Heaven Help Us All

"Heaven Help Us All"
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Signed, Sealed & Delivered
B-side"I Gotta Have a Song"
"Give Your Love"
Released29 September 1970
Recorded1970
Genre
Length3:13
SongwriterRon Miller
ProducersRon Miller, Tom Baird
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"
(1970)		 "Heaven Help Us All"
(1970)		 "We Can Work It Out"
(1971)

"Heaven Help Us All" is a 1970 soul single composed by Ron Miller and first performed by Motown singer Stevie Wonder. The song continued Wonder's string of Top 10 singles on the pop charts reaching #9 on the Hot 100 singles chart and #2 on the R&B chart, the latter causing it to be his first runner-up since "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday". It was one of four hits Wonder scored from his Signed, Sealed & Delivered album. The song has since been covered dozens of times in a variety of styles.

Background

"Heaven Help Us All" showcased a departure from Wonder's earlier works by displaying an earthier, gospel-infused sound. Cash Box reviewed the song stating that "Super Wonder surges back with another step into the total performer portrait that he has been cultivating" and that he "turns up with another all-format effort that will win across the board acceptance" and that "excellent contemporary lyric and Wonder's delivery wrap up blockbuster results." Record World called it the "top cut" from the album and said that it "is sure to deliver in a heavy way."

Ray Charles recordings

Ray Charles covered the song on his 1972 album A Message from the People. He later re-recorded the song with Gladys Knight for his duets album Genius Loves Company. That album won the 2005 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and the version of "Heaven Help Us All" won the same year for Best Gospel Performance.

Chart history

Chart (1970) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 88
Canada RPM Top Singles 14
UK Singles 29
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 9
U.S. Billboard R&B 2
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 9

References

  1. ↑ "Stevie Wonder - Heaven Help Us All".
  2. ↑ Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 410. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
  3. ↑ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot R&b/Hip Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. ↑ "Cover versions of Heaven Help Us All written by Ron Miller [US1] | SecondHandSongs". SecondHandSongs.
  6. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 10, 1970. p. 28. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  7. ↑ "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 17, 1970. p. 109. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  8. ↑ Richardson, Chris (June 5, 2014). ""Heaven Help Us All": God Pop's Soulful Side". Zero To 180. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
  9. ↑ Rubin, Chris (February 14, 2005). "Ray Charles Dominates 2005 Grammys". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
  10. ↑ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  11. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  12. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 635.
  13. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 12, 1970". Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2021.