I_Just_Called_to_Say_I_Love_You

I Just Called to Say I Love You

I Just Called to Say I Love You

1984 song by Stevie Wonder


"I Just Called to Say I Love You" is a ballad written, produced, and performed by American R&B singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder.[3] It was a major international hit, and remains Wonder's best-selling single to date, having topped a record 19 charts.

Quick Facts Single by Stevie Wonder, from the album The Woman in Red ...

The song was the lead single from the 1984 soundtrack album The Woman in Red,[3] along with two other songs by Wonder, and scored number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks from October 13 to 27, 1984. It also became his tenth number-one on the R&B chart, and his fourth on the adult contemporary chart; it spent three weeks at the top of both charts, and for the same weeks as on the Hot 100.[4] The song also became Wonder's only solo UK number-one success, staying at the top for six weeks, in the process also becoming Motown Records' biggest-selling single in the UK, a distinction it still held as of 2018.[3] In addition, the song won both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song.[3] The song also received three nominations at the 27th Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Composition

The song's lyrics have Wonder surprising someone in his life with an unexpected telephone call. Throughout the song, Wonder lists various events in a yearly calendar that might prompt someone to call a loved one. Yet he explains no special annual event such as New Year's Day or Halloween spurred the call. He simply wants to say that he loves them from the bottom of his heart. Cash Box described the song as "a tender and romantic love letter which captures the ever-present and Wonderous feeling of love and optimism."[5]

There was a dispute among Wonder, his former writing partner Lee Garrett, and Lloyd Chiate as to who actually wrote the song. Chiate claimed in a lawsuit that he and Garrett wrote the song years before its 1984 release. However, a jury ultimately sided with Wonder.[6]

Personnel

Mixing at Frank Farian's FAR STUDIOS in Germany, 1984

Music video

A music video of the song has Wonder, during a concert, singing into a telephone receiver while seated at a piano.[7] By the end of the song, he and the audience are standing and swaying to the music. The video features concert footage recorded in Rotterdam Ahoy, in the Netherlands, on August 10, 1984.[8]

Charts

More information Chart (1984–1985), Peak position ...

Sales and certifications

More information Region, Certification ...

See also


References

  1. "RIAA Gold and Platinum Database". Riaa.org. Retrieved December 27, 2013.[permanent dead link]
  2. Wiebe, David Andrew (March 30, 2022). "Music Genres List - 67 Top Music Styles With Examples". Music Industry How To. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 136. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" topped the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and R&B charts simultaneously from October 13 to 27, 1984:
  5. "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 11, 1984. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  6. Weinstein, Henry (February 23, 1990). "Wonder Wins Suit Over Song". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  7. "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 29 April 1985. p. 10. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  8. Grant. "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1984". Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  9. "Danish Chart Archive - Singles 1979 - ____ (B.T./IFPI DK)". www.ukmix.org. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. No. 27. 1 October 1984. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  11. "Greece Single Charts - Number Ones". UKMIX Forums. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  12. "Topp 10 vinsælustu lögin". DV (in Icelandic). 31 August 1984. p. 37. ISSN 1021-8254. Retrieved 25 July 2020 via Timarit.is.
  13. "Israel Singles Charts 1987-1995". www.ukmix.org. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  14. Chartsventes (2015-09-08). "World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries: Stevie WONDER". World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  15. "TOP 20 TMP Portugal - number one in the 80's airplay charts". www.laurentpons.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  16. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  17. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  18. "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 4 Feb 1985. p. 12. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  19. "Number one hits in Zimbabwe". UKMIX Forums. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  20. "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  21. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  22. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1984". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  23. "Jaaroverzichten 1984: Singles". Ultratop (in Dutch). Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  24. "Top 100 Músicas Mais Tocadas em 1984" [Top 100 Most Played Songs of 1984]. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  25. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  26. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1984". MegaCharts (in Dutch). Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  27. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984: Singles". Swiss Charts Portal (in German). Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  28. "Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. London, England: Morgan-Grampian plc. January 26, 1985. p. 37. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  29. "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.
  30. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1984". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  31. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts: 1984". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  32. "The UK's biggest selling singles of all time". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  33. "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  34. "Maple Briefs". Billboard. April 20, 1985. p. 66. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved November 14, 2022 via Google Books.
  35. "French single certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You" (in French). InfoDisc. Select STEVIE WONDER and click OK. 
  36. Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). "TOP – 1984". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles (in French). OCLC 469523661. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2022 via Top-France.fr.
  37. "Dutch single certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called To Say I Love You" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 16 February 2020. Enter I Just Called To Say I Love You in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1984 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  38. Tenente, Fernando (March 2, 1985). "Fourth-Quarter Upturn in Portugal" (PDF). Billboard. p. 71. Retrieved January 3, 2020 via World Radio History.
  39. "Российская индустрия звукозаписи 2011" (in Russian). Lenta. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  40. Copsey, Rob (September 19, 2017). "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 25, 2017.

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