Stevie Wonder | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Stevie Wonder is a much-beloved American icon and an indisputable genius not only of R&B; but popular music in general. Blind virtually since birth, Wonders heightened awareness of sound helped him create vibrant, colorful music teeming with life and ambition. Nearly everything he recorded bore the stamp of his sunny, joyous positivity; even when he addressed serious racial, social, and spiritual issues (which he did quite often in his prime), or sang about heartbreak and romantic uncertainty, an underlying sense of optimism and hope always seemed to emerge. Much like his inspiration, Ray Charles, Wonder had a voracious appetite for many different kinds of music, and refused to confine himself to any one sound or style. His best records were a richly eclectic brew of soul, funk, rock & roll, sophisticated Broadway/Tin Pan Alley-style pop, jazz, reggae, and African elements -- and they werent just stylistic exercises; Wonder took it all and forged it into his own personal form of expression. His range helped account for his broad-based appeal, but so did his unique, elastic voice, his peerless melodic facility, his gift for complex arrangements, and his taste for lovely, often sentimental ballads. Additionally, Wonders pioneering use of synthesizers during the 70s changed the face of R&B; he employed a kaleidoscope of contrasting textures and voices that made him a virtual one-man band, all the while evoking a surprisingly organic warmth. Along with Marvin Gaye and Isaac Hayes, Wonder brought R&B; into the album age, crafting his LPs as cohesive, consistent statements with compositions that often took time to make their point. All of this made Wonder perhaps R&B;s greatest individual auteur, rivaled only by Gaye or, in later days, Prince. Originally, Wonder was a child prodigy who started out in the general Motown mold, but he took control of his vision in the 70s, spinning off a series of incredible albums that were as popular as they were acclaimed; most of his reputation rests on these works, which most prominently include Talking Book, Innervisions, and Songs in the Key of Life. His output since then has been inconsistent, marred by excesses of sentimentality and less of the progressive imagination of his best work, but its hardly lessened the reverence in which hes long been held. Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan, on May 13, 1950 (his name was later altered to Stevland Morris when his mother married). A premature infant, he was put on oxygen treatment in an incubator; it was likely an excess of oxygen that exacerbated a visual condition known as retinopathy of prematurity, causing his blindness. In 1954, his family moved to Detroit, where the already musically inclined Stevie began singing in his churchs choir; from there he blossomed into a genuine prodigy, learning piano, drums, and harmonica all by the age of nine. While performing for some of his friends in 1961, Stevie was discovered by Ronnie White of the Miracles, who helped arrange an audition with Berry Gordy at Motown. Gordy signed the youngster immediately and teamed him with producer/songwriter Clarence Paul, under the new name Little Stevie Wonder. Wonder released his first two albums in 1962: A Tribute to Uncle Ray, which featured covers of Wonders hero Ray Charles, and The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie, an orchestral jazz album spotlighting his instrumental skills on piano, harmonica, and assorted percussion. Neither sold very well, but that all changed in 1963 with the live album The 12 Year Old Genius, which featured a new extended version of the harmonica instrumental "Fingertips." Edited for release as a single, "Fingertips, Pt. 2" rocketed to the top of both the pop and R&B; charts, thanks to Wonders irresistible, youthful exuberance; meanwhile, The 12 Year Old Genius became Motowns first chart-topping LP. Wonder charted a few more singles over the next year, but none on the level of "Fingertips, Pt. 2." As his voice changed, his recording career was temporarily put on hold, and he studied classical piano at the Michigan School for the Blind in the meantime. He dropped the "Little" portion of his stage name in 1964, and re-emerged the following year with the infectious, typically Motown-sounding dance tune "Uptight (Everythings Alright)," a number one R&B;/Top Five pop smash. Not only did he co-write the song for his first original hit, but it also reinvented him as a more mature vocalist in the publics mind, making the similar follow-up "Nothings Too Good for My Baby" another success. The first signs of Wonders social activism appeared in 1966 via his hit cover of Bob Dylans "Blowin in the Wind" and its follow-up, "A Place in the Sun," but as Motown still had the final say on Wonders choice of material, this new direction would not yet become a major facet of his work. By this time, Wonder was, however, beginning to take more of a hand in his own career. He co-wrote his next several hits, all of which made the R&B; Top Ten -- "Hey Love," "I Was Made to Love Her" (an R&B; number one that went to number two pop in 1967), and "For Once in My Life" (another smash that reached number two pop and R&B;). Wonders 1968 album For Once in My Life signaled his budding ambition; he co-wrote about half of the material and, for the first time, co-produced several tracks. The record also contained three more singles in the R&B; chart-toppers "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day," "You Met Your Match," and "I Dont Know Why." Wonder scored again in 1969 with the pop and R&B; Top Five hit "My Cherie Amour" (which hed actually recorded three years prior) and the Top Ten "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday." In 1970, Wonder received his first-ever co-production credit for the album Signed, Sealed & Delivered; he co-wrote the R&B; chart-topper "Signed, Sealed, Delivered Im Yours" with singer Syreeta Wright, whom he married later that year, and also scored hits with "Heaven Help Us All" and a rearrangement of the Beatles "We Can Work It Out." In addition, two other Motown artists had major success with Wonder co-writes: the Spinners "Its a Shame" and the Miracles only pop number one, "Tears of a Clown." 1971 proved a turning point in Wonders career. On his 21st birthday, his contract with Motown expired, and the royalties set aside in his trust fund became available to him. A month before his birthday, Wonder released Where Im Coming From, his first entirely self-produced album, which also marked the first time he wrote or co-wrote every song on an LP (usually in tandem with Wright), and the first time his keyboard and synthesizer work dominated his arrangements. Gordy was reportedly not fond of the work, and it wasnt a major commercial success, producing only the Top Ten hit "If You Really Love Me" (plus a classic B-side in "Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer"). Nonetheless, it was clearly an ambitious attempt at making a unified album-length artistic statement, and served notice that Wonder was no longer content to release albums composed of hit singles and assorted filler. Accordingly, Wonder did not immediately renew his contract with Motown, as the label had expected; instead, he used proceeds from his trust fund to build his own recording studio and to enroll in music theory classes at USC. He negotiated a new deal with Motown that dramatically increased his royalty rate and established his own publishing company, Black Bull Music, which allowed him to retain the rights to his music; most importantly, he wrested full artistic control over his recordings, as Gaye had just done with the landmark Whats Going On. Freed from the dictates of Motowns hit-factory mindset, Wonder had already begun following a more personal and idiosyncratic muse. One of his negotiating chips had been a full album completed at his new studio; Wonder had produced, played nearly all the instruments, and written all the material (with Wright contributing to several tracks). Released under Wonders new deal in early 1972, Music of My Mind heralded his arrival as a major, self-contained talent with an original vision that pushed the boundaries of R&B.; The album produced a hit single in the spacy, synth-driven ballad "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)," but like contemporary work by Hayes and Gaye, Music of My Mind worked as a smoothly flowing song suite unto itself. Around the same time it was released, Wonders marriage to Wright broke up; the two remained friends, however, and Wonder produced and wrote several songs for her debut album. The same year, Wonder toured with the Rolling Stones, taking his music to a larger white audience. For the follow-up to Music of My Mind, Wonder refined his approach, tightening up his songcraft while addressing his romance with Wright. The result, Talking Book, was released in late 1972 and made him a superstar. Song for song one of the strongest R&B; albums ever made, Talking Book also perfected Wonders spacy, futuristic experiments with electronics, and was hailed as a magnificently realized masterpiece. Wonder topped the charts with the gutsy, driving funk classic "Superstition" and the mellow, jazzy ballad "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," which went on to become a pop standard; those two songs went on to win three Grammys between them. Amazingly, Wonder only upped the ante with his next album, 1973s Innervisions, a concept album about the state of contemporary society that ranks with Gayes Whats Going On as a pinnacle of socially conscious R&B.; The ghetto chronicle "Living for the City" and the intense spiritual self-examination "Higher Ground" both went to number one on the R&B; charts and the pop Top Ten, and Innervisions took home a Grammy for Album of the Year. Wonder was lucky to be alive to enjoy the success; while being driven to a concert in North Carolina, a large piece of timber fell on Wonders car. He sustained serious head injuries and lapsed into a coma, but fortunately made a full recovery. Wonders next record, 1974s Fulfillingness First Finale, was slightly more insular and less accessible than its immediate predecessors, and unsurprisingly, imbued with a sense of mortality. The hits, however, were the upbeat "Boogie On, Reggae Woman" (a number one R&B; and Top Five pop hit) and the venomous Richard Nixon critique "You Havent Done Nothin" (number one on both sides). It won him a second straight Album of the Year Grammy, by which time hed been heavily involved as a producer and writer on Syreetas second album, Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta. Wonder