In a career spanning four decades Steveland Judkins Morris has been many things: child star, funk hero, political chronicler, the saviour of Motown Records and depressingly, the instigator of the painfully schmaltzy R&B ballad. Thankfully, this exhaustive "Best Of...", timed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his first appearance as Little Stevie Wonder, focuses mainly on the 1966-1980 glory years and his transition from incendiary soul man to voice of the 70s. The jackhammer beats, shout-along choruses and wailing harmonica peg "Uptight", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and "I Was Made To Love Her" as three of the finest anthems of the Motown era, and "My Cherie Amour" as one of its sweetest love songs. But it was when he turned his attention to grinding keyboard grooves and social concerns that Wonder really came into his own. Inspired by ghetto funk and the unrest in 70s America he delivered three staggering albums, Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. Those albums highlights, "Living for the City", "Higher Ground", "I Wish", the gospel powered "As" and life-affirming Duke Ellington-tribute "Sir Duke", account for The Definitive Collection's standout tracks, while the rocking synth strut and ferocious horns of "Superstition" provide the defining moment. Next to such musical genius, the 80s slush of Motown's biggest ever selling single, "I Just Called To Say I Love You" seems particularly insipid. But like equally twee Paul McCartney duet "Ebony & Ivory", it's an easily skipped blip in an otherwise essential collection. --Dan Gennoe

Start with this and then buy the back catalogue, 01 Nov 2008
This is probably the best compilation album of Stevie's work and that's great but I urge you all to use this as a taster of his work, there is lots of it and if you buy anything before 1980 you will love it if you like this. Unfortunately he's done nothing of real note after the 1970's and that was where his key work was done. The trilogy of talking book, innvervisions and Songs in the key of life are treasures to be explored in their won right and you should all do so, personally although songs in the key of life is seen as his masterpiece it was a double album brain dump of everything he was working on and contains material that is weaker than the shorter talking book and innvervisions, with Innvervisions representing his finest (non compilation) album in my opinion, with perhaps Living for the City my favourite song of Stevie's.

So to conclude a brilliant compliation of the highlights of a genious career which will ease you into the back catalogue and allow you to uncover the gems that lie therein for yourselves.

Brillant, 04 Jan 2008
Bought this cd a few weeks ago and just can't stop listening to it. Whatever mode i am in, it cheers me up and makes me smile great album really worth getting.

ESSENTIAL STEVIE WONDER, 03 May 2006
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Judkins Morris) began singing in a choir with his mother and siblings at a very early age at the Whitestone Baptist Church, which lay in his hometown of Saginaw.

By the age of 10, Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. He proved a master on the piano, harmonica and drums and was adept at poetry and song-writing. Stevie was soon recommended by John Glover (who he was extensivley working with at the time) to Ronnie White, then a member of the fantastic, Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, who were signed to Detroits, Tamla Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy who was instantly astounded by this child genius.

Dubbed Little Stevie Wonder in his early career, he was rapidly signed to Motown Records, home to some of the most important names in the history of black music including Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. It was clear from an early age that Stevie Wonder indeed was a deeply gifted singer/songwriter and muscian.

Fingertips, released in 1963, proved an exhilirating masterpiece. Fingertips was virtually a harmonica instrumental but its just so totally infectious and caught onto the public like a magnet. Fingertips quickly catapulted to the top of the U.S charts and became the first in a long line of classics.

It was clearly his Motown work that remained some of his most popular and compelling output. The vibrant, Uptight (Everything's Alright) was a highly infectious affair as was the more sparse production of Yesterme-Yesteryou-Yesterday. The rolling undertones of playful funk on the classic, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) were three classics that perharps were pure examples of how Stevie Wonder gradually adapted to more Pop styles where his work still vastly contained elements of traditional black rhythm and blues but was able to cross boundaries and break down many racial barriers (much in the way Diana Ross had). Though commercial in each of the tracks content, they all still firmly retained that earthy, soulful style, owing much to Stevies credible and unique vocal style.

Stevie proved to be a masterful lyric writer and conveyed an effortless flair for ballads such as on the passionate, timeless, My Cherie Amour (written with Henry Cosby) and the more subtle and profound, A Place In The Sun.

Like Marvin gaye, his work steadily progressed from the formulaic sounds of Motown to more creative, artistic and indepth material, releasing a string of quality studio albums throughout the 1970's. The startling Superstition was a sharp, nifty, funky number where Stevies voice effectivley cuts through the stark musical arrangements. He delivered a more anthemic message on the compelling, Higher Ground.

The awesome, Living For The City, was an exciting, severn-minute epic which echoed the restrictions and perils of ghetto life. Much of his work steered more into profound political and social issues that perfectly captured contemporary times and deservedly gained wide acknowledgement from critics.

Like Diana Ross (a close friend of the divas and he'd also written the dazzling compostion, Too Shy To Say for her 1977 studio album, Baby It's Me) his work eventually settled into the more Adult-Contemporary market that occupied the lower reaches of the charts yet fully remained an A-list novelty act. Such saccharine numbers like I Just Called To Say I Love You, may have become big cross-atlantic hits but this type of material lacks the dynamic of some of his earlier work.

Even so, Stevie Wonder continues to this day to enjoy a large and loyal following. This being the definitive collection of Stevie Wonders work makes it essential to any serious Soul/R&B/Motown collection.




The definitive Steve Wonder htis collection...for now..., 06 Nov 2003
The first collection of Stevie Wonder hits came out in 1968, when he was still a teenager. Of course, as a pre-teen "Little" Stevie gave Motown its first #1 album. In retrospect 1968 turned out to be a pivotal year in Wonder's career, which began covering Ray Charles songs and whose first hit "Fingertips, Part 2" actually came as a pre-teen, because that was the year he finally started writing most of the songs on his album (e.g., "My Cherie Amour"). The Wonder years definitively come in the early Seventies when he was putting out albums like "Music of My Mind," "Talking Book," "Innervisions," and "Songs in the Key of Life." This explains why the middle part of this collection is the best. Stevie Wonder is one of those artists where an album like this presenting his best work should give you impetus to go check out his best albums. Certainly there are artists where a good hits collection is all you need to have in your music library, but Stevie Wonder would not be one of those artists whose distinctive blend of odd riffs, incessant modulations and unpredictable melodies take advantage of his three-octave range. Yes, if you have but one Stevie Wonder album "The Definitive Collection" would be the one to get, but you should also explore at least the middle pair of the above referenced quartet.

The best Stevie Wonder compilation, 12 Oct 2003
It is easy to be confused by Stevie Wonder compilations. In the nineties, a double CD was released in America titled Song review, while a single CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. More recently, a single CD was released in America titled Definitive collection, so (conversely) a double CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. This British double CD is much better than the earlier American double CD titled Song review, which had fewer tracks and missed out some important songs. Indeed, this is the best compilation of Stevie's music that I've seen. Even on two CD's, it is not possible to include every Stevie Wonder recording worth hearing, but all the big hits in Britain and America are here.

You probably have your own favorites. I particularly like You are the sunshine of my life, For once in my life, Yester-me yester-you yesterday, Living for the city, I just called to say I love you, Sir Duke, A place in the sun, Lately and Happy birthday. Other classics (also excellent) include Superstition, I wish, Isn't she lovely, Ebony and ivory (with Paul McCartney), Never had a dream come true, Uptight and so many others.

If you only want one collection of Stevie Wonder music, this is by far the best. If you want to build a collection of his music, this is a great starting point.

Songs in the Key of Life was the highest high-point of Stevie Wonder's career. More sprawling than Innervisions and Talking Book, this 2 LP-plus-EP was also less of a consistent stunner than either of those masterworks. That Songs retains an enormous amount of visionary relevance, though, is demonstrated not only in Coolio's borrowing of "Pastime Paradise" as a template for "Gangsta's Paradise", but in the cold-as-ice synthesized string quartet of "Village Ghetto Land". This is Stevie, so naturally that cut's anger is balanced by the ultra-buoyant "I Wish," "Sir Duke", and "Another Star". --Rickey Wright

Start with this and then buy the back catalogue, 01 Nov 2008
This is probably the best compilation album of Stevie's work and that's great but I urge you all to use this as a taster of his work, there is lots of it and if you buy anything before 1980 you will love it if you like this. Unfortunately he's done nothing of real note after the 1970's and that was where his key work was done. The trilogy of talking book, innvervisions and Songs in the key of life are treasures to be explored in their won right and you should all do so, personally although songs in the key of life is seen as his masterpiece it was a double album brain dump of everything he was working on and contains material that is weaker than the shorter talking book and innvervisions, with Innvervisions representing his finest (non compilation) album in my opinion, with perhaps Living for the City my favourite song of Stevie's.

So to conclude a brilliant compliation of the highlights of a genious career which will ease you into the back catalogue and allow you to uncover the gems that lie therein for yourselves.

Brillant, 04 Jan 2008
Bought this cd a few weeks ago and just can't stop listening to it. Whatever mode i am in, it cheers me up and makes me smile great album really worth getting.

ESSENTIAL STEVIE WONDER, 03 May 2006
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Judkins Morris) began singing in a choir with his mother and siblings at a very early age at the Whitestone Baptist Church, which lay in his hometown of Saginaw.

By the age of 10, Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. He proved a master on the piano, harmonica and drums and was adept at poetry and song-writing. Stevie was soon recommended by John Glover (who he was extensivley working with at the time) to Ronnie White, then a member of the fantastic, Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, who were signed to Detroits, Tamla Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy who was instantly astounded by this child genius.

