Goooooodness gracious that was SUCH a fun song!! What a better way to race into the weekend dancing! How's my selfie game?! I think we've got Sir Duke coming up here soon!! See you there!
You should listen to one or two of his Seventies albums in full. Maybe Innvervisions. Or Songs in the Key of Life. The guy has a hundred songs that are worth your time.
A&A Please repost Curtis Mayfiield-- Move on Up Follow up - " Superfly " (73) 🔥 Groundbreaking masterpiece, both the track and full album - S - Tier !!
@@watermarginramsgate180 Yeah there isnt really a comparison especially when Bernie Taupin wrote most of his songs. Stevie had writers as well but he also wrote alot of his own songs
Stevie Wonder was a musical force of nature. This song was the title track from his 12th studio album, released in 1970 at the ripe old age of 20. He went on to dominate the 70s, winning the grammy for album of the year in 74, 75 and 77. In his grammy acceptance speech for album of the year in 76, Paul Simon quipped, "I'd really like to thank Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album this year."
I make it a lot simpler. There have been only three active prolific geniuses in pop music in the last 50 years (since 1970). Paul McCartney defaults into this category because there was just enough Beatle juice left in him at the beginning of the period. The second is Prince because, well, he was Prince. But by far, the most talented musician in this period, making consistently brilliant music, was Mr. Stevland H. Morris. A Wonder with capital letters indeed.
@@Azabaxe80 Paul Simon belongs in that upper echelon as well. For every decade since the 1960s, he's successfully cranked out brilliant sonic landscapes.
The whole album songs in the key of life. Remember, he did most of the instrumentation on that album. Playing drums while being blind can't be easy, yet there's video of it.
This song is wonderful. I don't know if you're aware of it, but the Beach Boys also did a version of this song on their album Rarities. It is worth checking out.
His backing singers really do it for me (along with the horns). They're worth mentioning - Lynda Tucker Laurence, Syreeta Wright and Venetta Fields. I sometimes think backing singers don't get enough credit for what they bring to a song.
Syreeta Wright co-wrote this song with Stevie, Lee Garrett and Lula Mae Hardaway. She co-wrote 19 songs with just Stevie, including "If You Really Love Me" and "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer". She was also Stevie's wife from 1970-1972
Who doesn’t LOVE Stevie. There is a great song he wrote for Aretha Franklin Until You Come Back To Me that she turned into a hit. He was 14 when he wrote it. That’s Stevie. His album Songs In The Key of Life is legendary and for which he won several Grammys. Thanks for the great reaction. 👏👏😊
This is an all-timer, gotta be A+ or S. Stevie is a goldmine. Older ones like his version of “We Can Work It Out” or “Uptight”, or 70s like “Superstition” or “You Haven’t Done Nothing”. So many to enjoy, have a great Friday!!
They reacted to "Superstition" in a livestream, and liked it so much that they later cut and pasted it from the livestream as a stand-alone reaction. Every Stevie reaction that they've done thus far ("Superstition", "Higher Ground", "Living For the City", and now "Signed, Sealed, Delivered") has produced nothing but raves from Andy & Alex ... as well they should. I daresay that if A&A had to rank their top five artists that they've discovered through this channel, Stevie Wonder would be among them.
I just gotta say .. I absolutely LOVE when you guys react to the Motown sound. Your joy is so natural and authentic and Stevie is absolutely the best of the best
'I Was Made To Love Her' soon please. I think he was still Little Stevie Wonder when that came out. And 'Yesterme, Yesteryou, Yesterday' is pretty damn amazing and should be played far more often than it is. X
This was at the beginning of a decade in which Stevie dominated every award show. Some , if not most of his best music came out of this decade. You could literally avoid the hits and just play deep cuts and still hear fantastic music
I forget the year, 76 or 77, Paul Simon won the Grammy for album of the year “ I would like to thank Stevie Wonder for not releasing any music this year”
A & A: I believe this is your 4th RU-vid Stevie Woner reaction. Next has to be "Sir Duke," Stevie's brilliant song about one of his musical idols, Duke Ellington. If you haven't heard it, the horn section riff is an amazing hook-filled feature of the song; still spine tingling to me after 46 years. From Stevie's magnum opus album, "Songs in the Key of Life." from 1977.
Personally, I hate the song. Every time you turned on the radio in the summer of ‘77 it was playing. Total song burnout, it just got whiny. Sorry, but yuck.
