What Makes This Album Great: Songs In The Key Of Life
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- In this episode, Adam and Peter check out one of Stevie Wonder's iconic albums. The master piece entitled "Songs in the Key of Life". What would you rate this album? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
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My earliest memory is from 1978. Sunday morning cleaning our apartment in the Magnolia Heights public housing project on La Salle St, in New Orleans. My mother's youthful 20-something curves and huge afro were pure perfection swaying to I Wish, Sir Duke, and rebuttal to All Day Sucker as she swept the tile floors and laid down smooth glistening layers of Mon 'n Glo wax trapping my brother and I on the sofa until it dried. We three were Stevie's captive audience and joyously sang in Zulu, Spanish, and English to I Am Singing! Then mom would raise the volume and we would clean the bedrooms to Another Star, Isn't She Lovely, Ebony Eyes, and Going Back to Saturn! I do not want to give the impression this album's greatness is only wrapped in nostalgia for me. I understand the artistry, musicianship, and historic significance of what Mr. Wonder accomplished with this magnificent work, but the way he cleverly made it intricate for musical snobs and accessible to the Aunt Linda's and families like mine is proof of Stevie Wonder's true genius!
Stevie Wonder's talent and musical sense is other worldly.
Dorothy Ashby - Detroit native. Raised on piano. "The theatrical production group The Ashby Players not only produced black theater in Detroit and Canada but provided early theatrical and acting opportunities for black actors. Ernie Hudson (of Ghostbusters, credited as Earnest L. Hudson) was a featured actor in the Artists Productions version of the play 3-6-9. In the late 1960s, the Ashbys gave up touring and settled in California, where Dorothy broke into the studio recording system as a harpist through the help of the soul singer Bill Withers, who recommended her to Stevie Wonder. As a result, she was called upon for a number of studio sessions playing for more pop-oriented acts." Died far too young.
i knew it was her the second i heard the harp
Peter, I was living in Philly in 1976 when this was blasted on the radio. I ran out to purchase it and still regularly play it. Stevie had a flurry of albums over many years with each being an absolute star LP! ❤
☆☆☆☆☆ In late September of 1976, fifteen-year-old me was at a house party, and someone showed up with a copy of of Songs in the Key of Life. No one had heard so much as an advance single from the album at that point, and the party basically stopped while about thirty high school kids gave their undivided attention to the new Stevie. This was not a party full of mini-musos, although there were a few of us there - this was a legit cross-section of people, all willing to put their Friday night on hold for 85 minutes to give the king his due. Picture that happening today.
So many memories in the comments so I'll add mine- I was 19 and in 1976 just arrived at flying school at Oakland Airport when this album came out. It was on the radio all the time in my beat up 1969 Corolla. Each time I hear it these days, tears well up for absent parents, siblings, friend..... In 200 years, scholars will be studying this wonderful album and raving.
I had the great pleasure of watching Stevie play this album, in order, live, some years ago in Hyde Park, London. The album had been my favourite ever since my dad played his vinyl for me when I was a kid. (Though to say it’s my favourite somehow doesn’t say enough.)
I was immediately hooked. And I never stopped listening to that album.
By time I heard Stevie play it all live, I was well into my 40s. And yet, when those first few notes of Love’s In Need of Love Today started, I choked up and had real tears come to my eyes. I was surrounded by people of all ages, many families, parents bringing their kids, kids bringing their parents, with many of those ‘kids’ being adult themselves, while many were still teenagers.
It’s such an enduring album. It was a long set, but I’m so glad to say that Stevie nailed every single note, both in his playing and singing.
I worked in the Knightsbridge area of London at the time, and sometimes walked through Hyde Park on the way to work in the morning. It was only by chance that on one of those walks through the park I saw them setting up for the park concert of another major artist doing a concert of a seminal album. It’s then that one noticed that Stevie would be playing Songs in the Key of Life in the next few weeks. I knew I had to go. To see my favourite artist perform my all-time favourite album. There’s no way I’m missing that. I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t go.
Being only a few weeks away, tickets had largely already sold out. But, like I say, I had to go. I ended up paying through the nose for a ticket, but still consider it some of the best money I’ve ever spent.
The atmosphere and energy were incredible. The weather was great and stayed great into the evening. The crowd were incredible. And of course the music was incredible. As the set progressed, evening drew in and it was incredible to see the families around me enjoying the concert. There’s something special about outdoor concerts. Perfect. Just perfect.
This has been part of my life since I bought it in 1976. I know every song inside out but every time I hear each of them its like being thrilled the first time! Pure magic.
Every time I cut open a red onion I think of this album cover.
