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a musical joke for much of my early years, and then just out of curiosity I broke down and bought the 4-disc chronological compilation in that boxed set. Do you realize Stevie basically won every musical award for roughly 1969 to about 1992? Fabulous talent. I listen to his mature work and hear music the way that it's textured for a blind composer. It's like you can reach out and touch the layering on his best music.
by steve davis on Mon May 05, 2008 at 10:47:23 AM PDT
"Top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?"
So many of us in our 20s and 30s remember Stevie as the master of shitty, 80s synth pop. Then you burn out on whatever you are listening to, decide to rummage around in some of his late 60s, early 70s works and realize that he is a frigging god. I love Stevie, yet most of my friends give me odd looks when I say it. They don't know about Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. They've never heard "I Don't Know Why." Man, he is awesome.
He reminds me a bit of Dylan. Had a traumatic life event and proceeded to suck for a long time.
by Dillonfence on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:22:11 AM PDT
[ Parent ]
Even the synth pop FGS. Seriously, you can't take musical genius away with bad production. He is a master of melodic hooks. I put him up there as one of the greatest songwriters and composers of the 20th century.
by Mother of Zeus on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:28:34 AM PDT
But "I Just Called to Say I Love You," "That's What Friends are For" and "Ebony and Ivory" are nearly unforgiveable. Those aren't production problems! They are so sticky sweet that I got a cavity just thinking about them.
I just saw him a month ago. Just one great song after another. He's not only one of America's greatest composers, but also a genuinely awesome human being (which is much more than you can say about many of our other musical legends.)
by Dillonfence on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:43:53 AM PDT
it's also a fact that Stevie, a bonafide musical genius, co-wrote Ebony and Ivory with Paul McCartney, one of the great melodists of all time. The lyrics are appallingly bad, but while both guys have written a clever line or two, it isn't either one's strong point. The melody--if you can manage to hear it in your head without the saccharine lyrics--is indeed catchy. I'm reminded of Michelle Pfeiffer singing Feelings in the The Fabulous Baker Boys: without all the crap that had attached itself to that song, it was actually not bad as she sang it. Nothing can save the lyrics of Ebony and Ivory, but if you did away with them and the saccharine instrumentation, it could be okay.
by deminva on Mon May 05, 2008 at 01:18:58 PM PDT
by Mother of Zeus on Mon May 05, 2008 at 02:28:47 PM PDT
by dmoore9504 on Mon May 05, 2008 at 03:42:09 PM PDT
(wonder why!??!?)
Did he really write "That's What Friends are For." Jesus, I forgot about that . . . OK, I'll stand corrected. I had selective amnesia.
"Ebony and Ivory" isn't one of the greats, but it's not that bad musically.
by Mother of Zeus on Mon May 05, 2008 at 02:21:13 PM PDT
He sang it, but he did not write it. It was written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, and originally performed by Rod Stewart.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
by dmh44 on Mon May 05, 2008 at 02:55:46 PM PDT
Thank you!
I was experiencing serious cognitive dissonance.
by Mother of Zeus on Mon May 05, 2008 at 04:02:27 PM PDT
you..." God DAMN that song rocks. I kick that up in my car and I actually like it more than much of his stuff that gets more play.
by steve davis on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:50:24 AM PDT
And while I never enjoyed listening to "I Just Called To Say I Love You," "Do I Do" is awesome. Not to mention generally the entire Stevie catalog. A god indeed.
I will now continue to work and listen to my sad bastard music.
John McCain does not respect women or our silly "rights."
by Texanomaly on Mon May 05, 2008 at 12:07:16 PM PDT
I'm amused to realize that I'm not the only one to have this experience. I'm 31, and having grown up in the 80s thought of Stevie as pure ridiculous musical oatmeal as well. Then, one day, you go looking for something new and come across something from back in the day... It totally changed my opinion of the man.
by MiklCraw4d on Mon May 05, 2008 at 12:30:03 PM PDT
Wasn't it Paul Simon, when picking up his album-of-the-year Grammy for "Still Crazy After All These Years" first thanked Stevie Wonder for NOT making a record that year? Yep, Stevie was definitely on a roll in the 70s and early 80s. God indeed.
by monkee on Mon May 05, 2008 at 12:53:34 PM PDT
for the Rolling Stones in Charlotte in '72. Tough act for the Stones to follow.
"Whatever America hopes to bring to pass in the world must first come to pass in the heart of America." --Dwight Eisenhower
by Dragon5616 on Mon May 05, 2008 at 12:58:12 PM PDT
Stevie Wonder is a divine messenger! Stevie Wonder is a god! Stevie Wonder has powered the energy of every worthwhile campaign since at least 1976!!!!!!
Stevie Wonder is national treasure!!!!!
It is no measure of good health to be well-adjusted to a sick society. (Krishnamurti)
by RadicalGardener on Mon May 05, 2008 at 01:49:25 PM PDT
One helluva song and arguably (not with me) Wonder's best tune ever.
"It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."- Voltaire - [François Marie Arouet] (1694-1778)
by markthshark on Mon May 05, 2008 at 02:45:14 PM PDT
...of Stevie Ray Vaughn's cover of "Superstition"? Watch the whole thing, all the way to the end:
Defeat John McCain - John McCaingry.com
by AnotherMassachusettsLiberal on Mon May 05, 2008 at 04:06:44 PM PDT
Jeff Beck also does an excellent rendition.
Classic tune no matter who's done it over the years.
by markthshark on Mon May 05, 2008 at 04:41:13 PM PDT
You call it Bush Derangement Syndrome; I call it sanity.
by RickMassimo on Mon May 05, 2008 at 09:00:12 PM PDT
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered"
James Jamerson: bass guitar. The best ever?
"Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected." - Red Buttons
by Man in the Middle on Tue May 06, 2008 at 08:42:49 PM PDT
wide narrow
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