In 1976 Stevie Wonder released his 18th studio album titled "Songs In The Key Of Life". As discussed on another blog post Stevie became very famous since Motown gave him the opportunity to write and produce his own songs. When it came out it was already considered his best album and his first double album. It was released with a bonus EP titled "A Something's Extra".

I Wish - single cover

Strangely enough by March 1975 Steve considered leaving the music business and emigrating to Ghana to aid handicapped children. He was very angry at the US government about the way they ruled the country. Watergate and the never-ending war in Vietnam were the main reasons. They were already organising a farewell concert but Steve changed his mind and signed a new contract with Motown to record another 7 albums. Other record companies were interested as well like: Arista and Epic. The album took some more time to release compared to previous albums and it took 2 years. Therefore Motown staffers printed up T-shirts that read: “We’re Almost Finished” to have the fans wait.

Stevie wearing a "We're Almost Finished" T-Shirt

Many people (more than 130) helped him with the album including: Syreeta Wright (motown star and his ex-wife), Herbie Hancock (jazz musician famous for his scratch song "Rockit" in the 80's), George Benson (also a jazz musician), Minnie Riperton (well known from her 1974 hit "Loving You"), Deniece Williams (another Motown artist well known for her 80's hit "Let's Hear It For The Boy") and Michael Sembello (A well known studio guitarists who scored a solo hit in the 80's with "Maniac" for the movie "Flash Dance"). 

SONGS

  • “Love’s in Need of Love Today,” whose point is neatly summed up in the title
  • “Village Ghetto Land” was about poverty and homelessness
  • "Sir Duke" was an ode to Duke Ellington
  • “Pastime Paradise” sounds like a parody of a protest song with its meaningless shuffle of words (“Consolation/Integration/Verification/of Revelations”)
  • “Isn’t She Lovely” about the magic of birth and family
  • “Black Man” served as an important history lesson calling out examples of how all colors and cultures have contributed to global progress. It was Stevie's "Black Lives Matter" statement!
  • “Ngiculela—Es Una Historia—I Am Singing" sung in Zulu, Spanish and English uniting all languages

Many artists covered songs from the album or used samples for their songs like "Pastime Paradise" was reworked by Coolio as "Gangsta's Paradise" in 1995. In 1999 Will Smith used "I Wish" as the base for his single "Wild Wild West".

Stevie in 1976

The album managed to reach #1 in the US and the Netherlands. It reached #2 in the UK. It is without a doubt his magnum opus.

Also the singles released from the album became hits:

  • "I Wish" (#1 US / #4 NL / #5 UK) 
  • "Sir Duke" (#1 US / #19 NL / #2 UK)
  • "Another Star" (#32 US / #13 NL / #29 UK)
  • "As" reached #36 in the US
  • "Isn't She Lovely" received a lot of airplay on the radio but was never officially released on single

Orginal album cover

Songs In The Key Of Life (1976)
Love's in Need of Love Today / Have a Talk with God / Village Ghetto Land / Contusion" (instrumental) / Sir Duke / I Wish / Knocks Me Off My Feet / Pastime Paradise / Summer Soft / Ordinary Pain / Isn't She Lovely / Joy Inside My Tears / Black Man / Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing / If It's Magic / As/ Another Star

A Something's Extra EP (1976) - inlcuded with the album!
Saturn / Ebony Eyes / All Day Sucker / Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)

AUDIO

I Wish

Isn't She Lovely

Village Ghetto Land

As