Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours Explained

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)
Type:single
Artist:Stevie Wonder
Album:Signed, Sealed & Delivered
B-Side:I'm More Than Happy (I'm Satisfied)
Released:June 3, 1970
Recorded:August 26, 1969 – April 28, 1970[1]
Studio:
Genre:Soul
Length:2:41
Producer:Stevie Wonder
Prev Title:Never Had a Dream Come True
Prev Year:1970
Next Title:Heaven Help Us All
Next Year:1970

"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 features an electric sitar[3] played by Eddie "Chank" Willis. In the lyrics, the singer has left his girlfriend but realizes it was a mistake. "I've done a lot of foolish things that I really didn't mean." Now he has returned, making the commitment that he's back, similar to a special delivery package from the post office, "signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours."

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 later married Wonder), and Venetta Fields. The song 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] Billboard called it a "funky beat swinger" with "blockbuster sales appeal."[5] It is ranked number 203 on Rolling Stones list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[6]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1970)Peak
position
US Best Selling Soul Singles (Billboard)[7] 1
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[8] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1970)Rank
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[9] 31
U.S. Cash Box[10] 23

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.[11]

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.

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.[12]

Peter Frampton cover

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)
Cover:Signed,_Sealed,_Delivered_I'm_Yours_-_Peter_Frampton.jpg
Alt:ocver art
Caption:Artwork for some non-UK releases
Type:single
Artist:Peter Frampton
Album:I'm in You
B-Side:Rocky's Hot Club
Released:August 1977
Genre:Pop
Label:A&M
Producer:Peter Frampton
Prev Title:I'm in You
Prev Year:1977
Next Title:Tried to Love
Next Year: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.[13] His cover also reached number 13 in Canada. In Chicago, the song reached number nine on superstation WLS-AM,[14] and in Toronto it reached number one on CHUM.[15]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1977)Peak
position
New Zealand (Listener)[16] 24
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[17] 13
U.S. Cash Box R&B Singles[18] 96

Year-end charts

Chart (1977)Rank
Canada[19] 117
U.S. Billboard[20] 125

Blue version

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)
Cover:Blue Signed Sealed.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Blue featuring Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone
Album:Guilty
Length:3:33
Producer:Martin Harrington, Ash Howes
Chronology:Blue
Prev Title:Guilty
Prev Year:2003
Next Title:Breathe Easy
Next Year: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.[21]

Track listings

UK CD1[22]

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

UK CD2[23]

  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

Weekly charts

Chart (2003–2004)Peak
position
Croatia (HRT)[24] 5
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[25] 37

Year-end charts

Chart (2004)Position
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[27] 82
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 99
UK Singles (OCC)[29] 192

Release history

RegionVersionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
AustraliaSolo releaseDecember 1, 2003CD[30]
United KingdomDecember 15, 2003[31]
Japanwith "The Gift"December 17, 2003[32]

Other covers

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours | Stevie Wonder | Recording. August 27, 2019. August 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190827170422/http://www.pfunkportal.com/recordings/4583. dead.
  2. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 635.
  3. Book: Perone, James E.. The Sound of Stevie Wonder: His Words and Music. January 1, 2006. Greenwood Publishing Group. 9780275987237. January 29, 2017. Google Books.
  4. News: CashBox Record Reviews. June 20, 1970. 18. December 9, 2021. Cash Box.
  5. Billboard. 54. Spotlight Singles. June 20, 1970. 2023-04-29.
  6. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time #203 Stevie Wonder, 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours' . Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. October 3, 2021.
  7. Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs). Billboard. January 2, 2021.
  8. Web site: Top 100 1970-08-22 . . March 2, 2016.
  9. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970 . Musicoutfitters.com . October 3, 2016.
  10. Web site: Top 100 Year End Charts: 1970 . . July 27, 2016.
  11. News: Zeleny. Jeff. Long by Obama's Side, an Adviser Fills a Role That Exceeds His Title. The New York Times. October 26, 2008. October 26, 2008 .
  12. Web site: Watch President Barack Obama's full speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention . YouTube . . 2 January 2024.
  13. Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles 1955-1999 (Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research, 2000), 239.
  14. Web site: Wls102277.
  15. Web site: 1050 CHUM – CHUM Charts > Frampton, Peter . 1050 Chum . CHUM Charts . October 1, 1977 . July 15, 2019 .
  16. http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20rianz&qartistid=946#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 18 December 1977
  17. Web site: Top 100 1977-10-22 . . July 23, 2015.
  18. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 15, 1977 . May 2, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181020124305/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19771015.html . October 20, 2018 . dead .
  19. Web site: Top 200 Singles of '77 – Volume 28, No. 11, December 31 1977 . . July 17, 2013 . . June 25, 2016.
  20. Web site: 1977 Year End . Bullfrogspond.com . October 3, 2016.
  21. Web site: Janet Love . Janet Love . October 28, 2003 . January 14, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20031123111428/http://www.janet-love.com/news/archive/00000048.php . November 23, 2003.
  22. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours. Blue. 2003. UK CD1 liner notes. Virgin Records, Innocent Records. SINCDY 54.
  23. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours. Blue. 2003. UK CD2 liner notes. Virgin Records, Innocent Records. SINDX 54.
  24. Web site: Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija. https://web.archive.org/web/20040205004954/http://www.hrt.hr:80/hr/top20/maineng.html. dead. February 5, 2004. Croatian Radiotelevision. April 14, 2023.
  25. Web site: Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 12, saptamina 22.03 – 28.03, 2004. Romanian Top 100. ro. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050221022110/http://www.rt100.ro/editie-top-100_x10111.html. February 21, 2005. July 2, 2021.
  26. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2003. UKChartsPlus. April 1, 2020.
  27. Web site: Rádiós Top 100 – hallgatottsági adatok alapján – 2004. Mahasz. hu. April 1, 2020.
  28. Web site: Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2004. Dutch Top 40. April 1, 2020.
  29. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2004. UKChartsPlus. April 1, 2020.
  30. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 1st December 2003. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20031206130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20031207-0000/Issue719.pdf. dead. December 6, 2003. ARIA. 26. December 1, 2003. July 2, 2021.
  31. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 23. December 13, 2003.
  32. Web site: ギフト ブルー. Gift Blue. Oricon. ja. August 29, 2023.
  33. Web site: Dusty Groove review . . February 19, 2008 .
  34. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982. Top40.nl. April 2, 2018.
  35. Web site: Wilde Life TV 1995. Wilde-life.com. May 16, 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080430052955/http://www.wilde-life.com/tv/1995/00412/. April 30, 2008. mdy-all.
  36. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r315081|pure_url=yes}} Pieces of a Dream - ''Pieces'']. AllMusic.
  37. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p655156|pure_url=yes}} Colton Ford Billboard singles ]. . November 9, 2007 .
  38. Web site: Michael Bolton - Ain't No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute to Hitsville (2013) . AllMusic.
  39. Web site: Collar. Matt. Under the Influence - Straight No Chaser. AllMusic. November 2, 2014.
  40. Gonzalez. Sandra. Glee recap: Stevie Wonder Season 4 Episode 21 . Entertainment Weekly.
  41. Web site: Rufus Wainwright releases cover of Stevie Wonder's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) . rufuswainwright.com/.
  42. Web site: Kahn. Andy. The Fearless Flyers Share 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours' Video Featuring Blake Mills & Sandra Crouch . JamBase.
  43. Web site: Serba. John. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Trolls: Holiday in Harmony' on Hulu, an Animated Joysplosion of Annoying Singing and Visual Delight . Decider.

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