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Original Musiquarium I
''Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I'' is a compilation album by R&B/soul musician Stevie Wonder that was released in 1982 by Motown Records. It collects eleven Top-40 hit singles and five album tracks, including four previously unreleased tracks, from 1972 to 1982. The album peaked at No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200, at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart in the U.S., and went to No. 8 in the UK. It has been certified gold by the RIAA. The four new songs were issued as singles to promote the album, with "That Girl" and " Do I Do" reaching the top 10 and top 20 of the US pop chart and number one and two on the R&B chart, respectively. Critical reception Robert Palmer of ''The New York Times'' described ''Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium'' as "an impressive album" where "the songs flow into one another and are grouped loosely into four categories - protest funk on Side One, sophisticated ballads and lightly swinging rhythm tunes on Side Two, tributes to various influences ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Wonder is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, R&B, Pop music, pop, Soul music, soul, Gospel music, gospel, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-man band, Wonder's use of synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of contemporary R&B. He also helped drive such genres into the album era, crafting his LP record, LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Visual impairment, Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder. Wonder's s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 positions but was shortened to 50 positions in October 2012. The chart is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African-American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, rock and roll, soul, and funk, it is today dominated by contemporary R&B and hip hop. Since its inception, the chart has changed its name many times in order to accurately reflect the industry at the time. History Beginning in 1942, ''Billboard'' published a chart of bestselling African-American music, first as the Harlem Hit Parade, then as Race Records. Then in 1949, ''Billboard'' began publishing a Rhythm and Blues chart, which entered "R&B" into mainstream lexicon. These three ch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sir Duke
"Sir Duke" is a song composed and performed by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album '' Songs in the Key of Life''. Released as a single in 1977, the track topped the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Black Singles charts, and reached number two in the UK Singles Chart, his joint biggest hit there at the time. ''Billboard'' ranked it as the No. 18 song of 1977. The song was written in tribute to Duke Ellington, the influential jazz legend who had died in 1974. The lyrics also refer to Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. Wonder re-recorded the song for the 1995 live album '' Natural Wonder''. Background Wonder wrote the song as a tribute to Duke Ellington, the jazz composer, bandleader, and pianist who had influenced him as a musician. Wonder had already experienced the death of two of his idols (Dinah Washington and Wes Montgomery) after attempting to collaborate with them. After Ellington died in 1974, Wonder wanted to write a song acknowledging mus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I Wish (Stevie Wonder Song)
"I Wish" is a song by American singer Stevie Wonder. It was released in late 1976 as the lead single from his eighteenth album, ''Songs in the Key of Life'' (1976). Written and produced by Wonder, the song focuses on his childhood from the 1950s into the early 1960s about how he wished he could go back and relive it. The single hit number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and soul singles chart. At the 19th Grammy Awards, Stevie Wonder won the Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for this song. Composition Wonder recollected how the music for "I Wish" came to him: The day I wrote it was a Saturday, the day of a Motown picnic in the summer of '76. God, I remember that because I was having this really bad toothache. It was ridiculous... I had such a good time at the picnic that I went to Crystal Recording Studio right afterward and the vibe came right to my mind – running at the picnic, the contests, we all participated. It was a lot of fun ... and from that came the 'I Wish' vibe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
You Haven't Done Nothin'
"You Haven't Done Nothin" is a 1974 funk single by Stevie Wonder, taken from his album ''Fulfillingness' First Finale'' and featuring background vocals by the Jackson 5. The politically aware song became Wonder's fourth Number-1 pop hit and his tenth Number-1 soul hit. It also reached Number 1 in Canada. In the UK the single spent five weeks on the chart, peaking at Number 30. Background The song was one of his angriest political statements and was aimed directly at President Richard Nixon, who resigned two days after the release of the single. The Jackson 5 provided backing vocals, singing the words "Doo da wop!" during the chorus after Wonder sings "Jackson 5, join along with me, say". The song also features a thick clavinet track and an early appearance of the drum machine. The B-side "Big Brother", also a political statement, was taken from Wonder's 1972 album ''Talking Book''. ''Billboard'' described "You Haven't Done Nothin'" as being "exceptionally powerful" and more subtl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a 1973 single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and his first number-one on the Easy Listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and was nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.Hogan, Ed. "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (song review) ''AllMusic.com''. This song was the second single (following "Superstition") released from the 1972 album entitled ''Talking Book'', which stayed at number one on the R&B albums chart for three weeks. ''Rolling Stone'' ranks the song at number 183 on their list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". ''Billboard'' called it "a soft, haunting ballad with outstanding electric piano runs and outstanding production work." In 2002, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Background The first two lines of the song are sung, not by Wonder, but by Jim Gilstrap; Lani Gro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Superstition (song)
