Song Review (The Very Best Of Stevie Wonder) - Stevie Wonder

Song Review (The Very Best Of Stevie Wonder) - Stevie Wonder

1 CD(s) - Motown - Label: Motown - Distributor: Universal Music - Released: 10/08/1998 - 731453075726 more

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... 'Song Review' is most definitely a collection which focuses on the mainstream, inoffensive side of Stevie's career, complete with 'I Just Called…' and a horde of soundalikes. Ballad follows ballad as the compilers of the album seek to portray Stevie as a safe, almost bland soul singer with ... Read review





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Song review ....A Greatest Hits Collection. - Stevie Wonder Song review ....A Greatest Hits Collection. - Stevie Wonder
Thirty or so of Stevie Wonder's biggest hits--many of them enduring classics--make up Song ... more
Review. That's the good news. The bad news is that
they're sequenced here about as well (or maybe
not) as your CD player's "random" function might
do it. Leading...
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Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection - Stevie Wonder Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection - Stevie Wonder
Thirty or so of Stevie Wonder's biggest hits--many of them enduring classics--make up Song ... more
Review. That's the good news. The bad news is that
they're sequenced here about as well (or maybe
not) as your CD player's "random" function might
do it. Leading off with "Part-Time Lover"--a major
chart record, no doubt, but hardly the rouser
you'd expect for an opener--is puzzling enough.
It's when the programming starts veering from
highlights of his self-produced period ("Sir
Duke") to Motown assembly-line pieces ("My Cherie
Amour") that the head-scratching really begins.
And don't try to count the great moments that are
missing. This will do in a pinch, but if you own
no Stevie, be advised that better overviews of
Wonder's career (the finest by far being the
four-CD box At the Close of a Century) are
available.--Rickey Wright
£ 23.99

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Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection - Stevie Wonder Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection - Stevie Wonder
Release Date: 1999-05-19, Audio CD, Imports
£ 31.79

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Song review ....A Greatest Hits Collection. - Stevie Wonder Song review ....A Greatest Hits Collection. - Stevie Wonder
Thirty or so of Stevie Wonder's biggest hits--many of them enduring classics--make upSong ... more
Review. That's the good news. The bad news is that
they're sequenced here about as well (or maybe
not) as your CD player's "random" function might
do it. Leading off with "Part-Time Lover"--a major
chart record, no doubt, but hardly the rouser
you'd expect for an opener--is puzzling enough.
It's when the programming starts veering from
highlights of his self-produced period ("Sir
Duke") to Motown assembly-line pieces ("My Cherie
Amour") that the head-scratching really begins.
And don't try to count the great moments that are
missing. This will do in a pinch, but if you own
no Stevie, be advised that better overviews of
Wonder's career (the finest by far being the
four-CD boxAt the Close of a Century) are
available.--Rickey Wright
£ 9.88

Postage & PackagingCheck Site.
AvailabilityUsually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
amazon marketplace music
Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection - Stevie Wonder Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection - Stevie Wonder
Release Date: 1999-05-19, Audio CD, Imports
£ 31.79

Postage & Packagingrefer to website
Availabilityrefer to website
amazon marketplace music
Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection - Stevie Wonder Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection - Stevie Wonder
Thirty or so of Stevie Wonder's biggest hits--many of them enduring classics--make upSong ... more
Review. That's the good news. The bad news is that
they're sequenced here about as well (or maybe
not) as your CD player's "random" function might
do it. Leading off with "Part-Time Lover"--amajor
chart record, no doubt, but hardly the rouser
you'd expect for an opener--is puzzling enough.
It's when the programming starts veering from
highlights of his self-produced period ("Sir
Duke") to Motown assembly-line pieces ("My Cherie
Amour") that the head-scratching really begins.
And don't try to count the great moments that are
missing. This will do in a pinch, but if you own
no Stevie, be advised that better overviews of
Wonder's career (the finest by far being the
four-CD boxAt the Close of a Century) are
available.--Rickey Wright
£ 23.99

