Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is without doubt one of the great musical masters, with many recent artists smapling (smapling?) his tunes including Will Smith's "Wild Wild West" (taken from "I Wish"), Coolio's "Gangsters Paradise" (taken from "Pastime Paradise") and Kylie Minogue's "Locomotion" (Taken from "Ok I'm making this up now").
Many of Stevies songs are upbeat happy numbers, some dealing with issues of race, religion and fake moustaches. On such song is "Ebony and Ivory" which is clearly about the contrast between ones Teeth (Ivory) and a fake moustache (Ebony). I had an arguement once with a guy in a pub who insisted that it was actually an inspirational song about all the races of the world coming together. I don't believe a word of it.
Stevie Wonder is easily recognisable by his unique performances where he dances in a somewhat jerky motion at his keyboard and by his dark glasses. Having been blind from a very young age, the lad Stevie concentrated is efforts into learning many instruments including drums, piano, harmonica and triangle. As somewhat of a childhood prodigy, it wasn't long before his talent was recognised and he became a teenage motown great.
Although he produced many great albums/tunes in the 60's, it was in the 70's that he really blossomed to become the living legend that he is today. The 1970's saw perhaps his two greatest must own albums "Talking Book" and "Songs in the Key of Life"
The boy Stevies most popular hits include "Uptight (Everythings Alright)", "For Once in my Life", "I was made to Love Her", "Yester-me, Yester-You, Yesterday", "Superstition", "You are the Sunshine of my Life", "Living in the City", "Isn't She Lovely", "Ebony and Ivory", "I Just Called TO Say I Loved You" and "My Cherie Amour" (A song about Tony Blairs wife, as "Amour" was her maiden name. She left Stevie for Tony but his band turned out to be less successful),
Some Stevie sites that I've found ro be quite good include includes Stevie Wonders World and the Stevie Wonder Sction at warr.org.
If you're thinking of buying some of Stevies Stuff then the following ones are the best*
| Stevie Wonder: Definitive Collection
This seems to have all the major hits on it. I don't actually own it but it seems to be a very good starting point. Here's the track list: |
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| Songs In the Key Of Life
A tip top double album of beautiful songs to jive to. Maybe not quite as good as talking book in my oppinion, its still viewed as a 5 star album on amazon. Loads of tracks that you'd recognise, and they are:
Disc: 1 |
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| Talking Book
A very good album indeed with two number 1 hits on it. It's also an Amazon essential recording, whatever that is. If you decide that the greatest hits just arn't enough then I think
this should be one of your first purchases. Its a fairly upbeat album about love, not one to be buying for those sad times
when your mum takes your fake moustache off of you and tells you that you can;t have it till you eat all your vegetables. Bitch.
Anyway, the track list is as follows:
1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life 2. Maybe Your Baby 3. You And I, 4. Tuesday Heartbreak 5. You've Got It Bad Girl, 6. Superstition 7. Big Brother 8. Blame It On The Sun 9. Lookin' For Another Pure Love 10. I Believe |
* The oppinion of a bloke who walks about, sometimes naked, wearing a fake moustache.
