My Cherie Amour

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Lore & Background

The kernel of the song, originally titled "Oh, My Marsha" (or Marcia), was written in one hour in 1966 about a girlfriend of Wonder's at the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing, Michigan. Tamla Records founder Berry Gordy listened to the song, and he thought it could be improved with more development. Motown songwriters Henry Cosby and Sylvia Moy collaborated on the song with Wonder; Moy came up with the intriguing title, a combination of English and French in a manner reminiscent of the Beatles' "Michelle" which was a massive hit in 1966. The song's instruments (with the exceptions of the horns and the strings) were recorded on November 8, 1967, at Hitsville USA. On November 17, the horns and strings were added at Golden World Records, one year before it was acquired by Motown. Wonder's vocals were added on January 15, 1968. The song was shelved for a year, first appearing as the B-side of the single "I Don't Know Why", on January 28, 1969, timed to extend the chart performance of Wonder's album For Once in My Life, from which the single came. Motown promoted "I Don't Know Why" enough that it peaked at number 39 on the pop charts in March 1969, but many radio deejays were also flipping over the record and playing "My Cherie Amour". Wonder fell off the Hot 100 chart in April and most of May, but fan response to "My Cherie Amour" was building, and Tamla re-released the song for radio as the A-side. This song entered the Hot 100 on May 31 at number 70. It climbed for two months, and peaked at number 4 in the first week of August. At the same time, the song hit number 4 in the R&B charts. Wonder also released Spanish- and Italian-language versions titled "Mi Querido Amor" and "My Cherie Amor", respectively. In June and July during the song's chart ascent in the US, Wonder was in the UK on tour. Motown saw an opportunity, and released "My Cherie Amour" as a single in the UK. The song entered British pop charts in late July, and five weeks later it had again hit number 4, this time holding position for three weeks straight. The total chart run was 15 weeks in the UK. Cash Box described it as "a haunting ballad with a slight Latin underbeat." Billboard said "Poignant reading of this love ballad previously released as the flip side of Wonder's 'I Don't Know Why.' It should score in tab, easy listening markets as well as pop and quickly surpass sales of the original side." The success of the song spurred Motown to program an album around it, filled with love songs. The album, My Cherie Amour, was released on August 29, 1969, with the title track leading Side 1. The single "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" performed very well, hitting number 5 on the R&B chart at Thanksgiving 1969, and number 7 on the pop charts two weeks later.

In Their Own Story

The song was written in one hour in 1966, originally titled "Oh, My Marsha" (or Marcia), about a girlfriend of Wonder's at the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing, Michigan. Berry Gordy thought it could be improved, so Henry Cosby and Sylvia Moy collaborated with Wonder; Moy came up with the title combining English and French, reminiscent of the Beatles' "Michelle." Instruments were recorded on November 8, 1967, at Hitsville USA; horns and strings were added on November 17 at Golden World Records; Wonder's vocals were added on January 15, 1968. The song was shelved for a year, then released as the B-side of "I Don't Know Why" on January 28, 1969. That single peaked at number 39 in March 1969, but deejays flipped the record and played "My Cherie Amour." After Wonder fell off the Hot 100 in April and most of May, fan response built, and Tamla re-released the song as the A-side. It entered the Hot 100 on May 31 at number 70, climbed for two months, and peaked at number 4 in the first week of August, also hitting number 4 on the R&B charts. Wonder released Spanish- and Italian-language versions. In the UK, the song entered charts in late July, hit number 4 five weeks later, held that position for three weeks, and ran 15 weeks total. Cash Box called it "a haunting ballad with a slight Latin underbeat." Billboard said it "should score in tab, easy listening markets as well as pop." The success spurred Motown to release the album My Cherie Amour on August 29, 1969, with the title track leading Side 1. The follow-up single "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" hit number 5 on the R&B chart at Thanksgiving 1969 and number 7 on the pop charts two weeks later.

Reader's Guide

In 2014 "My Cherie Amour" was sampled by British DJ Philip George for his single "Wish You Were Mine" which topped the UK Dance Chart. In 1983 Wonder hosts Saturday Night Live and appears as a Wonder impersonator, 'Alan, The Stevie Wonder Experience' in a skit with talent agents played by Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy. 'Alan' does a terrible job of singing two other Wonder songs, and then Murphy tries to show him how to do it better, singing the first lines of "My Cherie Amour" in his well-known, polished Wonder impersonation. 'Alan' (Wonder) finally gets it, and continues the song in his actual singing voice, bringing the house down. As the applause ends, Murphy deadpans 'It still sucks man.'

