Stevie Wonder's Perfect Run 

I remember when Paul Simon won the Grammy for the album "Still Crazy After All These Years". He thanked Stevie Wonder for not putting an album out in 1975...

It wasn’t called “The Wonder Years”?

Prince stated that "Songs in the Key of Life" was the greatest album ever written. 'Nuff said.

Stevie wonder is a genius on par with Mozart, Bach & Miles Davis

I feel like no one talks about how great stevie wonder is.

It's scary to think he's not mentioned much anymore. This was an excellent reminder of his importance and the beauty of his music.

His classic period is unreal The fact he play majority of the instruments blows my mind

Some may find this dark, but if Stevie had become a member of the 27 club, he still would have finished this classic run AND have lived a full YEAR longer. That is insane

Basically, Stevie Wonder is the perfect musician

"As" is one of the best songs ever. The lyrics are heartfelt

Fun trivia: when Paul Simon won the album of the year Grammy for "Still Crazy After All These Years", he thanked Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album that year in his acceptance speech.

Stevie's run in the 70's was colossal.. Genius.

Songs In The Key Of Life is a real masterpiece.

Innervisions is a perfect album.

Journey Into The Secret Life Of Plants is an absolute compositional masterpiece. It shows the FULL scope of his genius. It's a little weird, but it is one of the most brilliant releases of the 20th century.

I won't argue with the classic period, but... What's wild to me is that he went through a period like this, and still had enough in the tank to make Hotter Than July. It's a flawless album as well.

One of my favorite artists of all time. His classic period is incomparable

Thank you for highlighting “As”. A brilliant song that’s often overlooked.

Dang. I feel like I've been underappreciating Stevie Wonder my whole nearly 16 years of existence. I just kinda saw him as "that one old blind dude who made isn't she lovely." I didn't know he was an artistic visionary who played a part in producing his own songs and played most of the instruments.

Music of My Mind is a monster. Talking Book is sublime. Innervisions, is a poem. Fullfillingness is a prayer. Thank you Stevie. “Can I play?” You can.

Stevie Wonder is the complete musician. Most musicians can only dream of what he was able to do. He is one of my greatest inspirations.

"In Square Circle" is an underrated album. It's a great work as well.

Stevie Wonder, Bowie, and Elvis Costello all have super underrated runs of amazing albums.

Stevie Wonder is Music, in it’s purest most wonderful form.

Stevie's a better singer, writer and musician, than most legends.

Songs in the Key of Life is one of my top 10 albums of all time.

If I were trapped on a desert island and could only have 5 albums, Stevie's 5 classic period albums would be it. They never ever get old.

Years ago Stevie was revealed that I Wish was actually influenced by Earth, Wind & Fire's "Shining Star" Another big hit from one of the best if not the best band ever. Songs in The Key of Life came out Saturday to beat out EWF's Spirit album that came out Monday in 1976 and they're charted at number 1 and Number 2 on Soul's top 40 respectively.

_Where I'm Coming From_ is a slept on album. That album was the precursor to what he do on those five albums. Stevie is a rare artist. ⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

The man was a one-man band and he was blind. I can wash dishes.

Journey through the secret life of plants is a album worth checking out. Very underrated.

These five albums. The best ever. There’s not a bad song on Songs in the Key of Life. If you have to own a collection of sheer artistry and brilliant musicianship these albums are it.

Innervisions is my favorite of this period. Glad to see this magnificent run recognized and remembered.

His album "Where I'm Coming From" released in 1971 should also be in the classic period. All 9 songs where written by him and his first wife. It's a great album that is severely underrated.

If I could nominate one person to meet aliens on behalf of humanity, it would be Stevie

There are few albums ever recorded that even approach "Songs in the Key of Life". Just an absolute masterpiece. When I first bought it in the 70s, I didn't really appreciate it. I pulled it out awhile after I bought it and just wondered what the hell I was thinking when I originally didn't get it. One of those desert island albums.... One of the best ever.

I never clicked on something faster in my life

Innervisions might just be the best album ever made. Thing of it is, Wonder didn't have a particularly diverse bag of songwriting tools, but he did have an incredible ability to get an almost infinite variety of forms out of that narrow range of tricks. And his drumming - good lord! No one , but no one plays drums like Stevie Wonder. You could do a whole episode on just that.

