On this day in 1984, Stevie Wonder accomplished something truly rare in pop music: he released a song that topped charts in nearly 20 countries while simultaneously alienating some of his most devoted fans.
That song was “I Just Called to Say I Love You.” Beneath its famously straightforward melody lay a tune slammed by fans and critics for being overly sentimental, even as the rest of the world couldn’t stop singing along.
On October 13, 1984, Wonder topped the Billboard Hot 100 with the soundtrack song from the feature film, The Woman in Red. The track locked down the top spot for three straight weeks and spent an astounding 26 weeks overall on the Hot 100 chart.
However, the smash hit left many fans on the fence. Pop Dose named it one of the World’s Worst Songs, claiming the tune had “the depth of a greeting card, a melody like a nursery rhyme, and keyboards that sound like one of those Casio units people used to buy for their kids, the kind with a dozen keys and a couple of automatic rhythm tracks.”
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According to a Digital Spy Forum, fans remain divided about the track. Some find joy in its simple lyrics and melody, while others feel it’s a departure from Wonder’s prior funk-heavy songs.
One fan wrote, “It’s a good song but it’s very mainstream and different from his other work, so you can understand why people who like his tougher R’n’B-influenced songs or his jazzier tunes or his funk offerings would dismiss it.”
“I don’t know why so many people supposedly dislike it. I think it is purely down to plain snobbery, because some people hate anything that is too popular or that some fans may perceive as “selling out”. I have always loved the song,” deduced a second Wonder admirer.
Songfacts reported that Wonder wrote most of the soundtrack for The Woman In Red, starring Kelly LeBrock and Gene Wilder. Wonder’s involvement came after Dionne Warwick, the film’s reported song coordinator, suggested him to producers.
“I Just Called to Say I Love You” won Wonder an Oscar for Best Original Song on March 25, 1985, against its competitors “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now),” “Footloose,” “Let’s Hear It For The Boy,” and “Ghostbusters.” The artist accepted his award in Nelson Mandela‘s name.
Love it or cringe a little when it comes on the radio, there’s no taking away what Stevie Wonder pulled off in 1984. “I Just Called to Say I Love You” brought a little extra warmth to the airwaves, swept the global charts, and reminded music fans that sometimes the most straightforward message is the one that sticks around the longest.
Related: 1981 Song With a Never-Ending Title Sent an Unknown Band to No. 1
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