subsequently retired to his studio and spent two years crafting a large-scale project that would stand as his magnum opus. Finally released in 1976, Songs in the Key of Life was a sprawling two-LP-plus-one-EP set that found Wonder at his most ambitious and expansive. Some critics called it brilliant but prone to excess and indulgence, while others hailed it as his greatest masterpiece and the culmination of his career; in the end, they were probably both right. "Sir Duke," an ebullient tribute to music in general and Duke Ellington in particular, and the funky "I Wish" both went to number one pop and R&B.; The hit "Isnt She Lovely," a paean to Wonders daughter, became something of a standard. Not surprisingly, Songs in the Key of Life won a Grammy for Album of the Year; in hindsight, though, it marked the end of a remarkable explosion of creativity and of Wonders artistic prime. Having poured a tremendous amount of energy into Songs in the Key of Life, Wonder released nothing for the next three years. When he finally returned in 1979, it was with the mostly instrumental Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants, ostensibly the soundtrack to a never-released documentary. Although it contained a few pop songs, including the hit "Send One Your Love," its symphonic flirtations befuddled most listeners and critics. It still made the Top Ten on the LP chart on Wonders momentum alone -- one of the stranger releases to do so. To counteract possible speculation that hed gone off the deep end, Wonder rushed out the straightforward pop album Hotter Than July in 1980. The reggae-flavored "Master Blaster (Jammin)" returned him to the top of the R&B; charts and the pop Top Five, and "Happy Birthday" was part of the ultimately successful campaign to make Martin Luther Kings birthday a national holiday (Wonder being one of the causes most active champions). Artistically speaking, Hotter Than July was a cut below his classic 70s output, but it was still a solid outing; fans were so grateful to have the old Wonder back that they made it his first platinum-selling LP. In 1981, Wonder began work on a follow-up album that was plagued by delays, suggesting that he might not be able to return to the visionary heights of old. He kept busy in the meantime, though; in 1982, his racial-harmony duet with Paul McCartney, "Ebony and Ivory," hit number one, and he released a greatest-hits set covering 1972-1982 called Original Musiquarium I. It featured four new songs, of which "That Girl" (number one R&B;, Top Five pop) and the lengthy, jazzy "Do I Do" (featuring Dizzy Gillespie; number two R&B;) were significant hits. In 1984, still not having completed the official follow-up to Hotter Than July, he recorded the soundtrack to the Gene Wilder comedy The Woman in Red, which wasnt quite a full-fledged Stevie Wonder album but did feature a number of new songs, including "I Just Called to Say I Love You." Adored by the public (it was his biggest-selling single ever) and loathed by critics (who derided it as sappy and simple-minded), "I Just Called to Say I Love You" was an across-the-board number one smash, and won an Oscar for Best Song. Wonder finally completed the official album hed been working on for nearly five years, and released In Square Circle in 1985. Paced by the number one hit "Part Time Lover" -- his last solo pop chart-topper -- and several other strong songs, In Square Circle went platinum, even if Wonders synthesizer arrangements now sounded standard rather than groundbreaking. He performed on the number one charity singles "We Are the World" by USA for Africa and "Thats What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick & Friends, and returned quickly with a new album, Characters, in 1987. While Characters found Wonders commercial clout on the pop charts slipping away, it was a hit on the R&B; side, topping the album charts and producing a number one hit in "Skeletons." It would be his final release of the 80s, a decade capped by his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. New studio material from Wonder didnt arrive until 1991, when he provided the soundtrack to the Spike Lee film Jungle Fever. His next full album of new material, 1995s Conversation Peace, was a commercial disappointment, thought it did win two Grammys for the single "For Your Love." That same year, Coolio revived "Pastime Paradise" in his own brooding rap smash "Gangstas Paradise," which became the years biggest hit. Wonder capitalized on the renewed attention by cutting a hit duet with Babyface, "How Come, How Long," in 1996. During the early 2000s, Motown remastered and reissued Wonders exceptional 1972-1980 run of solo albums (Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants excepted) and also released The Definitive Collection, a representative single-disc primer. In 2005, after a decade had transpired without a new studio album, Wonder released A Time to Love, which was bolstered by collaborations with Prince and Paul McCartney, as well as one with daughter and "Isnt She Lovely" inspiration Aisha Morris. His far-reaching influence continued to be felt through samples, cover versions, and reinterpretations, highlighted by Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaways Grammy-winning version of "Jesus Children of America." Well into the late 2010s, Wonder continued to appear on albums by other artists, including Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq, and Mark Ronson. All the while, Wonder regularly toured. From November 2014 through 2015, he celebrated the approaching 40th anniversary of Songs in the Key of Life with lengthy set lists that included all 21 songs of the classic album. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 42 Title: The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie Released: 1962-09 Tracks: 9 Duration: 29:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Fingertips (03:00) 2 The Square (03:03) 3 Soul Bongo (02:20) 4 Manhattan at Six (03:47) 5 Paulsby (02:47) 6 Some Other Time (05:11) 7 Wondering (02:51) 8 Session Number 112 (03:18) 9 Bam (03:34) |
| The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie : Allmusic album Review : Stevie Wonders debut album, released when he was 11, is still an amazing musical document, showcasing his skills as a percussionist (drums and bongos), chromatic harmonica player, keyboardist (piano and organ), and composer -- and he was prodigious in all four categories. All of these skills are highlighted throughout this record, and Wonders youthful, exuberant voice had a maturity suggesting that greatness was around the corner. Perhaps most surprising to contemporary listeners will be the emphasis on instrumentals, which made this a fairly unusual album by Motown standards to begin with. Apart from a few shouts in the background in some of the more free-form tracks, theres not a vocal to be heard here, yet the sounds are rich and diverse enough that one never misses them. Whats more, a lot of whats here is extremely sophisticated instrumental music for its time, and the "jazz" reference in the title is not a matter of optimistic convenience or self-aggrandizement -- a lot of this is legitimate jazz. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 42 Title: Tribute to Uncle Ray Released: 1962-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 31:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Hallelujah, I Love Her So (02:31) 2 Aint That Love (02:44) 3 Dont You Know (03:04) 4 The Masquerade (04:19) 5 Frankie and Johnny (02:53) 6 Drown in My Own Tears (04:01) 7 Come Back Baby (02:50) 8 Mary Ann (03:00) 9 Sunset (03:31) 10 My Babys Gone (02:29) |
| Tribute to Uncle Ray : Allmusic album Review : "Little Stevie Wonder, Tamlas 11-year-old musical genius, is blind, a similarity he shares with a famed musician and vocalist of today," shamelessly announce the liner notes of this album. Unfortunately, Wonder at 11 does not share much of Ray Charless vocal abilities, even when he is singing Charles songs (others are "originals in the style of his idol") and, since he doesnt play on the record, theres no similarity there either. Today, listening to a child emote his way through songs like "Drown In My Own Tears" is a curiosity at best, and the album is only for hardcore Wonder fanatics. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 42 Title: With a Song in My Heart Released: 1963 Tracks: 10 Duration: 32:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 With a Song in My Heart (03:14) 2 When You Wish Upon a Star (03:02) 3 Smile (03:22) 4 Make Someone Happy (05:06) 5 Dream (02:43) 6 Put on a Happy Face (02:39) 7 On the Sunny Side of the Street (04:00) 8 Get Happy (02:14) 9 Give Your Heart a Chance (02:18) 10 Without a Song (04:14) |
| With a Song in My Heart : Allmusic album Review : Having tried to turn Little Stevie Wonder into Big Ray Charles, then broken him through with "Fingertips, Pt. 2," Motown then gave us "Steve Wonder, Lounge Lizard." At least, thats what youd think listening to this string-filled crooning session, in which the 13-year-old earnestly makes his way through the likes of Johnny Mercers "Dream," "Get Happy," "Without A Song," and other supper club standards. Berry Gordys wish for all his artists may have been to play the Copacabana, but this one was far below the legal drinking age, and, although Wonder brought his usual willingness to the project, it was years beyond his abilities. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 42 Title: Down to Earth Released: 1966 Tracks: 12 Duration: 33:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 2 Bang Bang (02:42) 3 Down to Earth (02:50) 4 Thank You Love (02:55) 5 Be Cool, Be Calm (And Keep Yourself Together) (02:43) 6 Sylvia (02:34) 7 My World Is Empty Without You (02:53) 8 The Lonesome Road (03:06) 9 Angel Baby (Dont You Ever Leave Me) (02:45) 10 Mr. Tambourine Man (02:30) 11 Sixteen Tons (02:42) 12 Hey Love (02:42) |
| Down to Earth : Allmusic album Review : Stevie Wonders third album signaled more artistic growth, but was the first of his career that didnt make much commercial headway. It didnt contain a single big hit, something that wouldnt happen again to Wonder for many, many years. There were moments of uncertainty and awkwardness on such songs as "Angel Baby (Dont You Ever Leave Me)" and "Lonesome Road." Wonder was laying the groundwork for numerous classics that routinely came throughout the 1970s and 80s; his voice was losing its cuteness and beginning to gain the richness and edge that punctuated many of his future albums. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 42 Title: Up‐Tight (Everything’s Alright) Released: 1966-05-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 33:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love a Go Go (02:45) 2 Hold Me (02:36) 3 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:46) 4 Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (02:39) 5 Teach Me Tonight (02:40) 6 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 7 Ain’t That Asking for Trouble (02:49) 8 I Want My Baby Back (02:50) 9 Pretty Little Angel (02:13) 10 Music Talk (02:54) 11 Contract On Love (02:08) 12 With a Child’s Heart (03:07) |