Did You Know?

• The song was originally titled "Oh, My Marsha" (or Marcia) and written in one hour in 1966 about a girlfriend of Wonder's at the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing, Michigan.
• Sylvia Moy came up with the title "My Cherie Amour" as a combination of English and French, reminiscent of the Beatles' "Michelle."
• The song was first released as the B-side of "I Don't Know Why" on January 28, 1969, but radio deejays flipped the record and played it, leading to a re-release as the A-side.
• Wonder released Spanish- and Italian-language versions titled "Mi Querido Amor" and "My Cherie Amor," respectively.
• In 1983, Wonder hosted Saturday Night Live and appeared in a skit as a Stevie Wonder impersonator named 'Alan,' with Eddie Murphy singing the first lines of "My Cherie Amour" in a polished Wonder impersonation.

Origins and Collaborative Development

The genesis of this iconic track dates back to 1966, when a young Stevie Wonder penned the initial melody in just one hour while attending the Michigan School for the Blind. Originally titled "Oh, My Marsha," the composition was dedicated to a girlfriend he knew during his school days. Although Motown founder Berry Gordy recognized potential in the demo, he felt it required further refinement before release. This led to a significant collaboration with veteran songwriters Sylvia Moy and Henry Cosby. Moy contributed the memorable bilingual title, blending English and French to evoke the style of The Beatles' 1966 hit "Michelle," while Cosby took on production duties alongside his co-writing role. The recording process spanned several months in late 1967 and early 1968 across Hitsville USA and Golden World Records studios. Despite being completed well before its official release, the track was shelved for a year, eventually surfacing as a B-side before capturing the public's imagination.

Chart Trajectory and Strategic Re-release

Initially released in January 1969 as the flip side to "I Don't Know Why," the song gained unexpected momentum through radio DJs who preferred its melodic charm over the A-side. Although the primary single peaked at number 39, listener demand for "My Cherie Amour" grew so significantly that Tamla Records strategically re-released it as a standalone A-side in May. This decision proved pivotal; the track entered the Hot 100 at number 70 and climbed steadily over two months to reach a peak of number 4 in August, marking Wonder's eighth top-ten hit. Simultaneously, it secured the fourth position on the R&B charts. The song's international appeal was equally strong, particularly in the United Kingdom where it also peaked at number 4 during Wonder's tour there, holding that spot for three consecutive weeks over a fifteen-week run. Critics praised its haunting ballad quality and Latin underbeat, predicting success across pop and easy listening markets.

Album Integration and Commercial Expansion

The overwhelming popularity of the single prompted Motown to quickly compile an entire album centered around the theme of love, titled *My Cherie Amour*. Released on August 29, 1969, this record featured the title track leading Side 1 and capitalized on the song's massive momentum. The project was a commercial success, bolstered by the strong performance of another single from the album, "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday," which reached number 5 on the R&B chart and number 7 on the pop charts later that year. To further maximize global reach, Wonder recorded and released versions of the title song in Spanish as "Mi Querido Amor" and Italian as "My Cherie Amor." By the end of 1969, the original English version was ranked as the thirty-second most popular song of the year, solidifying its status as a definitive hit of the era.

Cultural Legacy and Pop Culture Echoes

Decades after its release, the song has maintained a vibrant presence in pop culture through sampling and comedic homage. In 2014, British DJ Philip George sampled the track for his single "Wish You Were Mine," which successfully topped the UK Dance Chart, introducing the melody to a new generation of listeners. The song also featured prominently in a memorable 1983 *Saturday Night Live* sketch hosted by Wonder himself. In this skit, Wonder appeared as an inept impersonator named Alan, struggling to sing his own material alongside comedians Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy. Murphy demonstrated the correct performance style by singing the opening lines of "My Cherie Amour" in a polished imitation before Wonder took over with his authentic vocals, earning massive applause that Murphy humorously undercut with a deadpan critique. These moments underscore the song's enduring recognition and its role as a staple of Wonder's artistic identity.