I Just Called to Say I Love You

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"I Just Called to Say I Love You"
French release sleeve
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album The Woman in Red
B-side"I Just Called to Say I Love You" (instrumental)
ReleasedAugust 1, 1984[1]
GenreR&B[2]
Length6:17 (album version)
4:25 (single version)
6:44 (12" version)
LabelMotown – MOT-684
Songwriter(s)Stevie Wonder[3]
Producer(s)Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Front Line"
(1983) 		"I Just Called to Say I Love You"
(1984) 		"Love Light in Flight"
(1984)
Official audio
"I Just Called To Say I Love You" on YouTube

"I Just Called to Say I Love You" is a ballad written, produced, and performed by American R&B singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder.[3] It was a major international hit, and remains Wonder's best-selling single to date, having topped a record 19 charts.

The song was the lead single from the 1984 soundtrack album The Woman in Red,[3] along with two other songs by Wonder, and scored number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks from October 13 to 27, 1984. It also became his tenth number-one on the R&B chart, and his fourth on the adult contemporary chart; it spent three weeks at the top of both charts, and for the same weeks as on the Hot 100.[4] The song also became Wonder's only solo UK number-one success, staying at the top for six weeks, in the process also becoming Motown Records' biggest-selling single in the UK, a distinction it still held as of 2018.[3] In addition, the song won both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song.[3] The song also received three nominations at the 27th Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Composition[edit]

The song's lyrics have Wonder surprising someone in his life with an unexpected telephone call. Throughout the song, Wonder lists various events in a yearly calendar that might prompt someone to call a loved one. Yet he explains no special annual event such as New Year's Day or Halloween spurred the call. He simply wants to say that he loves them from the bottom of his heart. Cash Box described the song as "a tender and romantic love letter which captures the ever-present and Wonderous feeling of love and optimism."[5]

There was a dispute among Wonder, his former writing partner Lee Garrett, and Lloyd Chiate as to who actually wrote the song. Chiate claimed in a lawsuit that he and Garrett wrote the song years before its 1984 release. However, a jury ultimately sided with Wonder.[6]

Personnel[edit]

Mixing at Frank Farian's FAR STUDIOS in Germany, 1984

Music video[edit]

A music video of the song has Wonder, during a concert, singing into a telephone receiver while seated at a piano.[7] By the end of the song, he and the audience are standing and swaying to the music. The video features concert footage recorded in Rotterdam Ahoy, in the Netherlands, on August 10, 1984.[8]

Charts[edit]

Sales and certifications[edit]

Certifications and sales for "I Just Called to Say I Love You"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[60] 3× Platinum 408,000[59]
France (SNEP)[62] Gold 800,000[61]
Germany (BVMI)[63] Gold 500,000^
Italy (FIMI)[64] Gold 50,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI)[65] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[66] Gold 10,000*
Portugal (AFP)[67] Platinum 170,000[67]
Russia (NFPF)[68]
Ringtone 		Gold 100,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] Platinum 1,874,225[69]
United States (RIAA)[71] Gold 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Database". Riaa.org. Retrieved December 27, 2013.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Wiebe, David Andrew (March 30, 2022). "Music Genres List - 67 Top Music Styles With Examples". Music Industry How To. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 136. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ "I Just Called to Say I Love You" topped the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and R&B charts simultaneously from October 13 to 27, 1984:
  5. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 11, 1984. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  6. ^ Weinstein, Henry (February 23, 1990). "Wonder Wins Suit Over Song". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  7. ^ "Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You". YouTube. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  8. ^ NPO Radio 5: Clip van 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'
  9. ^ "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 29 April 1985. p. 10. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  10. ^ Grant. "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1984". Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  11. ^ "Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  12. ^ "Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8968." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  14. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8937." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  15. ^ "Danish Chart Archive - Singles 1979 - ____ (B.T./IFPI DK)". www.ukmix.org. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. No. 27. 1 October 1984. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  17. ^ Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit WIL - WOY". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  18. ^ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque artiste commençant par W". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  19. ^ "Greece Single Charts - Number Ones". UKMIX Forums. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  20. ^ "Topp 10 vinsælustu lögin". DV (in Icelandic). 31 August 1984. p. 37. ISSN 1021-8254. Retrieved 25 July 2020 – via Timarit.is.
  21. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Just Called to Say I Love You". Irish Singles Chart.
  22. ^ "Israel Singles Charts 1987-1995". www.ukmix.org. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  23. ^ Chartsventes (2015-09-08). "World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries: Stevie WONDER". World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
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  27. ^ "Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You". VG-lista.
  28. ^ "TOP 20 TMP Portugal - number one in the 80's airplay charts". www.laurentpons.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  29. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  30. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  31. ^ "Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You". Singles Top 100.
  32. ^ "Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You". Swiss Singles Chart.
  33. ^ "Stevie Wonder: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  34. ^ "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 4 Feb 1985. p. 12. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  35. ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  36. ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  37. ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  38. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 13, 1984". Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
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  40. ^ "Number one hits in Zimbabwe". UKMIX Forums. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
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  42. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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  53. ^ "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.
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  59. ^ "Maple Briefs". Billboard. April 20, 1985. p. 66. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Google Books.
  60. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You". Music Canada.
  61. ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). "TOP – 1984". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles (in French). OCLC 469523661. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Top-France.fr.
  62. ^ "French single certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You" (in French). InfoDisc. Select STEVIE WONDER and click OK. 
  63. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Stevie Wonder; 'I Just Called to Say I Love You')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  64. ^ "Italian single certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  65. ^ "Dutch single certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called To Say I Love You" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 16 February 2020. Enter I Just Called To Say I Love You in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1984 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  66. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called To Say I Love You". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  67. ^ a b Tenente, Fernando (March 2, 1985). "Fourth-Quarter Upturn in Portugal" (PDF). Billboard. p. 71. Retrieved January 3, 2020 – via World Radio History.
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  70. ^ "British certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  71. ^ "American single certifications – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
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