At only 13 years-old, Stevie Wonder had his first number one hit, and he was already a two year veteran to the music industry by then. Since signing with Motown in 1961 at the age of 11, Stevie has released 30 albums and become a cross-generational legend in the music history. His hits are abundant and have remained mainstays in my music collection since childhood.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Here's 7 of my favorites from Stevie Wonder.
Week 39: STEVIE WONDER
#267/420 - Stevie Wonder, “If You Really Love Me”
It’s almost like two songs in one. One extremely peppy and jazzy and joyous, and the other, soulful, minimalist, deliberate. Like the sides of Stevie Wonder himself as a musician. This album marked the end of Stevie’s era with Motown, this song, one last classic to go out on.
#268/420 - Stevie Wonder, “He’s Misstra Know-It-All”
One of my earliest favorites from Stevie Wonder that really got me into his music, this is an especially good one that closes one of his very best albums, also featuring another favorite, “Living for the City”. Like much of Stevie’s music, it’s a rich, lush sound produced here, with emotional sways and soaring crescendos. The way the piano and vocals drop at the starts of bars here takes you right along with them, winding on and on as many of Stevie’s post-Motown hits do.
Moreover, remarkable to note this was on his 16th album. Few musicians even get so far, let alone do so well. It’s really some music magic, fitting for a performer named Wonder.
#269/420 - Stevie Wonder, “As”
I’m not sure another musician has ever excelled at upbeat better than Stevie Wonder. Stevie’s eighteenth album was another great one, and this 7 minute groove is my favorite from it. It’s a song you can disappear into, but reassuringly, warm, bright, funky, and idealistic. This is Stevie at some of his very best in this era.
This, as well as any of the next 4, could have all easily fallen as my top pick.
#270/420 - Stevie Wonder, “My Cherie Amour”
This one is to the person I should be with, but am not, wherever you are and wherever you may be.
A song of pining, but one from a sincere place. Certainly it encapsulates feelings I have felt myself before quite well. Sometimes it is difficult to become infatuated with someone you cannot have, or don’t know how to approach, or know you can/should only admire in the fleeting moment(s) you have because the odds are beyond likely that romance of any kind could ever be more than momentary between you. It’s one-sided, but pure. The tone of his voice says it all.
It’s music that taps your toes, rocks your head side to side, and lifts your heart. It is one of many terrific love songs made by Stevie Wonder.
On a day that mounts pressure to have love and show love and be in love, sometimes it is enough to have a song in your heart and love from afar.
But, then again, “maybe someday, I’ll share your little distant cloud.”
#271/420 - Stevie Wonder, “For Once in My Life”
One of the happiest, most joyful songs about love there is. Stevie is in great form here. While many others to record this previously, such as The Temptations, The Four Tops, Diana Ross, and Tony Bennett, performed it as a slow ballad, Stevie juiced it up and, in my opinion, captured the emotion of the lyrics even better by doing so. This is the definitive version for sure.
The Funk Brothers give this song some excellent instrumentation, the bass, drums, and piano as well, while Stevie himself kills it on the harmonica solo. It’s really a fun, lively tune that had to be a blast to record.
It’s one of Stevie’s signature songs for a reason and a great example of how exceptional of a musician he is, putting his spin on a song that had already been done by numerous music legends, and outdoing them all.
#272/420 - Stevie Wonder, “I Was Made to Love Her”
Among the very best of soul music in the 60s in my opinion, this is one of those songs that practically defines the word its genre is named for. Stevie was only 17 when he released this (a tremendous accomplishment) and it is so very much a song for a seventeen year-old.
Suzy was in pig tails.
I know I loved her even then.
This is some soulful, passionate reminiscing of youth.
I love the injection of energy and sound provided by the Funk Brothers here with one minute remaining in this song especially. Everyone kicks it up a notch, not in an overly pronounced way, but one that overtakes you nonetheless, and Stevie just belts that finale out. Really an outstanding song and a long-time favorite of mine.
And it finishes with one of Stevie’s best lines, “You know Stevie ain't gonna leave her. Ow!”
#273/420 - Stevie Wonder, “Overjoyed”
Stevie Wonder’s twentieth album includes one of the nicest, sincere-sounding love songs I have ever heard, and it’s my favorite from him. I used to listen to this when I was a teenager and imagine that I would someday meet the person described in this song and/or that it would apply to my life someday. It’s very idealistic, delivered in a very genuine, warm manner. The piano is really something brilliant here. Each note is spaced in such a way that captures such a perfect feeling for the words being said. The lyrics are also very well written and Stevie remains a strong vocalist even twenty albums in.
Stevie Wonder is one of the best living music legends we still have with us today. I once missed out on an opportunity to see a free Stevie Wonder concert in Chicago in 2007 which happened the day after I moved away and it still bothers me today that it didn’t work out for me to be able to go. I hope the chance will arrive in my life again, but either way, I will be continuing to enjoy his music and find new things to appreciate about it.
Next week, one of the only country musicians I am featuring on my list. His style is unmistakable. He was able to be both laugh-out-loud hilarious, or deeply thoughtful and sentimental, it’s country legend Roger Miller.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Week 2: The Jackson 5/The Jacksons
Week 3: A Tribe Called Quest
Week 4: Weezer
Week 5: Bob Dylan
Week 6: Led Zeppelin
Week 7: 2Pac/Makaveli
Week 8: Billy Joel
Week 9: Electric Light Orchestra
Week 10: Elvis Presley
Week 11: Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
Week 12: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Week 13: Nirvana
Week 14: The Doors
Week 15: The Rolling Stones
Week 16: Gnarls Barkley
Week 17: Gábor Szabó
Week 18: Galaxie 500
Week 19: Simon & Garfunkel
Week 20: Gorillaz
Week 21: Ennio Morricone
Week 22: The Moody Blues
Week 23: Koji Kondo
Week 24: Rob Zombie/White Zombie
Week 25: Paul McCartney/Wings
Week 26: George Harrison
Week 27: Phil Spector
Week 28: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Week 29: Public Enemy
Week 30: The Love Language
Week 31: Barry White
Week 32: Frank Sinatra
Week 33: David Bowie
Week 34: Queen
Week 35: The Offspring
Week 36: Louis Prima
Week 37: The Notorious B.I.G.
Week 38: Nancy Sinatra
View the full list of "420 Songs" here: https://tinyurl.com/y8fboudu (Google spreadsheet link)