| Up‐Tight (Everything’s Alright) : Allmusic album Review : Stevie Wonder began demonstrating his production skills and compositional acumen on his first of two albums in 1966. Although still just a teenager, Wonder was already anxious to do more than simply grind out love tunes. He covered Bob Dylans "Blowin in the Wind" and also contributed "Pretty Little Angel" alongside the monster hits "Nothins Too Good for My Baby" and the title song. It was also a signal Wonder had moved beyond simply paying homage to Ray Charles and now wanted to establish his own musical identity. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 42 Title: I Was Made to Love Her Released: 1967-08-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 2 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:31) 3 I’d Cry (02:34) 4 Everybody Needs Somebody (I Need You) (02:38) 5 Respect (02:20) 6 My Girl (02:56) 7 Baby Don’t You Do It (02:13) 8 A Fool for You (03:19) 9 Can I Get a Witness (02:44) 10 I Pity the Fool (03:06) 11 Please, Please, Please (02:42) 12 Every Time I See You I Go Wild (02:51) |
| I Was Made to Love Her : Allmusic album Review : This album was rushed out to capitalize on the success of the title song, which was Wonders biggest pop hit since "Fingertips, Pt. 2," and would not be bettered until "Superstition" in 1972. Other than the hit, its all filler, but not uninteresting for that. There are several contributions from the Wonder team at Motown, covers of other Motown hits, and stabs at sounding like Ray Charles, James Brown, and Otis Redding. At 17, Wonder was becoming both a remarkable mimic, and an original talent on his own. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 42 Title: Someday at Christmas Released: 1967-11-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Someday at Christmas (02:49) 2 Silver Bells (02:22) 3 Ave Maria (03:56) 4 The Little Drummer Boy (03:05) 5 One Little Christmas Tree (02:43) 6 The Day That Love Began (03:33) 7 The Christmas Song (03:26) 8 Bedtime for Toys (03:04) 9 Christmastime (02:32) 10 Twinkle Twinkle Little Me (03:13) 11 A Warm Little Home on a Hill (03:26) 12 What Christmas Means to Me (02:28) |
| Someday at Christmas : Allmusic album Review : With Someday at Christmas, Stevie Wonder applies his inimitable vocal technique to yuletide songs, some familiar, some not, with predictably successful results. In the title song he yearns for a Christmas when "Men wont be boys/playing with bombs like kids play with toys," striking a plaintive tone not usually found on Christmas albums. Although he is hopeful that the day will come, he sings that it may not happen any time soon. The song seems eerily prescient in light of the chaotic year that would follow, Christmas 1967, when this record was released. Other high points include his joyous reading of "Little Drummer Boy," with its steadily building martial beat, and chestnuts like "Silver Bells" and "The Christmas Song," which Wonder delivers with total assurance, as well as a palpable sense of fun. He even brings a measure of soul to more sentimental numbers like "One Little Christmas Tree" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Me." The album ends on an up note in "What Christmas Means to Me," which invokes the bumping bassline of the Capitols "Cool Jerk" and features a happy harp solo from Wonder. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 42 Title: For Once in My Life Released: 1968 Tracks: 12 Duration: 35:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 For Once in My Life (02:49) 2 Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (02:47) 3 You Met Your Match (02:39) 4 I Wanna Make Her Love Me (02:54) 5 Im More Than Happy (Im Satisfied) (02:58) 6 I Dont Know Why (02:47) 7 Sunny (04:01) 8 Id Be a Fool Right Now (02:56) 9 Aint No Lovin (02:38) 10 God Bless the Child (03:29) 11 Do I Love Her (03:00) 12 The House on the Hill (02:37) |
| For Once in My Life : Allmusic album Review : Rather than rushing out an album in the spring of 1968, when "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" (Number 9 Pop, Number One R&B) hit, Motown waited, through the modest summer success of "You Met Your Match" (Number 35 Pop, Number Two R&B), until "For Once in My Life" (Number Two Pop and R&B) became Wonders next mammoth single, to release an album. As a result, this album contained all three hits, making it one of Wonders more consistent albums of the 60s, even with filler like "Sunny" and "God Bless the Child." The real find, however, is the driving "I Dont Know Why," which, when placed on the B-side of Wonders next single, "My Cherie Amour," became a hit on its own, going to Number 39 (Pop) and Number 16 (R&B). | ||
 | Album: 9 of 42 Title: Eivets Rednow Released: 1968 Tracks: 9 Duration: 31:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Alfie (03:13) 2 More Than a Dream (03:49) 3 A House Is Not a Home (03:29) 4 How Can You Believe (03:07) 5 Never My Love / Ask the Lonely (02:29) 6 Ruby (06:49) 7 Which Way the Wind (02:46) 8 Bye Bye World (03:22) 9 Grazing in the Grass (02:54) |
 | Album: 10 of 42 Title: My Cherie Amour Released: 1969-08-29 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 2 Hello Young Lovers (03:15) 3 At Last (02:51) 4 Light My Fire (03:43) 5 The Shadow of Your Smile (02:44) 6 You and Me (02:48) 7 Pearl (02:47) 8 Somebody Knows, Somebody Cares (02:35) 9 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 10 Angie Girl (03:03) 11 Give Your Love (03:47) 12 Ive Got You (02:34) |
| My Cherie Amour : Allmusic album Review : Notable for containing Wonders then-most recent Top Ten hit, the title track, and its follow-up, "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday," this album otherwise contains contemporary filler like "Light My Fire," plus a peculiar arrangement of "Hello, Young Lovers" from The King and I that makes it sound like "For Once In My Life." | ||
 | Album: 11 of 42 Title: Signed, Sealed & Delivered Released: 1970-08-07 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:14) 2 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 3 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) 4 Heaven Help Us All (03:13) 5 You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover (02:33) 6 Sugar (02:53) 7 Don’t Wonder Why (04:57) 8 Anything You Want Me to Do (02:21) 9 I Can’t Let My Heaven Walk Away (02:51) 10 Joy (Takes Over Me) (02:12) 11 I Gotta Have a Song (02:33) 12 Something to Say (03:25) |
| Signed, Sealed & Delivered : Allmusic album Review : Stevie Wonder was beginning to rebel against the Motown hit factory mentality in the early 70s. While he certainly hadnt lost his commercial touch, Wonder was anxious to address social concerns, experiment with electronics, and not be restricted by radio and marketplace considerations. Still, he gave the label another definitive smash with the title track, while sneaking in a cover of the Beatles "We Can Work It Out" and penning more intriguing tunes like "I Cant Let My Heaven Walk Away" and "Never Had a Dream Come True." | ||
 | Album: 12 of 42 Title: Greatest Hits, Volume 2 Released: 1971 Tracks: 12 Duration: 35:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (02:47) 2 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) 3 If You Really Love Me (02:58) 4 For Once in My Life (02:49) 5 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 6 You Met Your Match (02:39) 7 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:14) 8 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 9 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 10 Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer (02:56) 11 Travelin’ Man (02:51) 12 Heaven Help Us All (03:13) |
| Greatest Hits, Volume 2 : Allmusic album Review : Stevie Wonders second hits collection, gathering together his singles from 1968 to 1971, traces his development into a virtuoso talent, from upbeat Motown numbers like "For Once in My Life" to the emergence of Wonders own style in songs like "Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer" and "If You Really Love Me." Along the way, he demonstrates an amazingly broad pop sensibility that allows him to handle soul, pop/rock, and ballads, all with equal ease. And, of course, the remarkable thing is that this set was obsolete the day it came out, the summing up of what turned out to be only the first phase of Wonders remarkable career. This album has been superseded by the Looking Back compilation. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 42 Title: Where Im Coming From Released: 1971-04-12 Tracks: 9 Duration: 36:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Look Around (02:48) 2 Do Yourself a Favor (06:07) 3 Think of Me as Your Soldier (03:39) 4 Something Out of the Blue (02:58) 5 If You Really Love Me (02:58) 6 I Wanna Talk to You (05:19) 7 Take Up a Course in Happiness (03:13) 8 Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer (02:56) 9 Sunshine in Their Eyes (06:58) |
| Where I'm Coming From : Allmusic album Review : One month before he turned 21, Stevie Wonder released Where Im Coming From, the most distinctive record of his young career, and one that looked forward -- in its breadth of material as well as its futuristic production aesthetic -- to his many successes later in the 70s. Theres a fabulous song here for nearly every type of fan; the soothing love ballad ("Think of Me as Your Soldier"), a gritty, apocalyptic funk extravanganza ("Do Yourself a Favor"), a kinetic, refreshing nod to the pop charts (the Top Ten hit "If You Really Love Me"), and an agonizing piece of heartache soul ("Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer" (slightly reworked for "Superwoman" on his next album Music of My Mind). Still, there are a few echoes of his occasionally pedestrian 60s work, and a pair of songs on the flipside sound especially anachronistic. The first is a piece of inspirational fluff called "Take up a Course in Happiness" with an odd arrangement pitched halfway between Sammy Davis, Jr. and Sgt. Peppers, the second a jokey pick-up number named "I Wanna Talk to You" (complete with leering old-man vocals). Those two however, are the exceptions; the rules are uniformly excellent. The set closers "Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer" and "Sunshine in Their Eyes" are bravura performances, Stevie summoning his purest register to convey heartbreak and hopefulness, respectively, in equal measure. For all the great material included, there was little chance of these songs hanging together as a proper album, and Berry Gordys misgivings about releasing a record like this on a Motown label were, temporarily, well-placed. Still, Where Im Coming From was a frequently astonishing album from Motowns new genius of the recording studio. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 42 Title: Music of My Mind Released: 1972-03-03 Tracks: 9 Duration: 47:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love Having You Around (07:23) 2 Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) (08:07) 3 I Love Every Little Thing About You (03:55) 4 Sweet Little Girl (04:59) 5 Happier Than the Morning Sun (05:18) 6 Girl Blue (03:36) 7 Seems So Long (04:22) 8 Keep On Running (06:40) 9 Evil (03:33) |
