When it comes to choosing the best love songs Stevie Wonder , It's like choosing a favorite child. How do you decide between romantic, heartfelt compositions like "For Once in My Life," "I Just Called to Say I Love You," or "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"? While many of his songs are guaranteed to be played at weddings, there's one that stands out among the rest.
Wonder wrote the song "My Cherie Amour" while still a student at the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing, Michigan.
«"I wrote this when I was about 16," he told CNN in 2019.
«"The song was originally called 'Oh My Marsha,'" he continued. "I wrote it for a girl I used to like named Marsha. But we broke up, and I asked her Sylvia (My) change the words and it eventually became 'My Favorite'.".
Side B, taking over the airwaves.
Three years passed between the song's writing and its inclusion on the album. Even then, it became the B-side of the single "I Don't Know Why I Love You," released in January 1969. "It was just various people in quality control who thought it wasn't a good song for the A-side," he said. To David Breskin .
"I Don't Know Why" enjoyed moderate success, but only reached number 39 on the charts. Radio DJs began playing "My Cherie Amour" instead.
Tamla Records eventually swapped the two songs, making "My Cherie Amour" the A-side. By August, "My Cherie Amour" had reached number four on both the Hot 100 and the R&B chart. In the UK, where Wonder was touring, the song also reached number four. .
Eternal global anthem
Seeing the fan reaction to the song, Motown decided to build on its success. Wonder recorded versions of the song in Spanish, "Mi Querido Amor," and in Italian, "My Cherie Amor." A new album, "My Cherie Amour," was even released, centered around the hit song.
"My Cherie Amour" has become one of Stevie Wonder's most beloved and popular singles in the 50 years since its release and is ranked number 22 on Rolling Stone's list of Stevie Wonder's greatest songs.
This article was originally published by Parade on May 30, 2026, in the Entertainment section. Add Parade to your list of recommended sources by clicking here.