Ribbon in the Sky

Last updated
"Ribbon in the Sky"
Ribbon in the Sky - Stevie Wonder.jpg
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Original Musiquarium I
B-side "Black Orchid"
ReleasedJune 13, 1982
RecordedOctober 1981
Studio Wonderland (Los Angeles, California)
Genre R&B, soul, jazz, soul jazz, smooth soul
Length5:50
Label Tamla
Songwriter(s) Stevie Wonder
Producer(s) Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Ebony and Ivory"
(1982)
"Ribbon in the Sky"
(1982)
"Used To Be"
(1982)

"Ribbon in the Sky" is a song by American singer Stevie Wonder. The ballad was first featured on the 1982 greatest hits album, Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I , and charted at No. 54 pop, [1] No. 21 Adult Contemporary, [2] and No. 10 R&B in the US when it was released. [3] The song also charted in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 45.

In February 1983, Wonder was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 25th Grammy Awards.

In 2009, Essence magazine included "Ribbon in the Sky" in their list of the "25 Best Slow Jams of All Time". [4]

Wonder performed a version of the song at Whitney Houston's funeral on February 18, 2012. [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Im Your Baby Tonight</i> 1990 studio album by Whitney Houston

I'm Your Baby Tonight is the third studio album by American singer Whitney Houston. It was released on November 6, 1990, by Arista Records. The album is one of the best-selling female albums of all time and has been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superstition (song)</span> 1972 single by Stevie Wonder

"Superstition" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder. It was released on October 24, 1972, as the lead single from his fifteenth studio album, Talking Book (1972), by Tamla. The lyrics describe popular superstitions and their negative effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saving All My Love for You</span> 1985 single by Whitney Houston

"Saving All My Love for You" is a song written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin, originally recorded by Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. for their album Marilyn & Billy (1978). American singer Whitney Houston recorded it for her self-titled debut studio album (1985). It was released on August 13, 1985, by Arista Records, as the second single from the album in the United States, and third worldwide. The following article discusses this version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All the Man That I Need</span> Song written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore

"All the Man That I Need" is a song written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore. The song was first recorded as "All the Man I Need" by Linda Clifford for her album I'll Keep on Loving You (1982). In 1990, American singer Whitney Houston had a number-one multiple chart hit with this song, recorded as "All the Man That I Need", from her third album, I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Every Woman</span> 1978 single by Chaka Khan

"I'm Every Woman" is a song by American singer Chaka Khan, released in September 1978 by Warner Bros. as her debut solo single from her first album, Chaka (1978). It was Khan's first hit outside her recordings with the funk band Rufus. "I'm Every Woman" was produced by Arif Mardin and written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The single established Chaka's career outside the group Rufus, whom she would leave after their eighth studio album, Masterjam, was released in late 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing</span> 1974 single by Stevie Wonder

"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released as the third single from his sixteenth studio album, Innervisions (1973). It reached number 16 on the US Billboard Pop Singles chart, number 10 on the Cash Box Top 100, and number two on the R&B chart. The song's lyrics convey a positive message, focusing on taking things in one's stride and accentuating the positive. In 1992, British band Incognito had a European hit with their cover of the song.

"I Believe in You and Me" is a song written by Sandy Linzer and David Wolfert in 1982. The song was first recorded and released by the R&B group The Four Tops, who released it as a single from their album One More Mountain (1982). While it failed to reach the US Top 40, it became a moderate hit for the group on the US Billboard R&B chart, peaking at number 40 in early 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If You Really Love Me</span> 1971 single by Stevie Wonder

"If You Really Love Me" is a song written by Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright. Wonder recorded the song and released his version as a single from his 1971 album Where I'm Coming From. The single peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard′s R&B chart, and Billboard′s Easy Listening chart.