Dubbed Little Stevie Wonder in his early career, he was rapidly signed to Motown Records, home to some of the most important names in the history of black music including Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. It was clear from an early age that Stevie Wonder indeed was a deeply gifted singer/songwriter and muscian.

Fingertips, released in 1963, proved an exhilirating masterpiece. Fingertips was virtually a harmonica instrumental but its just so totally infectious and caught onto the public like a magnet. Fingertips quickly catapulted to the top of the U.S charts and became the first in a long line of classics.

It was clearly his Motown work that remained some of his most popular and compelling output. The vibrant, Uptight (Everything's Alright) was a highly infectious affair as was the more sparse production of Yesterme-Yesteryou-Yesterday. The rolling undertones of playful funk on the classic, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) were three classics that perharps were pure examples of how Stevie Wonder gradually adapted to more Pop styles where his work still vastly contained elements of traditional black rhythm and blues but was able to cross boundaries and break down many racial barriers (much in the way Diana Ross had). Though commercial in each of the tracks content, they all still firmly retained that earthy, soulful style, owing much to Stevies credible and unique vocal style.

Stevie proved to be a masterful lyric writer and conveyed an effortless flair for ballads such as on the passionate, timeless, My Cherie Amour (written with Henry Cosby) and the more subtle and profound, A Place In The Sun.

Like Marvin gaye, his work steadily progressed from the formulaic sounds of Motown to more creative, artistic and indepth material, releasing a string of quality studio albums throughout the 1970's. The startling Superstition was a sharp, nifty, funky number where Stevies voice effectivley cuts through the stark musical arrangements. He delivered a more anthemic message on the compelling, Higher Ground.

The awesome, Living For The City, was an exciting, severn-minute epic which echoed the restrictions and perils of ghetto life. Much of his work steered more into profound political and social issues that perfectly captured contemporary times and deservedly gained wide acknowledgement from critics.

Like Diana Ross (a close friend of the divas and he'd also written the dazzling compostion, Too Shy To Say for her 1977 studio album, Baby It's Me) his work eventually settled into the more Adult-Contemporary market that occupied the lower reaches of the charts yet fully remained an A-list novelty act. Such saccharine numbers like I Just Called To Say I Love You, may have become big cross-atlantic hits but this type of material lacks the dynamic of some of his earlier work.

Even so, Stevie Wonder continues to this day to enjoy a large and loyal following. This being the definitive collection of Stevie Wonders work makes it essential to any serious Soul/R&B/Motown collection.




The definitive Steve Wonder htis collection...for now..., 06 Nov 2003
The first collection of Stevie Wonder hits came out in 1968, when he was still a teenager. Of course, as a pre-teen "Little" Stevie gave Motown its first #1 album. In retrospect 1968 turned out to be a pivotal year in Wonder's career, which began covering Ray Charles songs and whose first hit "Fingertips, Part 2" actually came as a pre-teen, because that was the year he finally started writing most of the songs on his album (e.g., "My Cherie Amour"). The Wonder years definitively come in the early Seventies when he was putting out albums like "Music of My Mind," "Talking Book," "Innervisions," and "Songs in the Key of Life." This explains why the middle part of this collection is the best. Stevie Wonder is one of those artists where an album like this presenting his best work should give you impetus to go check out his best albums. Certainly there are artists where a good hits collection is all you need to have in your music library, but Stevie Wonder would not be one of those artists whose distinctive blend of odd riffs, incessant modulations and unpredictable melodies take advantage of his three-octave range. Yes, if you have but one Stevie Wonder album "The Definitive Collection" would be the one to get, but you should also explore at least the middle pair of the above referenced quartet.

The best Stevie Wonder compilation, 12 Oct 2003
It is easy to be confused by Stevie Wonder compilations. In the nineties, a double CD was released in America titled Song review, while a single CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. More recently, a single CD was released in America titled Definitive collection, so (conversely) a double CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. This British double CD is much better than the earlier American double CD titled Song review, which had fewer tracks and missed out some important songs. Indeed, this is the best compilation of Stevie's music that I've seen. Even on two CD's, it is not possible to include every Stevie Wonder recording worth hearing, but all the big hits in Britain and America are here.

You probably have your own favorites. I particularly like You are the sunshine of my life, For once in my life, Yester-me yester-you yesterday, Living for the city, I just called to say I love you, Sir Duke, A place in the sun, Lately and Happy birthday. Other classics (also excellent) include Superstition, I wish, Isn't she lovely, Ebony and ivory (with Paul McCartney), Never had a dream come true, Uptight and so many others.

If you only want one collection of Stevie Wonder music, this is by far the best. If you want to build a collection of his music, this is a great starting point.

The peak of perfection., 10 Oct 2008
Can anybody think of many double albums on which every track is even 'good' let alone a master work? They are very few and far between as the majority of them just go on for far to long with too much 'filler'. And so we come to SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE by MR. Stevland Morris.
After the masterpiece which was INNERVISIONS in 1973, Stevie Wonder released this magnum-opus in 1976. Is it as good as INNERVISIONS? The answer is a resounding YES, YES, YES!
Up-lifting and beautiful, happy yet melancholy, it doesn't get any better than this.
Go and buy it.

Stevie's Magnum Opus, 15 Aug 2008
I can't add much to what's already been written here. This is an essential album - though I regard all of the following as essential too:

Talking Book
Innervisions
Fulfillingness First Finale

If you're new to Stevie's work, please don't buy a collection, you'll be missing out on so much!

an absolute classic stevie wonder youre cool!, 20 Jul 2008
this a fantastic double album all the songs are fab i also recommend the albums music of my mind talking book and innervisions and original musiquarium there fantastic buy this you wont regret it!!

"Wonder" ful, 29 Jan 2008
Have the vinyl. Now got the CD and its still timeless. I have many favourites. Love "I am singing" this sums up stevies life in music.
The song writing is 1st class. in my view far better than Lennon/Mccartney ever were. This guy does the lot himself. This album should be in every collection. best selling double album of all time, i believe. Well justified.

Stevie's Best, 10 Jan 2008
Somehow it seems uncool to rate an artist's most succesful album as their best, but I make no apology for doing so in this case.

By 1976, Stevie Wonder had established himself as perhaps the first black artist who could consistantly sell albums in all markets around the world, winning awards, including best album Grammys. It is amazing to think that he had been around for over a decade, but was still only 26 years old. He wrote, sang, played and produced with the maturity of a much older man.

My favorite tracks are 'As' which was the third or fourth single so didn't do too well, but the lyrics are worthy of Smokey. It is the last word in love songs. It was revived a few years back by George Michael and Mary J Blige. I also like 'Village Ghetto Land', a biting social commetary. Then there is 'If It's Magic' a stunningly simple track with just Stevie's voice and a harp. It calls for a wider universal love.

As a teenager, I saved pocket money for weeks to buy the vynil, and replaced it on CD as soon as it was released. Now here it is remastered for next to nothing! People don't realise they are born today!

Start with this and then buy the back catalogue, 01 Nov 2008
This is probably the best compilation album of Stevie's work and that's great but I urge you all to use this as a taster of his work, there is lots of it and if you buy anything before 1980 you will love it if you like this. Unfortunately he's done nothing of real note after the 1970's and that was where his key work was done. The trilogy of talking book, innvervisions and Songs in the key of life are treasures to be explored in their won right and you should all do so, personally although songs in the key of life is seen as his masterpiece it was a double album brain dump of everything he was working on and contains material that is weaker than the shorter talking book and innvervisions, with Innvervisions representing his finest (non compilation) album in my opinion, with perhaps Living for the City my favourite song of Stevie's.

So to conclude a brilliant compliation of the highlights of a genious career which will ease you into the back catalogue and allow you to uncover the gems that lie therein for yourselves.

Brillant, 04 Jan 2008
Bought this cd a few weeks ago and just can't stop listening to it. Whatever mode i am in, it cheers me up and makes me smile great album really worth getting.

ESSENTIAL STEVIE WONDER, 03 May 2006
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Judkins Morris) began singing in a choir with his mother and siblings at a very early age at the Whitestone Baptist Church, which lay in his hometown of Saginaw.

By the age of 10, Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. He proved a master on the piano, harmonica and drums and was adept at poetry and song-writing. Stevie was soon recommended by John Glover (who he was extensivley working with at the time) to Ronnie White, then a member of the fantastic, Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, who were signed to Detroits, Tamla Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy who was instantly astounded by this child genius.

Dubbed Little Stevie Wonder in his early career, he was rapidly signed to Motown Records, home to some of the most important names in the history of black music including Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. It was clear from an early age that Stevie Wonder indeed was a deeply gifted singer/songwriter and muscian.

Fingertips, released in 1963, proved an exhilirating masterpiece. Fingertips was virtually a harmonica instrumental but its just so totally infectious and caught onto the public like a magnet. Fingertips quickly catapulted to the top of the U.S charts and became the first in a long line of classics.

It was clearly his Motown work that remained some of his most popular and compelling output. The vibrant, Uptight (Everything's Alright) was a highly infectious affair as was the more sparse production of Yesterme-Yesteryou-Yesterday. The rolling undertones of playful funk on the classic, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) were three classics that perharps were pure examples of how Stevie Wonder gradually adapted to more Pop styles where his work still vastly contained elements of traditional black rhythm and blues but was able to cross boundaries and break down many racial barriers (much in the way Diana Ross had). Though commercial in each of the tracks content, they all still firmly retained that earthy, soulful style, owing much to Stevies credible and unique vocal style.