I consider the conclusion of the classic era to be “Hotter Than July”

“Keep on runnin’” one of the most underrated Stevie songs

The TONTO synthesizer is now at the National Music Center in Calgary where I live. I knew TONTO was used on Wonder songs but not which ones. I immediately recognized the sound I'd heard demonstrated by one of the amazing techs who repaired the synth. He has since sadly passed on . The NMC is a really cool museum dedicated to music history and also important Canadian contributions to music. I encourage anyone visiting Calgary to check it out.

It's almost criminal how underrated the Stevie Wonder 70's era is. Top 5 in rock history IMO.

I went to a fair number of arena music concerts way back when. The Stones, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Eric Clapton, Queen, Thin Lizzy, Edgar Winter, Rory Gallagher, ELO, Stevie Winwood. None of them came close to the two Wonder concerts I saw in 1976 and 1980. Stevie Wonder is a very special person.

Stevie is simply the greatest of all time. Nothing compares to his melodies, chords, lyrics etc. I feel very blessed to have learned about him at a very young age. And he's been the greatest inspiration to me as a musician ever since. Nothing but love for Steveland

_Music Of My Mind_ is my favorite Stevie Wonder album. It's complete, complex, and manages to still sound contemporary. The lyrics are sexy, silly, heartfelt, longing, and bittersweet. Up there with Miles Davis' _Kind of Blue_ We should not take Stevie Wonder for granted. Treat him like we treat The Beatles. Thanks for this excellent video.

Oh my God. My absolute favorite. This man has given me and others so much joy. He is such a loving, positive person who sees the beauty in life. Not to mention that he’s obviously one of the great musical geniuses of the 20th century.

It's a shame that a lot of people have forgotten or never knew just how BRILLIANT Stevie Wonder was/is. Thank you for reminding them.

There is simply NO ONE BETTER musically IMO!

Another musician with a perfect run was Barry Gibb. From the last week of December 1977 to the first week of January 1979 - a span of 54 weeks - Gibb's songs were at #1 for 27 of those weeks. For HALF of that stretch of time the #1 song was something he had written.

Stevie was one of the most beloved influential soundtracks to my life. I owe him such a debt of gratitude!

Bro this video is a masterpiece. Stevie would be proud.

I was a young kid on the 70’s starting my musical journey. Of course, funk and will disco were the rage for 8-10 year old kids like myself. Of course, i listened and knew all of Stevie‘a 70’s work. Like any black teenager in the early 80’s, I was a B-Boy, but still a musician. I started getting serious about my music though. My father said to me at that time, “if you truly want to be serious, take the three albums to your room and practice!” The albums he gave me were inner visions and songs on the key of life by Stevie, and Donnie Hathaway.

Stevie is the Goat. Just played "That Girl into Do I do". And at the end of the latter track the man featured Dizzy Gillespie. I mean his style just seamlessly encorporated the past and future, while breaking grounds..one of the most sampled in rap...

Songs In The Key of Life is theeee most underated album ever! It should be easily in the top 5. Its hard pressed to find a more amazing feat in pop music.

Wow, what an excellent mini documentary you put together of Stevie Wonder. This man truly is a musical genius, second to none. So glad that Stevie didn't the big wigs at Motown stop his creativity. Obvious he used the gift that God give him and touched the world like so few artist has done since creation; "and that's not an over statement". Some may disagree, but this man is in the same musical genius atmosphere as Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, etc. I can only imagine the conversation that will be going on about this man's genius 200 yrs. from now. It'll be no different than the way folks carry on today about the classical music geniuses from 2-300 yrs. ago for us. Except in the future they'll be able to see Stevie on video and hear him playing his own music on cds or whatever devises they will have. It's mind boggling to think that. I have all of the 5 albums you have on here from that era. Again thanks for posting this , well appreciated. Peace out.

This excellent video about Stevie Wonder completely changed how I felt about this artist who I only just saw as The talented blind musician with singles my parents loved. I listened to Songs in the Key of Life 2 weeks ago and I'm still listening to it from start to finish obsessively. Stevie Wonder is and always will be a true musical genius. I have never heard such a lengthy album that pretty much does not waste a single minute here.

