Stevie B Discography Download

[Jacalyn Loston]

Stevie WonderReviewed on this page:
The Jazz Soul Of Little Stevie - Uptight - Down ToEarth - I Was Made To Love Her - Someday At Christmas - For Once In My Life - Eivets Rednow - My Cherie Amour - Signed, Sealed &Delivered - Live - WhereI'm Coming From - Music Of My Mind - Syreeta - TalkingBook - Innervisions - Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta - Fulfillingness' First Finale - Songs In The Key Of Life - Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants - Hotter Than July - Original Musiquarium Vol. 1 - The Woman In Red Soundtrack - InSquare Circle - Characters - Jungle Fever Soundtrack - Conversation Peace - Natural Wonder -A Time 2 LoveNot much to add to what's already been said about Stevie, master ofall things melodic, voted "Vocalist Most Likely To Make You SmileAgainst Your Will." (DBW)I just want to point out that of all his contemporaries, only Joni Mitchell was as daring when it came toodd riffs, incessant modulation, and unpredictable melodies thatmade full use of a three-plus-octave vocal range. But Stevie's melodicand harmonic sense were (are?) so outstanding that he could getaway with it consistently, whereas Joni often loses the listener.The man is right up there with theBeatles and Hendrix, making everyother 60s rocker look like a clumsy child (and I should know!).The only problem, then, is that it's almost impossible for a critic to choose among all the riches. Start with any 70s record and you won't be sorry. (JA)We've reviewed a Stevie bio/discography on our Book reviews Page.Other than this one, the best Stevie site I've seen is Vaid Bharath's World of Wonder. (JA)Or try this Japanese fan site. (DBW)Besides the two records he produced for Syreeta, reviewed on this page, Wonder has written, produced and/or performed on a pile of other records reviewed at this site. Here's a guide to some of Stevie's side projects and guest appearances:

• Ashford & Simpson, "No One Walks In L.A." (harmonica)
  
• Babyface, The Day
  
• Jeff Beck, "Superstition" (wrote), Blow By Blow (wrote two songs)
  
• Roberta Flack, Featuring Donny Hathaway (wrote two songs)
  
• For Real, "How Can I Get Close To You" (vocals)
  
• Gap Band, "Someday" (vocals, harmonica)
  
• Marvin Gaye, "You're The One For Me" (co-wrote), "Try My True Love" (co-wrote)
  
• Herbie Hancock, Gershwin's World (harmonica on two songs, vocals on one); "I Just Called To Say I Love You" (harmonica)
  
• Whitney Houston, "We Didn't Know" (wrote, performed, produced)
  
• Jermaine Jackson, Let's Get Serious (wrote, performed & produced three tracks)
  
• Michael Jackson, "I Can't Help It" (co-wrote)
  
• Elton John, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" (harmonica); "Go On And On" (wrote, produced, performed); "Dark Diamond" (harmonica, clavinet)
  
• Quincy Jones, "Superstition" (harmonica), The Dude (wrote one song, keyboards on two)
  
• Chaka Khan, "I Feel For You," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" (harmonica)
  
• B.B. King, "To Know You Is To Love You" (wrote, electric piano)
  
• Labelle, "Open Your Heart" (wrote, co-produced)
  
• The Main Ingredient, Afrodisiac (co-wrote three songs)
  
• Martha & The Vandellas, "I'm In Love (And I Know It)" (wrote)
  
• Dave Mason, "The Lonely One" (harmonica)
  
• The Miracles, Make It Happen (co-wrote three songs), Flying High Together (co-wrote two songs)
  
• Minnie Riperton, Perfect Angel (produced, performed, wrote two songs); "Stick Together" (co-wrote); "Lover And Friend" (arranged, performed)
  
• Pointer Sisters, "Sleepin' Alone" (wrote, keyboards); "Baby Bring Your Sweet Stuff Home To Me" (co-wrote)
  
• Smokey Robinson, "I Love The Nearness Of You" (co-wrote), "Melody Man" (co-wrote), "Hold On To Your Love" (co-wrote)
  
• Diana Ross, "The Force Behind The Power" (wrote, performed, produced)
  
• Rufus, "Tell Me Something Good" (wrote)
  
• Carly Simon, "As Time Goes By" (harmonica)
  
• James Taylor, "Don't Be Sad 'Cause Your Sun Is Down" (co-wrote, harmonica)
  
• Dionne Warwick, "With A Touch" (wrote, piano), "That's What Friends Are For" (vocals, harmonica)
  

