I was 7 years old when this album came out, and it was played on constant rotation on an 8 Track in my mother's car as I sat in the back seat. i always wanted to hear this song over and over and if you know anything about 8 Tracks, that was impossible. I was 7 and just pictured an actual "Golden Lady" and of course was not sophisticated enough to understand metaphoric lyrics yet. I just wanted to close my eyes and picture the golden lady. Even now when I hear this song, In my mid 50s, I am taken back to being a 7 year old in the back seat of the car, and it's a wonderful remaining feeling of my childhood. Thanks for reacting to this album folks. This was one I had hoped you'd get to.
@@SightAfterDark lmao! I pocketed/packed, actually, my dad's 8-trk. of Jeff Beck Group (Mk. deux) 'Rough and Ready' when I headed west in '77. A stupid but near ubiquitous format, particularly in cars once upon a time. Can't recall any hi-rotation albums from friend's cars, but they were...ok, I'm decrepit, degenerating, going under...*glub glub glub*
Stevie was on fire 🔥and untouchable for many years during the 70s. This is when Stevie had long departed Motown and on his own.. It's simply about the lady of your dreams taking your love to new height as he personified with the ending rising in octaves intonthw fade. Steve was a sonically visceral writer. The story in written into the music.
I've listened to this song so many times, but not until this time did the line "hands can understand" really hit home - blind people might use their hands for purposes that sighted people wouldn't necessarily; for example, I've read that Stevie would touch someone's face to get an idea of what they "looked" like. What a superb song, and a superb album.
This song is so soulful in its sense of bright appreciation for someone and instead of making it just a 1, 4, 5 kind of ballad Stevie composes it with a nuance that shimmers as if you can feel that golden lady in the room. And yes, Seefa, (how is your name spelled?) I think Stevie could be singing about you. You got brightness. 😊
@@SightAfterDark the first time I heard you say your name, I thought it might be Feefa, which was the best my then two-year-old son could make of Thea in '90 when my daughter was born, and which I still call her. Looked it up last night...Dan presents no such problems or diversions, lol.
Golden Lady is one of Stevie's winning ecstatic sped-up ballads, looking forward to "Bird of Beauty" and "Summer Soft," with a similarly dazzling array of harmonic and tonal changes to the latter, infectious Latin-flavoured rhythms, and a swirling keyboard effect. Stevie sweetly tells a woman that she has a "lovely smile that's blooming, and it's so clear to me that you're a dream come true, there's no way that I'll be losing." "Golden Lady," like all the songs on Innervisions, builds from its start point. It begins with humble piano keys, a few guitar strums, and high-hat taps, then swells to a bliss blast of organ work.
Every body I know loves Motown....grew up across the Lake listening to CKLW - AM out of Detroit in the 60s and each of these tunes were my first reactions way back then, listening back when transistor radios were a thing, before cassettes tapes, iPods, iPhones and streaming...Love your vibe....still gotta check out Edgar Winter’s “Save the Planet from the White Trash album for some blue-eyed gospel/rock
I always pictured golden lady to be the sun goddess on the cover of the Ramsey Lewis album of the same name...another great tune by the way with EW&F vocals..
Lyrics are frickin poetic, when you get in the pre-chorus. ‘A touch of rain in sunshine make the flowers grow, into a lovely smile that’s blooming, & it’s so clear to me that you’re a dream come true, there’s no way that I’ll be losing, and ‘Golden Lady…..’. Musician wise, don’t beget it twisted: The played drums on all his tracks from Music of my Mind album to most of Songs in the Key of Life & beyond. The only instruments he didn’t play here were organ, guitar & congas. Personnel: Stevie Wonder - lead vocal, piano, Fender Rhodes, drums, Moog bass, T.O.N.T.O. synthesizer Larry "Nastyee" Latimer - congas Clarence Bell - Hammond organ Ralph Hammer - acoustic guitar This album was monumental! Not a bad idea to react to all of it, but in particular: Living For The City; Visions; & All in Love Is Fair. The reason it might sound cut off at the very end is because even on vinyl records, Stevie’s songs often went right from one into the next. There was no space or down time in between. In fact, the piano intro on Golden Lady fades in from Living for the City. Still today, we may not have truly caught up with the creative mind of Stevie. Don’t forget this album is 2 before Songs in the Key of Life. Mind blowing!
Stevie played bass, drums and Fender Rhodes on Golden Lady. All the instruments on Higher Ground. At this time Marvin Gaye had broken away from Motown also and was using session musicians that overlapped with Steely Dan: Paul Humphrey, Wilton Felder, Joe Sample, Victor Feldman, etc.