Postage & Packaging£1.21
AvailabilityUsually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
amazon marketplace music

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WONDER STUFF
A review by Ryan74 on Song Review (The Very Best Of Stevie Wonder) - Stevie Wonder
March 20th, 2004


Author's product rating:   

Originality Definitely a cut above the rest 
Lyrics Thought-provoking 
Quality and consistency of tracks Mixed 
Value for Money Satisfactory 

Advantages: Some great songs
Disadvantages: Not a true career retrospective

Recommend to potential buyers: no 

Full review

A quick survey of my CD collection betrays my taste in Blondie, the Strokes, REM, Talking Heads, Scissor Sisters, Duran Duran, the Ramones, Franz Ferdinand and others. Something of an eclectic mix already in that bunch, but it would be safe to argue that at least the above artists all safely fit into the typical 'rock' category. Well, maybe not Duran Duran, but there we go (and quit the sniggering at the back, Duran Duran are quality, quality I tell you!). Nestled among these various albums (the number of which are getting quite out of hand but there we go, what can you do when you have such fine taste in music?) are a few little gems by one of soul's greatest singers and one of the best and most under-rated songwriters of all time, Mr. Stevie Wonder. While admittedly something of a sharp contrast to anything else in my music collection, my love for the music of Stevie Wonder comes from an appreciation of his ability to create such funky tunes, danceable grooves and soulful ballads. With no shadow of overstatement, I think no other artist has done more to shape soul music into what it is today than Stevie Wonder, with the possible exception of James Brown.

When we think of Stevie Wonder today, we instantly think of 'I Just Called To Say I Loved You', right? And that would be a fair assessment, as it is his biggest British hit, indeed his only British No. 1 to date. The song was heavily panned by the critics upon its release on the soundtrack to the so-so film 'The Woman In Red', and to this day it provokes a kind of revulsion among many artists and critics who believe this was the point where Stevie Wonder stopped being a driving force in soul music and was safely absorbed into the mainstream, releasing mushy muzak to please the coffee-table music masses who bought only one album a year.

As an owner of some of Stevie's best albums, including 'Music Of My Mind' (1972), 'Talking Book' (1973) and 'Innervisions' (1973), I can appreciate where these critics are coming from. A quick peek at a sample of these albums finds Stevie in quite a different form to 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'. The funk is hard, gritty and nasty, the social commentary is astute and sharp and the grooves are by turns sultry and dangerous. 'I Just Called…' seems ultra-limp in comparison. In a TV documentary about the greatest No. 1's of all time, 'I Just Called…' was somewhere within the Top 100, prompting cries of anger from New Order members Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook, who expressed their anger that in a career as fantastic as Stevie's, it is almost criminal how the only No. 1 of his career is one his weaker songs.

Sumner and Hook would have not liked this collection then. 'Song Review' is most definitely a collection which focuses on the mainstream, inoffensive side of Stevie's career, complete with 'I Just Called…' and a horde of soundalikes. Ballad follows ballad as the compilers of the album seek to portray Stevie as a safe, almost bland soul singer with no real soul. The funk is kept to a minimal, despite Stevie's key role in bringing the musical genre to the masses with a series of devastating funky albums and singles. Criminally absent from the album are the breathless, fantastic 'I Wish', which was transformed into 'Wild Wild West' by Will Smith a couple of years ago for his dreadful film of the same name, and 'You Haven't Done Nothing', Stevie's biting attack on the Nixon administration, in which he is backed by a young Jackson 5. Also absent is his fantastic 'Higher Ground', covered many years later by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a ducking and diving, swerving funky classic and 'Pastime Paradise', which was morphed into 'Gangsta's Paradise' for the 'Dangerous Minds' soundtrack by Coolio a few years back. Looking at how Stevie's music has been used and sampled by a variety of different modern artists is evidence enough of how fantastic a talent he is and just how influential he has been on pop music, and soul music in particular.

