Songs n' Shanties: Stevie Wonder's Reach on Music

This will be my first entry in my retrospective on music, despite me not being around to listen to it during its release, I'll be writing about Steve Wonder and one of his famous records. This record is called “Innervisions” by Stevie Wonder released on August 3, 1973. This album has been highly influential to the many genres it is labeled under ranging from rock and funk to jazz and soul.

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Stevie Wonder During His Younger Years

To those who do not know of Stevie Wonder, I’ll be going over some moments that brought him to where he was during the release of this album. Born on May 13, 1950, he was blind shortly after birth from a condition called retinopathy of prematurity. At the age of four, Stevie and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he would sing in church and learn several instruments such as the harmonica, piano, and drums. At the age of eleven, he would sing his composition at an audition for Motown where CEO Berry Gordy would sign Stevie to their Tamla label. When Stevie was thirteen, he would release the single “Fingertips” which would be a major single appearing at number one on the Hot 100 and number one on the R&B charts which was the first time an artist this young would reach such charts.

Wonder in the 70's and Pre-Innervisions

Jumping to the 70's (where Wonder would be in his 20's), he would sign a new deal with Motown and release his record “Music of my Mind”. The record would be the beginning of his “classics” period and would use sounds from synthesizers which he would use in later records and even Innervisions. Another groundbreaking record would be 1972’s “Talking Book” which would feature the two number one tracks “Superstition” and “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life”. Another addition to Stevie’s sound would be the Clavinet which would be used prominently on “Superstition” alongside his live performance of the song featured on the show Sesame Street.

Wonder on Sesame Street in 1973

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Innervisions

This record would go on to continue Wonders classic period and for good reason, this album goes through many sounds and influences; with almost all of it being played and written by Wonder himself. This album also tackles a lot of subjects relating to the era like the drug epidemic and inequality and racism in America. It also has softer moments as well with a couple of love songs on the track list.

1. Too High

The album starts with the song “Too High” taking a funk tone and spacy sound. The first verse begins with a woman smoking marijuana with the lyrics:

“She's a girl in a dream She sees a four-eyed cartoon monster on the TV screen She takes another puff and says, "It's a crazy scene"

That red is green And she's a tangerine”

The lyrics fit that “high” tone he was going for with the hook even being “I'm too high I hope I never ever come down”. Despite the positive and uplifting tone, the song ends on a rather somber note. The lyrics end with the woman dying with these lines being rather noteworthy “A did you hear the news about the girl today? She passed away What did her friend say? They said she's too high Too high Can't hang around anyway”

During his singing of these words, the song turns sour with a haunting synth solo beginning.

2.Visions

This song is about a dreamland for wonder, one that later in the track he realizes is only in his mind. He talks about a “milk and honey land where hates a dream and love forever stands“ later talking about how this is just a vision in his mind. The tone of this song is very contrasting to Too High with how laid back, thoughtful, and dreamlike the composition is.

3. Living For The City

This song appeared at number eight on the Hot 100, The song tells a story with each verse relating to a different person of colors perspective of living in the city and making it through hard times. The first story is rather bright showing how despite his poverty stuck area his parents give him support to go in the right direction. The next verse shows the perspective of his parents where they work “fourteen hours And you can bet, he barely makes a dollar”. In the middle of the track, it has a sample of someone getting wrongly persecuted with him getting sent to 10 years in prison showing as another story for the city. After this sample, wonder sings in a deep voice with the lyric “He's almost dead from breathing in air pollution” to show the rough area affecting his vocals. I will share the ending verse to show how he thinks the mistreatment can stop.

“I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow

And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow

This place is cruel, nowhere could be much colder

If we don't change, the world will soon be over

Living just enough, stop giving just enough for the city”

4. Golden Lady

“Golden Lady” definitely makes the tone a lot brighter with this song being a pure love balled. the song starts very sweet and quiet with the song evolving into a bright passion with new instruments joining in like organs and synths to accompany the song. This song has a lot of good lines on it but ill share my favorite from it “A touch of rain and sunshine made the flower grow Into a lovely smile that's blooming”

5. Higher Ground

Higher ground goes back to Wonder showing off one of his funkiest songs ever. This song debuted at number four on the hot 100 and number one on the R&B charts, the song telling others to stay educated and keep learning about powers that lie to their people.

6. Jesus Children Of America

This song goes with the momentum brought from the previous song, continuing on the funk. Despite the heavy rhythm of this song, the lyrics are more related to religion and church as said in the title. The main core is Stevie talking about those who sin to express their sins to God.

7. All In Love Is Fair

This cut is a ballad about Wonders divorce from his wife, it is the most empty musically with the only wonder on keys and drums alongside Scott Edwards on bass. Even with the instruments being few, Wonder gets his emotions across with his professional playing and solemn voice.

8. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing

This song is introduced with a Latin piano alongside a skit of Wonder trying to impress with places he’s been and his overall sophistication on other cultures. The overall song carries the Latin feel for the rest of the song while also making it his own with his unique voice. Although not related to Wonder the Acid-Jazz band incognito did a cover of this song making it one of their hits.

9. He’s Misstra Know-It-All

The closer to the record is very emotional heavy, it starts slow while as the lyrics get angrier the music accompanies as well. Said words are about a trickster who tells lies about his deals, Wonder doesn’t stand for this explaining his views. This song is very percussive heavy, with Wonder playing all of it except for the bass. His heavy booming vocals at the end of this song drive his point across.

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Conclusion To Innervisions

This album received multiple 5/5’s and 10/10’s from critics with it even winning two Grammys, one for best album and another for best R&B song for “Living For The City”. Unfortunately, only three days after the album was released Wonder was involved in a car accident leaving Wonder in a coma. His climb back to health would be long and painful mentally with wonder being worried he may not ever be able to play and make music again. When he finally did begin playing his friend Ira Tucker noted that it was like seeing the “ happiness spreading all over him”. Although heavy the accident didn’t stop Wonder with him releasing “Fulfillingness' First Finale” only one year later.

Written by Peyton Hoskins