Okay y'all... Both have stood the test of time but, which one do you like and why?

What's Goin' On.

Songs In The Key Of Life easily. Its the greatest album of all time from the greatest artist/musician of all time.

Whats Goin On is my second favorite from Marvin after the impeccable I Want You album.

Songs in the Key of Life, it's more creative, diverse, different vocal styles etc. What's Goin On is a classic too though.

THIS is a good versus thread.

My personal favorite of the two is "Songs...", so there's my vote.

I still think "Pasttime Paradise" is the best song Wonder's ever done and it's my favorite.

whats going on is perfection

songs in the key of life is amazing, but not every track is the same quality as what's going on. WGO is more consistently solid. that is the problem with most double albums though. make it a single album by picking the best tracks and it's a harder choice, but WGO is really up there as one of the greatest albums ever made, up with pet sounds, DSTOM and ok computer

I prefer Songs In The Key Of Life. Only a few, if any, artists can make a double album full of excellent songs like this one.

What's Going One is also brilliant.

I have a theory about Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. I think that Gaye is frequently more valued just because ha died young and tragically. This seems to contribute to the creation of myths in pop music. On the contrary, Wonder is still with us, and has experienced a long period of creative decadence.

But, if one looks at their output without these considerations, I think Stevie Wonder is the main man.

unique said:

whats going on is perfection

songs in the key of life is amazing, but not every track is the same quality as what's going on. WGO is more consistently solid. that is the problem with most double albums though. make it a single album by picking the best tracks and it's a harder choice, but WGO is really up there as one of the greatest albums ever made, up with pet sounds, DSTOM and ok computer

This.

armpit said:

THIS is a good versus thread.

My personal favorite of the two is "Songs...", so there's my vote.

I still think "Pasttime Paradise" is the best song Wonder's ever done and it's my favorite.

That violin gives me chills...ever since I heard a certain hip hop song in the 90's and then learning sometime after it it was originally a Stevie song. And then a few months ago, some friends of mine put on the coolio song and were dancing around,and though it took me back, I felt like just shaking my head cause they had no idea....

nope

GOOD comparison thread.

"What's Going On" is an absolute classic, but "Songs In The Key of Life" is a MASTERPIECE. One of the greatest albums i've ever heard.

I prefer Marvin overall as an artist, but I gotta go with Stevie here. That album is genius.

I'm not choosing even if you put a lighter under my ass crack.

Actually, I back out. I can't choose between the two.

alphastreet said:

armpit said:

THIS is a good versus thread.

My personal favorite of the two is "Songs...", so there's my vote.

I still think "Pasttime Paradise" is the best song Wonder's ever done and it's my favorite.

That violin gives me chills...ever since I heard a certain hip hop song in the 90's and then learning sometime after it it was originally a Stevie song. And then a few months ago, some friends of mine put on the coolio song and were dancing around,and though it took me back, I felt like just shaking my head cause they had no idea....

Yeah, my dad used to play "Songs..." so I was familiar with "Pasttime..." long before I even heard the Coolio song.

i think if you compared a bit more like for like it would be a harder choice, such as innervisions or talking book, but what's going on is so much of a masterpeice i compare it to pet sounds which is also a masterpeice but i'd rate more highly, and being alive or dead has nothing to do with it. i don't regard any artists as better or not whether they are alive or dead. one day they will all be dead

songs in the key of life is a remarkable album, but there is a bit of filler there. top class filler, but filler no doubt. the middle section of the album dips a bit. you have a varied selection of tracks and some really fantastic ones like sir duke, but not all the tracks meet that high, whilst what's going on retains quality throughout. sloop john b doesn't quite fit with petsounds though. it's not a bad track, but sticks out on that album

I think it shouldve been What's Going On Vs Talking Book or Innervisions...

Still aint choosing though.

NMuzakNSoul said:

I think it shouldve been What's Going On Vs Talking Book or Innervisions...

Still aint choosing though.

I agree.

Talking Book is a masterpiece

alphastreet said:

Talking Book is a masterpiece

...So's "Innervisions"...

Timmy84 said:

I'm not choosing even if you put a lighter under my ass crack.

