I've been listening to this album all week and I don't understand why I didn't get it the first time I heard it. The first time I heard it, it was more gentle than his previous album, Innervisions, it didn't have any flow, and the production was pretty dreamy and light. I still think it was a reflective album because that previous year, he was in a car accident that almost killed him. There are some good songs on here, though. "Ain't No Use" is one of Stevie's most underrated ballads, "Boogie On Reggae Woman" is indeed one of his best and most-popular among his beloved fans, "They Won't Go When I Go" is creepy, but at the same time it's very meditative, "Creepin'" is one of my favorite tunes by Stevie, "Smile Please" is just delightful to me. I'm glad Stevie got a Grammy for Album Of The Year for this underrated essential. It's becoming one of my favorite Stevie Wonder albums. Anyone heard of this?
[Edited 5/24/05 19:11pm]

silverchild said:

I have this album and I love it. It took me a while to get into it but when I did I was blown away. It's often overlooked because its sandwhiched between Innnervisions and Songs, however, Fulfillingness' contains classic Stevie Wonder moments. My favs are the aforementioned Smile Please, and Creepin', the former is a warm opener to a blissful listening experience, the latter is a dreamy track that contains beautiful hi-hat usage, great harmonica work, and exquistie vocals. My other favs are the beautiful Too Shy To Say, which contains two of Wonders standards; great piano work and touching lyrics. Another fave is They Won't Go When I Go. However, the track that has my jaw firmly planted to the floor whenever I hear it is the all out funk assault, You Haven't Done Nothin'. The clavinet is at the fore, in the vein of Superstition and Maybe Your Baby, and the punchy horns, honest lyrics, beat machine and hi-hats take the song to another level. It also contains a soulful background "Doo-Doo Wop" by the Jackson 5! Fulfillingess is a grossly underrated album that had the misfortune of being sandwhiched between to earth shattering classics.
[Edited 5/24/05 19:30pm]

This is probably my favorite Stevie Wonder LP from the "golden era". "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away" is one of the most underrated Stevie cuts ever. And the album's closer, "Please Don't Go" reminds me of the "Little" Stevie Wonder material done through "grown" Stevie. That shit just leaves me with happy feelings The album is fuckin' beautiful.

My favorite Stevie album. Period.

Another gem...

This is one of four 1970s Stevie Wonder albums that I recently purchased in the last month or two. I've learned from experience, if you see an album you like in the store, you better buy it immediately because when you come back, it will be gone. That's why I quickly bought all four in the store over a few weeks time without listening and getting to know the other recently purchased albums before purchasing another one.

I have played "Fulfillingness First Finale" the least out of the four but only because I've been wearing two of the other Stevie albums out. When the "newness" wears off the other two, I'll get around to listening to this one a little more. I'm like a kid in a candy store right now and I've got to get my belly full before I can make an honest opinion on the four albums.

It's an amazing album,filled with beautful songs.I love "Creepin"....that song is so dreamy and mesmerizing.Like someone pointed out,it is often overlooked because of the album that came before it---'Innervisions'----and the album that came after it---'Songs In The Key Of Love',both of which are considered to be Stevie's best work.

I don't think there's a single bad or even a mediocre song on his classic 70s albums, so this one's no exception.

Great album. Smile Please, 10 Zillion..., You haven't Done Nothin', Creepin, They Won't Go When I Go, and my personal favorite Bird of Beauty stand out for me.

I can't really say why I don't like it nearly as much as the other 70-76 albums, but I don't. Maybe it's the lack of flow, like you said. The songs are strong, though.

DavidEye said:

Now that I think about it, Creepin' just might be my favorite Stevie tune -- in my mind, that one and Golden Lady are fighting it out for First place,




...

paligap said:

Creepin' made me wish that Stevie and Minnie Riperton would've collaborated another LP after Perfect Angel.

psykosoul said:

Man, that would've been Something!! I wonder if there's any stuff like that in the Black Bull vaults...


...

man everyone should own the following

First Finale
Innervisions
Music of my mind
Talking book

those 4 albums alone are the most brilliant stevie albums

before u say "what about songs in the key of life" isnt it fuckin obvious?

TheRealFiness said:

TRUUUE

vainandy said:

I'm envious of you, discovery of great music is a fantastic thing. I remember chasing up P's back catalogue when i first got into him. that was a great time getting the first few albums.

Innervisions and SITKOL are just awesome albums.

this is my fav Stevie album and one of my favorite albums of all time. Creepin and It Ain't No Use are my favs from this album. I can't even count the number of times i played this song. Smile Please is also great.

Great album. I like 'Bird of Beauty' which when I first heard it was like but after listening to it I thought what an interesting song it was and actually like it alot now.

paligap said:

I can't even pick a favorite Stevie Wonder song...lol...but "Golden Lady" is definitely in my Top 5.

TheRealFiness said:

Shut the fuck up, ass.

Cloudbuster said:

eat my balls.assrabbit

TheRealFiness said:

Do NOT get me started!

DavidEye said:

I think we should both deal with him. In private.

Cloudbuster said:

Oh,I'll kick his ass someday.He lives closer to me now

DavidEye said:

Cool, send me the photos.

I haven't heard that one in perhaps 8 or 9 years...

Novabreaker said:

Cloudbuster said:

And I accidentally left my vinyl copy of "Music Of My Mind" inside a car on a very hot, sunny day. For the whole day. Guess what tends to happen to vinyl LPs in those conditions? So I haven't heard that one in 12 years.

Novabreaker said:

Don't they sell Stevie Wonder albums where you now live?

Cloudbuster said:

I can get them free from the library.