Instead, we get ballad after ballad. This is not to say that the quality of the ballads is consistently poor, as Stevie is far too good a songwriter to bash out any old crap. Certainly, the likes of 'Isn't She Lovely', Stevie's ode to his newborn baby, in which he thanks God for how beautiful his child is, has a wonderful energy and effervescence, 'For Once In My Life' sounds as sprightly and awe-inspiring now as it did the day it was recorded and 'My Cherie Amour' is still the sweetest thing ever put onto vinyl. However, there are times when the incessant balladeering, which isn't wholly representative of Stevie's career, even though the compilers of collection such as this would rather it be that way, gets a little too annoying and I found myself crying out for something just a little bit more abrasive. It's a pity that in these less enlightened times the impact of Stevie Wonder's career seems to have been dimmed by his success, indeed suggesting that 'I Just Called…' and its success meant that the public no longer saw Stevie as an artist who could make social commentary, which he done consistently throughout the 1970's, and instead became some bland old fart like Elton John or Sting. A true career retrospective would take a look at the downright nasty, angry work of Stevie in the early 1970's, when he fought for artistic freedom within the constraints of a rigid Tamla-Motown contract. The album actually was released in the US and the UK with two different tracklistings. The American version has more variety and gives a better insight into the differing stages of Stevie's career, the British one does a poorer job and gives a very stilted picture of a very varied career. The American version, however, is available to order off www.amazon.com, and if it came down to a straight choice between the two versions then I know for sure which one I would pick. And so should you!

The album has a number of weak songs. The worst of these is the sickly duet with Paul McCartney, 'Ebony & Ivory', in which Wonder and McCartney compare the races of black and white to the keys on a piano… the sentiment behind the song is admirable but it is just so slushy and drippy. The lyrics go something like 'Ebony and ivory/Live together in perfect harmony/Side by side on my piano keyboard/Oh lord, why don't we?' and it sounds pretty embarrassing to listen to. It's by McCartney though, so I guess Stevie can be absolved of any blame here. 'Lately' is considered one of Stevie's best ballads but I found it to be dull, limp and uninspiring, while the last four songs to close the album ('Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours', 'For Your Love', 'Kiss Lonely Good-Bye' and 'Redemption Song') I found to be immensely boring and not a patch on the rest of the album. The sleeve notes I also found to be somewhat pompous, with the writer, some guy who nobody has ever heard of and was probably given ten quid to write down any old crap, bleats on and on about how Stevie's best work is yet to come and blatantly ignores the musical variety and sense of rebellion which imbues Stevie's music right from the beginning.

The album does have some excellent highlights, though. 'I Just Called…', for all the flak it gets, is really refreshing when you haven't heard it for a while. And if you think about the sentiment behind the song then its true sweetness is revealed. Wonder can often be a bit of a hammy lyricist, something exposed most frequently on his love songs, and on 'I Just Called…' he just about gets away with it before entering serious cringe-factor. 'Superstition', with its wonderful funky drum opening and its distinctive guitar refrain which opens the song, sounds extremely fresh, modern and contemporary, the kind of song one would expect from a modern soul artist, it really hasn't dated a bit. Listening to songs such as these make you marvel at just how talented Stevie is. Apart from the fact that he has one of the richest, most soulful voices in the history of popular music, Stevie also writes and produces all of his own work. He then plays the keyboard, drums and harmonica on his own tracks! The man really is a legend and each song, whether you think it be really moving or incredibly bland, is inarguably perfectly crafted down to the last note. When you think that the man was born blind from birth then his achievements seem truly incredible.

