Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours (1970)

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" is a song by American musician Stevie Wonder. It was written by Wonder along with Lee Garrett, Syreeta Wright, and Lula Mae Hardaway for his twelfth studio album, Signed, Sealed & Delivered (1970), with production overseen by the singer. The song was released in June 1970 as a single on Motown's Tamla label. It spent six weeks at number one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Background

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. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was arranged by Paul Riser and features an electric sitar 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 is back, similar to a special delivery package from the post office, "signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours."

Critical reception

The song gave Wonder his sixth Grammy nomination, with the award that year going to the Clarence Carter song "Patches". Cash Box stated that "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" was "polished and powerful enough to maintain an adult market power as well pointing toward giant sales." Billboard called it a "funky beat swinger" with "blockbuster sales appeal." Rolling Stone ranked the song 203rd on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Signed, Sealed & Delivered.

• Lee Garrett – writer
• Lula Mae Hardaway – writer
• Paul Riser – arranger
• Stevie Wonder – producer, vocals, writer
• Syreeta Wright – writer

Peter Frampton cover

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 Cash Box Top 100. His cover also reached number 13 in Canada. In Chicago, the song reached number nine on superstation WLS-AM, and in Toronto it reached number one on CHUM.

Blue version

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was covered in 2003 by English boy band Blue. Their version includes vocals from Angie Stone and Wonder. The song was released as the second single from Blue's third album, Guilty (2003). In Australia, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was released two weeks before it was issued in the United Kingdom. American singer Janet Jackson was originally approached to cover the song with the group but could not proceed due to scheduling conflicts.

Critical reception

Betty Clarke from The Daily Telegraph called the song a "grunting cover," while AllMusic's Sharon Mawer found that "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was "just not as strong a song" as "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word." In a negative review, BBC Music critic Chris Long wrote: "Not even the presence of the legendary Stevie Wonder and the equally fantastic Angie Stone on "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" can get the party started. Their appearance only serves to show how untalented these four lads are."

Chart performance

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. It was Blue's first single to miss the chart's top ten. Elsewhere, the song reached the top 20 on the charts of six other countries, including Denmark, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain.

Music video

A music video for "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was directed by Max & Dania and largely filmed on the roof of the Maxfield Building on Santee Street in Downtown Los Angeles. The visuals tell the story of a group of boys trying to sneak into the rooftop party attended by Blue, Wonder, and Stone.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Guilty.

Other covers

In the early 1970s, Bobby Byrd performed an up-tempo cover of this song on a single with other songs performed by James Brown and Lyn Collins.

In 1982, the Boys Town Gang covered "Signed, Sealed, Delivered". It became a Top 10 hit in the Netherlands.

In 1988, Ruby Turner covered the song on her album The Motown Songbook. It was released as a single and charted at number 77 in the UK and number 8 in New Zealand.

In 1991, Australian singer Jimmy Barnes covered the song on his album Soul Deep.

In 1995, Kim Wilde performed the track during the last episode of Don't Forget Your Toothbrush on UK television.

Jazz fusion and contemporary jazz group Pieces of a Dream presented their version from the band's 1998 album Pieces.

Former adult film star Colton Ford and dance diva Pepper Mashay recorded a club version of this song in 2004. This version went to number 9 on the Hot Dance Club Play and number 25 on the Hot Dance Singles Sales charts.