Skeletons (Stevie Wonder song)
| "Skeletons" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Stevie Wonder | ||||
| from the album Characters | ||||
| B-side | "Instrumental" | |||
| Released | September 29, 1987 | |||
| Recorded | 1987 | |||
| Studio | Wonderland Recording Studios, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | R&B, funk | |||
| Length | 4:55 (single edit) 5:24 (album version) 6:43 (12-inch extended version) | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||
| Producer(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||
| Stevie Wonder singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Skeletons" is a number-one R&B single performed by American recording artist Stevie Wonder from his 1987 Characters album.
Song background
The song is an
urban radio stations
.
Music video
The song's
boy next door
" who is actually a cocaine addict.
Accolades
The song earned Stevie Wonder two
1988 Grammy Award nominations for Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, while the album Characters
would be nominated the following year for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance.
Personnel
- Stevie Wonder – lead vocals, synthesizers, drums, percussion
- Ben Bridges - electric guitar
- Robert Arbittier – synthesizer programming
- Dorian Holley, Alexis England, Kevin Dorsey, Darryl Phinnessee, Melody McCully, Keith John, Lynne Fiddmont-Lindsey, Shirley Brewer – backing vocals
Chart performance
"Skeletons" went to number one on the Black Singles Chart, and peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 19, and was the final top 40 hit for Wonder to date.[1] The single also peaked at number 20 on the US dance chart.[2]
Popular culture
- The song was featured in the 1988 action film Die Hard, played when the character Argyle speaks on the phone.
- The song was also featured in the 2nd Space 103.2 FM.
- The song was featured in the television show A Different World, season 1, episode 4, "Those Who Can't...Tutor" (1987).
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 636.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 283.
