The release of three great albums in a row happens with very, very few artists. Somewhere the steam runs out. Not so with Stevie Wonder, who released Talking Book, Innervisions and Fulfillingness’ First Finale in 1972, 73 and 74. Many vote that Songs in the Key of Life in 76 was the best of them, but for my money, that might have been the case if it was a more focused single album, rather than a somewhat mixed double.
Think about it: Stevie was 22, 23 and 24 years old when he released each of these albums, where the playing, production and songwriting showed maturity, class and ability of someone way beyond his years. By the time of recording possibly his best funk track, Superstition on Talking Book, Stevie had already released 14 albums and recorded For Once in My Life aged 18, penned and recorded My Cherie Amour aged 19, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) at 20, all pointing to what was to come and giving us songs that have become standards in contemporary life, have stood up for generations and continue to do so.
Stevie has many recognisable aspects to his playing besides the obviously great songs and voice: the particular harmonica sound that nobody ever managed to copy (listen to it on Boogie On Reggae Woman or The Eurythmics There Must Be An Angel) and the range of sounds which he gets and way he plays the Hohner clavinet and Fender Rhodes piano.
For today’s Friday song I was torn between two “highs” on Innervisions. The funkier, stoner opener Too High, or Higher Ground, where Stevie gets a groove going. I chose the latter, written and recorded despite its production complexity, in just three hours. It’s lyrically more astute, a funky wah-wah, clavinet keyboard classic, written as a premonition, just before an almost fatal car accident, which left Stevie in a coma for days.
Drawn to the groove, soulful funk and a young man’s poignant lyrics – “People, keep on learning, Soldiers, keep on warring” and “Powers, keep on lying, While your people keep on dying” – in a song about higher consciousness, Higher Ground is another Stevie marvel, on which he produces, sings and plays every instrument. Stevie is one of soul music’s greats. Actually, one of all of music’s greats. Enjoy the song and have a happy weekend!
I started a music WhatsApp group in 2023. I send one song a week on a Friday, with links to both Apple and Spotify, and an accompanying narrative/capsule piece. You’ll read it here on a Sunday. If you want to engage about a song, get a playlist or just get in touch, email me on markgrosin@gmail.com.
Listen to Higher Ground on Spotify here and Apple Music here.
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