I was WAITING for you to, CHIME in, Timmy!!...

armpit said:

alphastreet said:

Talking Book is a masterpiece

...So's "Innervisions"...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So is Where I'm Comin From, Music Of My Mind and Fullingness' First Finale. All 3 are the most underrated of his 70's work and they are all masterpieces. Stevie ran the 70's like Prince ran the 80's.

shorttrini said:

Timmy84 said:

I'm not choosing even if you put a lighter under my ass crack.

I was WAITING for you to, CHIME in, Timmy!!...

I know you was.

PlayboyOriginal said:

armpit said:

...So's "Innervisions"...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So is Where I'm Comin From, Music Of My Mind and Fullingness' First Finale. All 3 are the most underrated of his 70's work and they are all masterpieces. Stevie ran the 70's like Prince ran the 80's.

Where I'm Comin' From ACTUALLY would've been a better comparison for What's Going On since BOTH albums came out in 1971 and both were self-produced.

When I was a little kid, I loved Let Love Light In Flight, I Just Called To Say I Love You and You Are The Sunshine of My Life, didn't know all these masterpieces until hearing some of the singles over the years on the radio in my teens and early 20's, and then buying some of the 70's albums after recommenddations from this board a few years ago.

alphastreet said:

When I was a little kid, I loved Let Love Light In Flight, I Just Called To Say I Love You and You Are The Sunshine of My Life, didn't know all these masterpieces until hearing some of the singles over the years on the radio in my teens and early 20's, and then buying some of the 70's albums after recommenddations from this board a few years ago.

you know stevie wonder was blinded by paul macartney for releasing i just called to say i love you, and then some dude shot john lennon for ebony and ivory, then realised he got the wrong beatle

true story

unique said:

alphastreet said:

When I was a little kid, I loved Let Love Light In Flight, I Just Called To Say I Love You and You Are The Sunshine of My Life, didn't know all these masterpieces until hearing some of the singles over the years on the radio in my teens and early 20's, and then buying some of the 70's albums after recommenddations from this board a few years ago.

you know stevie wonder was blinded by paul macartney for releasing i just called to say i love you, and then some dude shot john lennon for ebony and ivory, then realised he got the wrong beatle

true story

Ebony and Ivory got released after Lennon Died...

Timmy84 said:

PlayboyOriginal said:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So is Where I'm Comin From, Music Of My Mind and Fullingness' First Finale. All 3 are the most underrated of his 70's work and they are all masterpieces. Stevie ran the 70's like Prince ran the 80's.

Where I'm Comin' From ACTUALLY would've been a better comparison for What's Going On since BOTH albums came out in 1971 and both were self-produced.

Where I'm Comin From is not as familiar as his albums post Where I'm From and is never included in his "5" album set.

Music of my Mind

Talking Book

Innervisions

Fulfillingness First Finale

Songs in Key of Life

It would get it's assed whipped goin up against What's oin On.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Timmy84 said:

Where I'm Comin' From ACTUALLY would've been a better comparison for What's Going On since BOTH albums came out in 1971 and both were self-produced.

Where I'm Comin From is not as familiar as his albums post Where I'm From and is never included in his "5" album set.

Music of my Mind

Talking Book

Innervisions

Fulfillingness First Finale

Songs in Key of Life

It would get it's assed whipped goin up against What's oin On.

I love Stevie but that album although great has no chance against Whats Goin On...

Theres a reason I named Talking Book and Innervisions

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Timmy84 said:

Where I'm Comin' From ACTUALLY would've been a better comparison for What's Going On since BOTH albums came out in 1971 and both were self-produced.

Where I'm Comin From is not as familiar as his albums post Where I'm From and is never included in his "5" album set.

Music of my Mind

Talking Book

Innervisions

Fulfillingness First Finale

Songs in Key of Life

It would get it's assed whipped goin up against What's oin On.

I loved Stevie's gesture towards Marvin. One time, if I heard right, when he won a Grammy, he felt like the Grammy committee did wrong passing Marvin over for WGO so he gave up his Grammy (I don't know if it was for Talking Book or Innervisions) to Marvin as a consolation prize for what he should've gotten for What's Going On. Stevie and Marvin adored each other in the 20-plus years they knew each other. Mad respect.

[Edited 8/14/11 14:23pm]

armpit said:

alphastreet said:

Talking Book is a masterpiece

...So's "Innervisions"...

Yes!