| Music of My Mind : Allmusic album Review : With a new contract from Motown in his hand, Stevie Wonder released Music of My Mind, his first truly unified record and, with the exception of a single part on two songs, the work of a one-man-band. Everything he had learned about musicianship, engineering, and production during his long apprenticeship in the Snakepit at Motown Studios came together here (from the liner notes: "The sounds themselves come from inside his mind. The man is his own instrument. The instrument is an orchestra.") Music of My Mind was also the first to bear the fruits of his increased focus on Moog and Arp synthesizers, though the songs never sound synthetic, due in great part to Stevies reliance on a parade of real instruments -- organic drumwork, harmonica, organs and pianos -- as well as his mastery of traditional song structure and his immense musical personality. The intro of the vibrant, tender "I Love Every Little Thing About You" is a perfect example, humanized with a series of lightly breathed syllables for background rhythm. And when the synthesizers do appear, its always in the perfect context: the standout "Superwoman" really benefits from its high-frequency harmonics, and "Seems So Long" wouldnt sound quite as affectionate without the warm electronics gurgling in the background. This still wasnt a perfect record, though; "Sweet Little Girl" was an awkward song, with Stevie assuming another of his embarrassing musical personalities to fawn over a girl. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 42 Title: Talking Book Released: 1972-10-27 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Are the Sunshine of My Life (02:56) 2 Maybe Your Baby (06:50) 3 You and I (04:38) 4 Tuesday Heartbreak (03:02) 5 You’ve Got It Bad Girl (04:57) 6 Superstition (04:26) 7 Big Brother (03:33) 8 Blame It On the Sun (03:26) 9 Lookin’ for Another Pure Love (04:43) 10 I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) (04:51) |
| Talking Book : Allmusic album Review : After releasing two "head" records during 1970-71, Stevie Wonder expanded his compositional palette with 1972s Talking Book to include societal ills as well as tender love songs, and so recorded the first smash album of his career. What had been hinted at on the intriguing project Music of My Mind was here focused into a laser beam of tight songwriting, warm electronic arrangements, and ebullient performances -- altogether the most realistic vision of musical personality ever put to wax, beginning with a disarmingly simple love song, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (but of course, its only the composition thats simple). Stevies not always singing a tender ballad here -- in fact, he flits from contentment to mistrust to promise to heartbreak within the course of the first four songs -- but he never fails to render each song in the most vivid colors. In stark contrast to his early songs, which were clever but often relied on the Motown template of romantic metaphor, with Talking Book it became clear Stevie Wonder was beginning to speak his mind and use personal history for material (just as Marvin Gaye had with the social protest of 1971s Whats Going On). The lyrics became less convoluted, while the emotional power gained in intensity. "You and I" and the glorious closer "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" subtly illustrate that the conception of love can be stronger than the reality, while "Tuesday Heartbreak" speaks simply but powerfully: "I wanna be with you when the nighttime comes / I wanna be with you till the daytime comes." Ironically, the biggest hit from Talking Book wasnt a love song at all; the funk landmark "Superstition" urges empowerment instead of hopelessness, set to a grooving beat that made it one of the biggest hits of his career. Its followed by "Big Brother," the first of his directly critical songs, excoriating politicians who posture to the underclass in order to gain the only thing they really need: votes. With Talking Book, Stevie also found a proper balance between making an album entirely by himself and benefiting from the talents of others. His wife Syreeta contributed two great lyrics, and Ray Parker, Jr. came by to record a guitar solo that brings together the lengthy jam "Maybe Your Baby." Two more guitar heroes, Jeff Beck and Buzzy Feton, appeared on "Lookin for Another Pure Love," Becks solo especially giving voice to the excruciating process of moving on from a broken relationship. Like no other Stevie Wonder LP before it, Talking Book is all of a piece, the first unified statement of his career. Its certainly an exercise in indulgence but, imitating life, it veers breathtakingly from love to heartbreak and back with barely a pause. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 42 Title: Innervisions Released: 1973-08-03 Tracks: 9 Duration: 44:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Too High (04:36) 2 Visions (05:23) 3 Living for the City (07:23) 4 Golden Lady (04:58) 5 Higher Ground (03:42) 6 Jesus Children of America (04:10) 7 All in Love Is Fair (03:41) 8 Dont You Worry Bout a Thing (04:44) 9 He’s Misstra Know‐It‐All (05:35) |
| Innervisions : Allmusic album Review : When Stevie Wonder applied his tremendous songwriting talents to the unsettled social morass that was the early 70s, he produced one of his greatest, most important works, a rich panoply of songs addressing drugs, spirituality, political ethics, the unnecessary perils of urban life, and what looked to be the failure of the 60s dream -- all set within a collection of charts as funky and catchy as any hed written before. Two of the highlights, "Living for the City" and "Too High," make an especially deep impression thanks to Stevies narrative talents; on the first, an eight-minute mini-epic, he brings a hard-scrabble Mississippi black youth to the city and illustrates, via a brilliant dramatic interlude, what lies in wait for innocents. (He also uses his variety of voice impersonations to stunning effect.) "Too High" is just as stunning, a cautionary tale about drugs driven by a dizzying chorus of scat vocals and a springing bassline. "Higher Ground," a funky follow-up to the previous albums big hit ("Superstition"), and "Jesus Children of America" both introduced Wonders interest in Eastern religion. Its a tribute to his genius that he could broach topics like reincarnation and transcendental meditation in a pop context with minimal interference to the rest of the album. Wonder also made no secret of the fact that "Hes Misstra Know-It-All" was directed at Tricky Dick, aka Richard Milhouse Nixon, then making headlines (and destroying Americas faith in the highest office) with the biggest political scandal of the century. Putting all these differing themes and topics into perspective was the front cover, a striking piece by Efram Wolff portraying Stevie Wonder as the blind visionary, an artist seeing far better than those around him what was going on in the early 70s, and using his astonishing musical gifts to make this commentary one of the most effective and entertaining ever heard. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 42 Title: Anthology Released: 1974 Tracks: 40 Duration: 1:55:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thank You (For Loving Me All the Way) (02:30) 2 Contract on Love (02:02) 3 Fingertips (Part II) (02:52) 4 Workout Stevie, Workout (02:40) 5 Castles in the Sand (02:10) 6 Hey Harmonica Man (02:35) 7 High Heel Sneakers (02:58) 8 Uptight (Everythings Alright) (02:54) 9 Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (02:39) 10 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:46) 11 Ain’t That Asking for Trouble (02:49) 12 I’d Cry (02:22) 13 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 14 Sylvia (02:33) 1 Down to Earth (02:48) 2 Thank You Love (02:55) 3 Hey Love (02:44) 4 Travlin Man (02:54) 5 Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do) (03:06) 6 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 7 Im Wondering (02:55) 8 Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (02:47) 9 You Met Your Match (02:39) 10 I’d Be a Fool Right Now (02:53) 11 Alfie (02:58) 12 More Than a Dream (03:20) 13 For Once in My Life (02:16) 1 Angie Girl (02:56) 2 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 3 Don’t Know Why I Love You (02:47) 4 If I Ruled the World (03:31) 5 Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday (02:57) 6 Never Had a Dream Come True (02:59) 7 Signed, Sealed, Delivered (02:46) 8 Heaven Help Us All (02:59) 9 I Gotta Have a Song (02:32) 10 Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer (02:56) 11 If You Really Love Me (02:53) 12 Something Out of the Blue (02:58) 13 Do Yourself a Favour (05:58) |
| Anthology : Allmusic album Review : Before the long-awaited Stevie Wonder box set was issued, this triple-album set was the ultimate Wonder collection. It contains every major hit, and many other vital singles from 1962-1971, showing his evolution from Ray Charles disciple to assembly-line hitmaker to individualistic artist. Unlike its other anthologies, which have been carved down from three-volume vinyl LPs to double-disc sets, Motown simply deleted this one altogether, although vigilant collectors may be able to obtain it through used record stores. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 42 Title: Wonderland: 1963–1974 Released: 1974 Tracks: 12 Duration: 06:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Uptight (Everything’s Allright) (?) 2 I Was Made to Love Her (?) 3 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (?) 4 For Once in My Life (?) 5 We Can Work It Out (?) 6 Yester‐Me, Yester‐You, Yesterday (?) 7 My Cherie Amour (?) 8 I Love Every Little Thing About You (?) 9 Superstition (?) 10 You Are the Sunshine of My Life (?) 11 Higher Ground (?) 12 Living for the City (06:55) |
