Released October 1972, this was Stevie's first fully self-produced album. He wrote or co-wrote all the songs, and plays most of the instruments on it: keyboards, drums, and harmonica.

You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Maybe Your Baby
You and I (We Can Conquer the World)
Tuesday Heartbreak
You've Got It Bad Girl
Superstition
Big Brother
Blame It on the Sun
Looking for Another Pure Love
I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)

By that 1972, Stevie Wonder had already spent nearly a decade churning out hits for Motown as Little Stevie. But at age 22 he no longer wanted to follow the Motown formula, a formula designed to produce hit singles rather than innovation. So Wonder struck out on his own. Over the next decade, he experimented with a variety of instruments and developed a sound that we still identify as uniquely his own. He recorded a series of albums that proved he was a master of lush ballads as well as gritty funk...

"The period of "Talking Book" was a period of great explosion in synthesis. It was the first time that you heard a lot of Clavinet. And when you hear that Clavinet intro to "Superstition," what you're hearing is someone who is interacting with an instrument and figuring out how to make it sound like him. No one else plays the Clavinet like Stevie Wonder does. He made it speak."

..."Talking Book" marked the arrival of artist as one-man band in popular music...

Stevie Wonder says "Talking Book" was a turning point, his first real growth as a boy becoming a man. And making all of the artistic decisions himself and relying less on Motown head Berry Gordy for direction, Stevie Wonder proved his independence as an artist.

"Talking Book" crystallized Wonder's talent as a singer, writer and producer. He proved he could write grooves to keep you on the dance floor and, at the same time, make you think about social problems. And on the other side, he could melt your heart.

Stevie, looking back at Talking Book:

[Edited 5/21/12 10:13am]

Awesome album. He'll never able to beat the 71-79 era.

aardvark15 said:

Awesome album. He'll never able to beat the 71-79 era.

Yup, he put out some unbeatable music in that time period...

That album is just incredible

Poured his heart on wax. My fave album from him EVER!

That and the companion Syreeta album that came from the same year are sheer ear heaven.

Harlepolis said:

Poured his heart on wax. My fave album from him EVER!

My 3rd favorite

AWESOME lp!

Maybe Your Baby!!!! Love it!!!

"Blame it on The Sun" maps heartbreak and regret so perfectly. Such a beautiful song.

aardvark15 said:

Awesome album. He'll never able to beat the 71-79 era.

So true

Stevies Classic 70's period is my all time favorite set of album to album years right behind Dylans 60's era.

I Wonder if Signed, Sealed, Delivered will ever get a big treatment? i feel it's a more underrated album from his classic era.

[Edited 5/22/12 0:18am]

I haven't listened to the album in a few years. I know that's bad. I re-read the lyrics to Blame It On the Sun and can totally relate to it now, feeling emotional

Gunsnhalen said:

I Wonder if Signed, Sealed, Delivered will ever get a big treatment? i feel it's a more underrated album from his classic era.

[Edited 5/22/12 0:18am]

Well considering it's not from the classic era, probably not

smoothcriminal12 said:

Released October 1972, this was Stevie's first fully self-produced album. He wrote or co-wrote all the songs, and plays most of the instruments on it: keyboards, drums, and harmonica.

He self-produced Where I'm Coming From and Music of My Mind before Talking Book.

Gunsnhalen said:

silverchild said:

Why is it that people don't talk about this album when bringing up Talking Book... [img:$uid]http://steviewonder.es/en/images/syreeta1972.jpg[/img:$uid] Underrated as hell, but equally brilliant. As a matter of fact, Syreeta's first two Stevie-produced records go hand in hand with the quality of Stevie's legendary album run at that time. Syreeta's debut album shares the same warmth and introspection that Talking Book does. It's basically from a strained woman's perspective and Stevie's is from a strained man's perspective. Given that their relationship was at the seams by '72, it's not surprising that they took out all of their frustration and pain with these albums. [Edited 5/22/12 15:39pm]

I love her first two albums.

silverchild said:

Why is it that people don't talk about this album when bringing up Talking Book... [img:$uid]http://steviewonder.es/en/images/syreeta1972.jpg[/img:$uid] Underrated as hell, but equally brilliant. As a matter of fact, Syreeta's first two Stevie-produced records go hand in hand with the quality of Stevie's legendary album run at that time. Syreeta's debut album shares the same warmth and introspection that Talking Book does. It's basically from a strained woman's perspective and Stevie's is from a strained man's perspective. Given that their relationship was at the seams by '72, it's not surprising that they took out all of their frustration and pain with these albums. [Edited 5/22/12 15:39pm]

I love this album. I actually prefer this over Talking Book for some odd reason... maybe it's just the way the songs went and how she sung them. Stevie by comparison was all over the place in Talking Book.