Little StevieGordy apparently had a lot of faith in the young prodigy, following up several flop singles with two equally unsuccessful albums. Third time was the charm, though, as Little Stevie gave Motown its first #1 album. After only another year, Wonder dropped the "Little" and moved into his next phase.A Tribute To Uncle Ray (1963)
At this age, Wonder certainly didn't have the voice to do justice to Ray Charles' hits, but he recorded a whole album's worth anyway. Be very afraid. (DBW) The Jazz Soul Of Little Stevie (1963)
Producer Clarence Paul's next move was to display Wonder's instrumental precocity on an entirely instrumental big band jazz album. Wonder's harmonica playing is already distinctive ("Some Other Time"), and his drumming is pretty good ("Manhattan At Six"), but his piano and organ playing give no hint of his later accomplishments. The tunes are nothing remarkable, including two co-written by Little Stevie himself ("Wondering," "Session Number 112"), and the arrangements aren't brilliant although they're noteworthy for featuring much more prominent flute than was customary during this period ("Fingertips"). The record is harmless, but it's not going to be on anybody's list of all-time favorites. (DBW)Recorded Live - The Twelve Year Old Genius (1963)
Yes, this contains the massive hit "Fingertips Pt. 2," which showcased Wonder's lively stage personality and sense of humor, if it barely hinted at any of his other talents. Side two of the album is live versions of several numbers from Uncle Ray, and side one includes a version of Jazz Soul's "Soul Bongo." (DBW)With A Song In My Heart (1963)
A whole album of show tunes (title track, "When You Wish Upon A Star") recorded with full orchestral backing. (DBW)Stevie At The Beach (1964)
The first record after dropping the "Little," but the tracks are the same combination of Broadway kitsch and harmonica solos of his earlier records. Three singles, of which only "Hey Harmonica Man" charted: the others were "Castles In The Sand" (no, not the Hendrix tune) and "Happy Street." (DBW)Minor MiracleStevie's career took a sharp swing upwards when he scored a major hit with his own composition "Uptight" in 1965. Still, until age 21 he didn't have much creative control, since singerswere near the bottom of Motown's hierarchy (barely abovemusicians). But things improved as he proved he could write,and later produce, his own songs. There were a lot of advantages tobeing in the teenage musician's position: he could learn from manyof the most successful musicians, singers, songwriters andproducers in the business. But clearly he felt confined by thestudio system, because as soon as he turned 21 (and got the backroyalties that had been held from him) he threatened to leave thecompany and went off in a radically different musical direction.We'll get to that in a minute. First, the 60s records. (DBW) Uptight (1966)
An enjoyable mess. The title song became a hit (the first hitsong he wrote) and Motown rushed out this LP, which includes somemore hits (his moving cover of Dylan's "Blowin' InThe Wind," "Ain't That Asking For Trouble"), plus fillerextraordinaire: an "Uptight" rerun ("Nothing's Too Good For MyBaby" complete with the signature "hah hah yeah"), the three yearold flop single "Contract On Love," the annoying "Pretty LittleAngel"... the list goes on. (DBW) Down To Earth (1966)
Big problems here, as even the hits aren't very good ("Place In TheSun" is 30's kitsch, "Hey Love" is so insubstantial it's barelya song at all), the arrangements are corny, and the worst stuffis incredibly bad (Sonny and Cher's "Bang Bang"). I guess evenStevie Wonder had to put in some time learning his craft. (DBW)I Was Made To Love Her (1967)
- The first Stevie Wonder album that's enjoyable all the way through;he seemed to be on a mission to cover songs by all the major blackmale vocalists of the period: OtisRedding's "Respect," the Temptations'"My Girl," James Brown's "Please PleasePlease," Charles' "I Pity The Fool," even Little Richard's"Send Me Some Lovin'"... seems like he overlooked Jackie Wilson.But as filler goes, I'll take a good cover over a crummy originalany day. And the good tunes are real good - "I'd Cry," "EverybodyNeeds Somebody" and the rockin' title track (check out JamesJamerson's bass playing on that one!). (DBW)
- Although Stevie's singing is remarkably mature at this point, theMotown house band's work on the cover songs is indistinguishablefrom any other Motown product of the era. But that's acompliment - unless you can't stand Motown, you'll go backto this record over and over. The title track is a masterpiece, asare the handful of other originals like "Everytime I See [sic] YouI Go Wild." (JA) Someday At Christmas (1967)
