6 Songs You Didn’t Know Stevie Wonder Wrote

Stevie Wonder is a legendary musician in his own right—a child prodigy who made his recording debut at the age of 12 with Motown Records in Detroit. He's been making hits ever since with songs like "Signed Sealed Delivered," Superstition," and "I Just Called to Say I Love You." For his work, he's won 25 Grammy Awards, including three for Album of the Year.

But fans may not realize that he hasn't just written hit songs for himself. He's also penned plenty of hits for other artists that you probably recognize without realizing they exist because of the songwriting talents of Stevie Wonder.

See if you recognize any of these songs that you didn't know were wonderful Wonder hits.

1. "Tears of the Clown" // Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
2. "It's a Shame" // The Spinners
3. "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" // Aretha Franklin
4. "Perfect Angel" // Minnie Riperton
5. "Thelonius" // Jeff Beck
6. "Do I" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" // Eddie Murphy

"Tears of the Clown" // Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Motown Records was stacked with talent, and one of the best-known groups from that era was Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. "Tears of the Clown" was released in 1967 and written by 16-year-old Wonder along with Hank Cosby and Smokey Robinson. But the song didn’t gain traction until 1970, when it took off in the U.K., reaching the top of the charts before climbing to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. that same year.

"It's a Shame" // The Spinners

Another Motown artist that benefited from Wonder's writing talents was the group The Spinners, with their hit "It's a Shame." Released in 1970, it became one of the band’s biggest hits, featuring Wonder as a writer and marking his first time as a producer. Wonder wrote the song specifically for The Spinners, according to singer G.C. Cameron, who sang the main vocals on the song, including the higher falsetto chorus.

"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" // Aretha Franklin

Music fans may be surprised to know that Aretha Franklin was never signed to her hometown Motown Records, but she was friends with artists at the label, including Wonder. The song was written by Wonder as a teenager, along with Motown songwriters Morris Broadnax and Clarence Paul, but wasn't released by Wonder until 1977. But in the time between writing it in the '60s and releasing it a decade later, Wonder offered it to Franklin. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 100 charts in 1974 for the legendary singer.

"Perfect Angel" // Minnie Riperton

Minnie Riperton's 1974 album “Perfect Angel” featured two songs written by Stevie Wonder: "Perfect Angel" and "Take a Little Trip." Wonder was also a producer on the album, including the hit song "Lovin' You." Riperton was spotted by Wonder after performing as a back-up singer for him before making her own album. But because of his commitments to Motown Records, Wonder was worried about working on Riperton's album for another label, so his work is credited under the pseudonym “El Toro Negro”, which is Spanish for “the black bull.”

"Thelonius" // Jeff Beck

"Thelonius" was written by Wonder for Jeff Beck, perhaps as payback for Beck helping Wonder with a song that ended up being a big hit for the Motown singer. The two were working together in the studio when Beck started riffing on the drum kit, and Wonder joined in. The song they ended up writing at that moment was "Superstition." It was originally supposed to be released by Beck's band Beck, Bogert, and Appice, but delays and Barry Gordy's insistence that Wonder do the song as well led to Stevie Wonder's version coming up first and becoming a big hit for the singer. A few years later, Beck's album “Blow By Blow” featured two songs by Wonder, including the hit "Thelonius."

"Do I" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" // Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy was well known in the 1980s as a comedian and star on Saturday Night Live, but he also put out a musical album during that time. The album, released in 1985, was produced by Rick James and featured the single "Party All the Time." It also had two songs penned by Wonder: "Do I" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses."

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