I’ve read that a lot people think summer soft was sorta the sequel song to this. Both songs are structured kinda the same so I think that’s interesting. Stevie & Marvin were def inspired by each other but to the sharing musicians point, only 1 musician worked on/made this album (and all his others) and that’s Stevie himself :)
Happy Friday, Sifa and Dan! You were way down a queue I built last night, but I finally skipped ahead, in-between Netflix, Amazon, naps, e-mails, FB and similar BS. Thanks for another basket of Wonder-ful musical joy...also wrote chords out for this one for a friend way back when...incidentally played 'Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing' as an audition for the original Gong Show in LA in '78; going into the descending chromatic chord sequence strung over the word "out", with the ball of my foot balanced on the bar halfway down the legs of the stool I was perched on, my leg began to vibrate and bounce. lmao. Loads of auditioners, never heard back up in Vancouver, left in August, headed east again.
@@SightAfterDark I replayed your video and listened real carefully. In the chorus you do not hear him say the D in laDy and when he says it the second time you can really him pronounce the D in lady. I believe he wrote this song about Minnie Riperton. I think when Stevie says " I'd like to go there". It implies his desire for a sexual liaison with her. I hope one day to interview him and my first question is WHO is the "GOLDEN LADY"? Jose Feliciano doe's a great cover of it. One album you might want to give a listen to is MICHAEL SEMBELLO'S BOSSA NOVA HOTEL. You can tell that he was in Stevie's band and has credit's on SITKOL album.
stevie's moog bass work totally sounds like jamerson here so y'all's guess is correct in my book. that's definitely what was in his ears when he was crafting this bass line, along with Paul McCartney probably and Michael henderson. excellent catch again
I think you're mistaken about the musicians. I say that because around this time, Stevie was doing it all by himself, playing most of the instruments and overdubbing. Another example of his genius.
I'm new to your channel you have to do a reaction to stevie wonder album hotter then July my favorite song on the album is rocket love and as you read my mind checkout the song as you read my mind it's a feel good dance song 🎵
Thanks for being here Diamonds Are Forever! All of our reactions are suggested by our patrons on patreon. Check out our link link below: www.patreon.com/sightafterdark Also, we love Stevie so much that we did a podcast about him on our Music Maniacs channel where we discuss his stellar career including ‘Hotter Than July!” Check it out if you’d like: m.ruclips.net/channel/UC-MtlkwV3EoSJFrTRAGfZ8Q
![Quando Rondo - Grow Up [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8zFnCg3BO4Q/mqdefault.jpg)
This simple song was my favorite Stevie song for a long long time.
Its a great one!
When listening to stevie you have to remember he's perfectly describing things he's never seen, only in his mind GENIUS
holy shit you're right. Sometimes you forget! Thanks for watching William!
I was 7 years old when this album came out, and it was played on constant rotation on an 8 Track in my mother's car as I sat in the back seat. i always wanted to hear this song over and over and if you know anything about 8 Tracks, that was impossible. I was 7 and just pictured an actual "Golden Lady" and of course was not sophisticated enough to understand metaphoric lyrics yet. I just wanted to close my eyes and picture the golden lady. Even now when I hear this song, In my mid 50s, I am taken back to being a 7 year old in the back seat of the car, and it's a wonderful remaining feeling of my childhood. Thanks for reacting to this album folks. This was one I had hoped you'd get to.
haha well we don't know much about 8 tracks, but were glad we could bring back some happy memories for you :) Thanks for watching Melvin!
@@SightAfterDark lmao! I pocketed/packed, actually, my dad's 8-trk. of Jeff Beck Group (Mk. deux) 'Rough and Ready' when I headed west in '77. A stupid but near ubiquitous format, particularly in cars once upon a time. Can't recall any hi-rotation albums from friend's cars, but they were...ok, I'm decrepit, degenerating, going under...*glub glub glub*
I was 11 years old .So glad our parents had children .I can't imagine missing all of this great music we had the pleasure of enjoying .
yep same here first heard it when i was 19 in 1974.....i adore this song the opening is magical
Oh, you want to go higher? OK I'll go higher. So effortless.
I want to take ya higherrrrr
Stevie was on fire 🔥and untouchable for many years during the 70s. This is when Stevie had long departed Motown and on his own.. It's simply about the lady of your dreams taking your love to new height as he personified with the ending rising in octaves intonthw fade. Steve was a sonically visceral writer. The story in written into the music.
Legend
No....this was. 100% Stevie!! All instruments. Most of this album was 100% Amazing
so impressive
A life affirming song. Love the way he keeps modulating higher and higher at the end.
