Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours

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"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
Swonderssd.jpg
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Signed, Sealed & Delivered
B-side"I'm More Than Happy (I'm Satisfied)"
ReleasedJune 3, 1970
RecordedAugust 26, 1969 (track)[1]
February 26, 1970 (horns added)
April 23, 1970 (lead vocals, instrumental overdubs)
April 28, 1970 (additional recording)
StudioHitsville U.S.A. Studio A, Detroit, MI
Golden World Studios, Detroit, MI
GenreSoul
Length2:41
LabelTamla 54196
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Never Had a Dream Come True"
(1970)
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
(1970)
"Heaven Help Us All"
(1970)
Audio
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" on YouTube

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" is a soul song, by American musician Stevie Wonder, released in June 1970 as a single on Motown's Tamla label. It spent six weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart and peaked at number three on the U.S. Pop chart.[2] In the same year, the song was also released on the album Signed, Sealed & Delivered.

The song was arranged by Paul Riser and featured a distinctive "sitar-guitar" in the introduction.[3]

The song was a series of firsts for the 20-year-old Wonder: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" was the first single Wonder produced on his own, and was also the first to feature his female backup singing group composed of Lynda Tucker Laurence (who went on to become a member of The Supremes), Syreeta Wright (who also co-wrote the song), and Venetta Fields. The song also gave Wonder his sixth Grammy nomination, with the award that year going to the Clarence Carter song "Patches".

Cash Box stated that the song is "polished and powerful enough to maintain an adult market power as well pointing toward giant sales."[4]

It is ranked number 203 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[5]

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[13] Gold 45,000double-dagger
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Platinum 600,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Political significance[]

During the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama's presidential campaign frequently played the song immediately after Obama's speeches at campaign events. Wonder performed the song live on the final night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention at Invesco Field in Denver, Colorado. During the campaign, Obama's chief campaign strategist, David Axelrod, used the song as the special ring tone on his cellular phone whenever he received a call from Obama.[15]

At Obama's election night rally at Grant Park in Chicago, the song was one of the first of three songs played to warm up the audience for Obama's victory speech upon winning the election. The song was used in the same fashion the Clinton-Gore campaign used Fleetwood Mac's hit, "Don't Stop." The Obama family came out to the song again on Election Night in 2012 for Obama's victory speech.[citation needed]

At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, the song played after Barack Obama's speech, at which point Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton came out on stage.[citation needed]

Peter Frampton cover[]

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours - Peter Frampton.jpg
Single by Peter Frampton
from the album I'm in You
B-side"Rocky's Hot Club"
ReleasedAugust 1977
GenrePop
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton singles chronology
"I'm in You"
(1977)
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
(1977)
"Tried to Love"
(1977)

In 1977, Peter Frampton recorded the song on his album I'm in You. His version also contains instrumental elements from Wonder's hit "For Once in My Life". Mick Jagger is featured on backing vocals. Frampton's version was released as a single, reaching number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the Cashbox Top 100.[16] His cover also reached number 13 in Canada. In Chicago, the song reached number nine on superstation WLS-AM,[17] and in Toronto it reached number one on CHUM.[18]

Charts[]

Blue, Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone version[]

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
Blue Signed Sealed.jpg
Single by Blue featuring Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone
from the album Guilty
B-side
  • "One Love"
  • "4-Play"
ReleasedDecember 1, 2003 (2003-12-01)
Length3:33
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Martin Harrington, Ash Howes
Blue singles chronology
"Guilty"
(2003)
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
(2003)
"Breathe Easy"
(2004)

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was covered in 2003 by English boy band Blue. Their version includes vocals from Angie Stone and Wonder. This was the second single from Blue's third album, Guilty (2003), and was released in Australia two weeks before it was issued in the UK. The cover peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 20 on the charts of six other countries. Janet Jackson was originally approached to cover the song with the group but could not proceed due to scheduling conflicts.[26]

Track listings[]

UK CD1[27]

  1. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" – 3:39
  2. "One Love" – 3:25

UK CD2[28]

  1. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (Radio Edit) – 3:33
  2. "4 Play" – 3:22
  3. "Guilty" (original demo) – 3:25
  4. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (video and photo gallery enhanced) – 3:33

Charts[]

Release history[]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia December 1, 2003 (2003-12-01) CD
[50]
United Kingdom December 15, 2003 (2003-12-15) [51]

Ronan Keating version[]

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
Single by Ronan Keating
from the album Postman Pat: The Movie
Released2014
Recorded2014
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Ronan Keating

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was covered in 2014 by Ronan Keating for the film Postman Pat: The Movie.