 | Album: 19 of 42 Title: Fulfillingness’ First Finale Released: 1974-07-22 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Smile Please (03:28) 2 Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away (05:02) 3 Too Shy to Say (03:27) 4 Boogie on Reggae Woman (04:57) 5 Creepin’ (04:20) 6 You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (03:23) 7 It Ain’t No Use (04:01) 8 They Won’t Go When I Go (05:59) 9 Bird of Beauty (03:48) 10 Please Don’t Go (04:07) |
| Fulfillingness’ First Finale : Allmusic album Review : After the righteous anger and occasional despair of the socially motivated Innervisions, Stevie Wonder returned with a relationship record: Fulfillingness First Finale. The cover pictures his life as an enormous wheel, part of which hes looking ahead to and part of which hes already completed (the latter with accompanying images of Little Stevie, JFK and MLK, the Motor Town Revue bus, a child with balloons, his familiar Taurus logo, and multiple Grammy awards). The songs and arrangements are the warmest since Talking Book, and Stevie positively caresses his vocals on this set, encompassing the vagaries of love, from dreaming of it ("Creepin") to being bashful of it ("Too Shy to Say") to knowing when its over ("It Aint No Use"). The two big singles are "Boogie on Reggae Woman," with a deep electronic groove balancing organic congas and gospel piano, and "You Havent Done Nothin," an acidic dismissal of President Nixon and the Watergate controversy (hed already written "Hes Misstra Know-It-All" on the same topic). As before, Fulfillingness First Finale is mostly the work of a single man; Stevie invited over just a bare few musicians, and most of those were background vocalists (though of the finest caliber: Minnie Riperton, Paul Anka, Deniece Williams, and the Jackson 5). Also as before, the appearances are perfectly chosen; "Too Shy to Say" can only benefit from the acoustic bass of Motown institution James Jamerson and the heavenly steel guitar of Sneaky Pete Kleinow, while the Jackson 5 provide some righteous amens to Stevies preaching on "You Havent Done Nothin." Its also very refreshing to hear more songs devoted to the many and varied stages of romance, among them "It Aint No Use," "Too Shy to Say," "Please Dont Go." The only element lacking here, in comparison to the rest of his string of brilliant early-70s records, is a clear focus; Fulfillingness First Finale is more a collection of excellent songs than an excellent album. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 42 Title: Songs in the Key of Life Released: 1976-09-28 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:44:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love’s in Need of Love Today (07:05) 2 Have a Talk With God (02:42) 3 Village Ghetto Land (03:25) 4 Contusion (03:45) 5 Sir Duke (03:53) 6 I Wish (04:12) 7 Knocks Me Off My Feet (03:36) 8 Pastime Paradise (03:27) 9 Summer Soft (04:14) 10 Ordinary Pain (06:16) 1 Isn’t She Lovely (06:34) 2 Joy Inside My Tears (06:29) 3 Black Man (08:29) 4 Ngiculela – Es Una Historia / I Am Singing (03:48) 5 If It’s Magic (03:12) 6 As (07:08) 7 Another Star (08:28) 8 Saturn (04:53) 9 Ebony Eyes (04:09) 10 All Day Sucker (05:05) 11 Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call) (03:57) |
| Songs in the Key of Life : Allmusic album Review : Songs in the Key of Life was Stevie Wonders longest, most ambitious collection of songs, a two-LP (plus accompanying EP) set that -- just as the title promised -- touched on nearly every issue under the sun, and did it all with ambitious (even for him), wide-ranging arrangements and some of the best performances of Wonders career. The opening "Loves in Need of Love Today" and "Have a Talk with God" are curiously subdued, but Stevie soon kicks into gear with "Village Ghetto Land," a fierce exposé of ghetto neglect set to a satirical Baroque synthesizer. Hot on its heels comes the torrid fusion jam "Contusion," a big, brassy hit tribute to the recently departed Duke Ellington in "Sir Duke," and (another hit, this one a Grammy winner as well) the bumping poem to his childhood, "I Wish." Though they didnt necessarily appear in order, Songs in the Key of Life contains nearly a full album on love and relationships, along with another full album on issues social and spiritual. Fans of the love album Talking Book can marvel that he sets the bar even higher here, with brilliant material like the tenderly cathartic and gloriously redemptive "Joy Inside My Tears," the two-part, smooth-and-rough "Ordinary Pain," the bitterly ironic "All Day Sucker," or another classic heartbreaker, "Summer Soft." Those inclined toward Stevie Wonder the social-issues artist had quite a few songs to focus on as well: "Black Man" was a Bicentennial school lesson on remembering the vastly different people who helped build America; "Pastime Paradise" examined the plight of those who live in the past and have little hope for the future; "Village Ghetto Land" brought listeners to a nightmare of urban wasteland; and "Saturn" found Stevie questioning his kinship with the rest of humanity and amusingly imagining paradise as a residency on a distant planet. If all this sounds overwhelming, it is; Stevie Wonder had talent to spare during the mid-70s, and instead of letting the reserve trickle out during the rest of the decade, he let it all go with one massive burst. (His only subsequent record of the 70s was the similarly gargantuan but largely instrumental soundtrack Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants.) | ||
 | Album: 21 of 42 Title: Looking Back Released: 1977 Tracks: 40 Duration: 1:55:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thank You (For Loving Me All the Way) (02:30) 2 Contract on Love (02:02) 3 Fingertips (Part II) (02:52) 4 Workout Stevie, Workout (02:40) 5 Castles in the Sand (02:10) 6 Hey Harmonica Man (02:35) 7 High Heel Sneakers (02:58) 8 Uptight (Eveythings Alright) (02:53) 9 Nothings Too Good for My Baby (02:38) 10 Blowin in the Wind (03:45) 11 Aint That Asking for Trouble (02:47) 12 Id Cry (02:22) 13 A Place in the Sun (02:52) 14 Sylvia (02:33) 1 Down to Earth (02:48) 2 Thank You Love (02:50) 3 Hey Love (02:44) 4 Travelin Man (02:54) 5 Until You Come Back to Me (Thats What Im Gonna Do) (03:06) 6 I Was Made to Love Her (02:35) 7 Im Wondering (02:52) 8 Shoo Be Doo Be Doo da Day (02:44) 9 You Met Your Match (02:36) 10 Id Be a Fool Right Now (02:53) 11 Alfie (02:58) 12 More Than a Dream (03:20) 13 For Once in My Life (02:16) 1 Angie Girl (02:56) 2 My Cherie Amour (02:54) 3 Dont Know Why I Love You (02:43) 4 If I Ruled the World (03:31) 5 Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday (02:57) 6 Never Had a Dream Come True (02:59) 7 Signed, Sealed, Delivered (02:46) 8 Heaven Help Us All (02:59) 9 I Gotta Have a Song (02:32) 10 Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer (02:56) 11 If You Really Love Me (02:53) 12 Something Out of the Blue (02:58) 13 Do Yourself a Favour (05:58) |
| Looking Back : Allmusic album Review : Between 1963 and the end of 1971, Stevie Wonder placed 25 songs on Billboards charts. Twenty-four of those -- including such radio staples as "Fingertips - Pt. 2," "Uptight (Everythings Alright)," "I Was Made to Love Her," "For Once in My Life," "My Cherie Amour," and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Im Yours" -- appear on Looking Back. Wonders recordings in the 60s stand apart from most Motown acts partially because he was paired with producers and writers who very rarely worked with the Temptations, Supremes, et al. In the beginning Wonder was often produced by Clarence Paul and/or William Stevenson; during the golden years, Henry Cosby was usually manning the controls. Then in 1970, Wonder started producing himself, beginning with "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." Most of Wonders singles were written by Wonder himself in tandem with a variety of others, or by Ron Miller. The hits alternated between stomping barn-burners and mid-tempo, understated ballads. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 42 Title: Hotter Than July Released: 1980-09-29 Tracks: 10 Duration: 45:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Did I Hear You Say You Love Me (04:07) 2 All I Do (05:06) 3 Rocket Love (04:39) 4 I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It (04:39) 5 As If You Read My Mind (03:47) 6 Master Blaster (Jammin’) (05:07) 7 Do Like You (04:25) 8 Cash in Your Face (03:59) 9 Lately (04:05) 10 Happy Birthday (05:57) |
| Hotter Than July : Allmusic album Review : Four years after the pinnacle of Stevie Wonders mid-70s typhoon of classic albums, Hotter Than July was the proper follow-up to Songs in the Key of Life (his Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants concept record was actually a soundtrack to an obscure movie that fared miserably in theaters). It also found Wonder in a different musical climate than the one that savored his every move from 1972 to 1977. Disco and new wave had slowly crept their way into the mainstream record-buying public, and hindered the once-ample room for socially and politically charged lyrics. However, Wonder naysayed the trends and continues to do what he did best. Solid songwriting, musicianship, and production are evident in the majority of Hotter Than July. Wonder also carries on his tradition of penning songs normally not associated with his trademark sound, from the disco-tinged "All I Do" (originally planned to be released by Tammi Terrell almost ten years previously) to the reggae-influenced smash "Master Blaster (Jammin)," which went straight to the top of the R&B charts. While admittedly there are a few less-than-standard tracks, he closes the album on an amazing high note with one of the most aching ballads in his canon ("Lately") and a touching anthem to civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King, Jr. ("Happy Birthday"). While most definitely not on the same tier as Innervisions or Songs in the Key of Life, Hotter Than July is the portrait of an artist who still had the Midas touch, but stood at the crossroads of an illustrious career. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 42 Title: Stevie Wonder’s Original Musiquarium I Released: 1982-05-04 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:26:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Superstition (04:26) 2 You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (03:23) 3 Living for the City (07:23) 4 Front Line (05:56) 5 Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) (07:58) 6 Send One Your Love (04:01) 7 You Are the Sunshine of My Life (02:56) 8 Ribbon in the Sky (05:38) 1 Higher Ground (03:47) 2 Sir Duke (03:53) 3 Master Blaster (Jammin’) (05:07) 4 Boogie on Reggae Woman (04:57) 5 That Girl (05:13) 6 I Wish (04:12) 7 Isn’t She Lovely (06:34) 8 Do I Do (10:28) |
