Stevie Wonder’s Mother Helped Him Write This Hit Single in 1970

In 1970, Stevie Wonder released “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”. The song, which is the title track of an album that Wonder also released in 1970, is co-written by Wonder, along with Wonder’s first wife, Syreeta Wright, and Lee Garrett. But Wonder also lists his mother, Lula Mae Hardaway, as a songwriter, although she never considered herself a professional writer.

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“Syreeta has a unique ability to express exactly what I want to say with a lyric,” Wonder says of the song. “I write the melody and music, and might come up with the main idea. I would also come up with the rhythm music. On ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’, for example, I came up with the music, and Syreeta came up with the lyric. And my mother came up with some ideas on that one, too.”

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” says, “Like a fool I went and stayed too long / Now I’m wondering if your love’s still strong / Oh,  baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours / Then that time I went and said goodbye / Now I’m back and not ashamed to cry / Oh, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours.”

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” isn’t the only song Hardaway helped write. She is also listed as a writer on  “I Was Made to Love Her”, “You Met Your Match”,  and “I Don’t Know Why I Love You”.

The Importance of the ‘Signed Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours’ to Stevie Wonder

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” remains one of Wonder’s most important tracks. It’s this song that marks Wonder’s first time as a producer on one of his songs. It is also the first time that Wonder prominently featured his group of female backup singers, which at the time was Wright, Lynda Tucker Laurence, and Venetta Fields.

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” was later covered by several other artists, including Peter Frampton. In 1977, Peter Frampton released a version of the song on his I’m In You album. Frampton’s version hit the Top 15.

Elton John also tried to put his own spin on “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”. But he admits it was a challenge for him.

“He’s so multitalented that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes him one of the greatest ever,” John says. “But first, there’s that voice. Along with Ray Charles, he’s the greatest R&B singer who ever lived. Nobody can sing like he does. I know. I actually recorded a version of ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ when I was young, and I really had to squeeze my balls to get those high notes.” 

Photo by Steve Morley/Redferns