'Sir Duke', Stevie's tribute to legendary jazz trumpeter Duke Ellington (and in which he also gets chance to reference Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, among others), is jazz-tinged and is chock-full of brass. The refrain of 'You can feel it all over' is repeated a staggering eighteen times, beginning halfway through the song and continuing right through to the end, but the music is so danceable and enticing that we don't notice, we are carried away by the music so that the words are becoming background to the groove. 'Master Blaster' has some celebratory lyrics ('Everyone's feeling pretty/It's hotter than July/Though the world's full of problems/They couldn't touch us even if they tried') and is quite a happy number, taken from 1980's 'Hotter Than July' album, and deals a lot with hope, optimism and faith. 'Happy Birthday', Stevie's tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., follows in pretty much the same vein, questioning why there wasn't a national holiday devoted to the legendary civil rights activist. Stevie would get his wish a few years later when the official Martin Luther King Jr. day was declared a day of national celebration in the US. The lyrics here occasionally seem like they are going to step into the cruddy territory occupied by the likes of 'Ebony & Ivory', but the general higher quality of songwriting and the upbeat melody carry the lyrics above that.

'Living For The City' one of Stevie's darkest numbers about the reality of black life in a tough inner-city neighbourhood, is included but halved in length, and goodness knows why. Still, its raw power and impact is still evident even in this abbreviated version. The lyrics are unrelentingly dark and is a stunning example of Stevie's foray into social commentary in the early 1970's: 'A boy is born in hard time Mississippi/Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty/His parents give him love and affection/To keep him strong moving in the right direction/Living just enough, just enough for the city...'. 'He's Misstra Know It All' is another classy cut, a piano-led number with Stevie's anger kept below the surface, not overt but muted, but still hovering under the surface waiting to burst out.

'Part-Time Lover' is one of the highlights of Stevie's post 'I Just Called…' career, a roaring, up-tempo number about 'undercover passion on the run'. It really is quite a stand-out track and something of a forgotten classic in the Wonder canon. It lacks the bite of some of Stevie's earlier work, but than it probably to be expected, as not every artist can retain the anger of their youth as they move into maturity, both as a person and as an artist. 'I Was Made To Love Her' has some of Stevie's best lyrics and proves that when it comes to love songs, he is up there with the best of them (You know my papa disapproved it/My mama boohooed it/But I told them time and time again/"don't you know I was made to love her/Build a world all around her"/Yah! Hey, hey, hey')

It is somewhat frustrating that an album which could be so fantastic has been muted and tamed down and made kinda bland. The inclusion of too many a ballad gives the impression that Stevie has spent an entire career singing sickly-sweet love songs, when that couldn't be further from the truth, as Stevie Wonder was one of the sharpest, most astute songwriters of the late 1960's and early 1970's, his songs offering stinging ripostes to the way of life in modern America, attacking the corruption of politics and the toughness of life as a black man in America. This album doesn't offer any kind on insight into this and instead gives this happy-go-lucky impression of Wonder. The American version of 'Song Review' is much, much better than the UK version and if you have the chance to order that off Amazon then I would recommend you order that version than this one. The rating of two stars below is by no means a reflection of Stevie's music, but merely an indicator than there are much, much better collections of Stevie Wonder's stuff out there, and while there are songs of high quality on this album, as a genuine career retrospective, indeed as a 'Song Review', which the album purports to be, it fails.

For those who want to look more into Stevie's career, I recommend checking out 'Music Of My Mind' (1972), 'Talking Book' (1973), 'Innervisions' (1973), 'Song In The Key Of Life' (1976) or 'Hotter Than July' (1980), each one a strong example of Wonder at his peak, before 'I Just Called To Say I Love You' doomed him to balladeer status forever.

'Song Review' is available from Amazon.co.uk for £11.99 

More Reviews
A Song Review
Review of Song Review (The Very Best Of Stevie Wonder) - Stevie Wonder by luckyarchers

Advantages: Good music which shows Stevie Wonder’s different styles.
Disadvantages: Differences of opinion about greatest hits.