"Superstition" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder. It was released on October 24, 1972, as the lead single from his fifteenth studio album, ''Talking Book'' (1972), by Tamla. The lyrics describe popular superstitions and their negative effects. "Superstition" reached number one in the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in January 1973 and on the soul singles chart. It was Wonder's first number-one single since " Fingertips, Pt. 2" in 1963. It peaked at number eleven in the UK Singles Chart in February 1973. In November 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the song number 74 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was re-ranked number 73 on its 2010 list, and number 12 on its 2021 list. At the 16th Grammy Awards, the song earned Wonder two Grammys: "Best Rhythm & Blues Song" and " Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male". In 1998, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Writing and recording In the early 1970s, Wonder was playing most of the in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Songs In The Key Of Life
''Songs in the Key of Life'' is the eighteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter and musician Stevie Wonder. A double album, it was released on September 28, 1976, by Tamla Records, a division of Motown. It was recorded primarily at Crystal Sound studio in Hollywood, with some sessions recorded at the Record Plant in Hollywood, the Record Plant in Sausalito, and The Hit Factory in New York City; final mixing was conducted at Crystal Sound. The album has been regarded by music journalists as the culmination of Wonder's "classic period" of recording. By 1974, Wonder was one of the most successful figures in popular music; his previous albums '' Music of My Mind'' (1972), ''Talking Book'' (1972), '' Innervisions'' (1973), and '' Fulfillingness' First Finale'' (1974) were all back-to-back critical successes. However, by March 1975, Wonder seriously considered quitting the music industry and emigrating to Ghana to aid children with disabilities. When plans for a farewel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isn't She Lovely
"Isn't She Lovely" is a song by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album, '' Songs in the Key of Life''. The lyrics celebrate the birth of his daughter, Aisha Morris. Wonder collaborated on the song with Harlem songwriter and studio owner Burnetta "Bunny" Jones. The song opens side 3 of ''Songs in the Key of Life'', and starts with a baby's first cry recorded during an actual childbirth. A recording of Wonder bathing Aisha as an older toddler is brought into the final section of the song, mixed with Wonder's extended chromatic harmonica solo. All of the instruments heard in the song are played by Wonder, except for some keyboard parts played by Greg Phillinganes. During the recording process, bassist Nathan Watts laid down a bass guitar line to serve as a guide track for Wonder, but Wonder eventually replaced this with his own keyboard bass performance. The more-than-six-minute song was not released as a single, as Wonder was unwilling to shorten the song to fit the 7", 45 rpm format. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Master Blaster (Jammin')
"Master Blaster (Jammin')" is a 1980 song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released as the lead single from his nineteenth studio album, '' Hotter than July'' (1980). It was a major hit, spending seven weeks at number one on the US ''Billboard'' R&B singles chart, reaching number five on ''Billboard's'' pop singles chart in the fall of 1980 and peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart, and number one in New Zealand. History The song, built on a heavy reggae feel, is an ode to reggae legend Bob Marley; Wonder had been performing live with Marley (billing him as an opening act) on his US tour in the fall of that year. Lyrics mention "children of Jah", "Marley's Hot on the box" and the end of the civil war in Zimbabwe. The song has a similar feel to Marley's own song " Jamming," from his 1977 album '' Exodus.'' ''Record World'' said that it combines "topical urban street themes with reggae-pop rhythms." Personnel * Stevie Wonder – vocals, Fender Rhodes, cla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder Song)
"Higher Ground" is a song written by Stevie Wonder which first appeared on his 1973 album '' Innervisions''. The song reached number 4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 1 on the US Hot R&B Singles chart. Wonder wrote and recorded the song in a three-hour burst of creativity in May 1973. The album version of the song contains an extra verse and runs 30 seconds longer than the single version. The song was released in the UK but achieved only modest success, reaching number 29 in the UK Singles Chart. Background The song lyrics address the issue of reincarnation. Wonder commented, when interviewed by ''The New York Times'': I would like to believe in reincarnation. I would like to believe that there is another life. I think that sometimes your consciousness can happen on this earth a second time around. For me, I wrote "Higher Ground" even before the accident. But something must have been telling me that something was going to happen to make me aware of a lot of things an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of the longest-running newspapers in the United States, the ''Times'' serves as one of the country's Newspaper of record, newspapers of record. , ''The New York Times'' had 9.13 million total and 8.83 million online subscribers, both by significant margins the List of newspapers in the United States, highest numbers for any newspaper in the United States; the total also included 296,330 print subscribers, making the ''Times'' the second-largest newspaper by print circulation in the United States, following ''The Wall Street Journal'', also based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' is published by the New York Times Company; since 1896, the company has been chaired by the Ochs-Sulzberger family, whose current chairman and the paper's publ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
