Yvonne Fair, It Should Have Been Me | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the 25^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we highlight “It Should Have Been Me” by funk/soul singer Yvonne Fair.

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  It is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, that ONE hit earned them recognition. So, in the 25^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we dive into “It Should Have Been Me”, the one-hit wonder by Yvonne Fair.

Word.  Yvonne Fair (1942 – 1994) sadly only lived to be 51 years old; she passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1994.  Although she didn’t achieve superstardom, she left her mark on funk, R&B, and soul with her unforgettable gem, “It Should Have Been Me”. “It Should Have Been Me” appears as the second track of her only album, The Bitch Is Black. Damn, what a bitchin’ title, particularly for 1975 😜! Fair only struck gold once on the pop charts.  Even then, the song at hand performed modestly, failing to reach the measuring stick for a hit – reaching the top 40.  Instead, Fair only dented the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 85. Interestingly, it was a top five hit in the UK 🤯! “It Should Have Been Me” has some streams behind it, and even if it didn’t, Yvonne delivers a fabulous, must-hear performance.  Norman Whitfield and William “Mickey” Stevenson composed it, while Whitfield also produced it.

The chorus, excerpted earlier, is the crowning achievement of “It Should Have Been Me.” That’s not shocking – titular lyrics often pack a mean punch.  But it’s not all the chorus. Yvonne Fair delivers a high-flying vocal, infused with personality, from start to finish.  She exhibits more control initially, but by the chorus, she’s amped up – gritty, gritty, GRITTY!  Matters of the heart fuel the fire, as they often do.  The first verse sets the tone, as she objects to the wedding that doesn’t involve her marrying him.  “The preacher joined their hands,” she sings, and adds, “And all the people, the people began to stand…” And we know what happens next!  Yvonne is pissed off, asserting in the second verse, “Now you’re standing there saying, ‘I do’ / Holding hands with somebody new.” Ain’t that some shit?! In the third and final verse, the preacher states, “If any objections to this wedding / Speak now or forever, forever hold your peace.” Well, again, we know Yvonne couldn’t contain herself, adding in the final chorus, “People don’t believe me, that man is mine /…Oh, somebody call the police / That woman down there is a doggone thief.” Dramatic, over the top, and entertaining to the nth degree, Yvonne Fair ate and left no crumbs on “It Should Have Been Me”. Beyond her powerful pipes, the songwriting is memorable, while the production is lush (strings) and rhythmic, characteristic of the 1970s.  There’s no doubt in my mind that this classic SHOULD HAVE BEEN a much bigger hit in the United States.

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Yvonne Fair » The Bitch Is Black » Motown /UMG Recordings, Inc. » 1975

Yvonne Fair, It Should Have Been Me: 1 Hit WONDERful No. 25 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Motown /UMG Recordings, Inc.; Alexa Popovich, cottonbro studio, ds rexy, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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