Hard not to love!
He does a vocal technique here he’s used before. On the vocal outro he’ll go up a half-step with each succeeding line. Summer Soft does this too.
Masterful
The chord progressions on this song are wild!
I believe that all the instruments on this song are played by Stevie!
Amazing!
Such a beautiful and joyus song ,no one can move you like Stevie can !
I've listened to this song so many times, but not until this time did the line "hands can understand" really hit home - blind people might use their hands for purposes that sighted people wouldn't necessarily; for example, I've read that Stevie would touch someone's face to get an idea of what they "looked" like. What a superb song, and a superb album.
Beautifully said, thanks Azeem!
This song is so soulful in its sense of bright appreciation for someone and instead of making it just a 1, 4, 5 kind of ballad Stevie composes it with a nuance that shimmers as if you can feel that golden lady in the room. And yes, Seefa, (how is your name spelled?) I think Stevie could be singing about you. You got brightness. 😊
Haha ok we'll just assume this song is about Sifa moving forward
@@SightAfterDark the first time I heard you say your name, I thought it might be Feefa, which was the best my then two-year-old son could make of Thea in '90 when my daughter was born, and which I still call her. Looked it up last night...Dan presents no such problems or diversions, lol.
Soulful and jazzy so smooth!👍🏻❤️☮️🎤🎼🎹!
:)
Stevie Wonder at his peak with this song. Just ridiculously beautiful.
I love the chorus in this song especially at the end of the song it's amazing
Absolutley!
I think Stevie plays all the instruments in a lot of these songs except horns including the drums
Always impressed by Stevie
not the organ solo
Stevie music is incredible.... "Innervisions" is a Masterpiece album.
Just beautiful… beyond … ❤
Golden Lady is one of Stevie's winning ecstatic sped-up ballads, looking forward to "Bird of Beauty" and "Summer Soft," with a similarly dazzling array of harmonic and tonal changes to the latter, infectious Latin-flavoured rhythms, and a swirling keyboard effect. Stevie sweetly tells a woman that she has a "lovely smile that's blooming, and it's so clear to me that you're a dream come true, there's no way that I'll be losing." "Golden Lady," like all the songs on Innervisions, builds from its start point. It begins with humble piano keys, a few guitar strums, and high-hat taps, then swells to a bliss blast of organ work.
Love this song. One of my favorite ones he ever did. Have this album on cd and vinyl.
Berry Gordy actually made Marvin Gaye Stevie’s mentee so, more than likely, that’s why you hear such a resemblance.
Makes sense! Thanks Derrion!
Every body I know loves Motown....grew up across the Lake listening to CKLW - AM out of Detroit in the 60s and each of these tunes were my first reactions way back then, listening back when transistor radios were a thing, before cassettes tapes, iPods, iPhones and streaming...Love your vibe....still gotta check out Edgar Winter’s “Save the Planet from the White Trash album for some blue-eyed gospel/rock
Thanks for the suggestion Donald! We're glad you enjoyed the video!
Top Five of my Stevie songs...thanks for this video.
God I love Stevie! His music is so full and beautiful! He played most of the instruments on this album.
Stevie is the best!
Definition of fluidity .
Evocative .
Kind to the tender parts . Blesses and heals - standard faire in Stevie's repertoire .
Standardly amazing music by Stevie
I saw this anniversary concert in Montréal. I love this man
My FAVORITE WHAT A AWESOME SONG
This is the final song on the vinyl and what a gorgeous melody to be hanging in the air after the turntable clicked off.
We can imagine!
Motown.
The Beatles.
For those of us growing up in the 60’s,it was heaven.
Innervisions..one of the "Greatest Albums of all time by the genius "Stevie Wonder.
Absolutely
I always pictured golden lady to be the sun goddess on the cover of the Ramsey Lewis album of the same name...another great tune by the way with EW&F vocals..
Her face describes my thought process when I first heard this song… confused why i never heard this before!
Stevie played everything on this song
Just wow! Thanks for the info Dee!
Lyrics are frickin poetic, when you get in the pre-chorus. ‘A touch of rain in sunshine make the flowers grow, into a lovely smile that’s blooming, & it’s so clear to me that you’re a dream come true, there’s no way that I’ll be losing, and ‘Golden Lady…..’. Musician wise, don’t beget it twisted: The played drums on all his tracks from Music of my Mind album to most of Songs in the Key of Life & beyond. The only instruments he didn’t play here were organ,
guitar & congas.
