“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” is a Stevie Wonder song you’ve undoubtedly heard many times. It was Wonder’s third Billboard chart topper and has become a classic still played 50 years after its debut.
But did you know this:
Stevie Wonder does not sing the first four lines of the song.
Jim Gilstrap sings the first two lines. Lani Groves sings the next two. Then Gilstrap, Groves, and Gloria Barley provide backing vocals while Stevie Wonder sings the rest of the song.
Has a song ever been performed in his way before?
Two lines by one singer.
Two lines by a second singer.
The following 19 lines sung by the artist credited for the hit song.
I’ve been listening to that song for my entire life, but it was only during a recent car ride with Elysha that I noticed the first voice I heard was not Stevie Wonder. Even more shocking, my musical-savant wife never noticed either.
I’ve looked for reasons why Wonder chose this unusual lyrical structure, but none seem to exist. The closest I found to an answer is:
“Wonder doesn’t start singing right away on ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life.’ For whatever reason, his backup singers, Jim Gilstrap and Lani Groves, handle the first two lines. It’s a strange effect like Wonder needs to rely on his friends to speak for him while he struggles to find his own voice.”
“For whatever reason?”
Not exactly a reason.
If I ever have the honor of meeting Stevie Wonder, my first question will undoubtedly be, “Please explain the decision behind having two different singers perform the first four lines of that song. What were you thinking?”
If you ever meet Stevie Wonder, maybe you could ask on my behalf.