| Stevie Wonder’s Original Musiquarium I : Allmusic album Review : Released in 1982, the double-album Original Musiquarium I summarizes Stevie Wonders classic period of the 70s, concentrating primarily on the hits, but adding a few album tracks to hint at the depth of his albums, as well as four new songs (one for each side, all pleasant, none particularly remarkable). Though there could be some dispute about the album tracks, this does wind up as an excellent overview of Wonders period of greatest activity, and its a terrific listen to boot -- any record that sports such hits as "Superstition," "You Havent Done Nothin," "Living for the City," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Higher Ground," "Sir Duke," "Boogie on Reggae Woman," and "I Wish" is guaranteed to be a great listen, and it is. Wonder remains a quintessential album artist, but this record is a terrific snapshot of the highlights. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 42 Title: Love Songs: 20 Classic Hits Released: 1985 Tracks: 20 Duration: 58:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Contract on Love (02:04) 2 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 3 Until You Come Back to Me (Thats What Im Gonna Do) (03:00) 4 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 5 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:13) 6 If You Really Love Me (02:58) 7 Heaven Help Us All (03:15) 8 Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer (02:56) 9 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 10 Alfie (03:13) 11 Hey Love (02:42) 12 For Once in My Life (02:49) 13 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 14 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 15 Don’t Know Why I Love You (02:47) 16 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:47) 17 Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (02:47) 18 Im Wondering (02:55) 19 Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (02:39) 20 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) |
| Love Songs: 20 Classic Hits : Allmusic album Review : In the absence of the superb three-volume set Looking Back, Motown keeps playing games with its fans by repackaging and recycling hits in numerous gimmick packages. This one features 20 Stevie Wonder love numbers, all certified classics. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with them; theyre wonderful. But instead of Motown constantly reissuing them, they should either reissue the three-record set, or prepare a new multi-disc box set. Instead, theyre content to parcel out these partial sets that only rip off novices, gullible types, and knowledgeable fans anxious to get all the Wonder available. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 42 Title: Love Songs Released: 1985 Tracks: 16 Duration: 48:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 2 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 3 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:13) 4 If You Really Love Me (03:00) 5 Heaven Help Us All (03:15) 6 Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer (02:57) 7 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 8 Alfie (03:13) 9 For Once in My Life (02:52) 10 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 11 I Was Made to Love Her (02:35) 12 Dont Know Why I Love You (02:49) 13 Blowin in the Wind (03:46) 14 Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (02:46) 15 Im Wondering (02:54) 16 Signed, Sealed, Delivered Im Yours (02:37) |
 | Album: 26 of 42 Title: In Square Circle Released: 1985-05-07 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Part-Time Lover (04:12) 2 I Love You Too Much (05:27) 3 Whereabouts (04:17) 4 Stranger on the Shore of Love (05:00) 5 Never in Your Sun (04:06) 6 Spiritual Walkers (05:13) 7 Land of La La (05:12) 8 Go Home (05:18) 9 Overjoyed (03:42) 10 It’s Wrong (Apartheid) (03:29) |
| In Square Circle : Allmusic album Review : Although it went platinum, nothing stands as better evidence of how cyclical the pop experience is than the response to In Square Circle. Wonder actually wrote some superb songs, and several, like "Overjoyed" and "I Love You Too Much," were superior to the hit single "Part-Time Lover." But that one zoomed to the top spot and became the albums definitive tune in the minds of many. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 42 Title: My Cherie Amour / Signed, Sealed and Delivered Released: 1986 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:12:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 2 Hello Young Lovers (03:15) 3 At Last (02:51) 4 Light My Fire (03:43) 5 The Shadow of Your Smile (02:44) 6 You and Me (02:48) 7 Pearl (02:47) 8 Somebody Knows, Somebody Cares (02:35) 9 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 10 Angie Girl (03:03) 11 Give Your Love (03:47) 12 Ive Got You (02:34) 13 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:14) 14 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 15 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) 16 Heaven Help Us All (03:13) 17 You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover (02:33) 18 Sugar (02:53) 19 Don’t Wonder Why (04:57) 20 Anything You Want Me to Do (02:21) 21 I Can’t Let My Heaven Walk Away (02:51) 22 Joy (Takes Over Me) (02:12) 23 I Gotta Have a Song (02:33) 24 Something to Say (03:25) |
 | Album: 28 of 42 Title: Down to Earth / I Was Made to Love Her Released: 1986 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:05:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 2 Bang Bang (02:42) 3 Down to Earth (02:50) 4 Thank You Love (02:55) 5 Be Cool, Be Calm (And Keep Yourself Together) (02:43) 6 Sylvia (02:34) 7 My World Is Empty Without You (02:53) 8 The Lonesome Road (03:06) 9 Angel Baby (Dont You Ever Leave Me) (02:45) 10 Mr. Tambourine Man (02:30) 11 Sixteen Tons (02:42) 12 Hey Love (02:42) 13 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 14 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:31) 15 I’d Cry (02:34) 16 Everybody Needs Somebody (I Need You) (02:38) 17 Respect (02:20) 18 My Girl (02:56) 19 Baby Don’t You Do It (02:13) 20 A Fool for You (03:19) 21 Can I Get a Witness (02:44) 22 I Pity the Fool (03:06) 23 Please, Please, Please (02:42) 24 Every Time I See You I Go Wild (02:51) |
| Down to Earth / I Was Made to Love Her : Allmusic album Review : The release of Down to Earth/I Was Made to Love Her documents a transitional phase for Stevie Wonder. Down to Earth (1966) and I Was Made to Love Her (1967) were made at a time when Wonder was looking to move beyond the "Little" Stevie Wonder moniker, and gain more control over his work, something Berry Gordy and Motown were not quite ready for. Its good material, but not as well-known as some of the earlier "Little" Stevie Wonder sides and not as artistically strong as Wonders work in his early-70s prime. The two albums were combined for a time on one compact disc, which has since gone out of print. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 42 Title: For Once in My Life / Uptight Released: 1986 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:09:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 For Once in My Life (02:49) 2 Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (02:47) 3 You Met Your Match (02:39) 4 I Wanna Make Her Love Me (02:54) 5 Im More Than Happy (Im Satisfied) (02:58) 6 I Dont Know Why (02:47) 7 Sunny (04:01) 8 Id Be a Fool Right Now (02:56) 9 Aint No Lovin (02:38) 10 God Bless the Child (03:29) 11 Do I Love Her (03:00) 12 The House on the Hill (02:37) 13 Love a Go Go (02:45) 14 Hold Me (02:36) 15 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:46) 16 Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (02:39) 17 Teach Me Tonight (02:40) 18 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 19 Ain’t That Asking for Trouble (02:49) 20 I Want My Baby Back (02:50) 21 Pretty Little Angel (02:13) 22 Music Talk (02:54) 23 Contract On Love (02:08) 24 With a Child’s Heart (03:07) |
| For Once in My Life / Uptight : Allmusic album Review : Stevie Wonders 1968 album For Once in My Life (which contained three big hits) is paired with Uptight, an album from two years earlier. This is something of an odd pairing, since Uptight is geared toward the "Little" Stevie Wonder material and For Once in My Life has a more mature Wonder who is more involved with all aspects of the music-making process. The two albums were combined onto a single compact disc, which has since gone out of print. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 42 Title: Characters Released: 1987-11-06 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:01:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 You Will Know (05:00) 2 Dark n Lovely (04:38) 3 In Your Corner (04:30) 4 With Each Beat of My Heart (05:28) 5 One of a Kind (05:11) 6 Skeletons (05:24) 7 Get It (04:32) 8 Galaxy Paradise (03:51) 9 Cryin’ Through the Night (05:48) 10 Free (04:11) 11 Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down (05:21) 12 My Eyes Dont Cry (07:08) |
| Characters : Allmusic album Review : Stevie Wonder shocked fans by taking only two years to release his next new non-soundtrack studio album, Characters. Unfortunately, it had long since become clear that Wonder was willing to settle for good pop music without challenging himself to make great pop music. And by now, a big chunk of his formerly mass audience had gotten the message: this was Wonders first new album to miss the pop Top Five in 15 years. (The black music audience, however, responded far more favorably, as the album topped the R&B; charts for seven weeks.) The biggest single was the "Superstition"-like dance track "Skeletons" (number 19 pop, number one R&B;), and Wonder also charted with the pretty "You Will Know" and an up-tempo duet with Michael Jackson, "Get It." | ||
 | Album: 31 of 42 Title: First Hits Released: 1989 Tracks: 16 Duration: 47:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 2 Blowin in the Wind (03:03) 3 I Was Made to Love Her (02:34) 4 Im Wondering (02:51) 5 Thank You Love (02:51) 6 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 7 Music Talk (02:49) 8 Be Cool, Be Calm (and Keep Yourself Together) (02:38) 9 Travelin Man (02:42) 10 Fingertips (full version) (06:19) 11 Workout Stevie, Workout (02:40) 12 Contract in Love (02:00) 13 I Call It Pretty Music, but the Old People Call It Blues, Part 1 (02:26) 14 Smile (03:20) 15 Put on the Happy Face (02:38) 16 With a Song in My Heart (03:12) |