Personnel:
Stevie Wonder - lead vocal, piano, Fender Rhodes, drums, Moog bass, T.O.N.T.O. synthesizer
Larry "Nastyee" Latimer - congas
Clarence Bell - Hammond organ
Ralph Hammer - acoustic guitar
This album was monumental! Not a bad idea to react to all of it, but in particular:
Living For The City; Visions; & All in Love Is Fair. The reason it might sound cut off at the very end is because even on vinyl records, Stevie’s songs often went right from one into the next. There was no space or down time in between. In fact, the piano intro on Golden Lady fades in from Living for the City. Still today, we may not have truly caught up with the creative mind of Stevie. Don’t forget this album is 2 before Songs in the Key of Life. Mind blowing!
Stevie played bass, drums and Fender Rhodes on Golden Lady. All the instruments on Higher Ground. At this time Marvin Gaye had broken away from Motown also and was using session musicians that overlapped with Steely Dan: Paul Humphrey, Wilton Felder, Joe Sample, Victor Feldman, etc.
That’s awesome! Thanks for the knowledge Doctor Mu!
I’ve read that a lot people think summer soft was sorta the sequel song to this. Both songs are structured kinda the same so I think that’s interesting. Stevie & Marvin were def inspired by each other but to the sharing musicians point, only 1 musician worked on/made this album (and all his others) and that’s Stevie himself :)
We keep forgetting this is all Stevie! Its almost hard to comprehend!
Love Golden Lady 💗
❤️
I just watched your Moongaze video. Wonderful job. I know a project like that is a ton of work too. Truly great.
Thanks so much Rob! We appreciate you taking the time to watch!
Fabulous song from Stevie. Jose Feliciano did a killer version of this too. Well worth a listen.
Thanks David!
Happy Friday, Sifa and Dan! You were way down a queue I built last night, but I finally skipped ahead, in-between Netflix, Amazon, naps, e-mails, FB and similar BS.
Thanks for another basket of Wonder-ful musical joy...also wrote chords out for this one for a friend way back when...incidentally played 'Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing' as an audition for the original Gong Show in LA in '78; going into the descending chromatic chord sequence strung over the word "out", with the ball of my foot balanced on the bar halfway down the legs of the stool I was perched on, my leg began to vibrate and bounce. lmao. Loads of auditioners, never heard back up in Vancouver, left in August, headed east again.
Haha that’s quite a story! Thanks for taking the time to watch Damon. We appreciate you!
I have listened to this song a thousand times. I hear him say golden lay golden lady. What do you hear ?
Haha we hear Golden Lady, but see how you could hear that!
@@SightAfterDark I replayed your video and listened real carefully. In the chorus you do not hear him say the D in laDy and when he says it the second time you can really him pronounce the D in lady. I believe he wrote this song about Minnie Riperton. I think when Stevie says " I'd like to go there". It implies his desire for a sexual liaison with her. I hope one day to interview him and my first question is WHO is the "GOLDEN LADY"? Jose Feliciano doe's a great cover of it. One album you might want to give a listen to is MICHAEL SEMBELLO'S BOSSA NOVA HOTEL. You can tell that he was in Stevie's band and has credit's on SITKOL album.
Maxi Priest does an exquisite cover of Golden Lady. Stevie Wonder forever!
He is a pure soul
stevie's moog bass work totally sounds like jamerson here so y'all's guess is correct in my book. that's definitely what was in his ears when he was crafting this bass line, along with Paul McCartney probably and Michael henderson. excellent catch again
by the way Michael hendersons work with miles davis in the 70s is legendary and so good
Thank you good sir!
I think you're mistaken about the musicians. I say that because around this time, Stevie was doing it all by himself, playing most of the instruments and overdubbing. Another example of his genius.
By this time or slblum Stevie had his own musicians ,though still it's that Motown influence.
For sure
What happened to Living For The City?
We did the short version on accident. Gonna re-do with the album version
@@SightAfterDark that's what I figured happened lol
I'm new to your channel you have to do a reaction to stevie wonder album hotter then July my favorite song on the album is rocket love and as you read my mind checkout the song as you read my mind it's a feel good dance song 🎵
Thanks for being here Diamonds Are Forever! All of our reactions are suggested by our patrons on patreon. Check out our link link below:
www.patreon.com/sightafterdark
Also, we love Stevie so much that we did a podcast about him on our Music Maniacs channel where we discuss his stellar career including ‘Hotter Than July!”
Check it out if you’d like:
m.ruclips.net/channel/UC-MtlkwV3EoSJFrTRAGfZ8Q
Do a Michael Jackson “buttercup” reaction
Thanks for the suggestion!