...to think that if a song is commercially good, it probably isn’t musically good.) Instead, I want to tell you about the tracks on this album and let you decide whether it is worth buying. One thing I am sure about is that there is no rubbish on this album. The tracks, to me, are either good or brilliant, therefore, I give the album 5 stars. A wide range of music influenced Stevie as he grew up including Gospel, Jazz, Reggae, and Motown. All of these ...
...Ivory (Paul McCartney) and Redemption Song (Bob Marley). The album starts off with the ballad ISN’T SHE LOVELY, where as an obviously very proud father, Stevie thanks God for the birth of his baby. When Stevie isn’t singing on this track, he is playing the harmonica. I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU, a good ballad for smooching to, is Motown's biggest selling single in the UK. I find the strong beat of SUPERSTITION haunting, while Stevie sings, ... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
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very helpful

24.08.2004
EASY LISTENING
Review of Song Review (The Very Best Of Stevie Wonder) - Stevie Wonder by DEE

Advantages: Some classic tunes
Disadvantages: Does include the only annually appropriate "Happy Birthday"

I would never have thought of buying any of Stevie Wonder's albums, but was given this CD as a gift and it has been overplayed ever since. With 21 tracks this is perfect music to play when you are relaxing on a Sunday after a hectic weekend or equally suitable to play in the car and have a good ole' sing-a-long to ease those traffic-jam blues. All the favourites are there, including "Isn't She Lovely", "I Just Called To Say I Love You", "Ebony and ... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
Value for Money
somewhat helpful

16.07.2000


Song Review (The Very Best Of Stevie Wonder) - Stevie Wonder

Product details

Title: Song Review (The Very Best Of Stevie Wonder)

Performer: Stevie Wonder

Genre: R&B

Sub Genre: Motown

Release Date: 10/08/1998

Recomended Retail Price: 14.99 GBP

Original Release Year: 1996

Label / Distributor: Motown / Universal Music

Pieces in Set: 1

Studio / Live: Studio

Stereo: Stereo

Format: Performer

EAN: 731453075726

Catalogue Number: 5307572

Additional notes

Album Notes: Personnel includes: Stevie Wonder (vocals, harmonica, piano); Paul McCartney (vocals); Michael Jackson, Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Jamil Raheem, Betty Wright, Kurt Carr Singers (background vocals).
Producers: Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby, Clarence Paul, William "Mickey" Stevenson, George Martin.
Includes liner notes by Daniel Levitin.
In 1961, discovered by Ronnie White of the Miracles, he was signed by Berry Gordy of Motown Records. His voice broke in 1964 but he re-emerged in 1965 with a worldwide hit, 'Uptight (Everything's Alright)'. His contract expired in 1971 and Wonder financed two experimental albums, playing almost all instruments. He pioneered the synthesizer's use in black music, and addressed racial and spiritual questions. Where I'm Coming From and Music Of My Mind put him at the forefront of black music. Talking Book (1972) provided hits with 'Superstition' and 'You Are The Sunshine Of My Life'. Innervisions (1973) consolidated his success while Talking Book gave the hits, 'Living For The City' and 'Higher Ground'. Songs In The Key Of Life (1976), perhaps his most ambitious album, displayed musical virtuosity. The highly successful Hotter Than July (1980) included a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, 'Happy Birthday', and a study in reggae, 'Masterblaster (Jamming)'. After Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I (1982), Wonder composed The Woman In Red (1984). It included his biggest-selling single, 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'. In Square Circle (1985) and Characters (1987) returned to accessible melody. Wonder's image as a statesman of black music, and champion of black rights, was boosted by his successful campaign in the 80s to mark the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King with a national holiday.

Titles on disc 1

1.: Isn't She Lovely

2.: I Just Called To Say I Love You

3.: Superstition

4.: Sir Duke

5.: Masterblaster (Jammin')

6.: Ebony And Ivory

7.: Happy Birthday

8.: Living For The City

9.: He's Misstra Know It All

10.: You Are The Sunshine Of My Life

11.: Lately

12.: Part Time Lover

13.: My Cherie Amour

14.: Yesterme Yesteryou Yesterday

15.: Uptight (Everything's Alright)

16.: I Was Made To Love Her

17.: For Once In My Life

18.: Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours

19.: For Your Love

20.: Kiss Lonely Goodbye

21.: Redemption Song

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Listed on Ciao since : 16/07/2000

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