Rick Clark's Music I Love Blog: Stevie Wonder - early 70's
Steve Wonder
Few artists convey joy, playfulness, hope, deep spirituality, and pure soulful humanity in such a uniquely identifiable way as Stevie Wonder. I have loved his music since his brilliant '60s Motown hits, but with the release of 1971's transitional Where I'm Coming From, it was clear Wonder was moving away from tight Motown pop-soul into something more far more expressive.
Wonder delivered two outstanding albums in 1972, Music Of My Mind and Talking Book, that presented a fully-dimensional expression of an artist who had indeed found his voice. For those of you unfamiliar with these albums, you may be familiar with the hits "Superwoman," You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and "Superstition." Those are undeniably great records, but the rest of the tracks on these albums is equally remarkable. They are so alive that they feel timeless.
Stevie Wonder
Besides the occasional extra player or guest artist (like Jeff Beck on the reflective "Looking For Another Pure Love"), Wonder is essentially a one-man-band. One of the qualities I love about these albums is how expressive every single instrument is performed. Nothing is static or linear. Everything feels like it comes from the heart of an artist who is having an active soulful conversation with each instrument. He puts everything on the line. As a result, I have always been thrilled at the unfolding back-and-forth. Wonder had been actively experimenting with synthesizers, and it is impressive how he was able to imbue so much heart into those sounds.
If I had to pick one Stevie Wonder album, it would be Talking Book. There is so much heart on every track, and the album, especially Side Two, which opens up with the explosive funk of "Superstition" and ends with the gorgeous "I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)" is flawless in my book. I have listened to this album seemingly countless times, and I never ever tire of it.
Stevie Wonder
Wonder's Innervisions, which came out in 1973, is another brilliant album. It contained the hits "Higher Ground" and "Livin' For The City," and one of my very favorite Wonder hits, "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing." I always looked at Innervisions as another transitional album, leading to the slightly tighter, more polished classics Fulfillingness' First Finale and Songs In The Key Of Life.
I've included some enjoyable live performances, "Livin' In The City" and "If You Really Love Me," which was the hit single from Where I'm Coming From. Thanks for listening.
Stevie Wonder “If You Really Love Me” live 1972