Heaven Help Us All

Last updated
"Heaven Help Us All"
Heavenhelpusall.jpg
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Signed, Sealed & Delivered
B-side "I Gotta Have a Song"
"Give Your Love"
Released29 September 1970 [1]
Recorded1970
Genre
Length3:13
Songwriter(s) Ron Miller
Producer(s) Ron Miller, Tom Baird
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"
(1970)
"Heaven Help Us All"
(1970)
"We Can Work It Out"
(1971)

"Heaven Help Us All" is a 1970 soul single composed by Ron Miller and first performed by Motown singer Stevie Wonder. The song continued Wonder's string of Top 10 singles on the pop charts reaching #9 on the Hot 100 singles chart [3] and #2 on the R&B chart, the latter causing it to be his first runner-up since "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday". [4] It was one of four hits Wonder scored from his Signed, Sealed & Delivered album. The song has since been covered dozens of times in a variety of styles. [5]

Contents

Background

"Heaven Help Us All" showcased a departure from Wonder's earlier works by displaying an earthier, gospel-infused sound. Cash Box reviewed the song stating that "Super Wonder surges back with another step into the total performer portrait that he has been cultivating" and that he "turns up with another all-format effort that will win across the board acceptance" and that "excellent contemporary lyric and Wonder's delivery wrap up blockbuster results." [6] Record World called it the "top cut" from the album and said that it "is sure to deliver in a heavy way." [7]

Chart history

Chart (1970)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)88
Canada RPM Top Singles14
UK Singles [8] 29
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [9] 9
U.S. Billboard R&B [10] 2
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [11] 9

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References

  1. "Stevie Wonder - Heaven Help Us All".
  2. Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 410. ISBN   0-452-26305-0.
  3. "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot R&b/Hip Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. "Cover versions of Heaven Help Us All written by Ron Miller [US1]| SecondHandSongs". SecondHandSongs.
  6. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 10, 1970. p. 28. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  7. "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 17, 1970. p. 109. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  8. "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  9. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  10. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 635.
  11. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 12, 1970". Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2021.