I didn't know half this stuff about Stevie Wonder. Mind blown.

4:34 you are the “sushine” of my life Love these videos great editing and great narration and another worldy depth of exploration.

Stevie Wonder is an unparalleled genius of our time...

I made a decision to drop some narcotics for therapeutic purposes and face some pent up feelings of losing my father (he passed a few months back). As I sat there waiting for the drugs to kick in, i got a notification for this video and it sent me to another place in time when my father and I would listen to all his favourites in the car. I spent the rest of the night listening to Stevie Wonder. It was like i had spent the evening bonding with my dad and being reminded of all his love, joy, and views on life. Thank you for making this video. What a gift this was to me.

He is the most decorated musician of all time and yet he is still massively underrated and under-appreciated. His golden period speaks for itself and is incredible, but don't count out literally every album he is ever done, starting with "My Cherie Amour" and ending with "A Time To Love". Secret Life of Plants is weird but it has magical moments, Hotter Than July has some great songs, In Square Circle...His early early motown albums, show some magic from a 12 year old Stevie. Its just.. It's incredible. This man is the modern day Mozart of R&B and he is the greatest artist of modern American music. You can enjoy every album he has made from the time he was 16, to the time he was 60. I love Stevie.

A magnificent homage to a brilliant (Black) American composer and musician. Stevie Wonders albums were the soundtracks of my college and "nightlife" years. I have all the albums mentioned---original first issue vinyl releases. They sounded good on my college stereo set back then, but great on the sophisticated set I enjoy now! May God continue to bless this remarkable man.

They Won’t Go When I Go is phenomenal.

This video brought tears to my eyes. Stevie Wonder is such a special and rare talent and I’m forever grateful I got to know him as an artist in this life. He’s as important to music as any other composer: Mozart, Bach, anyone.

Your assessment on Songs in the Key of Life pretty much sums it up. Not only is it a double album that actually works but it's up there as one of the best albums of all time. Many artists have tried to replicate what Stevie has made here (every R&B artist from the 90s onwards) but ultimately in the end, the album is a one of a kind album that can't be replicated and will always remain timeless.

People consider modern artists innovative. Wonder comes along and says "Hold my Beer." Wonder is the Einstein of Modern music. His music will be listened to and studied for decades to come.

I know this is outside the classic run, but I also love "Hotter Than July" as much as the albums in the C-Run. "Key Of Life" has been my favorite album every since I bought it as a double album In Atlanta -- 44 years ago (this was at a long-defunct theme record store called "Oz Records & Tapes" near Lenox Mall, but that's another story). SITKOL still gives me chills when I listen to it, and I hear something different and awe-inspiring every time. To me it is a divinely inspired work of art with one beautiful message and in a sequence of hellacious grooves. Thank you for this fantastic channel!

Stevie Wonder is the grace of life. Thank you for your songs of love of precious life. A rare genius who sees everything for not with his eyes..

Thanks so much for all these videos! Have you thought about doing a video on some (more) jazz greats, like John Coltrane/The John Coltrane Quartet or Charlie Parker?

I always used to say Stevie is pure sunshine. A rare blend..

When I read "perfect run," I thought this was going to be a sample of one of his *singing* runs. Those vocal tricks and fast key changes. : )

As a teen in the 90s in New Zealand I absolutely smashed Innervisions. So many smash hits. Too High, Living for the city, Jesus Children Of America, Dont you worry, Mr Know it all. While my mates were listening to 90s rap, i was discovering 70s Stevie in all his musical glory.

His music was experimental, cutting edge, fun, personal, meaningful and relatable to all who listened to it. Most artist aim to have even 1 album that even compares to these 5 and it usually doesn't happen, so the fact Stevie made 5 classic albums one after the other is astounding. All of which led to his Magnum Opus Songs in the Key of Life, made even more impressive that he produced the whole damn thing. What an amazing vision from an amazing man, well done Stevie Wonder.

Each of these albums individually deserves its own 20 min. polyphonic video.

Isn't she lovely was a song I came to associate my daughter, born in 1983, the song kills me everytime I hear it, Stevie's music was all over the radio back in the 1970's, he's a once in a 100 years talent.