"For Once in My Life" is a song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Stein & Van Stock publishing company, and first recorded in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday</span> 1969 single by Stevie Wonder

"Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" is a 1969 soul song written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, released by American Motown singer-songwriter-musician Stevie Wonder on the album My Cherie Amour (1969). The song continued Wonder's success on the pop charts. It reached number 7 on the pop singles chart and become Wonder's ninth Top 10 single of the 1960s. The single fared even better on the UK singles chart where it reached number 2 in November 1969, and at that time, it was Wonder's biggest UK hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven Help Us All</span> 1970 single by Stevie Wonder

"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 and #2 on the R&B chart, the latter causing it to be his first runner-up since "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday". 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Are the Sunshine of My Life</span> 1973 single by Stevie Wonder

"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a 1973 single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his first number-one on the Easy Listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and was nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. This song was the second single released from the 1972 album entitled Talking Book, which stayed at number one on the R&B albums chart for three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Send One Your Love</span> 1979 single by Stevie Wonder

"Send One Your Love" is a 1979 soul single by American and Motown musician and singer Stevie Wonder from his album Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" (1979). Released in November 1979 as the album's lead single, the song reached number four on the US Billboard pop singles chart in 1979 The song also became Wonder's second single to top the adult contemporary chart, following 1973's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", topping the chart for four weeks. On the soul charts, "Send One Your Love" went to number five.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go Home (song)</span> 1985 single by Stevie Wonder

"Go Home" is a song by Stevie Wonder, released as the second single from his twentieth studio album, In Square Circle (1985). The song showcased the narrator's plea to a young woman to go home, though the girl tries to get the narrator to stay with her. In the US, the song peaked at #2 on the Billboard R&B chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and, to date, is Wonder's last song to reach the US top ten on the Hot 100. "Go Home" also topped both the Billboard dance chart and the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do I Do</span> 1982 single by Stevie Wonder

"Do I Do" is a song written and performed by American singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder, first released in 1982 on the compilation album, Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I (1982). The single peaked at #2 on the US Billboard soul chart and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the Billboard dance chart, "Do I Do" went to number one for two weeks. Overseas, it reached #10 in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grazing in the Grass</span> 1968 composition by Philemon Hou

"Grazing in the Grass" is an instrumental composed by Philemon Hou and first recorded by the South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. Released in the United States as a single in 1968, it followed United States trumpeter Herb Alpert's vocal performance of "This Guy's in Love with You" to the top spot on the Hot 100 chart, ranking it as the 18th biggest hit of the year. The song also reached No. 15 Adult Contemporary. Masekela included the song in his albums Grazing in the Grass: The Best of Hugh Masekela (2001), Still Grazing (2004), and Live at the Market Theatre (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Another Star</span> 1977 single by Stevie Wonder

"Another Star" is a song written and performed by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. It is the final track on side four of the double LP. The flute player Bobbi Humphrey appears in the last section of the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying Time</span> 1965 single by Ray Charles

"Crying Time" is a song from 1964 written and originally recorded by the American country music artist Buck Owens. It gained greater success in the version recorded by Ray Charles, which won two Grammy Awards in 1967. Numerous other cover versions have been performed and recorded over the intervening years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Will Know</span> 1987 single by Stevie Wonder

"You Will Know" is a song written and recorded by American R&B singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, taken from his 1987 Characters album. It is the opening track on the album, and is the second single from the album as well. This is Stevie Wonder's 20th and final number-one R&B hit single. Wonder performed the song along with R&B quartet Jodeci and Mary J. Blige on an episode of The Arsenio Hall Show in late 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Always and Forever (Heatwave song)</span> 1977 single by Heatwave

"Always and Forever" is an R&B song written by Rod Temperton and produced by Barry Blue. It was first recorded by the British-based multinational funk-disco band Heatwave in 1976. Released as a single on December 3, 1977, the song is included on Heatwave's debut album Too Hot to Handle (1976) and has been covered by numerous artists, becoming something of a standard.

References

  1. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  2. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 261.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 636.
  4. "25 Best Slow Jams of All Time". 29 October 2020.
  5. "Whitney Houston's Funeral: Stevie Wonder And R Kelly Perform In Tribute". Capital FM. February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2021.