I really love this "book club" you've started. This is the first album I had already listened to a bunch. I grew up in the streaming age, so I've always listened mostly to individual tracks. With your help, I'm discovering so many great albums. Please, keep them coming!
Peter stank face showing! Then you know it’s great!😂❤
This came out when i was a junior in high school and absolutely blew my mind and still does 48 years later. It has so much meaning in my life - weddings, funerals- everything
For the audiophiles in the house I found this on 180 gram vinyl a year ago. I couldn’t by it fast enough!🎉
This is one of the albums I would want if stranded on a desert island. Can't put above KOB just like I cant put KOB above my favorite Trane album "Crescent", or a great Chopin or Rachmaninoff recording. All are masterpieces and shouldn't be compared, just appreciated and cherished for the musical geniuses that created timeless music.
My Cherie, Talking book, Inner Visions, Hotter than July... even those 80's records, he's just the man... but yeah, Songs in the Key is just the pinnacle, perfection. Cheers
Not much to say, love this album, love Stevie, love you guys, loved this video. Just commenting for the algorithm push, let's go.
My late Mother's favorite album and I find myself listening to it more and more.
Love this series but for this record is goosebumps for every track! ❤
"Can you play 'Another Star' ?" - Peter plays a different tune lmao
All Day Sucker. lol The letter "A" caught his eye
This is such an amazing video. I love the way you guys broke this album down. This has become one of my favorite albums. There’s nothing else like it.
I'd have to rate this album #1 as well. I was born in '74 and was blessed to have my Mom playing this record while she cleaned the house when I was a toddler. Looking back, it was 'Another Star" that I remember most. That beautiful 70's soul chorus sound. It doesn't get any better. Thank you guys for showcasing this amazing album. I fully agree, 10 across the board. ❤
My favorite track is also 'As' but 'Pastime Paradise', 'Joy Inside my Tears', 'Ordinary Pain', 'Easy Going Evening'... man, oh man...Every track. Thank you Stevie Wonder. 🙏❤
I have a fellow musician that calls me a jazz snob & I wear that badge proudly. I have the vinyl & love the album, but would not rate it above KOB, would give it a 5 on the snobometer. Keep up the great work, GALA!
Stevie had the greatest run of amazing albums ever, other than maybe the Beatles and Miles, and this particular album is the crown jewel. It sounds like a musical genius just bursting at the seems with brilliance/passion/humanity
Stevie has given the most discerning jazz snobs their own moment to shine with the tune “Contusion” on this album, even though Stevie didn’t play it (Greg Phillinganes played it on the recording) Stevie wrote it. Stevie also genuflects and pays his respects to Duke Ellington, the greatest composer of the 20th Century and literally gives us a massive hit song that’s made it to the tippy top of the Billboard Charts with a 1930’s style Big Band song, but it’s 1976/77. All that to say, I think Peter can safely bump his SNOB-O’-METER score up to 10. After all, in Rick Beato’s interview with Pat Metheny, Pat reveals that his top desert island album is this one. He literally said, “I can’t live without it.” 🥲 Stevie is giving us some of the fieriest MAMBO (with funk interspersed) on “Another Star”. Stevie also has a song on here that starts out being sung in an African language and the 2nd half in Spanish “Ngiculela - Es Una HIstoria”. “Pastime Paradise” has the most spiritually and culturally diverse chorus of all time. And the BONUS 45 has one of my favorites: “Saturn” and “Ebony Eyes” on side one. Side two has “All Day Sucker” and “Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call)”. I was 9 years old when this album was released so I had not quite developed any kind of jazz taste. This album LIVED on my little children’s toy turntable for 2 years. I had just been taking piano lessons for a year and needless to say, it looms large in my musical DNA. I’ve literally been in joyful tears this entire episode. Thanks for checking out this album. OH! The cover art - whoever designed this was really tipping that scale of deification of Stevie. Who doesn’t want to see Stevie’s face in the light at the end of that tunnel?! 🥰🙏🏽👍🏽😎 [EDIT: About all the tangible Stevie Wonder album covers - RAISED BRAILLE! This is one detail the kids, who’ve never known an original vinyl album, don’t know about. Even the older albums, the braille is often flattened out (on the lower bottom of the album) but you can still feel it a little bit.]
Had no idea about Stevie not playing on the actual Contusion session... I remember having a bootleg concert of him playing the tune at the Rainbow in London in 1974...
@@neilloughran4437 If you search youtube for Greg Phillinganes Keyscape video (he's wearing a black shirt), at around 7 minutes and 21 seconds, he starts playing "Contusion" and when he's finished he tells the CEO that he played it on the album because, at the time, Stevie couldn't. And then he laughs.
i always loved talking book as a kid. Connected with that one. I need to revisit songs album.
