Stevie Wonder Band • Page 3

Stevie Wonder brings Songs In The Key Of Life tour to UK - BBC News

Stevie Wonder will play his landmark album Songs In The Key Of Life in full in London's Hyde Park this July.

The R&B star is the latest act to be confirmed for the BST festival, which also sees Carole King recreate her Tapestry album, as well as sets from Take That and Kendrick Lamar.

 

One of my favorite parts about music are the lyrics. Innervisions seemed to me to be hitting on the hardships being faced in America at that time and then right in the middle we get "Golden Lady" which is sweet and makes me feel happy. It blows my mind that he's only 23.

We used Higher Ground in one of our recitals and I've always loved that song.

 

Got two songs into Talking Book in the car, and it's not the most immediately accessible sequencing. Opening with the ballad, then the slow burn funk, then another ballad is an odd way to start, but the songs are really good.

He just always makes intriguing choices. Like "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is, in composition, a pretty straightforward love song. But then he plays it with as much jazz as he can muster in the performance. And the percussion in the back half is just bananas.

 

Listening to Signed, Sealed, & Delivered. I wanted to wait to post thoughts, but "Sugar" is too good of a song. Holy. Shit. That's not gonna leave my head for a long time.

 

Yessssssss! I was hoping you'd love that one

 

what country?

Listened to Innervisions and Key of Life, halfway through Music of My Mind now. Will run back through these before I post any thoughts

 

I was thinking particularly of the verses on "Ain't Gonna Stand for It" off Hotter Than July and "Sweet Little Girl" off Music of My Mind

 

OH MY GOD HOW DID I FORGET TO POST THIS!

 

For the record, that Sesame Street performance was not posted for novelty. His band is straight FILTHY on that song. Sabbath never had a rhythm section that heavy.

 

Yeah that video is required viewing for sure

 

I'll be truthful I like Stevie's hit songs but wasn't sure I'd like the records. Since listening to more of his music, I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying this. I expected to like it but not enough to want to revisit it and I feel like I will at some point after this.

 

Yeah I feel like I've always given him a lot of credit, but not for all the things he deserves credit for. He's masterful in ways I didn't realize.

 

YAS, PRINCE, YAS! This might have been one of the best contributions to the site. I think tons more people will join in once the site is up and running.

 

I've been driving with Talking Book the last few days. It was my first Stevie record and I bought it because I have always worshiped "Superstition" and I definitely remember not being that into it when I first got it, and I totally get why. It's very ballad heavy and has nothing else like that song. Stevie in a mellow mood. But FUCK it's excellent. Just wall-to-wall mastery.

And then the one song where he does get fully funky ("Superstition") he literally perfects the form. It's probably the best funk song of all time. And probably has my favorite horn charts in any song ever. Just listen to the instrumental jam after he stops singing near the end. It is constantly shifting. The horns change pattern. Then he switched up the clavinet lick. Then the bass starts to play that crazy horn line. Then the drums start throwing in fills. And they keep cycling in and out in different combinations. Just staggering. I legit rewound and listened to that jam out 5 times on the drive home. Not even the whole song. Just that bit.

 

I really hope so. It should be obvious that getting people to listen to older music is a major passion of mine. Hopefully if a good core of regulars keep doing this every week, it will draw new people, too.

 

I MAJORLY underrated "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever". I love that Stevie knows how good it is, too. Doesn't dress it up. Doesn't repeat it for an extra minute at the end (though he does have that quick, funky coda). Doesn't throw in a curveball bridge. Just plays it straight because it's that damn good.

 

Shit guys, I keep forgetting about this. Sorry for dropping the ball.

 

Still have two days. Pick that ball up, my friend

 

Making a double record is a leap of faith in any situation; making a double record and opening it with a 7-minute song is daring as fuck. But "Love's in Need of Love" today just flows so well, it feels like it's half that long. Probably my favorite Stevie song, at least from what I've heard which is admittedly limited.

 

I didn't realize it was a double album going in, which made it feel reallllly long, like I expected every song after the first ten or so to be the last. Really enjoyed "Contusion" and "Sir Duke" on first listen.

I think Music of My Mind is my favorite of the three. Innervisions didn't click as much for me

 

I've been listening to Golden Lady over and over again. It is such a jam. This is why it takes me so long to get through albums lol

 

I'd say Where I'm Coming From would probably be up your alley, too, then. It's in that middle ground with Music of My Mind where he's still ambitious, but more moderately.

 

Cool, I'll throw that in this weekend after I relisten to the others!