Inspired by recent threads about great runs of albums, may I propose SW’s great early 70’s run? Innervisions is in my all time top 5. Songs in the Key of Life is bubbling under. Although many would tell you that that record was the end of the run, I will maintain that Hotter Than July belongs with the greats.
Stevie was and is a polymath and a musical genius. Nobody, I mean nobody can do joy like he does. Plus funk, soul, jazz, balladry etc. He can even do top 5 cheese, and dismissing him for THAT SONG is a surefire way of demonstrating that you know fuck all about fuck all.
He is my musical hero. Share your love for SW here.
Stevie Wonder – Master blaster – IMHO his greatest song (From a HUGE list of great songs)
https://youtu.be/iRmbWYXOPBM
Master Blaster was the first single I ever bought. In defence of my precocious taste, it was also the coolest record I bought for about ten years or so.
But this was released in 1980 right?
The song I nearly had at my wedding (but was over-ruled by “those who (think) they know better”)
I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)
Beautiful song – Art Garfunkels version is pretty wonderful as well.
Didn’t know Art had done a version – I do now, and it is none too shabby.
And neither is the Josh Groban take (a bit overwrought, but …).
Maybe it is one of those songs you just can’t knacker
I have to know…… what was played instead ?
When You Say Nothing At All
(I did “win” the Alison Krauss version, as opposed to the Irish bloke)
I think it was a subtle way of Mrs D sating “Shut Up for once in your life!”
Iām a huge Stevie fan – I think his Characters album is very underrated, and this is hugely addictive: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x24rjo_stevie-wonder-free_music
This is one that gets people grinning.
Kudos to Nathan Watts for this. Just LISTEN to that f***ing bassline. Pure joy right there.
Protest song and funk workout. I’ve had Songs in the Key of Life for years and only recently realised what a fabulous thing it is. Sometimes people like Stevie Wonder , Paul McCartney, Paul Simon – they’ve been with you all your life and you take them for granted. Step back and listen again and you realise why they’ve been around all your life – because they are fucking great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fmWLqv-bmE
The inspiration for The Crown by the Gary Byrd Experience – the first record I ever owned with Stevie singing on it..
Genius is the right word to describe his talent. Innervisions, Talking Book, Fullfillingness, Songs in the Key of life and Hotter than July are bona fide classic albums. You can be classed as a star when you make one classic, when you make as many as he has you are a superstar.
This is one of my favourites:-
Strange, I’ve never really connected with Stevland Hardaway Judkins. I’ve bought just three of his records in my life, all singles – Fingertips, Uptight and I Was Made to Love Her.
He is great in so many ways, and yet, and yet…he doesn’t seem to speak to me on any emotional level. I take @feedback_file‘s point about taking people like him, McCartney and Simon for granted, yet I’m much more involved in Paul Simon. Strange. Bit like my blind spot with Van Morrison, I suppose.
No Stevie? No Van?
Crikey.
No, I wouldn’t say no Stevie and no Van, it’s impossible to have lived as long as I have without letting them into your lives at some time or other. I’m sure there are other gaps in my musical landscape that will shock people. It’s the lack of emotional connection I’m talking about.
Those two speak to me and transport me as much as any I could name.
Now, if you’ve said soulless plonkers like Queen or Pink Floyd I would have seen what you meant.
Each to their own and all that.
Well, like Gatz Master Blaster was the first single I bought, and Songs In the Key of Life was the second album I kidnapped from my brother. I brought it with me to a birthday party when I was nine, and my friend’s mum made her remove the ABBA album and play it.
The parents were very happy, my friends not so much…three tunes, then it came off the turntable again and ABBA ruled supreme for the rest of the party. š
I thought they had really bad taste. Here’s I Wish:
And another, earlier favourite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKhMMCaFQsk
Apart from anything else Stevie is a *monster* harmonica player. I love his solo on For Once In My Life. And I love the solo on this, at about 2:10
Yes he is one of those few artists who at his peak united people across music tastes from cooler than thou NME readers (ahem) to casual radio listeners to parents grandparents and kids. From rock to soul audiences and all points in between. One of those I wish I had seen live in his prime.
So here’s Ebony and Ivory….
No, ok, here’s Higher Ground which I just love
http://youtu.be/QnbdXWvmysg
This was my fanboy moment last September. Corporate gig, but very cool just the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiajnxNaXE4
Erm … it’s probably really obvious, but what instrument is Stevie playing in that clip?
I don’t think I know what it’s called…
I believe it’s your common or garden “harpejji”…
Where do you start? One oldie, one relative newie – the latter from a perennial pound box album that features a really decent vocal and nice piano outro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4It9PI7UWU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqykdqDqYeM
Always a favourite
My folks like a bit of Stevie – although I think they prefer his more poppy 60s stuff to the funkier 70s records. My Mum has got Innervisions on an original tape though, so I think there was something on it she liked. Whenever I hear “Superstition” I’m always stunned that it was written by someone barely into his twenties although, to be fair, why should I be? Age isn’t indicative of talent which he has in bucketloads. Awesome.
Anyway, here’s something I can imagine my folks dancing to at the Orchid Ballroom in Purley, in the late 60s…
My favourite from a sublime album:
Like everyone – or almost everyone – I love “Talking Book,” “Innervisions”, “Fulfillingness FF,” and SITKOL.
I also own a copy of “Music of my Mind”, but I’ve hardly played it. I don’t really know why this is.
How about one he never recorded himself – ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers
First from Syreeta Wright, his then wife:
Jeff Beck:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89OTZV-NHkU
I think this is one of his best – living for the city.
As the OP says, with Stevie it’s all about the feeling of joy. Even when the lyrics are more downbeat.
If the only music I could listen to was the 70s output of Stevie Wonder I would be content.
If You Really Love Me
http://tradeshow.free-press-release.com/automobile/
Er, not quite the right link
You know when a dinner party gets a little out of hand, someone seizes control of the music, asks for hush, says “this is the greatest thing ever”, plays a song you’ve never heard, and it’s always shite? Well that happened, and you know what? It wasn’t shite. First time I’d ever heard this. Shivers down the spine.