Stevie proved to be a masterful lyric writer and conveyed an effortless flair for ballads such as on the passionate, timeless, My Cherie Amour (written with Henry Cosby) and the more subtle and profound, A Place In The Sun.

Like Marvin gaye, his work steadily progressed from the formulaic sounds of Motown to more creative, artistic and indepth material, releasing a string of quality studio albums throughout the 1970's. The startling Superstition was a sharp, nifty, funky number where Stevies voice effectivley cuts through the stark musical arrangements. He delivered a more anthemic message on the compelling, Higher Ground.

The awesome, Living For The City, was an exciting, severn-minute epic which echoed the restrictions and perils of ghetto life. Much of his work steered more into profound political and social issues that perfectly captured contemporary times and deservedly gained wide acknowledgement from critics.

Like Diana Ross (a close friend of the divas and he'd also written the dazzling compostion, Too Shy To Say for her 1977 studio album, Baby It's Me) his work eventually settled into the more Adult-Contemporary market that occupied the lower reaches of the charts yet fully remained an A-list novelty act. Such saccharine numbers like I Just Called To Say I Love You, may have become big cross-atlantic hits but this type of material lacks the dynamic of some of his earlier work.

Even so, Stevie Wonder continues to this day to enjoy a large and loyal following. This being the definitive collection of Stevie Wonders work makes it essential to any serious Soul/R&B/Motown collection.




The definitive Steve Wonder htis collection...for now..., 06 Nov 2003
The first collection of Stevie Wonder hits came out in 1968, when he was still a teenager. Of course, as a pre-teen "Little" Stevie gave Motown its first #1 album. In retrospect 1968 turned out to be a pivotal year in Wonder's career, which began covering Ray Charles songs and whose first hit "Fingertips, Part 2" actually came as a pre-teen, because that was the year he finally started writing most of the songs on his album (e.g., "My Cherie Amour"). The Wonder years definitively come in the early Seventies when he was putting out albums like "Music of My Mind," "Talking Book," "Innervisions," and "Songs in the Key of Life." This explains why the middle part of this collection is the best. Stevie Wonder is one of those artists where an album like this presenting his best work should give you impetus to go check out his best albums. Certainly there are artists where a good hits collection is all you need to have in your music library, but Stevie Wonder would not be one of those artists whose distinctive blend of odd riffs, incessant modulations and unpredictable melodies take advantage of his three-octave range. Yes, if you have but one Stevie Wonder album "The Definitive Collection" would be the one to get, but you should also explore at least the middle pair of the above referenced quartet.

The best Stevie Wonder compilation, 12 Oct 2003
It is easy to be confused by Stevie Wonder compilations. In the nineties, a double CD was released in America titled Song review, while a single CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. More recently, a single CD was released in America titled Definitive collection, so (conversely) a double CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. This British double CD is much better than the earlier American double CD titled Song review, which had fewer tracks and missed out some important songs. Indeed, this is the best compilation of Stevie's music that I've seen. Even on two CD's, it is not possible to include every Stevie Wonder recording worth hearing, but all the big hits in Britain and America are here.

You probably have your own favorites. I particularly like You are the sunshine of my life, For once in my life, Yester-me yester-you yesterday, Living for the city, I just called to say I love you, Sir Duke, A place in the sun, Lately and Happy birthday. Other classics (also excellent) include Superstition, I wish, Isn't she lovely, Ebony and ivory (with Paul McCartney), Never had a dream come true, Uptight and so many others.

If you only want one collection of Stevie Wonder music, this is by far the best. If you want to build a collection of his music, this is a great starting point.

The peak of perfection., 10 Oct 2008
Can anybody think of many double albums on which every track is even 'good' let alone a master work? They are very few and far between as the majority of them just go on for far to long with too much 'filler'. And so we come to SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE by MR. Stevland Morris.
After the masterpiece which was INNERVISIONS in 1973, Stevie Wonder released this magnum-opus in 1976. Is it as good as INNERVISIONS? The answer is a resounding YES, YES, YES!
Up-lifting and beautiful, happy yet melancholy, it doesn't get any better than this.
Go and buy it.

Stevie's Magnum Opus, 15 Aug 2008
I can't add much to what's already been written here. This is an essential album - though I regard all of the following as essential too:

Talking Book
Innervisions
Fulfillingness First Finale

If you're new to Stevie's work, please don't buy a collection, you'll be missing out on so much!

an absolute classic stevie wonder youre cool!, 20 Jul 2008
this a fantastic double album all the songs are fab i also recommend the albums music of my mind talking book and innervisions and original musiquarium there fantastic buy this you wont regret it!!

"Wonder" ful, 29 Jan 2008
Have the vinyl. Now got the CD and its still timeless. I have many favourites. Love "I am singing" this sums up stevies life in music.
The song writing is 1st class. in my view far better than Lennon/Mccartney ever were. This guy does the lot himself. This album should be in every collection. best selling double album of all time, i believe. Well justified.

Stevie's Best, 10 Jan 2008
Somehow it seems uncool to rate an artist's most succesful album as their best, but I make no apology for doing so in this case.

By 1976, Stevie Wonder had established himself as perhaps the first black artist who could consistantly sell albums in all markets around the world, winning awards, including best album Grammys. It is amazing to think that he had been around for over a decade, but was still only 26 years old. He wrote, sang, played and produced with the maturity of a much older man.

My favorite tracks are 'As' which was the third or fourth single so didn't do too well, but the lyrics are worthy of Smokey. It is the last word in love songs. It was revived a few years back by George Michael and Mary J Blige. I also like 'Village Ghetto Land', a biting social commetary. Then there is 'If It's Magic' a stunningly simple track with just Stevie's voice and a harp. It calls for a wider universal love.

As a teenager, I saved pocket money for weeks to buy the vynil, and replaced it on CD as soon as it was released. Now here it is remastered for next to nothing! People don't realise they are born today!

play it - love it, 01 Jan 2008
The mix of music is perfect.Lulu was great and loved Valantine moon. Gave as christmas presents all round.

Great album - but not much for the long time fan, 11 Nov 2007
I can't argue with the sound of this music. It is all of the highest quality.

Tuxedo Junction always makes me smile, as do most of the other tracks. I would suggest people hunt out the three 'And Friends' albums, as I reckon they could pick those up for not much more than this best of, and have three times as much music, without missing much.

The only issue I have with this album (hence missing the fifth star) is that there is not much incentive to buy this album if you already own the three aforementioned 'And Friends' albums. A better idea would have been to do a retrospective of Jools' solo (or non Squeeze) career, which spans the best part of 25 years, thus giving more 'new' material to more people.

That said, the music is all good, and if you want to smile like a loon, and dance like one too, this album is for you!

Jools Holland Best of Friends CD/DVD, 24 Oct 2007
This is also my first Jools Holland album and I agree with the previous review Wow!! excellent music you'll love it.

what a load of excellent tunes, 18 Oct 2007
This is my first Jools Holland album, i only got it today and so far i have not stopped playing it. Excellent music, tuxedo junction is ace. I'm gonna share this with the neighbourhood so loud, i absolutely love it.
i'm going to buy more when i get paid.

Balancing raw power with shades of vulnerability, Gaye rose to the top of Motown's roster without the benefit of a supporting vocal group. Whether singing love songs or social commentary, Gaye's voice displays an earnestness and sincerity that are a soul singer's most potent weapons. Among these 47 hits are his memorable duets with Mary Wells, Kim Weston and Tammi Terrell along with Motown staples such as "Can I Get a Witness", "How Sweet It Is", "Ain't That Peculiar" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". This set also covers socially conscious 1970s originals such as "What's Going On", "Mercy, Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues". Only his last hit, "Sexual Healing", is left out. --Marc Greilsamer

Start with this and then buy the back catalogue, 01 Nov 2008
This is probably the best compilation album of Stevie's work and that's great but I urge you all to use this as a taster of his work, there is lots of it and if you buy anything before 1980 you will love it if you like this. Unfortunately he's done nothing of real note after the 1970's and that was where his key work was done. The trilogy of talking book, innvervisions and Songs in the key of life are treasures to be explored in their won right and you should all do so, personally although songs in the key of life is seen as his masterpiece it was a double album brain dump of everything he was working on and contains material that is weaker than the shorter talking book and innvervisions, with Innvervisions representing his finest (non compilation) album in my opinion, with perhaps Living for the City my favourite song of Stevie's.

So to conclude a brilliant compliation of the highlights of a genious career which will ease you into the back catalogue and allow you to uncover the gems that lie therein for yourselves.

Brillant, 04 Jan 2008
Bought this cd a few weeks ago and just can't stop listening to it. Whatever mode i am in, it cheers me up and makes me smile great album really worth getting.

ESSENTIAL STEVIE WONDER, 03 May 2006
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Judkins Morris) began singing in a choir with his mother and siblings at a very early age at the Whitestone Baptist Church, which lay in his hometown of Saginaw.

By the age of 10, Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. He proved a master on the piano, harmonica and drums and was adept at poetry and song-writing. Stevie was soon recommended by John Glover (who he was extensivley working with at the time) to Ronnie White, then a member of the fantastic, Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, who were signed to Detroits, Tamla Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy who was instantly astounded by this child genius.

