Unearthing Some Lesser Known Stevie
Ear Candy 🍭 | 11
I wanted to start today by saying Thank You to those of you who have switched from a free subscription to a paid one. It’s been a beautiful surprise. I spend a lot of time here, joyfully so, working to make this a space I hope is worthy of our time together. Your emails, texts, comments and support have been heartening and reaffirming.
I’ll be sending out a surprise package of goodies to all paid subscribers early in the New Year. If you sign up for a paid subscription before December 27th I’ll make sure to include you in the mail-out.
And seeing as the holidays are around the corner, you can also give the gift of an Adjusting the Dial subscription to someone you think might enjoy it.
Okay, onwards to the man, the myth, the legend and the ways in which stars of this kind occupy our collective artistic consciousness.
If I name a singer songwriter like Stevie Wonder it’s likely that at least one song or album title will be conjured in your imagination. For most of us, that song or album title will be the same.
What’s yours?
I’d guess, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” or in the case of an album, maybe “Songs in the Key of Life.”
Am I right?
Ok, it’s not an exact science but here’s what I’m getting at…
What is pushed to the forefront of our collective artistic consciousness, endlessly recommended and held up as the gold standard, is a thin sliver of what is beautiful, worthy of contemplation and second, third and fourth visits.
Even for those artists we think we know so well, a large portion of their catalogue often remains buried beneath the cultural weight of their “classics.”
Diving back through Stevie Wonder’s catalogue continues to produce new…wonders for me.
Until 5 or 6 months ago, I’d never heard of his album Where I’m Coming From. I probably should have. I’m a big fan—the kind that, like so many other musician/fans, has been shaped a great deal by Stevie’s artistry.
What I’m deeply familiar with in Stevie’s catalogue is what most people who love Stevie are familiar with—Inner Visions, Songs in the Key of Life, Talking Book.
And for those who really love Stevie (me), I’d include1 Hotter Than July, Fulfillingness’ First Finale and Music of My Mind - the latter two albums being my personal favourites.
Inner Visions, Songs in the Key of Life, and Talking Book are all indisputable classics. It was the period for Stevie when everything fused into its most explosive combination—a mix of what the public was yearning for; the political climate and the way Stevie was able to speak (or rather sing) to it; the leaps in synthesizer technology; the culmination of history Stevie had with his fans (going all the way back to 1961’s Little Stevie, a name producer Clarence Paul gave him when he signed with Motown at age 11!); the musicians and technologists in Stevie’s circle at the time and, the zenith Stevie had reached in his own writing and musical powers.
I recognize Stevie has long been a hitmaker. Similar to artists like Bob Dylan, Prince, Michael Jackson and Joni Mitchell, he has seemingly forever been a part of our collective artistic consciousness. What he also shares with these artists is that a fine sliver of their work has come to represent how most of us know them.
In Stevie’s case, as I mentioned above, it’s those 3 records that get talked about (at least in my circles) when people wanna nerd on Stevie.
“Sign, Sealed, Delivered” might be the song that gets the most airplay at weddings, Walmarts and corporate parties, but those 3 albums are the most beloved.
And this man has a discography that spans from 1962 to 2005!
As with all music recommendation, Ear Candy is written in the spirit of gift-giving, with the hope that the offering will either spark the joy of discovery or of re-consideration. Sometimes it’s both. And if it leaves you cold, you can re-gift it to your sister on her next birthday.
When I first heard about Where I’m Coming From it was a gift of discovery…
…The gorgeous and heartbreaking “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer”—oboe flourishes included. The baroque synths of “Look Around”...
Maybe for you this will be an opportunity to remove this album from underneath the weight of all the “classics,” give it another spin and reconsider its hidden gems.
I would love to hear what you think. And while we’re at it, tell me what your go-to Stevie song is.
Mine? “Love Having You Around” or “Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away” or “They Won’t Go When I Go” or “Superwoman” or…I’ll stop. I’m not good at these kinds of games.
Drop a line in the comments.
Let’s have a Stevie Love-In.
Love,
David
P.S. Just a heads up that, seeing as it’s close to the holidays and your weekends may well be filled with bustle, I’m going to release the next couple of publications on Wednesdays.
Secret Life of Plants seems to be having a rebirth amongst Stevie devotees at the moment.
I really love "Come Back as a Flower"....although I have only heard it sung by you. It so touches the heart!!!
Never heard this one!