In 1969 Michael Henderson was a 19 year old bass player in Stevie Wonder's band. Miles Davis heard him at a show and went backstage and told Wonder "I'm taking your bass player." A few weeks later Henderson was in the studio with Miles and no safety net. Come on guys, do some Miles! Out of the comfort zone!!!!!
Wishing everyone in the A&A family a happy and safe 4th of July weekend. Stay safe and loving through good music. Stevie is a great way to start!!. I can't add much more to what's already been said. Stevie sings for himself. lol.. S for sure. Keep rocking guys. It makes us happy 🤗😊🎵🎶
I would still love to see another Motown Live Stream. There are SO many great songs to hear that it will take you forever unless you just a couple of hours to run through a bunch. PLEASE
Excuse me for being 'that jerk', but while Motown was a major player, the stream was about R&B and Soul, and there's much more than just Motown. Stax and Philadelphia International in particular are super important.
I wonder if we could get a Songs in the Key of Life full album runthrough in the future. I'd imagine a lot of people's favorite Stevie song(s) come off that. Another Star is my personal favorite if anyone was wondering.
Lennon captured his breaths in the vocal in a similar way on "Girl," from Rubber Soul. In that case, George Martin turned the gain on Lennon's mic up quite a bit to get the effect, so maybe Wonder did the same thing here.
Musical genius. Literally hard to recommend anything from someone so prolific over so many years. In 1966 Stevie did a soulful take on Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind". It was on the B side of one of his bigger hit 45s. But it was always my favorite version of the song. Check it out sometime.
Stevie is a force of nature. When he first started out he was called "Little Stevie Wonder" & of particular interest the first time I ever heard of him was when he performed in the Beach Party movies (like Beach Blanket Bingo) in the early 60`s. I am not sure if he had an album out before that or if those movies were the launching point for his career but he was for sure the best part of those movies & as mentioned the first time I ever heard him.
A&A and Lost in Vegas are really the only music reaction channels worth watching. It's absurd that Lost in Vegas have over a million subscribers, while A&A are stuck in the 120k range. Absurd. But we appreciate you, dudes.
Definitely don't miss the best lp from him,for many from his best era "Innervisions". Absolutely sublime and as influential as it gets for many artists.
The bass was the late, great Bob Babbit. The fill he does leading into the second chorus is just glorious. Any other studio, he'd have been the main man, but he was fated to live in the shadow of his friend, James Jamerson. Really nice bloke too, from all the interviews I've seen with him.
You did your research! I would have thought it was James Jamerson especially since he’s playing in that style. But yes, Bob Babbit gets the credit for this one. What a bass line it is. Killer!!
Babbitt's Resume Signed, Sealed Delivered- Stevie Just My Imagination, Ball of Confusion - Temptations Mercy, mercy me and inner-city blues - Marvin War - Edwin Star Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight and Pips (try and find a better song defining bass line) Rubberband Man - Spinners Angel from Montgomery - Bonnie Raitt
It would be nice if you could react to Stevie's "Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday". Most of his songs tend to be uproariously catchy or sugary sweet ballads. This song, I feel, demonstrates that he could do mid-tempo songs as well. It's got a superb melody and Stevie's vocal delivery just squeezes emotion out of it.
@Space Cat I love that one too. I was around 9 ish I think. On the radio constantly. Our radio was never off because we didn't have a tv, and it only had 2 channels in b/w so we didn't miss much. Lady upstairs had a tv but mostly we listened to music. Sometimes coming from a ship called Radio Caroline, out in the North Sea. Under the covers for crackly 208 in Belgium too.
When I was a young kid in the 60’s listening to AM radio in the car with my Dad, these are the Stevie Wonder songs I loved to hear…Both are kicky little songs. Uptight (Everything is Alright) I Was Made to Love Her
"Sir Duke" has to be next. That is unless you decide to do a whole-album reaction to "Songs in the Key of Life." I highly recommend the latter! It's not only a desert island album for me, it's THE ONE I would take if I could only choose one.
Stevie's composition is f****** impeccable. He's got so many incredible jams. Lots of people say lots of things about lots of goats. Stevie is legit GOAT status.
A&A - This is how good we had it back in August 1970 - Songs in the top 10 for the month - Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Spill the Wine, Mama Told me Not to Come, War, 25 or 6 to 4. Oher songs playing on the radio at that time - Mississippi Queen, Ohio, Ride Captain Ride, Lookin' Out My Back Door, Closer To Home, All Right Now. Here is what you guys are missing from August 1970 - Ball of Confusion (Temptations), Summertime Blues (The Who), I Want to Take You Higher (Sly and the Family Stone). Keep up the reactions!