Dubbed Little Stevie Wonder in his early career, he was rapidly signed to Motown Records, home to some of the most important names in the history of black music including Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. It was clear from an early age that Stevie Wonder indeed was a deeply gifted singer/songwriter and muscian.

Fingertips, released in 1963, proved an exhilirating masterpiece. Fingertips was virtually a harmonica instrumental but its just so totally infectious and caught onto the public like a magnet. Fingertips quickly catapulted to the top of the U.S charts and became the first in a long line of classics.

It was clearly his Motown work that remained some of his most popular and compelling output. The vibrant, Uptight (Everything's Alright) was a highly infectious affair as was the more sparse production of Yesterme-Yesteryou-Yesterday. The rolling undertones of playful funk on the classic, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) were three classics that perharps were pure examples of how Stevie Wonder gradually adapted to more Pop styles where his work still vastly contained elements of traditional black rhythm and blues but was able to cross boundaries and break down many racial barriers (much in the way Diana Ross had). Though commercial in each of the tracks content, they all still firmly retained that earthy, soulful style, owing much to Stevies credible and unique vocal style.

Stevie proved to be a masterful lyric writer and conveyed an effortless flair for ballads such as on the passionate, timeless, My Cherie Amour (written with Henry Cosby) and the more subtle and profound, A Place In The Sun.

Like Marvin gaye, his work steadily progressed from the formulaic sounds of Motown to more creative, artistic and indepth material, releasing a string of quality studio albums throughout the 1970's. The startling Superstition was a sharp, nifty, funky number where Stevies voice effectivley cuts through the stark musical arrangements. He delivered a more anthemic message on the compelling, Higher Ground.

The awesome, Living For The City, was an exciting, severn-minute epic which echoed the restrictions and perils of ghetto life. Much of his work steered more into profound political and social issues that perfectly captured contemporary times and deservedly gained wide acknowledgement from critics.

Like Diana Ross (a close friend of the divas and he'd also written the dazzling compostion, Too Shy To Say for her 1977 studio album, Baby It's Me) his work eventually settled into the more Adult-Contemporary market that occupied the lower reaches of the charts yet fully remained an A-list novelty act. Such saccharine numbers like I Just Called To Say I Love You, may have become big cross-atlantic hits but this type of material lacks the dynamic of some of his earlier work.

Even so, Stevie Wonder continues to this day to enjoy a large and loyal following. This being the definitive collection of Stevie Wonders work makes it essential to any serious Soul/R&B/Motown collection.




The definitive Steve Wonder htis collection...for now..., 06 Nov 2003
The first collection of Stevie Wonder hits came out in 1968, when he was still a teenager. Of course, as a pre-teen "Little" Stevie gave Motown its first #1 album. In retrospect 1968 turned out to be a pivotal year in Wonder's career, which began covering Ray Charles songs and whose first hit "Fingertips, Part 2" actually came as a pre-teen, because that was the year he finally started writing most of the songs on his album (e.g., "My Cherie Amour"). The Wonder years definitively come in the early Seventies when he was putting out albums like "Music of My Mind," "Talking Book," "Innervisions," and "Songs in the Key of Life." This explains why the middle part of this collection is the best. Stevie Wonder is one of those artists where an album like this presenting his best work should give you impetus to go check out his best albums. Certainly there are artists where a good hits collection is all you need to have in your music library, but Stevie Wonder would not be one of those artists whose distinctive blend of odd riffs, incessant modulations and unpredictable melodies take advantage of his three-octave range. Yes, if you have but one Stevie Wonder album "The Definitive Collection" would be the one to get, but you should also explore at least the middle pair of the above referenced quartet.

The best Stevie Wonder compilation, 12 Oct 2003
It is easy to be confused by Stevie Wonder compilations. In the nineties, a double CD was released in America titled Song review, while a single CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. More recently, a single CD was released in America titled Definitive collection, so (conversely) a double CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. This British double CD is much better than the earlier American double CD titled Song review, which had fewer tracks and missed out some important songs. Indeed, this is the best compilation of Stevie's music that I've seen. Even on two CD's, it is not possible to include every Stevie Wonder recording worth hearing, but all the big hits in Britain and America are here.

You probably have your own favorites. I particularly like You are the sunshine of my life, For once in my life, Yester-me yester-you yesterday, Living for the city, I just called to say I love you, Sir Duke, A place in the sun, Lately and Happy birthday. Other classics (also excellent) include Superstition, I wish, Isn't she lovely, Ebony and ivory (with Paul McCartney), Never had a dream come true, Uptight and so many others.

If you only want one collection of Stevie Wonder music, this is by far the best. If you want to build a collection of his music, this is a great starting point.

The peak of perfection., 10 Oct 2008
Can anybody think of many double albums on which every track is even 'good' let alone a master work? They are very few and far between as the majority of them just go on for far to long with too much 'filler'. And so we come to SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE by MR. Stevland Morris.
After the masterpiece which was INNERVISIONS in 1973, Stevie Wonder released this magnum-opus in 1976. Is it as good as INNERVISIONS? The answer is a resounding YES, YES, YES!
Up-lifting and beautiful, happy yet melancholy, it doesn't get any better than this.
Go and buy it.

Stevie's Magnum Opus, 15 Aug 2008
I can't add much to what's already been written here. This is an essential album - though I regard all of the following as essential too:

Talking Book
Innervisions
Fulfillingness First Finale

If you're new to Stevie's work, please don't buy a collection, you'll be missing out on so much!

an absolute classic stevie wonder youre cool!, 20 Jul 2008
this a fantastic double album all the songs are fab i also recommend the albums music of my mind talking book and innervisions and original musiquarium there fantastic buy this you wont regret it!!

"Wonder" ful, 29 Jan 2008
Have the vinyl. Now got the CD and its still timeless. I have many favourites. Love "I am singing" this sums up stevies life in music.
The song writing is 1st class. in my view far better than Lennon/Mccartney ever were. This guy does the lot himself. This album should be in every collection. best selling double album of all time, i believe. Well justified.

Stevie's Best, 10 Jan 2008
Somehow it seems uncool to rate an artist's most succesful album as their best, but I make no apology for doing so in this case.

By 1976, Stevie Wonder had established himself as perhaps the first black artist who could consistantly sell albums in all markets around the world, winning awards, including best album Grammys. It is amazing to think that he had been around for over a decade, but was still only 26 years old. He wrote, sang, played and produced with the maturity of a much older man.

My favorite tracks are 'As' which was the third or fourth single so didn't do too well, but the lyrics are worthy of Smokey. It is the last word in love songs. It was revived a few years back by George Michael and Mary J Blige. I also like 'Village Ghetto Land', a biting social commetary. Then there is 'If It's Magic' a stunningly simple track with just Stevie's voice and a harp. It calls for a wider universal love.

As a teenager, I saved pocket money for weeks to buy the vynil, and replaced it on CD as soon as it was released. Now here it is remastered for next to nothing! People don't realise they are born today!

play it - love it, 01 Jan 2008
The mix of music is perfect.Lulu was great and loved Valantine moon. Gave as christmas presents all round.

Great album - but not much for the long time fan, 11 Nov 2007
I can't argue with the sound of this music. It is all of the highest quality.

Tuxedo Junction always makes me smile, as do most of the other tracks. I would suggest people hunt out the three 'And Friends' albums, as I reckon they could pick those up for not much more than this best of, and have three times as much music, without missing much.

The only issue I have with this album (hence missing the fifth star) is that there is not much incentive to buy this album if you already own the three aforementioned 'And Friends' albums. A better idea would have been to do a retrospective of Jools' solo (or non Squeeze) career, which spans the best part of 25 years, thus giving more 'new' material to more people.

That said, the music is all good, and if you want to smile like a loon, and dance like one too, this album is for you!

Jools Holland Best of Friends CD/DVD, 24 Oct 2007
This is also my first Jools Holland album and I agree with the previous review Wow!! excellent music you'll love it.

what a load of excellent tunes, 18 Oct 2007
This is my first Jools Holland album, i only got it today and so far i have not stopped playing it. Excellent music, tuxedo junction is ace. I'm gonna share this with the neighbourhood so loud, i absolutely love it.
i'm going to buy more when i get paid.

Best single CD of Marvinýs music, 16 Feb 2005
You cannot fit all of Marvin's hits on a single CD but this collection has most of the essentials. From a British perspective, one advantage that this has over the double CD (Very best of, which was compiled in America but released in both the UK and USA) is that it includes three UK top ten hits that are not on the double CD, these being Onion song (supposedly with Tammi Terrell, though Tammi was too ill to record the song and a sound-alike substituted), You are everything (with Diana Ross) and Abraham Martin and John (which was an American hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, not Marvin Gaye).

There is no room on this CD to explore Marvin's career in depth, but it does contain all his important British hits (some minor hits have been omitted) and on that basis, it provides an excellent overview of Marvin's career. Nevertheless, before buying this, you may wish to compare it with the double CD, Very best of.

The true roots of R&B, 25 Sep 2000
This album brings us the type of music which has inspired a whole generation of HIP-HOP and R&B stars, you can tell as oon as you hear this album that Marvin Gaye was one of the greatest performers to ever grace the music scene! it includes clasics like Mercy Mercy Me and also some inspiring duets. This is an album for all ages and i doubt that no one who listens to it will say otherwise a truly clisic album bringing together some of the great man's biggest hits.