A legend and a great human being bringing music to the front of social reality. He’s still going today, his legacy as a person will always be present. Great video!

Great video man. Do Prince next. ThAt would be fire

Stevie has blown my mind so many times. I remember how shocked I was when I learned he played those amazing harmonica solos and I still never knew he played the drums until this video! He has written some of the best songs, funkiest songs, and most emotional songs of all time.

I will ALWAYS remember when Paul Simon made that comment. Showed so much respect for Stevie & Paul's humility. We all love you Stevie.🌹🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ UNFORGETTABLE GENIUS. I own all of those albums & remember every song. The poetry & the incredible melodies.

Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life are 2 of my favorite albums of all time

Some themes I'd like to recommend -The story of the wall -How U2 changed live shows -Creedence Clearwater revival and war -How grunge ended hair metal -Metallica's change of subject matter from each album, explained

"The Secret life of Plants" definitely belongs to the classic Period of Stevie Wonder, it has some of his best songs and the album is a Brilliant Masterpiece.

Talking Book is probably my favorite album of all time. Something about it reminds me of warm beautiful days.

His music is timeless!!

Polyphonic: 8:26 Me: Shit, Stevie Wonder crashed his car?

What a great testament to one of the pioneers of music. Well done man!

Songs in the key of life is one of the best albums ever created

Back in the 70's when I was a kid, the music Stevie, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, The Philly Sound(Gamble & Huff), Parliament/Funkadelic, Donna Summer, Earth,Wind & Fire, Curtis Mayfield, Commodores, Diana Ross, James Brown, The Meters, Dr. John, KC And The Sunshine Band, The Spinners, Gladys Knight, Elton John, Minnie Ripperton, Quincy Jones, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Bee Gees, along with music before my time Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix & Motown. It was an awesome time to listen to great music while growing up.

Great presentation as always- but after that incredible ten year 'classic' run, in 1982 he put my all time favorite song into his 'Greatest Hits' album featuring "RIBBON IN THE SKY" (which he performed a version of it at Whitney Houstons funeral)..

The vocal improvising and vamping Stevie Wonder blessed us with on these albums is unparalleled.

I love "The Secret Life Of Plants", Great documentary too.

Thank you for this. I was in high school when Sir Stevie started this run. I bought every record, amazed at his brilliance. Listening to Stevie's words taught me a lot about life. I have been, and always will be a huge Wonder fan. Thank you too, Stevie, for your music, vision, and making driving around, listening to your music in the 70s awesome.

This is one of your best videos yet. Hope this becomes a poster.

This video is just a glimpse of Stevie Wonder's greatness, and unmatched musicianship. Songs In The Key of Life opens with a natural, and breathtaking piece with "Love's In Need of the World Today", an incredible (and albeit, short) acapella piece that braces us for the exciting journey. Incredible video, definitely one of my favourite videos on YT for the man that continues to impact so many generations.

Ok, I had no idea that Stevie Wonder played the drums. I always learn something from Polyphonic.

This is the second time I'm watching this video and I have to compliment the scriptwriting. Easy to follow, pithy but not banal. Excellent. This should be required for young children to get them into the best music.

He's the BEST Pop Star of all time. His music was a masterpiece!

Please do a video like this for David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy

THe talent is amazing, and I was glad to hear about the drumming. People forget how good a drummer he is. People with that much creativity and talent influence so much in music. Suffice to say, in my 90's grunge-metal band, the drummer got a new hi-hat, and as she was setting it up said, "hold on, I gotta break it." I asked what she meant, and she just said, "Stevie Wonder." Was a long time before I knew what she meant. (She basically had her hi-hats in 2/3 open all the time.)

You hear a lot of “Stevie Wonder is one of the greatest musicians of all time”. There is no “one of”. He is THE greatest, most multi-dimensional and endlessly creative artist of all time. His theoretical knowledge, pure musical skills, impossible imagination of subject matters and lyrical genius are... just, godly. Stevie Wonder is music itself personified. All respect to the likes of Beatles and Prince and so on, Stevie Wonder is unparalleled. Let’s not pretend that we don’t owe everything in contemporary popular music to him. Appreciate the greatness!!!!!