Other covers[]

  • Shortly before being signed by Uni Records, Elton John (then performing under his birth name, Reg Dwight) recorded a cover of it for a collection of top hits of the day that were released as discount LP "sound-alike" versions. It was later released on several CD compilations, perhaps the most notable of which was Reg Dwight's Piano Goes Pop! Elton's (or rather Reg's) version was later included under the end titles of the 2004 romantic comedy film Laws of Attraction starring Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore.
  • In the early 1970s, Bobby Byrd performed an up-tempo cover of this song on a single with other songs performed by James Brown and Lyn Collins.[52]
  • In 2004, Arkells released a version of the song as the A-side to their Record Store Day release entitled Arkells Sing Motown.
  • Human Nature successfully remade the song to feature in their Motown album Dancing in the Street: the Songs of Motown II released in 2006.
  • English singer Craig David has covered the song on his fifth studio album, inspired by the same name Signed Sealed Delivered (2010).
  • Michael Bolton released a cover of the song in early 2013 on his album Ain't No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute to Hitsville.[57]
  • In 2013, Straight No Chaser covered the song with Wonder on their Under the Influence album.[58]
  • Rufus Wainwright released a version in 2017 that was part of a tribute for a fundraising gala that honored Wonder.[59]
  • In 2018, The Fearless Flyers covered the song (as ″Signed Sealed Delivered") as part of their eponymous debut EP. The track features Sandra Crouch on tambourine and Blake Mills on guitar.[60]

References[]

  1. ^ "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours | Stevie Wonder | Recording".
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 635.
  3. ^ Perone, James E. (January 1, 2006). The Sound of Stevie Wonder: His Words and Music. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780275987237. Retrieved January 29, 2017 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 20, 1970. p. 18. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  5. ^ "Signed Sealed Delivered ranked #203 on Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs List". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4532." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  8. ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  9. ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  10. ^ "Top 100 1970-08-22". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  11. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  12. ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1970". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
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  14. ^ "British single certifications – Stevie Wonder – Signed Sealed Delivered (I'm Yours)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  15. ^ Zeleny, Jeff (October 26, 2008). "Long by Obama's Side, an Adviser Fills a Role That Exceeds His Title". The New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
  16. ^ Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles 1955-1999 (Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research, 2000), 239.
  17. ^ "Wls102277".
  18. ^ "1050 CHUM – CHUM Charts > Frampton, Peter". CHUM Charts. 1050 Chum. October 1, 1977. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  19. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5430a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  20. ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 18 December 1977
  21. ^ "Peter Frampton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
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  28. ^ Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours (UK CD2 liner notes). Blue. Virgin Records, Innocent Records. 2003. SINDX 54.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  52. ^ "Dusty Groove review". Dusty Groove. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  53. ^ 40, Stichting Nederlandse Top. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982". Top40.nl. Retrieved April 2, 2018.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  54. ^ "Wilde Life TV 1995". Wilde-life.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
  55. ^ "Pieces of a Dream - Pieces". AllMusic.
  56. ^ "Colton Ford Billboard singles". AllMusic. Retrieved November 9, 2007.
  57. ^ "Michael Bolton - Ain't No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute to Hitsville (2013)". AllMusic.
  58. ^ Collar, Matt. "Under the Influence - Straight No Chaser". AllMusic. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
  59. ^ "Rufus Wainwright releases cover of Stevie Wonder's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)". rufuswainwright.com/.
  60. ^ Kahn, Andy. "The Fearless Flyers Share 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours' Video Featuring Blake Mills & Sandra Crouch". JamBase.

External links[]

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