Sly & The Family Stone might have psychedelicised soul music, but Marvin Gaye personalised it. Although the powers-that-were Motown didn't even want to release the record, the unexpected success of What's Going On, issued in 1971, inspired Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, and just about every other black artist on the planet to take greater responsibility for their music and its meaning. Gaye co-wrote the songs and produced the album, flavouring it with layer upon layer of his own multi-tracked vocals, oceans of hand percussion, strings, flutes and jazzy horn solos. Spacy and loose as a spliff-fuelled Sunday afternoon jam in the park, the nine songs all played like hit singles. The title track-- inspired by his brother's return from the Vietnam War--and the obvious social commentary of "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" actually were hit singles. Two other tracks ("Wholly Holy" and "Save the Children") would inspire hit covers by Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross, respectively. Nevertheless, What's Going On sounds as fresh today as it did the week that it came out. --Don Waller

Start with this and then buy the back catalogue, 01 Nov 2008
This is probably the best compilation album of Stevie's work and that's great but I urge you all to use this as a taster of his work, there is lots of it and if you buy anything before 1980 you will love it if you like this. Unfortunately he's done nothing of real note after the 1970's and that was where his key work was done. The trilogy of talking book, innvervisions and Songs in the key of life are treasures to be explored in their won right and you should all do so, personally although songs in the key of life is seen as his masterpiece it was a double album brain dump of everything he was working on and contains material that is weaker than the shorter talking book and innvervisions, with Innvervisions representing his finest (non compilation) album in my opinion, with perhaps Living for the City my favourite song of Stevie's.

So to conclude a brilliant compliation of the highlights of a genious career which will ease you into the back catalogue and allow you to uncover the gems that lie therein for yourselves.

Brillant, 04 Jan 2008
Bought this cd a few weeks ago and just can't stop listening to it. Whatever mode i am in, it cheers me up and makes me smile great album really worth getting.

ESSENTIAL STEVIE WONDER, 03 May 2006
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Judkins Morris) began singing in a choir with his mother and siblings at a very early age at the Whitestone Baptist Church, which lay in his hometown of Saginaw.

By the age of 10, Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. He proved a master on the piano, harmonica and drums and was adept at poetry and song-writing. Stevie was soon recommended by John Glover (who he was extensivley working with at the time) to Ronnie White, then a member of the fantastic, Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, who were signed to Detroits, Tamla Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy who was instantly astounded by this child genius.

Dubbed Little Stevie Wonder in his early career, he was rapidly signed to Motown Records, home to some of the most important names in the history of black music including Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. It was clear from an early age that Stevie Wonder indeed was a deeply gifted singer/songwriter and muscian.

Fingertips, released in 1963, proved an exhilirating masterpiece. Fingertips was virtually a harmonica instrumental but its just so totally infectious and caught onto the public like a magnet. Fingertips quickly catapulted to the top of the U.S charts and became the first in a long line of classics.

It was clearly his Motown work that remained some of his most popular and compelling output. The vibrant, Uptight (Everything's Alright) was a highly infectious affair as was the more sparse production of Yesterme-Yesteryou-Yesterday. The rolling undertones of playful funk on the classic, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) were three classics that perharps were pure examples of how Stevie Wonder gradually adapted to more Pop styles where his work still vastly contained elements of traditional black rhythm and blues but was able to cross boundaries and break down many racial barriers (much in the way Diana Ross had). Though commercial in each of the tracks content, they all still firmly retained that earthy, soulful style, owing much to Stevies credible and unique vocal style.

Stevie proved to be a masterful lyric writer and conveyed an effortless flair for ballads such as on the passionate, timeless, My Cherie Amour (written with Henry Cosby) and the more subtle and profound, A Place In The Sun.

Like Marvin gaye, his work steadily progressed from the formulaic sounds of Motown to more creative, artistic and indepth material, releasing a string of quality studio albums throughout the 1970's. The startling Superstition was a sharp, nifty, funky number where Stevies voice effectivley cuts through the stark musical arrangements. He delivered a more anthemic message on the compelling, Higher Ground.

The awesome, Living For The City, was an exciting, severn-minute epic which echoed the restrictions and perils of ghetto life. Much of his work steered more into profound political and social issues that perfectly captured contemporary times and deservedly gained wide acknowledgement from critics.

Like Diana Ross (a close friend of the divas and he'd also written the dazzling compostion, Too Shy To Say for her 1977 studio album, Baby It's Me) his work eventually settled into the more Adult-Contemporary market that occupied the lower reaches of the charts yet fully remained an A-list novelty act. Such saccharine numbers like I Just Called To Say I Love You, may have become big cross-atlantic hits but this type of material lacks the dynamic of some of his earlier work.

Even so, Stevie Wonder continues to this day to enjoy a large and loyal following. This being the definitive collection of Stevie Wonders work makes it essential to any serious Soul/R&B/Motown collection.




The definitive Steve Wonder htis collection...for now..., 06 Nov 2003
The first collection of Stevie Wonder hits came out in 1968, when he was still a teenager. Of course, as a pre-teen "Little" Stevie gave Motown its first #1 album. In retrospect 1968 turned out to be a pivotal year in Wonder's career, which began covering Ray Charles songs and whose first hit "Fingertips, Part 2" actually came as a pre-teen, because that was the year he finally started writing most of the songs on his album (e.g., "My Cherie Amour"). The Wonder years definitively come in the early Seventies when he was putting out albums like "Music of My Mind," "Talking Book," "Innervisions," and "Songs in the Key of Life." This explains why the middle part of this collection is the best. Stevie Wonder is one of those artists where an album like this presenting his best work should give you impetus to go check out his best albums. Certainly there are artists where a good hits collection is all you need to have in your music library, but Stevie Wonder would not be one of those artists whose distinctive blend of odd riffs, incessant modulations and unpredictable melodies take advantage of his three-octave range. Yes, if you have but one Stevie Wonder album "The Definitive Collection" would be the one to get, but you should also explore at least the middle pair of the above referenced quartet.

The best Stevie Wonder compilation, 12 Oct 2003
It is easy to be confused by Stevie Wonder compilations. In the nineties, a double CD was released in America titled Song review, while a single CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. More recently, a single CD was released in America titled Definitive collection, so (conversely) a double CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. This British double CD is much better than the earlier American double CD titled Song review, which had fewer tracks and missed out some important songs. Indeed, this is the best compilation of Stevie's music that I've seen. Even on two CD's, it is not possible to include every Stevie Wonder recording worth hearing, but all the big hits in Britain and America are here.

You probably have your own favorites. I particularly like You are the sunshine of my life, For once in my life, Yester-me yester-you yesterday, Living for the city, I just called to say I love you, Sir Duke, A place in the sun, Lately and Happy birthday. Other classics (also excellent) include Superstition, I wish, Isn't she lovely, Ebony and ivory (with Paul McCartney), Never had a dream come true, Uptight and so many others.

If you only want one collection of Stevie Wonder music, this is by far the best. If you want to build a collection of his music, this is a great starting point.

The peak of perfection., 10 Oct 2008
Can anybody think of many double albums on which every track is even 'good' let alone a master work? They are very few and far between as the majority of them just go on for far to long with too much 'filler'. And so we come to SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE by MR. Stevland Morris.
After the masterpiece which was INNERVISIONS in 1973, Stevie Wonder released this magnum-opus in 1976. Is it as good as INNERVISIONS? The answer is a resounding YES, YES, YES!
Up-lifting and beautiful, happy yet melancholy, it doesn't get any better than this.
Go and buy it.

Stevie's Magnum Opus, 15 Aug 2008
I can't add much to what's already been written here. This is an essential album - though I regard all of the following as essential too:

Talking Book
Innervisions
Fulfillingness First Finale

If you're new to Stevie's work, please don't buy a collection, you'll be missing out on so much!

an absolute classic stevie wonder youre cool!, 20 Jul 2008
this a fantastic double album all the songs are fab i also recommend the albums music of my mind talking book and innervisions and original musiquarium there fantastic buy this you wont regret it!!

"Wonder" ful, 29 Jan 2008
Have the vinyl. Now got the CD and its still timeless. I have many favourites. Love "I am singing" this sums up stevies life in music.
The song writing is 1st class. in my view far better than Lennon/Mccartney ever were. This guy does the lot himself. This album should be in every collection. best selling double album of all time, i believe. Well justified.

Stevie's Best, 10 Jan 2008
Somehow it seems uncool to rate an artist's most succesful album as their best, but I make no apology for doing so in this case.

By 1976, Stevie Wonder had established himself as perhaps the first black artist who could consistantly sell albums in all markets around the world, winning awards, including best album Grammys. It is amazing to think that he had been around for over a decade, but was still only 26 years old. He wrote, sang, played and produced with the maturity of a much older man.

My favorite tracks are 'As' which was the third or fourth single so didn't do too well, but the lyrics are worthy of Smokey. It is the last word in love songs. It was revived a few years back by George Michael and Mary J Blige. I also like 'Village Ghetto Land', a biting social commetary. Then there is 'If It's Magic' a stunningly simple track with just Stevie's voice and a harp. It calls for a wider universal love.

As a teenager, I saved pocket money for weeks to buy the vynil, and replaced it on CD as soon as it was released. Now here it is remastered for next to nothing! People don't realise they are born today!

play it - love it, 01 Jan 2008
The mix of music is perfect.Lulu was great and loved Valantine moon. Gave as christmas presents all round.

Great album - but not much for the long time fan, 11 Nov 2007
I can't argue with the sound of this music. It is all of the highest quality.