Dudes, the only thing better than this is watching a clip of Stevie doing this song live in the 70's. The groove just leaps into your eyes as well as your ears. Stellar! Too good. Just too good.
Whether you review it or not, try "Don't you worry about a thing "- Stevie Wonder. On some of his 70's album cuts he also played most if not all the instruments!
A&A, you’ll love his “Sir Duke”, “Don't You Worry 'bout A Thing” and “My Cherie Amour” and dozens more!!! edit- removed question about Living For The City
If you want a similar vibe to this, I suggest "Uptight (Everything's Alright)," "I Was Made to Love Her," and "For Once in My Life." "My Cherie Amour" might be my favorite Stevie Wonder song.
If y’all wanna hear a bad-ass bass, listen to the extended version of “I Was Made to Love Her” by Stevie Wonder. It’s from way back but James Jamerson’s bass is off the hook. Stevie has such an excellent catalog from the very beginning of his career onward. He’s in a class by himself.
Alex: You recently mentioned you generally don't like reggae music. I really think you'd like Stevie Wonder's reggae influenced song "Master Blaster (Jammin')," Stevie's ode to Bob Marley. It's as close as you may come to a reggae banger. It's from Stevie's 1980 album "Hotter Than July." Might be a good song for this month.
Stevie"s original version is a Soul / R&B classic. There is also a great Rock-N-Roll version of this song by Peter Frampton featuring ripping guitar work and great backing vocals as well.
If you haven't checked out Questlove's documentary about the Summer of Soul music festival of 1969. You get to see Stevie playing drums. For several of his albums he'd record most of the parts. What an icon.
That's the difference between producers form the past and today. Today everything has to be perfect. Back then, a few warts in the music was usually left in. Today everything is so mechanical sounding.
Motown one of the best label of the 60's-70's. Thier stable of talent was unbeatable. Much of thier sound has to be attributed to the house band, the Funk Brothers. Great reaction as always.
Looking forward to sir duke, wonders a legend ! JEFF BUCKLEY is another master of his voice, its time to hit his 93' release the GRACE album. For me hes the most distinguished vocalist because so much of what he does is on the moment. His live work is astonishing
Stevie like so many from the 70’s iconic, so many deep, real songs. Man was equivalent to say Elton, but his perspective was based from a completely different environment. What a talent.
What a wonderful, intelligent reaction!! And so much fun to watch the boys get surprised, and have fun along with the song!! A&A are unique among reaction videos in that they're able to have honest, genuine, reactions of enjoyment, just like non-musical ordinary folk, and then, they go ahead and discuss why the song works and pull it apart, like the musical pros that they are. Unique, that ability to enjoy music at two levels, with two separate sensibilities.
Stevie Wonder is magic, instrumentally and vocally and his production is always the highest tier. I love this song, you just have to move when you hear it. Amazing, thank you for reacting to this one. A+ or S for me and I am leaning toward S before it even starts. Screw it, I am going S tier all the way. Motown at its very best. That bass is just ripping me up!!!
Great❗ I forgot how good it is! I didn't vote for it, lol. I'm gonna second a suggestion for Curtis Mayfield. "Superfly" is the deservedly huge hit from Mayfield. "Pusherman" would be the song of his to hear after Superfly.
A&A Please repost Curtis Mayfiield-- Move on Up Follow up - " Superfly " 🔥 Masterpiece, both the track and full album - S - Tier !! Let's make it happen !!!!
Absolutely outstanding song.. a true treasure. I went through a spell around 1990 listening to this in massive quantities! And the song was already decades old then!!
Stevie Wonder is a force of nature and frankly is to me the greatest musician of of the last 100 years. He can play like 20 instruments, speaks multiple languages, writes, produces, sings, won multiple albums of the year back to back. He's incredible, a literal savant. Asking me to pick my favorite Stevie song is like asking me to pick my favorite taco or something, there's no such thing.
This was just one of many great things that was a common occurrence on the radio back then. Just so much great stuff that we all took for granted and expected it would last forever.
This is a good opportunity to recommend you do Summer of Soul as a movie on Patreon sometime. A very young Stevie Wonder is just as astounding as ever. You don't see too many blind drummers out there.