 | Album: 32 of 42 Title: Star Collection Released: 1991 Tracks: 14 Duration: 40:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 2 Music Talk (02:53) 3 Every Time I See You I Go Wild (02:53) 4 Angie Girl (03:03) 5 Respect (02:20) 6 More Then a Dream (03:51) 7 Angel Baby (02:47) 8 Uptight (Everythings Alright) (02:59) 9 Hold Me (02:37) 10 Ain’t That Asking for Trouble (02:49) 11 Hey Love (02:48) 12 Baby Dont You Do It (02:14) 13 Please, Please, Please (02:43) 14 Blowin in the Wind (03:46) |
 | Album: 33 of 42 Title: Greatest Hits Released: 1991-06-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 2 I’m Wondering (02:54) 3 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 4 Hey Love (02:43) 5 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:04) 6 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 7 Contract on Love (02:05) 8 Work Out Stevie, Work Out (02:43) 9 Fingertips, Part 2 (03:11) 10 Castles in the Sand (02:14) 11 Hey Harmonica Man (02:36) 12 Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (02:45) |
| Greatest Hits : Allmusic album Review : When it was released, Stevie Wonders first hits collection, a 12-track disc tracing his work from 1963 to 1967, served a common function of compilations: It gathered together stray, disparate pieces, from "Fingertips -- Pt. 2" to "I Was Made to Love Her," and focused attention on the artist. Wonder had a spotty singles record: five Top Ten hits, but only two of them in succession over the four-and-a-half years, yet Greatest Hits made him seem like a consistent hitmaker with an astounding range, from those early harmonica instrumentals to soulful wailers like "Uptight (Everythings Alright)" and even oddball ballads like "A Place in the Sun." By now this set has long since been eclipsed, notably by the Looking Back album, but as a demonstration of Wonders early promise, it is notable. | ||
 | Album: 34 of 42 Title: Conversation Peace Released: 1995-03-21 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:13:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Rain Your Love Down (06:08) 2 Edge of Eternity (06:03) 3 Taboo to Love (04:25) 4 Take the Time Out (05:05) 5 Im New (05:41) 6 My Love Is With You (06:15) 7 Treat Myself (04:55) 8 Tomorrow Robins Will Sing (04:45) 9 Sensuous Whisper (05:47) 10 For Your Love (05:00) 11 Cold Chill (06:52) 12 Sorry (06:14) 13 Conversation Peace (06:41) |
| Conversation Peace : Allmusic album Review : Beginning in the mid-80s Stevie Wonders albums didnt catch the publics attention, and Conversation Peace did not change that, although it wasnt for lack of trying. Wonders gift for melody is still in place, and he incorporates understated hip-hop rhythms into his music well, yet he isnt able to make music that fit into the rigid play lists of 90s urban contemporary radio. | ||
 | Album: 35 of 42 Title: Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection Released: 1996-12-19 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:16:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Isn’t She Lovely (03:20) 2 I Just Called to Say I Love You (04:22) 3 Superstition (04:00) 4 Higher Ground (03:07) 5 Boogie On Reggae Woman (04:05) 6 Master Blaster (Jammin’) (04:49) 7 Ebony & Ivory (03:40) 8 Happy Birthday (05:57) 9 Living for the City (03:41) 10 All in Love Is Fair (03:41) 11 You Are the Sunshine of My Life (02:56) 12 Lately (04:05) 13 Part-time Lover (03:43) 14 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 15 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 16 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 17 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 18 For Once in My Life (02:49) 19 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) 20 Kiss Lonely Good-bye (04:08) 21 Redemption Song (03:48) |
| Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection : Allmusic album Review : While its not quite the definitive compilation it could have been, the double-disc Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection is still a good overview of Stevie Wonders long, prolific career. Skipping over "Fingertips, Pt. 2" and picking up with "Uptight (Everythings Alright)" and "I Was Made to Love Her," Song Review runs through the next three decades, hitting most of his biggest hits along the way, including "Signed, Sealed, Delivered Im Yours," "Superstition," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Higher Ground," "Living for the City," "I Wish," "Master Blaster (Jammin)," "Ebony & Ivory," "I Just Called to Say I Love You," and "Part-Time Lover." Unfortunately, none of the songs are presented in chronological order. It begins in the 80s, switches to the 70s, hits the 80s again before going back to the 60s -- in other words, its not really coherent. Nevertheless, most of Wonders best-known and a good cross-section of his very best songs are included, making Song Review a fine, but not perfect, introduction to his career. | ||
 | Album: 36 of 42 Title: Ballad Collection Released: 1999-09-29 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:10:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Are the Sunshine of My Life (02:56) 2 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 3 Golden Lady (04:58) 4 You and I (04:38) 5 If Ever (04:49) 6 Too Shy to Say (03:27) 7 All in Love Is Fair (03:41) 8 For Your Love (04:07) 9 Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer (02:56) 10 If Its Magic (03:15) 11 Overjoyed (03:42) 12 Send One Your Love (04:03) 13 Kiss Lonely Good-bye (04:08) 14 Love’s in Need of Love Today (07:05) 15 Ribbon in the Sky (05:38) 16 Stay Gold (03:33) 17 Lately (04:05) |
| Ballad Collection : Allmusic album Review : The U.K. disc Ballad Collection contains 17 ballads, largely from Stevie Wonders 70s peak, but also containing a fair amount of songs cut in the 80s, including such soundtrack-only oddities as "Kiss Lonely Good-Bye" (from Pinnochio) and "Stay Gold" (from The Outsiders). Wonder, of course, had a lot of hits with ballads, but this shouldnt be taken as a hits collection, and while many of these songs are excellent, there are so many album tracks that its hard not to look at the collection and wonder why personal favorite ballads are missing. Nevertheless, as a sampler its enjoyable and it does unearth a couple of fairly hard-to-find cuts, so its worthwhile for the casual fan while providing some nice bait for collectors. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 42 Title: At the Close of a Century Released: 1999-11-23 Tracks: 70 Duration: 5:11:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Fingertips, Parts 1 & 2 (06:55) 2 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 3 Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (02:45) 4 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:04) 5 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 6 Hey Love (02:43) 7 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 8 Until You Come Back to Me (Thats What Im Gonna Do) (03:01) 9 I’m Wondering (02:54) 10 Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (02:47) 11 You Met Your Match (02:39) 12 For Once in My Life (02:49) 13 I Dont Know Why (02:47) 14 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 15 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 16 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:14) 17 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) 18 Heaven Help Us All (03:13) 19 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 20 If You Really Love Me (02:58) 21 Never Dreamed Youd Leave in Summer (02:56) 22 Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) (08:07) 23 I Love Every Little Thing About You (03:55) 1 Superstition (04:26) 2 You Are the Sunshine of My Life (02:56) 3 You and I (04:38) 4 I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) (04:51) 5 Too High (04:36) 6 Visions (05:23) 7 Living for the City (07:23) 8 Golden Lady (04:58) 9 Higher Ground (03:42) 10 All in Love Is Fair (03:41) 11 Dont You Worry Bout a Thing (04:44) 12 Hes Mista Know It All (05:36) 13 You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (03:23) 14 Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away (05:02) 15 Too Shy Too Say (03:28) 16 Boogie On Reggae Woman (05:13) 17 Creepin’ (04:20) 1 Sir Duke (03:53) 2 I Wish (04:12) 3 Knocks Me Off My Feet (03:36) 4 Pastime Paradise (03:27) 5 Isn’t She Lovely (06:34) 6 Ngiculela – Es Una Historia / I Am Singing (03:48) 7 If It’s Magic (03:12) 8 As (07:08) 9 Another Star (08:22) 10 Send One Your Love (04:01) 11 All I Do (05:14) 12 Rocket Love (04:39) 13 I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It (04:39) 14 Master Blaster (Jammin’) (05:07) 15 Lately (04:05) 16 Happy Birthday (05:57) 1 That Girl (05:13) 2 Ribbon in the Sky (05:38) 3 Do I Do (10:28) 4 Love Light in Flight (06:54) 5 I Just Called to Say I Love You (04:22) 6 Overjoyed (03:42) 7 Part-Time Lover (04:12) 8 Go Home (05:18) 9 You Will Know (05:00) 10 Skeletons (05:24) 11 Gotta Have You (06:26) 12 These Three Words (04:53) 13 For Your Love (05:00) 14 How Come, How Long (05:11) |
| At the Close of a Century : Allmusic album Review : Hes been called one of the most influential performers and songwriters of the century, but until 1999 Stevie Wonder didnt even have a box set to call his own. Such was the reissue campaign at Motown that, until very recently, some of the best pop music of the 60s sounded poorer in reissue form than when it was first played on AM radio. In 1996, the long-awaited Stevie Wonder digital-age hits package Song Review reached the shelves, but it didnt even follow compilation etiquette (that is, chronological order). Finally, At the Close of a Century made everything right -- complete with digital remastering, near-perfect sound, complete coverage of his epic career, an attractive design, and copious liner notes and pictures. The box, a four-disc set spanning 1962 to 1996, debuts with "Fingertips, Pts. 1 & 2," the long-unheard seven-minute version of his first hit. The first disc includes every hit that fans can remember, including great-sounding versions of "Uptight (Everythings Alright)" and "Hey Love," plus plenty of moderate hits they may not remember, like his definitive cover of the Beatles "We Can Work It Out." Disc two features more than a dozen of his biggest hits, including "Superstition," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Living for the City," "Higher Ground," and "Boogie On Reggae Woman." Disc three begins with no less than nine tracks from Songs in the Key of Life, his standout double album from 1976. Right into the 80s and 90s, Stevie Wonder remained at the top of the charts, with hits like "Rocket Love," "Master Blaster (Jammin)," "Happy Birthday," "I Just Called to Say I Love You," and "Part-Time Lover." It took far too long, but Motown finally issued a box set worthy of Stevie Wonders continuing artistry. | ||