Timmy84 said:

silverchild said:

Timmy84 said:

I love this album. I actually prefer this over Talking Book for some odd reason... maybe it's just the way the songs went and how she sung them. Stevie by comparison was all over the place in Talking Book.

Timmy, you are a mess! But I have to be honest, I never understood why "Superstition" and "Big Brother" was on Talking Book.

"Superstition" was a Motown decision - yeah I know *big gasp*. Apparently Stevie was trying to give it to Jeff Beck and Berry Gordy told him "put it out" so Stevie put it out. Jeff was upset for a minute but he got over it. I also think Jeff wrote part of the bridge or altered something and Stevie recorded it. Who knows how he put "Big Brother" in it since most of the album was supposed to be a good/bad romance concept album and those two songs interrupted the flow to me. Great songs but as far as people calling it a concept album, I can't really call it such.

Timmy84 said:

silverchild said:

Timmy84 said:

"Superstition" was a Motown decision - yeah I know *big gasp*. Apparently Stevie was trying to give it to Jeff Beck and Berry Gordy told him "put it out" so Stevie put it out. Jeff was upset for a minute but he got over it. I also think Jeff wrote part of the bridge or altered something and Stevie recorded it. Who knows how he put "Big Brother" in it since most of the album was supposed to be a good/bad romance concept album and those two songs interrupted the flow to me. Great songs but as far as people calling it a concept album, I can't really call it such.

Wow. I knew that Motown had to have a say in that. Just like Innervisions where you have songs like "Golden Lady" and "All In Love Is Fair."

Don't forget "You Are the Sunshine" for Talking Book. My feeling about it was Motown felt that they wouldn't take a Stevie album without at least a catchy song or two just so people can deal with the more serious stuff. I don't know, the flow of the albums he put out were over the place in comparison to Marvin and Smokey, who basically had one concept (or the Isley Brothers, who had two things in mind - funk you up and love you down - in the '70s). Also Stevie was so full of ideas that he just put in it to see how it would do.

Timmy84 said:

silverchild said:

Timmy84 said:

Don't forget "You Are the Sunshine" for Talking Book. My feeling about it was Motown felt that they wouldn't take a Stevie album without at least a catchy song or two just so people can deal with the more serious stuff. I don't know, the flow of the albums he put out were over the place in comparison to Marvin and Smokey, who basically had one concept (or the Isley Brothers, who had two things in mind - funk you up and love you down - in the '70s). Also Stevie was so full of ideas that he just put in it to see how it would do.

Actually I can understand the placement of "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" on the album, even though it was Motown's decision. But I definitely agree with the whole "concept album" madness and how many associate it with Stevie. Stevie Wonder Presents Stevie Wonder is another story altogether though!

Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta is one of the greatest concept albums of all time.

Timmy84 said:

silverchild said:

Timmy84 said:

Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta is one of the greatest concept albums of all time.

So is Stevie Wonder's Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants. [Edited 5/22/12 16:38pm]

My 2nd favorite album by him

silverchild said:

Timmy84 said:

Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta is one of the greatest concept albums of all time.

So is Stevie Wonder's Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants. [Edited 5/22/12 16:38pm]

True! Musically, that's one of the best albums he ever put together.

aardvark15 said:

silverchild said:

Timmy84 said: So is Stevie Wonder's Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants. [Edited 5/22/12 16:38pm]

My 2nd favorite album by him

Me too, my favorite being Innervisons

Timmy84 said:

silverchild said:

Timmy84 said: So is Stevie Wonder's Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants. [Edited 5/22/12 16:38pm]

True! Musically, that's one of the best albums he ever put together.

Criminally underrated.