Talking Book was my first Stevie solo album. Dubbed it to cassette so I could listen to it in my little red Hoopty. Everyone rightly goes nuts over "Superstition," but "Tuesday Heartbreak" was the theme song for my Tuesday chemistry lab.
It's so good I don't even get to decide how much I like it. Transcendent.
This was great!! I’d love to hear your thoughts on secret life of plants
This album should be the proverbial tuning fork for the new snob-o-meter scale because I’m not sure any other album has achieved its level of Snob/Aunt Linda balance to date.
Alright guys. Time for "speak No Evil" (Love the show etc!)
Wow. This podcast is groundbreaking in my opinion. Because you are both so multitalented (music AND communicating music) it works like a charm. I’m hooked.
Dorothy ashby on the harp is so amazing. (hope im not wrong about that)
Joy Inside My Tears is one of my favorite songs ever.
surely the best album of all time
10/10 album, 10/10 video! Its so great watching yall talk about this album!
This was a lovely addition to an already fantastic series. Personally I find this album to have a lot of weaker moments compared to previous but it's still excellent and just my opinion. My own favourite would be Innervisions which is consistent all the way though, though my favourite Stevie track is Superwoman on Music of My Mind (though the album is not consistent). Agree on Summer Soft as a highlight of the album... Great stuff guys.
It was a double album. There was also an additional free EP with it.
This is a landmark album - I was a senior in High School and it became such a touchstone for everything musically produced afterwards. It is so rare that an artist can respond to and illuminate the times as well as innovate with such soul and quality. Clearly, you both love this album - rightly so- and I love your metrics especially the snob-o meter being a recovering jazz snob from early on. My one issue is with your cover art reviews- with so many great covers this one is just ok IMHO, a circle theme with a weak image of Stevie in the center thats kinda small, then an odd font for the text - it just falls short of the music by a good bit- Keep it going please so fun to participate in these and great album choices as well
Long live Stevie!
One fine day too many years ago, I wandered into a used record shop and bought two albums: Rick Wakeman’s Journey to the Center of The Earth and Songs in the Key of Life. By the time I was done with Songs In The Key of Life, I had played it so much, I swear I could see through it. I listened to Rick Wakeman once. Maybe twice.
GALA dudes. So good!
Peter: "Are we saying it´s better or we like it more". Only muscians make this important distinction between taste and quality. Oh, and I´m with Peter on the snob discussion. I believe some snobs will think an album like this is too popular, and some songs are a bit too radio-friendly. With regards to this ever evolving scoring system, I think giving album cover and title the same weight as the musical categories can create some strange overall scores. Imagine if 'Songs In The Key of Life' had a 1/10 cover and a 3/10 title. Wouldn´t it still be a masterpiece of an album that deserved close to a 100 based of the music alone?
I know you guys are musicians and not producers or engineers, but in terms of sound texture, I think this album crowned the 5-chapter revolution that Stevie started im 1973. I know there's Roy Ayers, Mizell Brothers, Maurice White, George Clinton, the KPM british guys and all, but Stevie surely contributed to cement this style of clean, sharp funk.
First album I ever bought. Nuff said
I can listen to these snob-o-meter arguments all day long.
I agree with Peter. Just putting all star singers/musicians together doesn't always make for good music, ie: Sting and Pavarotti.. just a mish mash of styles, egos trying to one up on each other. This album on the other hand is so well put together... Geez .
I like the old way you said Aunt Linda.Lol
Hey great video! Can you guys make a playlist on the channel for these “What makes this album great” series so that they’re easy to find and go through?
One of my favorites! "Saturn" is my favorite tune. Putting it to any sort of rating system, though, is like putting ketchup on a steak. Just focus on the actual rhythms, chords, timbres, lyrics, etc. and forget the ratings. Ratings don't educate about what actually makes the album great. Bring in some different instrumentalists and ask them for their thoughts. So much you could be doing with this, but this video just glosses over the surface.
Perhaps do an Ellington or Basie record next? I mean, "Basie, Miller, Satchmo, and the king of all, Sir Duke. And with a voice like Ella's ringing out, there's no way the band can lose." And if you want something that's lesser-known, but very deserving, try _Play_ by the Dan White Sextet (now Huntertones).
There’s only 1 and yes he’s a Wonder and a Joy. There’s no end or limit to his ability, power and love. Only person who could stand next to him was Prince. The rest of us are just enjoying and admiring their art. We Thank you
Totally agree! For me it's the album for the famous "lonely island".
Might be greatest album ever. Sorry, Miles. Kind of blue ain't got nothin' on songs in the key of life.
We love your little jammy jams Peter
Dorothy Ashby on harp
One of leading harpist in jazz
Great show! I might be psyched to listen to Songs in the Key of Life but I am oddly drawn towards Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants first.
