Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life is one of the defining albums of 1970s soul and one of the most ambitious records in the history of popular music. Released by Motown on 28 September 1976, this landmark double album arrived after an extended period of anticipation and became one of Wonder's most celebrated and commercially successful releases.

Wonder wrote, produced and arranged the vast majority of the album, creating a remarkably broad musical landscape that moves between funk, soul, R&B, jazz, pop, gospel and experimental studio music. Rather than following a single musical formula, Songs In The Key Of Life explores personal relationships, childhood, spirituality, social inequality, racism, family and the complexities of modern life.

The album opens with the beautiful “Love's In Need Of Love Today”, before moving through the socially conscious “Village Ghetto Land”, the instrumental jazz-funk of “Contusion” and the exuberant “Sir Duke”. Written as a celebration of Duke Ellington and other musical heroes, “Sir Duke” became one of Wonder's biggest international hits. “I Wish”, meanwhile, transforms memories of childhood into an irresistible funk groove and became another No. 1 hit in the United States.

The second half contains some of Wonder's most enduring compositions. “Isn't She Lovely”, written about the birth of his daughter Aisha, became an instantly recognisable Stevie Wonder classic, while “Pastime Paradise” and “Black Man” demonstrate the album's more socially conscious side. “As” and the expansive “Another Star” bring the main album to a spectacular conclusion, with “Another Star” incorporating elements of jazz, Latin music, funk and African-influenced percussion.

The original package is particularly desirable because it included the separate 7-inch bonus EP A Something's Extra. This additional record contains four tracks that were not part of the original four main LP sides: “Saturn”, “Ebony Eyes”, “All Day Sucker” and “Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)”. The bonus EP was included with the original 1976 LP editions and is an important part of the complete package.

Musically, the album features an extraordinary cast of contributors alongside Wonder. Among them are Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Michael Sembello, Dorothy Ashby, Nathan Watts and Greg Phillinganes, while Wonder himself handles an enormous range of vocals, keyboards, drums, percussion, harmonica and other instruments. The sheer variety of musicians and arrangements contributes to the album's expansive, richly layered sound.

Songs In The Key Of Life went to No. 1 in the US, topped the US R&B chart and reached No. 2 in the UK. It also produced major singles including “I Wish” and “Sir Duke”, both of which reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

For collectors of Stevie Wonder vinyl, Motown, classic soul, funk and 1970s R&B, Songs In The Key Of Life is an essential record. Its combination of musical ambition, extraordinary songwriting and socially conscious themes makes it far more than a collection of hit songs - it is one of the great landmark albums of the 1970s.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Love's In Need Of Love Today
2. Have A Talk With God
3. Village Ghetto Land
4. Contusion
5. Sir Duke

Side B

1. I Wish
2. Knocks Me Off My Feet
3. Pastime Paradise
4. Summer Soft
5. Ordinary Pain

Side C

1. Isn't She Lovely
2. Joy Inside My Tears
3. Black Man

Side D

1. Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing
2. If It's Magic
3. As
4. Another Star