Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer

"Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer"
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Where I'm Coming From
A-side	"We Can Work It Out"
B-side	"Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer"
Released	1971
Recorded	October 1970–1971
Genre	Soul
Length	2:56
Label	Tamla
Writer(s)	Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright
Producer(s)	Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Heaven Help Us All" (1970) "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" (1971) "If You Really Love Me" (1971)

"Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" is a 1971 song by Stevie Wonder, featured on his album Where I'm Coming From. The song is a ballad, describing a failed relationship using the metaphor of changing seasons. Co-written by Syreeta Wright and released on Tamla 54202 in 1971 as the flip side of "We Can Work It Out", the single stalled at #78 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it remains one of Stevie Wonder's most popular ballads to this day.

The song was covered by Joan Baez on her 1975 album Diamonds and Rust. It was also covered by Three Dog Night and included on their album Harmony. Phil Collins also recorded the song for his album of soul covers, Going Back. A large portion of the song is played during a scene in the film, Poetic Justice; the full song is on its accompanying soundtrack album. A portion of this song was also remade by Lauryn Hill on Hip-Hop artist Common's "Retrospect For Life," found on his 1997 album One Day It'll All Make Sense.

Wonder performed a version of the song at Michael Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, his voice cracking with emotion as he called out his friend's name during the song's final refrain, "Why didn't you stay?"

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics