"I Wish" is a funk, soul and pop song written and produced by Stevie Wonder, who also wrote its lyrics. It was recorded in 1976 and released in November of that year as the lead single from his album Songs in the Key of Life, on the Tamla label, with "You and I" as the B-side. The music came to Wonder at a Motown picnic in summer 1976 and was recorded at Crystal Recording Studio; the lyrics came with more difficulty. The single runs 3:55, while the album version lasts 4:13. Cash Box reported that radio stations spent weeks choosing it as the lead single, and NME's Tony Parsons praised its keyboard lines and tight funky rhythm section. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the soul singles chart and won the Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male at the 19th Grammy Awards. The sheet music is in the key of E flat. For the TV series Classic Albums, Wonder recreated a section of the song, playing the keyboards and drums himself. Covers include versions by Donny Osmond, Céline Dion, and Patti LaBelle with Yolanda Adams and Fantasia.
