"Isn't She Lovely" is a song by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album, Songs in the Key of Life. The lyrics celebrate the birth of his daughter, Aisha Morris. Wonder collaborated on the song with Harlem songwriter and studio owner Burnetta "Bunny" Jones.[1]

"Isn't She Lovely"
Motown CD single reissue (1996)
Promotional single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Songs in the Key of Life
Released1976 (1976)
Recorded1975
GenreSoul
Length
  • 6:33 (album version)
  • 3:20 (radio version)
LabelTamla
Songwriter(s)Stevie Wonder
Producer(s)Stevie Wonder
Licensed audio
"Isn't She Lovely" on YouTube

The song opens side 3 of Songs in the Key of Life, and starts with a baby's first cry recorded during an actual childbirth. A recording of Wonder bathing Aisha as an older toddler is brought into the final section of the song, mixed with Wonder's extended chromatic harmonica solo. All of the instruments heard in the song are played by Wonder, except for some keyboard parts played by Greg Phillinganes. During the recording process, bassist Nathan Watts laid down a bass guitar line to serve as a guide track for Wonder, but Wonder eventually replaced this with his own keyboard bass performance.[2]

The more-than-six-minute song was not released as a single, as Wonder was unwilling to shorten the song to fit the 7", 45 rpm format.[2] Even without a single release, the song received so much airplay that it reached number 23 on the Adult Contemporary chart in January 1977. Since then, the song has become a jazz and pop standard, covered by many artists.[3]

Wonder performed the song live for Queen Elizabeth II at her Diamond Jubilee Concert on June 4, 2012, with lyrics modified to refer to the Queen.[4]

Releases

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The song was not issued as a commercial single and therefore it did not appear on the major charts in the US and UK. However, due to radio airplay, it reached number 23 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart (then known as the Easy Listening chart) on January 29, 1977.[5] In June 2012, after Wonder performed the song at the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, the song finally charted in the UK (#94) due to download sales.

Personnel

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Cover versions

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Chart history

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Year Artist IR SA UK U.S. Billboard
IRMA Springbok Singles Chart U.S. Hot 100 U.S. AC
1976 Stevie Wonder
23[5]
1977 David Parton
3
105
1977 Leslie Kleinsmith
12[6]
2012 Jimmy Higham & Jon Walmsley
41[8]

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[10] Gold 400,000
United States (RIAA)[11] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

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  1. ^ The track reached #94 on the UK Singles Chart in June 2012, based on download sales

References

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  1. ^ Terry Barnes (December 1998). "Passings". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510.
  2. ^ a b c Zeth Lundy (2007). Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life. Bloomsbury. p. 31. ISBN 9781441170125.
  3. ^ a b c d e James E. Perone (2006). The Sound of Stevie Wonder: His Words and Music. Praeger. p. 122. ISBN 9780313051081.
  4. ^ "Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Sir Elton John and Madness Lead Queen's Diamond Jubilee". WCBS-FM. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel. Top Adult Songs 1961–2006. Archived from the original on 2019-12-31. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  6. ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 419. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  7. ^ "Top 100 1977 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  8. ^ a b "Jimmy Higham & Jon Walmsley". The Official Charts Company.
  9. ^ "The Official Charts Company - Isn't She Lovely". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011.
  10. ^ "British single certifications – Stevie Wonder – Isn't She Lovely". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  11. ^ "American single certifications – Stevie Wonder – Isn't She Lovely". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 22, 2021.