Tuxedo Junction always makes me smile, as do most of the other tracks. I would suggest people hunt out the three 'And Friends' albums, as I reckon they could pick those up for not much more than this best of, and have three times as much music, without missing much.

The only issue I have with this album (hence missing the fifth star) is that there is not much incentive to buy this album if you already own the three aforementioned 'And Friends' albums. A better idea would have been to do a retrospective of Jools' solo (or non Squeeze) career, which spans the best part of 25 years, thus giving more 'new' material to more people.

That said, the music is all good, and if you want to smile like a loon, and dance like one too, this album is for you!

Jools Holland Best of Friends CD/DVD, 24 Oct 2007
This is also my first Jools Holland album and I agree with the previous review Wow!! excellent music you'll love it.

what a load of excellent tunes, 18 Oct 2007
This is my first Jools Holland album, i only got it today and so far i have not stopped playing it. Excellent music, tuxedo junction is ace. I'm gonna share this with the neighbourhood so loud, i absolutely love it.
i'm going to buy more when i get paid.

Best single CD of Marvinýs music, 16 Feb 2005
You cannot fit all of Marvin's hits on a single CD but this collection has most of the essentials. From a British perspective, one advantage that this has over the double CD (Very best of, which was compiled in America but released in both the UK and USA) is that it includes three UK top ten hits that are not on the double CD, these being Onion song (supposedly with Tammi Terrell, though Tammi was too ill to record the song and a sound-alike substituted), You are everything (with Diana Ross) and Abraham Martin and John (which was an American hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, not Marvin Gaye).

There is no room on this CD to explore Marvin's career in depth, but it does contain all his important British hits (some minor hits have been omitted) and on that basis, it provides an excellent overview of Marvin's career. Nevertheless, before buying this, you may wish to compare it with the double CD, Very best of.

The true roots of R&B, 25 Sep 2000
This album brings us the type of music which has inspired a whole generation of HIP-HOP and R&B stars, you can tell as oon as you hear this album that Marvin Gaye was one of the greatest performers to ever grace the music scene! it includes clasics like Mercy Mercy Me and also some inspiring duets. This is an album for all ages and i doubt that no one who listens to it will say otherwise a truly clisic album bringing together some of the great man's biggest hits.

A work is genius is what's going on., 08 May 2008
This album blew my mind when I first heard it 15 years or so ago. From the first to the last this album reaches the pinnacles that other artists just cannot. To think that it is over 30 years old to me it sounds fresher and more vital than most of the bland R&B that is being offered up today. Also it's political message still blows me away.

This album is so good that everyone should own it. Infact if you know someone who doesn't get them a copy. It would count as a genuine act of kindness on your part.

It's just a shame he's not still with us.

You can't afford not to own this record, 18 Mar 2008
Probably the best LP ever released by anyone, anywhere, and certainly the best on Motown.
Beautiful in it's conception, writing, recording and production. Simply beautiful.

A Desert Island Disk, 03 Jan 2008
Sadly, when this album was released, Motown was "uncool", and I was listening to Mahavishnu Orchestra and Chick Corea's Return to Forever. Both good bands, but don't get played too often these days. However, since eventually buying it, it's never failed to get the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. The title track is as relevant today as it was when it was written (Vietnam and Iraq), and is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It's just very sad that Marvin is no longer around to sing it.

Wonderful Marvin, 06 Nov 2007
The sign of a truly great album is if it stands the test of time and "Whats going on" certainley does.It still as meaningful now as it was in 1971 if not more today.Marvin was a truly great artist and this album is a testament to his greatness.Great songs that make you think.A brilliant album.

Marvin Gaye's Best Album, 16 Oct 2007
Marvin had been on the Motown production line for nearly a decade. Now I have nothing against the traditional Motown sound, on the contrary, I live breathe and sleep it, but Marvin was ready to trust his own creativity, and try something new, of his own.

Some have described the album as a 'black American' album. Listen again, you will not hear the word 'black' once! The album speaks to all of humanity, like great art should. The concept is timeless. With the current growing concerns about pollution and global warming, 'Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)' could have been written tomorrow.

There is a lot of jazz in the music. The chords and changes are very pleasing, and thoughtfully complex if you listen closely.

This is Marvin's best album in my opinion. At the time of writing it is so cheap, and repackaged with a bonus track. It should be irrestibible to anybody. I believe it belongs in every serious collection.

One of Stevie Wonder's best albums, and the one where his more fanciful, free-form moments gel perfectly with his knack for irresistible pop singles. 1973's Innervisions swings between delicate and airy ballads, Latin-influenced rhythms (the hit "Don't Worry 'Bout a Thing"), and his own synth-heavy versions of gut-bucket soul (the determined spiritual questing of "Higher Ground"). The striking juxtaposition between "Vision", a barely breathed hope that a world of peace might be upon us, and the great "Living for the City", a funky, pulsing tale of racism, is powerful, haunting, and still all too relevant. --David Cantwell

Start with this and then buy the back catalogue, 01 Nov 2008
This is probably the best compilation album of Stevie's work and that's great but I urge you all to use this as a taster of his work, there is lots of it and if you buy anything before 1980 you will love it if you like this. Unfortunately he's done nothing of real note after the 1970's and that was where his key work was done. The trilogy of talking book, innvervisions and Songs in the key of life are treasures to be explored in their won right and you should all do so, personally although songs in the key of life is seen as his masterpiece it was a double album brain dump of everything he was working on and contains material that is weaker than the shorter talking book and innvervisions, with Innvervisions representing his finest (non compilation) album in my opinion, with perhaps Living for the City my favourite song of Stevie's.

So to conclude a brilliant compliation of the highlights of a genious career which will ease you into the back catalogue and allow you to uncover the gems that lie therein for yourselves.

Brillant, 04 Jan 2008
Bought this cd a few weeks ago and just can't stop listening to it. Whatever mode i am in, it cheers me up and makes me smile great album really worth getting.

ESSENTIAL STEVIE WONDER, 03 May 2006
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Judkins Morris) began singing in a choir with his mother and siblings at a very early age at the Whitestone Baptist Church, which lay in his hometown of Saginaw.

By the age of 10, Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. He proved a master on the piano, harmonica and drums and was adept at poetry and song-writing. Stevie was soon recommended by John Glover (who he was extensivley working with at the time) to Ronnie White, then a member of the fantastic, Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, who were signed to Detroits, Tamla Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy who was instantly astounded by this child genius.

Dubbed Little Stevie Wonder in his early career, he was rapidly signed to Motown Records, home to some of the most important names in the history of black music including Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. It was clear from an early age that Stevie Wonder indeed was a deeply gifted singer/songwriter and muscian.

Fingertips, released in 1963, proved an exhilirating masterpiece. Fingertips was virtually a harmonica instrumental but its just so totally infectious and caught onto the public like a magnet. Fingertips quickly catapulted to the top of the U.S charts and became the first in a long line of classics.

It was clearly his Motown work that remained some of his most popular and compelling output. The vibrant, Uptight (Everything's Alright) was a highly infectious affair as was the more sparse production of Yesterme-Yesteryou-Yesterday. The rolling undertones of playful funk on the classic, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) were three classics that perharps were pure examples of how Stevie Wonder gradually adapted to more Pop styles where his work still vastly contained elements of traditional black rhythm and blues but was able to cross boundaries and break down many racial barriers (much in the way Diana Ross had). Though commercial in each of the tracks content, they all still firmly retained that earthy, soulful style, owing much to Stevies credible and unique vocal style.

Stevie proved to be a masterful lyric writer and conveyed an effortless flair for ballads such as on the passionate, timeless, My Cherie Amour (written with Henry Cosby) and the more subtle and profound, A Place In The Sun.

Like Marvin gaye, his work steadily progressed from the formulaic sounds of Motown to more creative, artistic and indepth material, releasing a string of quality studio albums throughout the 1970's. The startling Superstition was a sharp, nifty, funky number where Stevies voice effectivley cuts through the stark musical arrangements. He delivered a more anthemic message on the compelling, Higher Ground.

The awesome, Living For The City, was an exciting, severn-minute epic which echoed the restrictions and perils of ghetto life. Much of his work steered more into profound political and social issues that perfectly captured contemporary times and deservedly gained wide acknowledgement from critics.

Like Diana Ross (a close friend of the divas and he'd also written the dazzling compostion, Too Shy To Say for her 1977 studio album, Baby It's Me) his work eventually settled into the more Adult-Contemporary market that occupied the lower reaches of the charts yet fully remained an A-list novelty act. Such saccharine numbers like I Just Called To Say I Love You, may have become big cross-atlantic hits but this type of material lacks the dynamic of some of his earlier work.

Even so, Stevie Wonder continues to this day to enjoy a large and loyal following. This being the definitive collection of Stevie Wonders work makes it essential to any serious Soul/R&B/Motown collection.




The definitive Steve Wonder htis collection...for now..., 06 Nov 2003
The first collection of Stevie Wonder hits came out in 1968, when he was still a teenager. Of course, as a pre-teen "Little" Stevie gave Motown its first #1 album. In retrospect 1968 turned out to be a pivotal year in Wonder's career, which began covering Ray Charles songs and whose first hit "Fingertips, Part 2" actually came as a pre-teen, because that was the year he finally started writing most of the songs on his album (e.g., "My Cherie Amour"). The Wonder years definitively come in the early Seventies when he was putting out albums like "Music of My Mind," "Talking Book," "Innervisions," and "Songs in the Key of Life." This explains why the middle part of this collection is the best. Stevie Wonder is one of those artists where an album like this presenting his best work should give you impetus to go check out his best albums. Certainly there are artists where a good hits collection is all you need to have in your music library, but Stevie Wonder would not be one of those artists whose distinctive blend of odd riffs, incessant modulations and unpredictable melodies take advantage of his three-octave range. Yes, if you have but one Stevie Wonder album "The Definitive Collection" would be the one to get, but you should also explore at least the middle pair of the above referenced quartet.