 | Album: 38 of 42 Title: I Giganti Jazz & Pop - Stevie Wonder Released: 2000 Tracks: 14 Duration: 44:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Fingertips (06:55) 2 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 3 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:04) 4 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 5 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 6 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 7 For Once in My Life (02:52) 8 Dont Know Why I Love You (I Dont Know Why) (02:48) 9 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 10 Travelin Man (02:52) 11 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 12 Respect (02:20) 13 Alfie (03:13) 14 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) |
 | Album: 39 of 42 Title: The Very Best of Stevie Wonder Released: 2002 Tracks: 40 Duration: 2:26:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Isn’t She Lovely (03:20) 2 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 3 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 4 For Once in My Life (02:49) 5 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 6 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 7 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:14) 8 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) 9 Superstition (04:00) 10 You Are the Sunshine of My Life (02:56) 11 Living for the City (03:41) 12 I Wish (04:12) 13 Sir Duke (03:53) 14 Master Blaster (Jammin’) (04:49) 15 Happy Birthday (05:57) 16 Ebony and Ivory (03:40) 17 I Just Called to Say I Love You (04:22) 18 Part-time Lover (03:43) 19 Kiss Lonely Good-bye (04:08) 20 Redemption Song (03:47) 1 Free (04:11) 2 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:04) 3 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 4 I Dont Know Why (02:47) 5 Boogie On Reggae Woman (04:05) 6 Higher Ground (03:07) 7 I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It (04:39) 8 Fingertips, Part 2 (03:11) 9 Heaven Help Us All (03:13) 10 Pastime Paradise (03:27) 11 You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (03:23) 12 Send One Your Love (04:01) 13 That Girl (05:13) 14 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 15 If You Really Love Me (02:58) 16 Overjoyed (03:42) 17 For Your Love (04:03) 18 Stay Gold (03:33) 19 Another Star (05:25) 20 As (03:28) |
 | Album: 40 of 42 Title: The Definitive Collection Released: 2003-01-22 Tracks: 39 Duration: 2:29:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 You Are the Sunshine of My Life (02:56) 2 Isn’t She Lovely (03:20) 3 My Cherie Amour (02:52) 4 Sir Duke (03:53) 5 I Wish (04:12) 6 If You Really Love Me (02:58) 7 As (03:28) 8 Overjoyed (03:42) 9 Pastime Paradise (03:27) 10 Boogie On Reggae Woman (05:13) 11 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (02:39) 12 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05) 13 I Was Made to Love Her (02:37) 14 A Place in the Sun (02:50) 15 He’s Misstra Know‐It‐All (05:35) 16 Send One Your Love (04:01) 17 I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It (04:39) 18 Living for the City (03:41) 19 I Just Called to Say I Love You (04:22) 20 Part-Time Lover (04:12) 1 Superstition (04:26) 2 Higher Ground (03:42) 3 Master Blaster (Jammin’) (05:07) 4 For Once in My Life (02:49) 5 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:14) 6 We Can Work It Out (03:17) 7 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (02:54) 8 Blowin’ in the Wind (03:04) 9 You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (03:23) 10 Ebony & Ivory (03:42) 11 For Your Love (05:00) 12 Fingertips, Parts 1 & 2 (06:55) 13 I’m Wondering (02:54) 14 I Don’t Know Why I Love You (02:47) 15 Heaven Help Us All (03:13) 16 Lately (04:05) 17 Do I Do (05:04) 18 Happy Birthday (05:57) 19 To Feel the Fire (03:47) |
| The Definitive Collection : Allmusic album Review : When youre putting together a 21-song collection of a major artist whos had more than 40 Top 40 hits, inevitably theres going to be a lot of good stuff left out. Stevie Wonders long and varied career (not over when this anthology appeared) really needs more than one disc to even adequately summarize the highlights. But this single-disc comp does squeeze in most of his best-known songs, from 1963s "Fingertips, Pt. 2" to the mid-80s number one hits "Part-Time Lover" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You." Along the way theres "Uptight (Everythings Alright)," "I Was Made to Love Her," "For Once in My Life," "My Cherie Amour," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Superstition," "Higher Ground," "Living for the City," "You Havent Done Nothin," "Boogie on Reggae Woman," "I Wish," "Sir Duke," and more. There is a sharp decline in quality following "Masterblaster (Jammin)," but at least that only lasts five songs. Of course, theres a lot missing too: "A Place in the Sun," "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day," "If You Really Love Me," and "Dont You Worry Bout a Thing," to pick only some obvious candidates. Why exactly the 1967 single "Hey Love" (a Top Ten R&B; single that barely made the pop charts) is included is a mystery, though at least it breaks up the predictability. For casual fans its a decent career-spanning overview, though, and even the most casual fan will sense the musical genius and enormous artistic growth that shines through most of the selections. | ||
 | Album: 41 of 42 Title: 20th Century Masters: The Christmas Collection: The Best of Stevie Wonder Released: 2004 Tracks: 14 Duration: 42:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Someday at Christmas (02:49) 2 Silver Bells (02:23) 3 Ave Maria (03:56) 4 The Little Drummer Boy (03:06) 5 One Little Christmas Tree (02:47) 6 The Day That Love Began (03:37) 7 The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) (03:07) 8 Bedtime for Toys (03:29) 9 Christmastime (02:32) 10 Twinkle Twinkle Little Me (03:13) 11 A Warm Little Home on a Hill (03:26) 12 What Christmas Means to Me (02:28) 13 The Miracles of Christmas (02:25) 14 Everyone’s a Kid at Christmas (02:47) |
 | Album: 42 of 42 Title: A Time to Love Released: 2005-10-18 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:17:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 If Your Love Cannot Be Moved (06:11) 2 Sweetest Somebody I Know (04:31) 3 Moon Blue (06:44) 4 From the Bottom of My Heart (05:11) 5 Please Don’t Hurt My Baby (04:40) 6 How Will I Know (03:39) 7 My Love Is on Fire (06:16) 8 Passionate Raindrops (04:50) 9 Tell Your Heart I Love You (04:30) 10 True Love (03:32) 11 Shelter in the Rain (04:19) 12 So What the Fuss (05:04) 13 Can’t Imagine Love Without You (03:45) 14 Positivity (05:07) 15 A Time to Love (09:17) |
| A Time to Love : Allmusic album Review : During times of extreme political and social change, Stevie Wonders voice and songwriting served as cultural and spiritual guideposts to many a listener, often lending insight and a barometer with which to measure the ways of the world. But that was largely during the golden phase of his career, generally regarded as being the late 60s through 1980s Hotter Than July. His work in the mid-80s through the 90s was marginal in comparison, only hinting at glimpses of former brilliance, sugar-coated by over-polished production and radio-friendly content. So with a decade passing since his last full-length, 1995s Conversation Piece, people waited with bated breath for a sign of his return...and wondered which Wonder would show up: would it be the socially conscious genius who wrote anthems for a generation, or the R&B; crooner who dominated quiet storm radio? Thankfully, its a blend of both. For every forward-moving song with a theme, theres a gentle moment of tranquility to cancel it out. Many of these songs, save for their warm and polished digital production values, could have easily found a home in Talking Book, Music of My Mind, or any of the other albums for which Wonder will forever be praised. In an age when the majority of R&B; is about money, drugs, infidelity, or getting it on, Wonders lyrics (especially during the love songs) recall the simplicity and innocence of early Motown without sounding trite. Its definitely a refreshing change of pace and hopefully something one or two aspiring producers and songwriters are paying attention to. These are love songs of maturity that are carefully crafted, which would more or less explain why it took nearly a decade to get them finalized, with many of them feeling like mature revisitations of the classics. (If "Happier Than the Morning Sun" and "Little Girl Blue" were a pair of teenagers in love, "Sweetest Somebody I Know" is that couple 30 years later at its class reunion.) The jazzy "How Will I Know," featuring Wonders daughter on lead vocals (the same Aisha sung about nearly 30 years ago on "Isnt She Lovely"), is the gateway to the albums second half, a five-song cycle of ballads and quiet storm jams that will appease fans of Wonders later work. Especially notable is "My Love Is on Fire," featuring a beautiful guest appearance from jazz flutist Hubert Laws, which exemplifies the other thing that makes A Time to Love the comeback album of the year: the never-ending list of celebrity cameo appearances so extensive it would make Carlos Santana and Clive Davis blush with modesty. Guest appearances from rap pioneer Doug E. Fresh, Bonnie Raitt, Sir Paul McCartney, Kim Burrell, Prince, Kirk Franklin, and India.Arie just scratch the surface of who contributed to this record. Its one Michael Jackson and one Lionel Richie cameo short from being a USA for Africa reunion. But while each artist lends his own style to the mix, the songs definitely remain 100 percent Wonder thanks to his distinctive singing and arrangements. The album begins its landing with "So What the Fuss," a chunky block of funk with a distorted bassline. It served as the lead single and was met with surprisingly little fanfare, especially since its one of Wonders most straight-ahead slices of funk in some time. And the albums title track serves as a fitting conclusion to the album, spreading Wonders message of love and peace as strongly and convincingly as any other song hes ever done. On the whole, A Time to Love is the record Wonder fans have been waiting for, and the wait has more than paid off. Through exploration and balance, A Time to Love finds the two halves of Wonders adult career finally coming to home to roost in peaceful harmony with one another, and its one of the finest records he has done in decades. | ||