Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life (Tamla Motown / 1976)

Stevie Wonder’s legendary “Songs In The Key Of Life”… What can you write about one of the greatest recordings of the 20th century? That it’s a double album of which every song is a masterpiece? That it’s been completed in almost three years? That a record breaking number of the best musicians of the time worked on it? The list of the awards and the chart statistics? Forget the numbers they won’t make you feel the music. Nor will sophisticated reviews of the compositions and the deep and complicated musical arrangements. Words are too short to describe this wonderful work of art that touches every human heart. We just say “listen”. All of the songs. Again and again and again. You probably have memories of this album, add new ones to them. Just listen. After all this monumental ode to love and life is exactly what the world needs right now.

Track Listing :

1. Love’s in Need of Love Today 7:06
2. Have a Talk with God 2:42
3. Village Ghetto Land 3:25
4. Contusion 3:46
5. Sir Duke 3:54
6. I Wish 4:12
7. Knocks Me Off My Feet 3:36
8. Pastime Paradise 3:28
9. Summer Soft 4:14
10. Ordinary Pain 6:23
11. Isn’t She Lovely? 6:34
12. Joy Inside My Tears 6:30
13. Black Man 8:30
14. Ngiculela, Es Una Historia, 3:49
15. If It’s Magic 3:12
16. As 7:08
17. Another Star 8:28

Musicians / Personnel :

Stevie Wonder – harmonica, arranger, keyboards, programming, vocals, drums
Michael Sembello – guitar
Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel
George Benson – guitar, vocals
Ronnie Foster – organ
Herbie Hancock – keyboards, handclapping
Dean Parks – guitar
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards
W.G. “Snuffy” Walden – guitar
Nathan Watts – bass guitar, vocals, handclapping
Greg Brown – drums
Raymond Lee Pounds – drums
Hank Redd – alto and tenor saxophone
George Bohannon – trombone
Ben Bridges – guitar, sitar
Dorothy Ashby – harp
Bobbi Humphrey – flute
Howard “Buzzy” Feiten – guitar
Steve Madaio – trumpet
Trevor Lawrence – tenor saxophone
Glen Ferris – trombone
Jim Horn – saxophone
Deniece Williams – vocals
Minnie Riperton – vocals
Gary Byrd – vocals
Michael Wycoff – vocals
Larry Scott – sound effects
Carol Cole – percussion
Bobbye Hall – percussion
Jay Boy Adams – vocals
Nathan Alford, Jr. – percussion
Henry America – vocals
Linda America – vocals
Baradras – vocals
Brenda Barnett – vocals
Khalif Bobatoon – vocals
Starshemah Bobatoon – vocals
Sudana Bobatoon – vocals
Charles Brewer – percussion, programming, vocals
Shirley Brewer – percussion, vocals, speaking part
Berry Briges – vocals
Cecilia Brown – vocals
Eddie “Bongo” Brown – percussion
Jean Brown – vocals
Rodney Brown – vocals
Colleen Carleton – percussion, vocals
Addie Cox – vocals
Agnideva Dasa – vocals
Duryodhana Guru Dasa – vocals
Jayasacinandana Dasa – vocals
Jitamrtyi Dasa – vocals
Vedavyasa Dasa – vocals
Cinmayi Dasi – vocals
Yogamaya Dasi – vocals
Carolyn Dennis – vocals
Bhakta Eddie – vocals
Doe Rani Edwards – vocals
Jacqueline F. English – vocals
Ethel Enoex – vocals
Al Jocko Fann – vocals
Barbara Fann – vocals
Melani Fann – vocals
Shelley Fann – vocals
Tracy Fann – vocals
John Fischbach – percussion, programming, vocals, engineer
Susie Fuzzell – vocals
Carmelo Garcia – percussion, timbales
Anthony Givens – vocals
Audrey Givens – vocals
Derrick Givens – vocals
Mildred Givens – vocals
Michael Lee Gray – vocals
Mimi Green – vocals
Susaye Greene Brown – vocals
Bhakta Gregory – vocals
Renee Hardaway – percussion, vocals
John Harris – sound effects
Jeania Harris – vocals
John Harris – programming
Troy Harris – vocals
Nelson Hayes – percussion, sound effects, vocals
Terry Hendricks – vocals
H. David Henson – assistant engineer
Don Hunter – programming, sound effects
Adrian Janes – vocals
Josie James – vocals
Calvin Johnson – vocals
Carol Johnson – vocals
Patricia Johnson – vocals
Madelaine Jones – vocals
Bhakta Kevin – vocals
Phillip Kimble – vocals
James Lambert – vocals
Linda Lawrence – vocals
Irma Leslie – vocals
Kim Lewis – vocals
Carl Lockhart – vocals
Gail Lockhart – vocals
Raymond Maldonado – percussion, trumpet
Carolyn Massenburg – vocals
Article May – vocals
Charity McCrary – vocals
Linda McCrary-Campbell – vocals
Lonnie Morgan – vocals
Kim Nixon – vocals
Lisa Nixon – vocals
Larri Nuckens – vocals
Larry Latimer – percussion, vocals
Amale Mathews – percussion, vocals
Gary Olazabal – engineer, bass sound
Edna Orso – percussion, vocals
Marietta Waters – percussion, vocals
Josette Valentino – percussion, vocals, handclapping
Gwen Perry – vocals
Gregory Rudd – vocals
Rukmini – vocals
Yolanda Simmons – vocals, handclapping
Keith Slaughter – vocals
Rosona Starks – vocals
Dennis Swindell – vocals
Sundray Tucker – vocals
Gary Veney – vocals
Sheryl Walker – vocals
Mary Lee Whitney – vocals
Syreeta Wright – vocals
Michael Gray – vocals
Susaye Greene – vocals
William Moore – vocals
Fountain Jones – programming
Aisha Morris – crying on “Isn’t She Lovely”

SomehowJazz followers would like to hear your insights as well. Please use the comment box below. Thank you for sharing!