For Once in My Life is a Motown song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Stein & Van Stock. It began as a 1965 slow ballad and was first recorded by Connie Haines, with the first released version by Jean DuShon in 1966. Early covers followed by Nancy Wilson, the Four Tops, the Temptations, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and Tony Bennett. The best known version is Stevie Wonder's uptempo soul arrangement, recorded in 1967 and released in 1968 on the Tamla label as the title track of the album For Once in My Life; it reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and on the US R&B chart. The recording features James Jamerson on bass with the Funk Brothers and background vocals by the Originals and the Andantes, and it was recorded at Hitsville USA Studio A in Detroit after Berry Gordy initially vetoed its release.
