"A Place in the Sun" is a 1966

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...

single by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

and

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

musician

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...

. Written by Ronald Miller and Bryan Wells, it was one of Wonder's first songs to contain social commentary. "A Place in the Sun" was his third Top Ten hit since 1963, hitting number 9 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' pop singles chart and number 3 on the R&B charts. ''

'' described the song as a "folk-oriented release" to which Wonder gives an "exciting treatment." The Originals and

The Andantes The Andantes were an American female session group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Mar ...

sang background vocals on the recording. Stevie Wonder also recorded a version of the song in

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

titled "Il Sole è di Tutti" (''The Sun is for Everyone'').

Chart positions

Cover versions

The Rascals ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

covered the song on their 1967 album ''Groovin. *

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

on his 1967 album '' Silver Throat: Bill Cosby Sings''. * Engelbert Humperdinck did his version of the song on his 1967 album ''

The Last Waltz ''The Last Waltz'' was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. ''The Last Waltz'' was advertised as The Band's "farewell concert a ...

''. *

Diana Ross & the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

on their 1968 album ''

Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations ''Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations'' is, as the title implies, a collaborative album combining Motown's two best selling groups, Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. Issued by Motown in late 1968 to coincide with the broa ...

'', which hit number 2 on the ''Billboard'' "Top Pop Albums Charts". *

The Four Tops ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

for their 1968 LP ''Yesterday's Dreams''. *

The Staple Singers The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples (December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (April 11, 1934 – February 21 ...

for their 1968 album ''What the World Needs Now Is Love''. *

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodt ...

from his 1968 album ''

A New Place in the Sun ''A New Place in the Sun'' is the ninth album by American singer-guitarist Glen Campbell, released in 1968 by Capitol Records. Track listing ;Side 1 # "Freeborn Man" (Keith Allison, Mark Lindsay) – 2:40 # "The Last Letter" (Rex Griffin) – 2 ...

''. *

David Isaacs (singer) David Isaacs (9 June 1946 – c. 21 December 2009) was a Jamaican reggae singer who worked with Lee "Scratch" Perry in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and went on to release several albums between the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Biography Isaacs ...

in 1968 on

Lee "Scratch" Perry Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936 – 29 August 2021) was a Jamaican record producer, composer and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style. Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development o ...

's Upsetter label. * The Gabe Dixon Band in the end credits of the 2006 film ''Charlotte's Web''.

References

External links

List of cover versions of ”A Place in the Sun”
at SecondHandSongs.com 1966 singles Stevie Wonder songs Songs written by Ron Miller (songwriter) The Supremes songs Glen Campbell songs Tamla Records singles 1966 songs {{1960s-single-stub