If you have to have a Christmas album, you might as well have one by Stevie, right? Not necessarily. There are a fewrenditions of Christmas standards ("The Little Drummer Boy," "Silver Bells"), but most of the songs are Motown originals,and you end up with the worst of both worlds: the subject matter is hackneyed and the orchestral arrangements are saccharine and stale, yet the tunes lack cozy-up-by-the-fire familiarity. Nothing was written by Wonder (though he didcome up with a couple of Christmas numbers for the Miracles a few years later), with Ron Miller doing most of the dirty work. Almost everything is in the same sluggish tempo; the one tune that's standard Motown pop, the single "That's What Christmas Means To Me," sounds amazingly like "Ain't That Asking For Trouble" - it's the best tune on the record, for what that's worth, and doesfeature a fine harmonica solo. Otherwise, what saves the disc from complete disaster is the singing: Stevie doesn't give his all here, but half-assed Stevie vocals still beats the hell out of full-assed most other people vocals.Produced by Cosby. (DBW)For Once In My Life (1968)
- Another big step forward, with Stevie's first co-productions(including the tortured soul classic "Don't Know Why I Love Her"AKA "I Don't Know Why") and Stevie taking a larger role as aninstrumentalist throughout (the clavinet debuts here, on "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day," "You Met Your Match" and more). Catchy uptempopop (title song), lowdown funk ("I Wanna Make Her Love Me"), sweetlively ballads ("Do I Love Her")... only a couple of covers here,and the older track "House On The Hill" is a jarring finish: stopthe record before it comes on. (DBW)
- Motown had finally gotten wise to the fact that the best material on a Stevie Wonder record had always been the original Stevie Wonder songs, and let him write more than half the selections here. The first three tracks all hit the Top 40, with the title track doing particularly well. In a weird twist of fate, "I Don't Know Why" was put out as the A-side of the album's fourth single in early 1969, and it flopped, barely cracking the Top 40 for just a week - but the B-side, "My Cherie Amour," unexpectedly took off and zoomed to #4. That led to the cash-in album released a few months later. (JA) Eivets Rednow Featuring Alfie (Eivets Rednow: 1968)
An album of harmonica instrumentals, released under the see-throughpseudonym "Eivets Rednow." Overproduced fluff, mostly, although"How Can You Believe" (one of Wonder's first compositions listedwith no co-writer) almost makes it as jazz-blues. The unsuccessfulsingle was his harmonica version of "Alfie." (DBW)My Cherie Amour (1969)
- Stevie goes Broadway, recording show tunes ("Hello Young Lovers"),imitating Jose Feliciano covering Jim Morrison ("Light My Fire"),and singing some weak original material ("Yester-Me, Yester-You,Yester-etc."). The title track (recorded in 1966 but held back byMotown's famous quality control department) is the only great pieceof music here. (DBW)
- The track selection is pretty miserable, but at least the performances are crisp and professional, with loads of harmonica solos. In Stevie's defense, he didn't write "Yester-whatever," and some of his own orchestrated love songs do lift the second side: the treacly but interesting "Angie Girl," and the gimmicky but joyful "I've Got You." On the other hand, he does embarass himself with big-time bathos on "Give Your Love." (JA)Signed, Sealed & Delivered (1970)
- There's a lot to like here, from the kinetic, sitar-laden near-title track "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (cowritten withhis mom and his future wife Syreeta Wright) to the classic Motownsound of "Sugar," from the slow protest song "Heaven Help Us All"to the well-named "Joy (Takes Over Me)." Plus his inventive, maniccover of the Beatles' "We CanWork It Out." Stevie was listed as producer, though in fact he only produced twocuts and co-produced three more. (DBW)
- This shows Stevie starting to ditch the house rules, ditch the fads, and do his own thing - he often prevailed over the half-dozen producers who handled half the tracks (Leonard Caston does unfortunately get his way on the tacky "Don't Wonder Why"). Even "Sugar" has a huge drum kick that only Stevie could've engineered. A mature album loaded with ideas, don't ignore it just because of the tacky cover art and the lousy outing that preceded it. And after getting pushed out of the way on the last album, Stevie helped write seven of the 12 songs - but not "Joy" and the infectious Top 10 single "Heaven Help Us All." Also an amazing commercial effort, with four Top 40 hits. (JA) Live (1970)
In line with other Motown releases like the Temptations' Live At The Copa, thisset relies heavily on lounge fodder like "I've Gotta Be Me" and "Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet";the few Stevie hits featured - "Cherie Amour," "For Once In My Life" - are among his sappiest.Combine that with the well-known late 60s live sound quality, and most of Stevie's awesome talents are painfullyobscured. The good news is, Stevie does get to show off some of his musical versatility, playing a drum solo on "Ca' Purange," whatever that is, and stretching out on clavinet during "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Dah-Day." Also, the LP is about an hour long, so - as Voltaire or somebody once said - it makes up in length what it lacks in depth. (DBW)The Big TimeWhere I'm Coming From (1971)