There is a documentary film "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" about Motown session musicians. They are a tough crowd, saying a lot of legendary artists weren't "all that". The only one they praised in hushed tones of reverence: Stevie Wonder.
Aww man, im ashamed I didn't realize how many other great musicians and artists are on this album 🤯
Stevie=Genius
I screamed when I saw thid at work
I love how you guys perhaps felt it somehow inappropriate to cut to the usual "Emotion in Motion" (not that it's not a great track!) opener in this case.
Dorothy Ashby on harp
Yes, I have the DVD about the making of that record.
Love this series What makes this album great ! GALA
the album...wow
Yes! Aunt Linda is back!
Would love if you made a video explaining what the hell is going on with the Contusion keyboard parts. Seems like a lot of planing that doesn’t seem to follow any functional harmony at all??
I know the snob-o-meter has already been subject to multiple revisions, but, while I agree that Aunt Linda should have a say, I’m not totally sold on giving her and the snob an equal share of the points for that category. It seems like you guys generally agree on who Aunt Linda is but can’t agree on the snob. My sense is that the snob should not be someone who is going to dislike an album purely because it has popular appeal but is especially committed to an album’s technical complexity, musical innovation, artistic depth, etc. I feel like the best snob-o-meter would function similarly to the KOB measurement, where an album the snob loves would be an 8 or 9, but the album that manages to satisfy the snob while also appealing to Aunt Linda would be pushed over to a 10. GALA.
It seems like if you think the snobs should have a greater share of the rating, it's possible you are a snob. 🤔
Love the snobs though, man!
When is Aja/Gaucho coming? :)
It's Stevie Wonder that's what makes that album great nothing else needs to be said.
Shit, I‘m Aunt Linda
One of the greatest albums ever recorded….
It don't get no better
Harpist, Dorothy Ashby played on "If It's Magic". She prophetically, phonetically and poetically had an album called "Hip Harp" in 1958.
This album is an 11 out of 10. Although I still think Innervisions is marginally better
The great Dorthy Ashby on harp.
Shouldn't Peter revise his score with the stankface-o-meter instead of snob-o-meter?
All day sucker is the track ...
ordinary pain for me
I mean if this album doesn't get a 10 on the snob-o-meter it might be broken.
I don’t know if Adam really has an Aunt Linda, but this is who I think of every time you guys say it. ruclips.net/video/0R863H0Uvy4/видео.htmlsi=ur_ea45q56lRqvF1
And this is how she created her, which might be even funnier. ruclips.net/video/KbLS2SyZWtw/видео.htmlsi=IcNVHTCUKFFuxQFw
OMG! This is hilarious! 🤣🤣🤣👍🏽
6:59 1 point deduction for not using real strings
Love Dorothy Ashby
Point off the pair of you for confusing “Another Star” with “All Day Sucker”.
The snobometer was simple and clear the way it was. It worked. Adding Aunt Linda makes it confused and less meaningful I think. Great stuff nonetheless.
20:37 🤣🤣🤣 OMG so true and for that reason alone Key Of Life can't be a 10/10 on the snob meter.
Adam, he's right... you've heard that exact same comment 🤣 "yeah it's great of course, but have you heard Secret Life of...."
Why was there a wrong note in the outro music lol 25:13 🤣
whoa I guess they re-recorded it? I like the new note
WARNE Marsh! Jeesuz, work some on your snobby side!
You guys had to look up the harpist? That's *_LAME._* It's only been out for 50 years! BTW... It's a phenomenally great album, still it's no better than INNERVISIONS, and FULFILLINGNESS' FIRST FINALE (either of which I would pick as my preferred). ☮💟🌍
3 Grammys for best album in 4 years…. 98, my ass…. If this record is not 100, there is no 100….
🤣 Loved you comments... I'm gonna play devil's advocate here for a minute. As great as SITKOL is, I think INNERVISIONS is as great or better. And I kinda think FULFILLINGNESS' FIRST FINALE is up there too. And, if for no other reason than the album cover art, I'd have to steal at least 1-2 points. C'mon now, that is a weak cover. C'mon now. So _my_ rank would probably be INNERVISIONS = 100, FFF = 99, SITKOL = 98... (Truth be told, there _is_ a touch of filler on SITKOL) Whatever, it's just amazing that I lived to witness The Beatles and Stevie Wonder. Wow!!! ☮💟🌍 btw... Try rating an album like this; rate EACH SONG 1 to 10 INDIVIDUALLY... then ADD all the scores on the album... then DIVIDE that total by the number of songs on the album... I'm curious what you'll come up with. ☮💟🌍