The best Stevie Wonder compilation, 12 Oct 2003
It is easy to be confused by Stevie Wonder compilations. In the nineties, a double CD was released in America titled Song review, while a single CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. More recently, a single CD was released in America titled Definitive collection, so (conversely) a double CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. This British double CD is much better than the earlier American double CD titled Song review, which had fewer tracks and missed out some important songs. Indeed, this is the best compilation of Stevie's music that I've seen. Even on two CD's, it is not possible to include every Stevie Wonder recording worth hearing, but all the big hits in Britain and America are here.

You probably have your own favorites. I particularly like You are the sunshine of my life, For once in my life, Yester-me yester-you yesterday, Living for the city, I just called to say I love you, Sir Duke, A place in the sun, Lately and Happy birthday. Other classics (also excellent) include Superstition, I wish, Isn't she lovely, Ebony and ivory (with Paul McCartney), Never had a dream come true, Uptight and so many others.

If you only want one collection of Stevie Wonder music, this is by far the best. If you want to build a collection of his music, this is a great starting point.

The peak of perfection., 10 Oct 2008
Can anybody think of many double albums on which every track is even 'good' let alone a master work? They are very few and far between as the majority of them just go on for far to long with too much 'filler'. And so we come to SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE by MR. Stevland Morris.
After the masterpiece which was INNERVISIONS in 1973, Stevie Wonder released this magnum-opus in 1976. Is it as good as INNERVISIONS? The answer is a resounding YES, YES, YES!
Up-lifting and beautiful, happy yet melancholy, it doesn't get any better than this.
Go and buy it.

Stevie's Magnum Opus, 15 Aug 2008
I can't add much to what's already been written here. This is an essential album - though I regard all of the following as essential too:

Talking Book
Innervisions
Fulfillingness First Finale

If you're new to Stevie's work, please don't buy a collection, you'll be missing out on so much!

an absolute classic stevie wonder youre cool!, 20 Jul 2008
this a fantastic double album all the songs are fab i also recommend the albums music of my mind talking book and innervisions and original musiquarium there fantastic buy this you wont regret it!!

"Wonder" ful, 29 Jan 2008
Have the vinyl. Now got the CD and its still timeless. I have many favourites. Love "I am singing" this sums up stevies life in music.
The song writing is 1st class. in my view far better than Lennon/Mccartney ever were. This guy does the lot himself. This album should be in every collection. best selling double album of all time, i believe. Well justified.

Stevie's Best, 10 Jan 2008
Somehow it seems uncool to rate an artist's most succesful album as their best, but I make no apology for doing so in this case.

By 1976, Stevie Wonder had established himself as perhaps the first black artist who could consistantly sell albums in all markets around the world, winning awards, including best album Grammys. It is amazing to think that he had been around for over a decade, but was still only 26 years old. He wrote, sang, played and produced with the maturity of a much older man.

My favorite tracks are 'As' which was the third or fourth single so didn't do too well, but the lyrics are worthy of Smokey. It is the last word in love songs. It was revived a few years back by George Michael and Mary J Blige. I also like 'Village Ghetto Land', a biting social commetary. Then there is 'If It's Magic' a stunningly simple track with just Stevie's voice and a harp. It calls for a wider universal love.

As a teenager, I saved pocket money for weeks to buy the vynil, and replaced it on CD as soon as it was released. Now here it is remastered for next to nothing! People don't realise they are born today!

play it - love it, 01 Jan 2008
The mix of music is perfect.Lulu was great and loved Valantine moon. Gave as christmas presents all round.

Great album - but not much for the long time fan, 11 Nov 2007
I can't argue with the sound of this music. It is all of the highest quality.

Tuxedo Junction always makes me smile, as do most of the other tracks. I would suggest people hunt out the three 'And Friends' albums, as I reckon they could pick those up for not much more than this best of, and have three times as much music, without missing much.

The only issue I have with this album (hence missing the fifth star) is that there is not much incentive to buy this album if you already own the three aforementioned 'And Friends' albums. A better idea would have been to do a retrospective of Jools' solo (or non Squeeze) career, which spans the best part of 25 years, thus giving more 'new' material to more people.

That said, the music is all good, and if you want to smile like a loon, and dance like one too, this album is for you!

Jools Holland Best of Friends CD/DVD, 24 Oct 2007
This is also my first Jools Holland album and I agree with the previous review Wow!! excellent music you'll love it.

what a load of excellent tunes, 18 Oct 2007
This is my first Jools Holland album, i only got it today and so far i have not stopped playing it. Excellent music, tuxedo junction is ace. I'm gonna share this with the neighbourhood so loud, i absolutely love it.
i'm going to buy more when i get paid.

Best single CD of Marvinýs music, 16 Feb 2005
You cannot fit all of Marvin's hits on a single CD but this collection has most of the essentials. From a British perspective, one advantage that this has over the double CD (Very best of, which was compiled in America but released in both the UK and USA) is that it includes three UK top ten hits that are not on the double CD, these being Onion song (supposedly with Tammi Terrell, though Tammi was too ill to record the song and a sound-alike substituted), You are everything (with Diana Ross) and Abraham Martin and John (which was an American hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, not Marvin Gaye).

There is no room on this CD to explore Marvin's career in depth, but it does contain all his important British hits (some minor hits have been omitted) and on that basis, it provides an excellent overview of Marvin's career. Nevertheless, before buying this, you may wish to compare it with the double CD, Very best of.

The true roots of R&B, 25 Sep 2000
This album brings us the type of music which has inspired a whole generation of HIP-HOP and R&B stars, you can tell as oon as you hear this album that Marvin Gaye was one of the greatest performers to ever grace the music scene! it includes clasics like Mercy Mercy Me and also some inspiring duets. This is an album for all ages and i doubt that no one who listens to it will say otherwise a truly clisic album bringing together some of the great man's biggest hits.

A work is genius is what's going on., 08 May 2008
This album blew my mind when I first heard it 15 years or so ago. From the first to the last this album reaches the pinnacles that other artists just cannot. To think that it is over 30 years old to me it sounds fresher and more vital than most of the bland R&B that is being offered up today. Also it's political message still blows me away.

This album is so good that everyone should own it. Infact if you know someone who doesn't get them a copy. It would count as a genuine act of kindness on your part.

It's just a shame he's not still with us.

You can't afford not to own this record, 18 Mar 2008
Probably the best LP ever released by anyone, anywhere, and certainly the best on Motown.
Beautiful in it's conception, writing, recording and production. Simply beautiful.

A Desert Island Disk, 03 Jan 2008
Sadly, when this album was released, Motown was "uncool", and I was listening to Mahavishnu Orchestra and Chick Corea's Return to Forever. Both good bands, but don't get played too often these days. However, since eventually buying it, it's never failed to get the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. The title track is as relevant today as it was when it was written (Vietnam and Iraq), and is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It's just very sad that Marvin is no longer around to sing it.

Wonderful Marvin, 06 Nov 2007
The sign of a truly great album is if it stands the test of time and "Whats going on" certainley does.It still as meaningful now as it was in 1971 if not more today.Marvin was a truly great artist and this album is a testament to his greatness.Great songs that make you think.A brilliant album.

Marvin Gaye's Best Album, 16 Oct 2007
Marvin had been on the Motown production line for nearly a decade. Now I have nothing against the traditional Motown sound, on the contrary, I live breathe and sleep it, but Marvin was ready to trust his own creativity, and try something new, of his own.

Some have described the album as a 'black American' album. Listen again, you will not hear the word 'black' once! The album speaks to all of humanity, like great art should. The concept is timeless. With the current growing concerns about pollution and global warming, 'Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)' could have been written tomorrow.

There is a lot of jazz in the music. The chords and changes are very pleasing, and thoughtfully complex if you listen closely.

This is Marvin's best album in my opinion. At the time of writing it is so cheap, and repackaged with a bonus track. It should be irrestibible to anybody. I believe it belongs in every serious collection.

Masterpiece. End of story., 30 Sep 2008
I am not one to use the word 'MASTERPIECE' freely. This is because these days, i feel most people overuse the word 'masterpiece' and i find this to be rather irritating. You know what i mean? Too many albums, films, etc are refered to as masterpieces when they are just ok or good. This album, however is NOT ok or good. It IS a masterpiece.
Firstly, let me say, i am a rock fan. I was brought up on Heavy metal and punk. I'd lived in complete ignorence of Stevie Wonder until a friend recommended this album to me. At first, as you can probably guess, i was hesitant. Its not rock, i thought, why would i like it? Eventually i yielded and got a copy, expecting to give away after i'd heard it once. How wrong i was. This album is a genuine work of genius. Stevie pours his heart and soul into every song. He doesn't just perform the songs, he LIVES them. Songs like 'Living for the city' say more about black rights than most hip-hop acts do and 'Higher Ground' make the RHCP cover look downright amatuerish. Every track is special though, you'll find no filler on this album.
Yes, i'm still a rock, punk and metal fan and always will be. But the MASTERPIECE that is INNERVISIONS has made me realise that i need to broaden my horizons. Put simply, it doesn't matter what your musical tastes are, true masterpieces, if you're brave enough to diversify, can be enjoyed by all. This is one of those examples. Go on, take the chance.

