Album of the Day (8/15)

[Dawn]

Today's featured album was suggested by 55dodger. Thanks, dodger!

Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder, 1976[/size]

The tracks (2000 reissue):

Disc: 1

1. Love's In Need Of Love Today
2. Have A Talk With God
3. Village Ghetto Land
4. Contusion
5. Sir Duke
6. I Wish
7. Knocks Me Off My Feet
8. Pastime Paradise
9. Summer Soft
10. Ordinary Pain

Disc: 2

1. Isn't She Lovely
2. Joy Inside My Tears
3. Black Man
4. Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing
5. If It's Magic
6. As
7. Another Star
8. Saturn
9. Ebony Eyes
10. All Day Sucker
11. Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)

What are your thoughts on this album?

[SAT-I need more room!!]

I only know three songs on here, but they are three of his best.

Isn't She Lovely is probably my least fave of the three, although having a daughter has given it more meaning to me. I do like it.

I Wish is one of those I always knew, but only sometime in the past 10 years realized the name of it. Cool tune.

Sir Duke, love it. Great childhood song. Probably my overall fave from him.

[Ken]

Hi Dawn:) I saw the VH1 Classic Albums episode featuring this album - what a great show - I've seen it a few times actually very entertaining . They reunited and interviewed many of the musicians who worked with
Stevie on the record. He was at his peak.


I'm only familiar with four tunes from the album including
Pastime Paradise which of course you'll remember Coolio ripped off as Gangsta's Paradise - way to go Coolio - Yuck!!

Great memories of hearing these on the radio:)


Faves - I Wish , Isn't She Lovely , Sir Duke ( what a horn section! - kickin' butt! and Pastime Paradise.

[jpkansas]

Don't have the album, but Sir Duke is in my top 5 favorites of his (A Place In The Sun is my favorite).

[Dawn]

SAT-The said:

I only know three songs on here, but they are three of his best.

Isn't She Lovely is probably my least fave of the three, although having a daughter has given it more meaning to me. I do like it.

I Wish is one of those I always knew, but only sometime in the past 10 years realized the name of it. Cool tune.

Sir Duke, love it. Great childhood song. Probably my overall fave from him.

‘Sir Duke’ is probably my favorite of his also. Boy, does that song ever bring back the memories for me too!

I was the same way with ‘I Wish’ – always liked it, but never really put a title with it until I got his Original Musicquarium I cassette back in 1986. Great song!

[Dawn]

KenFrank said:

Hi Dawn:) I saw the VH1 Classic Albums episode featuring this album - what a great show - I've seen it a few times actually very entertaining . They reunited and interviewed many of the musicians who worked with
Stevie on the record. He was at his peak.


I'm only familiar with four tunes from the album including
Pastime Paradise which of course you'll remember Coolio ripped off as Gangsta's Paradise - way to go Coolio - Yuck!!

Great memories of hearing these on the radio:)


Faves - I Wish , Isn't She Lovely , Sir Duke ( what a horn section! - kickin' butt! and Pastime Paradise.

That Classic Albums episode sounds really interesting – I wish I’d caught that one! Hopefully they’ll air it again one of these days.

I’m with you - I’ve never been fond of ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ at all either. I’ll take Stevie ANY day!

[Dawn]

jpkansas said:

Don't have the album, but Sir Duke is in my top 5 favorites of his (A Place In The Sun is my favorite).

‘Sir Duke’ is such an outstanding song – as I mentioned to Sat, I think it's my favorite of all of his. ‘A Place in the Sun’ is great as well, and one that should be getting more airplay on the oldies stations than it does.

[55dodger]

Hi Dawn -

Stevie had been around for what seemed like forever by 1976 and had so many great hits prior to this album. Having said that, I always associate Stevie with this album, maybe his signature album. He put it all together on this one. It won a ton of Grammy's, American Music Awards, and everything else it seems. Probably the one of the must albums in a collection by Stevie. One of the best.
Favorites: Sir Duke, Contusion, I Wish, Pasttime Paradise, Saturn, Ebony Eyes.

[Dawn]

55dodger said:

Hi Dawn -

Stevie had been around for what seemed like forever by 1976 and had so many great hits prior to this album. Having said that, I always associate Stevie with this album, maybe his signature album. He put it all together on this one. It won a ton of Grammy's, American Music Awards, and everything else it seems. Probably the one of the must albums in a collection by Stevie. One of the best.
Favorites: Sir Duke, Contusion, I Wish, Pasttime Paradise, Saturn, Ebony Eyes.

Hi dodger!

I agree that this is probably Stevie's signature album. I remember reading that it took many months to record, but the end result was worth it - it definitely is a masterpiece. You're right, this album is a must-have for the Stevie fan.