- His first solely self-produced album, he's trying toassimilate all his past influences, from show tunes to 60s pop toR&B to blues, with mixed success. There are powerful songs (thestately almost classical "Look Around," the hit ballad "NeverDreamed You'd Leave In Summer") next to some of the weakestcompositions he's ever released ("Think Of Me As Your Soldier").All the songs are co-written by Stevie and Syreeta Wright (seebelow).(DBW)
- It is a mixed bag and much more dated-sounding than thefollowing albums, but still enjoyable and a step up from theprevious discs - except possibly Signed, Sealed. There really are some great tracks here like "If You Really LoveMe," despite Stevie's tentativeness. (JA)Music Of My Mind (1972)
- As far as I'm concerned, this record and his next fourare all indispensable: it's hard to recommend one over anotherwhen they're all so good. Each one covers a wide range of styles,shows off his talented drumming (in the mold of his mentor BennyBenjamin), piano and keyboard playing (working with Robert Margouleff & Malcolm Cecil, Wonder pioneered the emotionally expressive use of synthesizers), and nonstop melodic,harmonic and even lyric invention. Plus all those great harmonicasolos, and I haven't even mentioned his singing, which has been theprimary influence on generations of R&B/soul/Quiet Storm vocalists.Music Of is a bit more tentative and unfocused than thefollowing albums, but packed with priceless moments nonetheless:"Love Having You Around" is an enjoyably loose funk jam; "I LoveEvery Little Thing About You" is gentle and affectionate, withmasterful vocal percussion; "Happier Than The Morning Sun" blendsadvanced harmonies, a soothing melody, and a kickin' clavinet part.(DBW)
- Indeed, all five records are classics, and it is hard tochose among them. Music Of is brilliant, but it's slightlyless coherent than the records that followed, and it sometimesindulges in the flashy, over-produced Motown sound that Stevie wasraised on ("Evil," with enough modulation to kill an army). Stevie was just figuring out whatto do with his new-found synthesizer toys, and the results arefascinating if sometimes odd ("Seems So Long"). Still,it's full of high-powered funk ("I Love Every Little Thing AboutYou"; "Keep On Running"); superb balladry ("Superwoman (Where WereYou When I Needed You)"); and simply brilliant songwriting("Happier Than The Morning Sun"). (JA) Syreeta (1972)
I've never seen this album on CD, but I'm listing it just in caseanyone's lucky enough to find it. Like Stevie Wonder PresentsSyreeta, the record is produced and mostly co-written byStevie, who also plays most of the instruments. The key track hereis "To Know You Is To Love You" (no, it's not the PhilSpector tune), which features Stevie singing the first verse andchorus, and builds to an amazing finish led by strings and astinging guitar solo by Buzzy Feiten. Syreeta's version of "I LoveEvery Little Thing About You" is an interesting contrast - chunkysynths rather than mostly acoustic - although her version isn't asmoving. The other Stevie compositions range from pretty good("Black Maybe," an attack on opportunistic blacks) to real good("Baby Don't You Let Me Lose This" has a so-so chorus but marvelousverses, "How Many Days" is a ballad in the "You And I" mold,although of course her voice doesn't have the same voltage). There are also acouple of covers - including a fun version of the Beatles' "She's Leaving Home" withStevie doing synth-distorted backing vocals - and one Syreetaoriginal, "Happiness," that doesn't do anything for me. But ifyou're a Stevie fan, this is worth looking for. (DBW)Talking Book (1972)
- I read somewhere that Stevie was asked to compare thisrecord and Innervisions, and he said that this was acollection of better songs but Innervisions was a betteroverall statement, more thematically coherent and flowing. I tendto agree: the best songs here are tremendous - from clavinet-driven hardfunk on "Superstition" to as sweet a ballad as you'll ever hear ("YouAre The Sunshine Of My Life"), and that's just the #1 singles.Also worthy of mention are the deeply funky "MaybeYour Baby" and the wistful/angry political ballad "Big Brother." Alot of people swear by the love songs "You And I" and "Blame It On TheSun," although I find a lot of his other ballads more moving. Andthe album closer, "I Believe," is as relevatory anexperience as you could ask for. Incredibly enough,I think Innervisions is even better. (DBW)
- A masterpiece. Amazingly, there isn't one weak track on thelisting. The highlights are the funk classic "Superstition";the ballad "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life"; and Jeff Beck's marvelously understated guestappearance on the unforgettable "Looking For Another Pure Love.""Blame It On The Sun" is one of my all-time favorite ballads, although Stevie seemingly could pump this kind of thing out in his sleep; just look at the multi-part vocal harmony on "I Believe." Guests include singer Jim Gilstrap (lead-in vocal on "You Are The Sunshine..."). (JA)Innervisions (1973)
- Nothing I can say will do justice to this record. Just buyit. You won't be disappointed. (The hits were "Higher Ground" and"Living For The City," and "Golden Lady" and "Jesus Children OfAmerica" are also among the best songs Stev