Classic, 23 Sep 2008
I got this album only because I wanted to hear the original 'higher ground' which I'd heard covered by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and found what has become my favorite album of all time!

From the funky opening bars of 'Too high' to the closing genius of 'misstra know it all', Wonder creates an unforgettable journey. There's a good variety of music on offer, with the slower piano ballad 'all in love is fair' contrasting sharply with more upbeat (and often comedic) songs like 'don't you worry bout a thing' and 'living for the city'. The latter is a funky tale of a young black man moving to NYC, and provides an insight into the racial attitudes and prejudices at the time.

Wonder's vocals are also a pleasure to listen to - his yearning voice on the beautiful acoustic track 'visions' complements the theme of the song perfectly. However, never a one trick pony, on the faster songs he shows just how strong and energetic he can be.

The remastering is also very well done - it's easy to forget that it was released in the late 70s.

With such an eclectic mix of music on offer, this really is an album that everyone should have, and provides a great starting point into the world of Stevie Wonder!

Flawless Soul, 18 Jun 2008
If you like some classic soul eg Marvin, Curtis, Aretha, Al Green etc then this is an essential purchase. Also if you like the quality end of modern RnB like Alicia Keys or John Legend then this is also essential. There are no bad tracks here. 'Living For The City' is probably the greatest of Stevie's social commentaries. Alot of listeners today don't appreciate how amazing Stevie Wonder was in his prime, I'm too young to have heard him during the 70s and if I hadn't just trusted all the platitudes I probably would never have discovered him!. I just thought of Stevie Wonder as being the guy who did 'I just Called To Say I Love You' but that was the end of the creative period. He's not that visible these days and hopefully his first European tour in over 10 years this Autumn will enable people like me to enjoy the classics we missed first time. This album is up there with 'Blonde On Blonde', 'Revolver' 'London Calling', a classic of the album format. Get it today, you won't be disappointed!.

Innervisions is a visionary wonder, 18 Apr 2008
For much of my adult life i lived in complete ignorance of the glories of artists like Stevie Wonder, too mired in my prosaic parochial little existence of indie bands , spiky agit rock , and historically relevant classic rock groups. Then by happy accident i heard Innervisions. Till then the only Stevie Wonder songs that orbited my universe were "Master Blaster" which i liked because it reminded me of the great West Indian batsman Viv Richards. ( For the cricket ignorant that was his nickname) though it is a great song "Happy Birthday", "Ebony And Ivory" .and, "I Just Called To Say I Love You" which is a pleasant enough pop song but has the irritation factor of a swarm of midges.
Innervisions though is a masterpiece. I,ll leave the arguments about whether it,s Stevie Wonders best album (For the record i think it is) for others . Released in August 1973 Innervisions is considered to be the third album of the five albums considered to encapsulate his classic period. The 1972 album "Talking Book" vies with Innervisions for most people as his finest album. Conceptually and musically Innervisions is powerful and innovative. If put in cinematic terms Innervisions is the work of an auteur. The lyrics , arrangements , and production (Though Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil also helped produce) are all down to Wonder , with the synthesizer, then a novel instrument, being utilised extensively .
The songs cover a range of social issues with only "Golden Lady" and "All In Love Is Fair"serving as a straight forward love songs."Don,t Worry About A Thing" sounds like a joyous plea for hedonistic freedom but is actually about drugs as is the slightly more querulous "Too High". There is palpable anger at social disintegration in the song "Higher Ground" and the magnificent "Living For The City" while the melodically splendid "He,s Misstra Know It All" is a scathing attack on the then President Richard Nixon."Visions" has a terrific vocal though of course all the songs do, and is the most graceful track on the album while "Jesus Children Of America"is a harder edged funk slice of funk.
Black artists singing about their status in society really exploded with bands like Public Enemy and NWA in the 1980,s yet artists like Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye were eloquently documenting the deprivation encountered by black people through their music much earlier. In the case of Innervisions Wonder was achieving this with a brilliant ground breaking fusion of soul funk and pop.Put simply Innervisions is a visionary wonder.


Stevie's so much more than 'I Just Called To Say I Love You', 25 Feb 2008
Everyone who has reviewed this album has rated it 5 stars and I feel that says it all and I'm definitely not going to go against the grain. This is, in my opinion, Stevie Wonder's greatest album and in an ideal world every household would own a copy. In the real world however he is remembered by the masses for the dreadful 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'. Like someone else stated, this is a great place to start if you are looking to buy your first Stevie Wonder album (Talking Book was my first Stevie album and this is another great album to start). Forget the Greatest Hits, there is so much more to Stevie than the singles and I feel it's better to hear the songs as they were meant to be. A great mixture of songs and sounds - my favourites have to be 'Golden Lady' and 'Living for the City'. I'm predominantly a fan of alternative/indie/ avant garde music and another reviewer was a 'Prog Rock' fan, so this shows how great the songs on Stevie's albums of the 70's are, that they appeal to such a wide range of listeners. For your sake, please buy this album - you won't regret it.

The songs from this 1972 album perfectly illustrate the contrasting sides of Wonder's complex personality: "Superstition" is a strong rocker, a paranoid bit of wah-wah guitar funk that's as persistent as the best punk music; the opening track, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", is a pure love song that would sound corny coming from any other voice. A hint of bitterness, perhaps owing to Wonder's then-dissolving marriage, gives Talking Book its edge. But overall it's obsessed with love, and while "Sunshine" is still one of the singer/keyboardist's most beloved songs, the closing "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" is much deeper and more rewarding. --Steve Knopper

Start with this and then buy the back catalogue, 01 Nov 2008
This is probably the best compilation album of Stevie's work and that's great but I urge you all to use this as a taster of his work, there is lots of it and if you buy anything before 1980 you will love it if you like this. Unfortunately he's done nothing of real note after the 1970's and that was where his key work was done. The trilogy of talking book, innvervisions and Songs in the key of life are treasures to be explored in their won right and you should all do so, personally although songs in the key of life is seen as his masterpiece it was a double album brain dump of everything he was working on and contains material that is weaker than the shorter talking book and innvervisions, with Innvervisions representing his finest (non compilation) album in my opinion, with perhaps Living for the City my favourite song of Stevie's.

So to conclude a brilliant compliation of the highlights of a genious career which will ease you into the back catalogue and allow you to uncover the gems that lie therein for yourselves.

Brillant, 04 Jan 2008
Bought this cd a few weeks ago and just can't stop listening to it. Whatever mode i am in, it cheers me up and makes me smile great album really worth getting.

ESSENTIAL STEVIE WONDER, 03 May 2006
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Judkins Morris) began singing in a choir with his mother and siblings at a very early age at the Whitestone Baptist Church, which lay in his hometown of Saginaw.

By the age of 10, Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. He proved a master on the piano, harmonica and drums and was adept at poetry and song-writing. Stevie was soon recommended by John Glover (who he was extensivley working with at the time) to Ronnie White, then a member of the fantastic, Smokey Robinson And The Miracles, who were signed to Detroits, Tamla Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy who was instantly astounded by this child genius.

Dubbed Little Stevie Wonder in his early career, he was rapidly signed to Motown Records, home to some of the most important names in the history of black music including Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. It was clear from an early age that Stevie Wonder indeed was a deeply gifted singer/songwriter and muscian.

Fingertips, released in 1963, proved an exhilirating masterpiece. Fingertips was virtually a harmonica instrumental but its just so totally infectious and caught onto the public like a magnet. Fingertips quickly catapulted to the top of the U.S charts and became the first in a long line of classics.

It was clearly his Motown work that remained some of his most popular and compelling output. The vibrant, Uptight (Everything's Alright) was a highly infectious affair as was the more sparse production of Yesterme-Yesteryou-Yesterday. The rolling undertones of playful funk on the classic, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) were three classics that perharps were pure examples of how Stevie Wonder gradually adapted to more Pop styles where his work still vastly contained elements of traditional black rhythm and blues but was able to cross boundaries and break down many racial barriers (much in the way Diana Ross had). Though commercial in each of the tracks content, they all still firmly retained that earthy, soulful style, owing much to Stevies credible and unique vocal style.

Stevie proved to be a masterful lyric writer and conveyed an effortless flair for ballads such as on the passionate, timeless, My Cherie Amour (written with Henry Cosby) and the more subtle and profound, A Place In The Sun.

Like Marvin gaye, his work steadily progressed from the formulaic sounds of Motown to more creative, artistic and indepth material, releasing a string of quality studio albums throughout the 1970's. The startling Superstition was a sharp, nifty, funky number where Stevies voice effectivley cuts through the stark musical arrangements. He delivered a more anthemic message on the compelling, Higher Ground.

The awesome, Living For The City, was an exciting, severn-minute epic which echoed the restrictions and perils of ghetto life. Much of his work steered more into profound political and social issues that perfectly captured contemporary times and deservedly gained wide acknowledgement from critics.

Like Diana Ross (a close friend of the divas and he'd also written the dazzling compostion, Too Shy To Say for her 1977 studio album, Baby It's Me) his work eventually settled into the more Adult-Contemporary market that occupied the lower reaches of the charts yet fully remained an A-list novelty act. Such saccharine numbers like I Just Called To Say I Love You, may have become big cross-atlantic hits but this type of material lacks