talking book

 Stevie Wonder expanded his sound and his audience with the synthesized soul of this funky classic.  'Talking Book' was recorded at Air Studios in London, Electric Lady Studios inNew York, and at Crystal Studios and the Record Plant, both in Los Angeles.  As with 'Music of my Mind', Wonder co-produced the album with Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff of electronic duo Tonto's Expanding Headband.  Wonder said in an interview in Rolling Stone: "For the most part I've just listened to what's in my head, plus Bob Margoloff and Malcolm Cecil - they just build a new synthesizer you should see - they have their own company, Centaur, and they did an album, 'Tonto's Expanding Headband'.  They are responsible for programming and I just tell them the kind of sound I want.  I hadn't got tired of strings or horns or anything.  It's just another dimension. I'd like to get into doing just acoustic things, drums, bass, no electronic things at all except for recording them."

For the sessions, Wonder sang lead and background vocals and played Fender Rhodes, Hohner clavinet, Moog bass, piano, T.O.N.T.O. synthesizer, harmonica, and drums; with Jeff Beck, Ray Parker Jr., and Howard "Buzzy" Feiten on electric guitar; Scott Edwards on electric bass; David Sanborn on alto saxophone; Trevor Laurence on tenor saxophone; Steve Madaio on trumpet; Daniel Ben Zebulon on congas; Jim Gilstrap and Lani Groves on lead vocals and background vocals; and Gloria Barley, Deniece Williams, Shirley Brewer, Debra Wilson, Shirley Brewer, and Loris Harvin on background vocals.  

Wonder drew lyrical inspiration from history:  "The most interesting to me was about civilizations before ours, how advanced people really were, how high they had brought themselves only to bring themselves down because of the missing links, the weak foundations.  So the whole thing crumbled.  And that's kind of sad.  And it relates to today and what could possibly happen here, very soon.  That's basically what 'Big Brother' is all about.   I speak of the history, the heritage of the violence, or the negativeness of being able to see what's going on with minority people.  Seemingly it's going to continue to be this way.  Sometimes unfortunately violence is a way things get accomplished. 'Big Brother' was something to make people aware of the fact that after all is said and done, that I don't have to do nothing to you, meaning the people are not power players.  We don't have to do anything to them 'cause they're gonna cause their own country to fall.  'My name is Secluded; we live in a house the size of a matchbox.'  A person who lives there, really, his name is Secluded, and you never even know the person, and they can have so many things to say to help make it better, but it's like the voice that speaks is forever silenced.  I understand that when you don't hear anything and you hear this very high frequency, that's the sound of the universe...I want to reach the people.  I feel there is so much through music that can be said, and there's so many people you can reach by listening to another kind of music besides what is considered you only kind of music.  That's why I hate labels where they say 'This is Stevie Wonder and for the rest of his life he will sing 'Fingertips''...Maybe because I'm Taurean and people say Taureans don't dig change too much.  I say as long as it's change to widen your horizons, it's cool."

'Talking Book' was not only his first album to break the top ten on the US album chart, peaking at number three, it was also his first to top the R&B album chart, staying there for three weeks.  It also charted at number sixteen in the UK and sold gold in Canada.  'Talking Book' earned Wonder three Grammy awards: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", and both Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Superstition".






http://www.steviewonder.net/








 "Superstition"  was Wonder's first number one pop single since 'Fingertips' in 1963.  He had promised the song to Jeff Beck; but Motown insisted on releasing it as a single.











'Talking Book'
full album:



All songs composed by Stevie Wonder, except where noted.

Side one
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life"– 2:58
"Maybe Your Baby" – 6:51
"You and I (We Can Conquer the World)"– 4:39
"Tuesday Heartbreak"– 3:02
"You've Got It Bad Girl" (Yvonne Wright) – 4:56
Side two
"Superstition"– 4:26
"Big Brother"– 3:34
"Blame It on the Sun" (Wonder, Syreeta Wright) – 3:26
"Lookin' for Another Pure Love" (Wonder, S. Wright) – 4:44
"I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (Wonder, Y. Wright) – 4:51