Who loves this joint? Can't go wrong with the Bass. The lyrical content is really strong.



Also worth checking out the first min of this clip

If I remember correctly, that was the very first Stevie Wonder track that I really got hooked on.

It's a great track. Love the instumental part starting at 5:29

That song's hypnotically funky with serious lyrics behind it! Stevie knew how to get you to listen to a song, you can dance to it, sure, but he made you THINK too.

It always surprises me when people say that Stevie couldn't do funk. I think ever since 'I just called to say I love you' came out, some forgot all the funky stuff he did and started associating him with pop. This was one of those funky tracks people forget when they accuse him of not bringing it. This song sometimes reminds me of Let's Get Serious that he wrote for Jermaine.

70sLove said:

Stevie's funk is what you call that psychological funk. Songs like "Superstition", "Big Brother", "Jesus Children of America", "Don't Worry About a Thing", "Living for the City" and the like were "message songs" disguised under that funk groove that was all Stevie's. Not to mention that pre-"Talking Book" glory of songs like "Keep on Running" and "Love Having You Around" (in one of the first instances of the talk box being used) were deeply rooted in funk. Plus we have to remember while Stevie became a superstar in the '70s, it was after or around the time of "I Just Called to Say I Love You" that he became this "wholesome pop singer" that he wasn't a decade before. Matter of fact, he was pretty radical in 1970s pop standards.

70sLove said:

Yeah, I run into these comments too.

Timmy84 said:

... and by 70s soul music standards. It's not just the experimentation on the later records - you only have to listen to his chord progressions even on the hits to realize that.

I will add though that even if people mock "I Just Called To Say I Love You", just play it yourself on an instrument and you should realize it's still quite on riginal melody on its own. I mean, there's hardly anything else like it - it is still definitely a Stevie Wonder song. Had it been produced and arranged more in a "Songs In The Key Of Life" -type of way, it probably wouldn't raise so many eyebrows.
[Edited 5/25/09 23:21pm]

novabrkr said:

Good point, lol.

Timmy84 said:

Yep, and the instruments on it's own back up the lyrical content and contribute to the power of it. When you have a lyric like "we pledge allegiance all our lives" the horns come in to back it up.

70sLove said:

Stevie can be super funky when he wants to be, a song like "You Haven't Done Nothing" from 1974 comes to mind. Super funky. The way Stevie plays the clavinet (that's the instrument very evident on songs like "Superstition" or "You Haven't Done Nothing" is very innteresting also. He plays it like you would play percussion, it's very rhythmic. Another interesting thing to note is that Stevie ususally doesn't use his thumb to play.

Timmy84 said:

Stevie naturally inspired by artists like Marvin and Donny definitely was bringing a strong message. To return to a song like "You Haven't Done Nothing" it definitely ain't a "happy funky" tune at least lyrically seen though cause it does make you MOVE and JAM and DANCE. But it's his second song directed at Richard Nixon (He's Mistra Know It All being the other) At the time, it definitely was controversial.

novabrkr said:

Excellent point. My dad always mentioned that it may be possible to play back a Stevie song, but to actually come up with it is a different story. His chord structure is very unique. A lot of 9th 11th and 13th chords.

Stevie had "I Just Called" finished way before it was put out, If I remember, he wanted to put it on "Songs" originally too but changed his mind.

love it!

The second CD (or sides 3 and 4) have brilliant jams. This one, As, Another Star. All last long and are funky and oh so good.

NMuzakNSoul said:

Yeah exactly. That's exactly what I meant. The guy was bringing us messages through the FUNK.

Timmy84 said:

Timmy...

last year I was working at my local newspaper and one of the journalists (he plays guitar in a rock band and probably thinks he's good and a musicologist) said Stevie Wonder would only sing la-la-la music.

To this day I don't speak to him anymore. His such a asshole, how dumb could one be?

...

Yeah, that is surprising that people would say that about Stevie and The Funk -- IMO, Higher Ground, Black Man, Superstition, You Haven't Done Nothin, and Maybe Your Baby are some of the Funkiest thought-provoking tracks ever laid down--...







...
[Edited 5/26/09 5:44am]

paligap said:

Excellent song, I love it. When I first heard it, it reminded me of Prince.
So funky.

graecophilos said:

"La-la-la music"? Aw hell naw, lol.

Yeah paligap, it's astounding, ain't it?

Timmy84 said:

but I Just Called is lalala and Land Of La La???

Part Time Lover?

graecophilos said:

There are those that don't get Stevie, or they only know a few hits and base their whole opinion on it but it is what it is. If you purely play rock and aren't open to other genres of music, or take the time out to know what they're about a statement like that arises. I usually keep on moving.

graecophilos said:

La La land is more so a state of mind, and a matter of speech. Used in dfferent ways. Not really as in "la la"

NMuzakNSoul said:

Exactly, lol.

NMuzakNSoul said:

I don't play RnR at all! I am open to other genres save for Death Metal and hard stuff in general.

I know what Land Of La La is about. It was just ay joke.

NMuzakNSoul said:

I call anybody who prefers just one genre biased. There's great things about Zeppelin, Wonder, Davis, Mahalia, Funkadelic, Teddy, in order to understand music, you have to appreciate everything you hear. Whenever I hear comments like that, I personally get offended not because they diss my favorite artist but the fact they just won't open up to listening it and liking SOMETHING from it.

I Just Called was the first Stevie song I ever knew, and I still like it, though I agree that his 70's material is wayyyyy better and funkier

Black Man was definitely an educational and funky piece. I first heard of it when MJ was talking about it in some interview from the Thriller days, and mentioning Songs In the Key of Life. Awesome album by the way!

Talking Book definitely has underrated jams as well.

alphastreet said:

the same with me. I read how he praised it. But back then, I didn't like it.

I believe what y'all are talking about is from an Ebony Magazine Innerview from 1984. Maybe I can find it.