brought into the final section of the song, mixed with Wonder's extended chromatic harmonica solo. All of the instruments heard in the song are played by Wonder, except for some keyboard parts played by Greg Phillinganes. During the recording process, bassist Nathan Watts laid down a bass guitar line to serve as a guide track for Wonder, but Wonder eventually replaced this with his own keyboard bass performance.[2]
The more-than-six-minute song was not released as a single, as Wonder was unwilling to shorten the song to fit the 7", 45 rpm format.[2] With consumers demanding a single, Tamla compromised in late 1976, and a promotional version was given to radio stations. This edited version, 3:26 in length, received so much airplay that it reached number 23 on the Adult Contemporary chart in January 1977. Since then, the song has become a jazz and pop standard, covered by many artists.[3]
Wonder performed the song live for Queen Elizabeth II at her Diamond Jubilee Concert on June 4, 2012, with lyrics modified to refer to the Queen.[4]
Releases
Tamla released two different versions of the song – the longer album version opens with the sound of a just-born baby crying, and the outro features Aisha as a baby; a promotional single edited for radio leaves out the crying baby sounds at the beginning and has a much shorter outro, also leaving out Aisha as a baby.
The song was not issued as a commercial single and therefore it did not appear on the major charts in the US and UK. However, due to radio airplay, it reached number 23 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart on January 29, 1977.[5]
Personnel
- Stevie Wonder – vocals, harmonica, percussion, RMI Electra Piano, Fender Rhodes, bass synth, drums, talking in recording
- Greg Phillinganes – keyboards
- Aisha Morris - bathing
Notable cover versions
- Vocalist David Parton released the song, which was a UK number 4 hit, in mid-January 1977. It spent nine weeks on the chart.[6] It was the 54th biggest hit of the year.[7] Parton's version gave him one-hit wonder status in the UK.[2]
- Jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour included the song on his 1977 instrumental album Captain Fingers.[3]
- In 2002, a punk rock version sung by Me First And The Gimme Gimmes was included in their fourth album, Take a Break.
- Pianist/percussionist Victor Feldman recorded a jazz instrumental version for his 1977 album The Artful Dodger.[3] Feldman also played congas on Ritenour's version released the same year.[citation needed]
- Clarinetist and bandleader Woody Herman fronted a big band version in 1978 on the album Fatha Herman and his Thundering Herd.[3]
- Saxophonist/arranger Bill Holman included the song on his 1987 album The Bill Holman Band.[3]
- Jacky Terrasson included the song in his 2002 album Smile.[citation needed]
- In November 2012, an acoustic version sung by Jimmy Higham and Jon Walmsley reached number 41 on the UK Singles Chart.[8]
Chart history
| Year | Artist | IR | SA | UK | U.S. Billboard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRMA | Springbok | Singles Chart | U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. AC | ||
| 1976 | Stevie Wonder | |||||
| 1977 | David Parton | |||||
| 1977 | Leslie Kleinsmith | |||||
| 2012 | Jimmy Higham & Jon Walmsley | |||||
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[10] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[11] | Gold | 500,000* |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ Terry Barnes (December 1998). "Passings". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b c Zeth Lundy (2007). Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life. Bloomsbury. p. 31. ISBN 9781441170125.
- ^ a b c d e James E. Perone (2006). The Sound of Stevie Wonder: His Words and Music. Praeger. p. 122. ISBN 9780313051081.
- ^ "Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Sir Elton John and Madness Lead Queen's Diamond Jubilee". WCBS-FM. June 5, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel. Top Adult Songs 1961–2006.
- ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 419. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "Top 100 1977 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
- ^ a b "Jimmy Higham & Jon Walmsley". The Official Charts Company.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company - Isn't She Lovely". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012.
- ^ "British single certifications – Stevie Wonder – Isn't She Lovely". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ "American single certifications – Stevie Wonder – Isn't She Lovely". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
