I know we've discussed Stevie Wonder's 1976 album 'Songs In the Key Of Life' many times before,but since I love this album so much,I wanted to discuss it further.I was listening to it the other day,and it STILL blows my mind.Mary J. Blige once commented on this album,saying that she hears something "new" each time she plays it,and I agree.

So,tell me,after all this time,what do you feel when you play this album?

I just recently "discovered" this masterpiece on MP3! I knew some of the songs because they arte classics, but this whole album is timeless! It is really great. I asked it for Christmas this year, let's hope Santa likes good music...

Also Innervisions is very cool...better ask that one next year.

Peace

Lemoncrush78

PS: I really do think that this MP3 file sharing thing on the Internet made my music choices a lot more diverse. I think that MP3 can do a lot of good to some artists. My musical knowledge has expanded since Napster, Kazaa and cable.But there is nothing better than a nice clean CD with artwork...so I'll keep buying them.

I've been hearin a lot of stuff bout this album...
Anyone care 2 give me an insight into it...it makes me curious...

Ecnirp84

ecnirp84 said:

All I can tell you is simply "Buy it!"

Trust me on this

It is simply amazing!! "Have a talk with God" - fonkiest clavs!!

It's a beautiful album that never fails to put a smile on my face. Every home should have one.

you are Hearing a Artist at His Artistic Zenith IMHO.one of those Albums that if dude never played another Note He could ride off into the SunSet&leave you in the dust.yeah I saw what Mary J.Bliege said about it.

This is a 2-record set and there is a not a bad song anywhere on it.Does everybody agree?

DavidEye said:

Agreed.

DavidEye said:

There will some that will beg to differ with you on this one Dave. But I LOVE everything on this one...{The first album I ever owned back in 1977..the one that started my music collection...}


Stevie

This is the only two record set that can duke it out toe-to-toe with Sign of the Times, IMHO.

jtgillia said:

Yeah it can duke it out with SOTT and it would win.

DavidEye said:

No.

It's one of the best albums ever. It's a favorite of mine.

I bought this album a couple of years ago having read so many prominent soul artists praise it. It hasn't impressed me that much. Or more accurately, it has impressed me without ever drawing me in. The songs just seem to plod along without any real guts and soul. The production is extremely layered and interesting, and has aged beautifully, but at the same time there is something about the arrangements that prevents me from truly engaging with the songs. The songs are too clean or something. I want something to really hit me, to really move into the depths of my soul, but all I get is something that sounds interesting on the surface without actually having much emotional pull. I'd be interested to hear what others feel are the best songs on the album.

I like SITKOL to bits, every song on it. But there are moments of genius on Innervisions, Talking Book, Music of my Life, Secret Life of Plants etc too. It's a pity a lot of these great albums get overlooked in favour of SITKOL all the time.

Fave tracks on SITKOL: "Joy inside my tears", "Pasttime paradise", "Love's in need of love today"

DavidEye said:

nope."Saturn" Alone leaves Me Glassy-Eyed&Puzzled.but overall It's A Helluva Set Showcasing a Great Artist in His Artistic&commerical Peak.

ian said:

"Innervisions" is My Number 1 of those Great 70's Run Era Stevie Albums IMHO.

fairmoan said:

My personal favorite is "Summer Soft",that song just kills me everytime.I also love "Village Ghetto Land","Pastime Paradise',"Ngicuela--Es Una Historia (I Am Singing)","Another Star" and "All Day Sucker".This is one of the few two-record sets by ANY artist where I like every single song.You really should give this album another chance.It's mindblowing!
[This message was edited Sat Dec 14 12:35:31 PST 2002 by DavidEye]

mistermaxxx said:

Alot of people don't like the song "Saturn" but I like the powerful lyrics..."Through the ages all great men have taught,truth and happiness just can't be bought---or sold...tell me why are you people so cold?".

I'm guessing it's the synth-heavy production that turns people off

ian said:

I recall one of the NPG members (I think it was Sonny) saying that "Joy Inside My Tears" is one of his all-time favorite songs.

fairmoan said:

Without any soul? Wow. Never thought I'd hear/read about anyone saying that about a '70s Stevie album.

ian said:

I've said it before, and here it is again; to me there isn't one weakness that the Innervisions album has.

fairmoan said:

Ouch!!

Each to their own tho'.

Fairmoan,

Listen to "If It's Magic" or "As" again and tell me those songs ain't got no soul!

jtgillia said:

They're certainly "soul" in form. The point I am trying to make is that very few of the songs really move me- I can only really appreciate them superficially, and I don't become so entranced that I must listen over and over again. "As" is in fact the prime example. That chorus initially sounds pretty guttsy but it just becomes repetitive by the end for me. Partly I think the problem is Stevie's voice. Something about it just doesn't do it for me, even though I can recognise he has a wonderful range.

I understand your argument, but just to make my point clear, if you haven't tried listening to "If It's Magic" again, please do so. Hopefully, you will be moved. To me, it's just an amazing song...

Do you like any of Stevie's other albums?

jtgillia said:

My favourite is Innervisions, though I suspect I like it somewhat less than most Stevie Wonder fans. Other than that the only other album I have listened to in depth is Talking Book. "Superstition" is one of my all-time favourite songs, and the album is quite obviously very good (just like Songs). But I find his ballads nondescript and lacking urgency on the whole.

One of my all time favorite albums, but not my favorite Stevie Wonder album, that honor belongs to Innervisions. This album contains some of my favorite songs: As, Love's In Need of Love Today, If It's Magic, Summer Soft, Have A Talk With God, Knocks Me Off My Feet and Saturn. However I do feel that some of the songs are a little long and become too repetitive. This is one of the few Stevie Wonder albums I feel could have been edited just a little. I can get into the extended jam of Another Star and the repetitiveness of Joy Inside My Tears, and Isn't She Lovely . That being said, "Songs" still remains one of my all time top 10 albums.

fairmoan said:

You gotta be joking.Stevie's ballads are FILLED with power and emotion.