Songs In The Key Of Life

Wow, just fantastic front to back. I really don’t want to stop listening. This is what music is meant to be

Ling album... but the hits are great!

Pretty cool songs

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this album. Some excellent tracks and lots of classics that didn't realize were Stevie Wonder songs. There is a bit of filler in this double album and I wish this site would stop posting double albums haha.

Decent, probably shouldn't have been a double album. I actually have never heard the original that inspired Gangster's Paradise before so that was cool.

Un feu roulant de chansons funky, entraînantes, marquantes, revendicatrices. Un chef-d’œuvre, je crois

Any album with Sir Duke deserves 5 stars. But there are so many great tunes on this album aside from that one. Bonus points for discovering the source material for Coolio's "Gabgster's Paradise"

Contusion is awesome. Zulu on Ncigulela! Many samples, much influence. Wow.

Don't get me wrong, the wole album is relentlessly strong but when Sir Duke hits it's like getting bodied by a train. Curse Will Smith for planting his lyrics in my head when I hear I Wish. It's a shame Saturn isn't the last song, it's so good and tonally would finish it perfectly. Also All Day Sucker adds nothing to the album.... sorry Stevie. Stevie Wonder is so good. No more notes.

Incredible

Absolutely incredible album, high quality throughout. Each song demonstrates enormous creativity, boldness and passion. Production was great, musicianship astounding, instrumentation spot on. How does he do it?! While I know the basic Stevie Wonder hits, it’s the first time I’ve listened to a whole album start to finish from this master of music. Tracks like Have A Talk With God knocked me off my feet. Side note - it’s crazy that Isn’t She Lovely WASN’T a single! If I could venture just two small criticisms it would be this: with each song often being so different from the last, it loses some of the flow that albums have the potential for, one of the main incentives to listen to whole albums. Likewise, maintaining concentration to listen to a double album is always hard, towards the end I was definitely not giving the songs the same attention I was at the beginning. That said, there are some bangers right towards the end that being back the focus - All Day Sucker I’m looking at you. All in all great album, great listen experience and one I plan to come back to.

Soul music for the soul! I want soul food

Extrem einflussreiches Soul-Bollwerk (100min). Finde Innervisions allerdings stimmiger und besser. 2,5

Hot damn, what an album. Stevie Wonder is a goddamn national treasure. Hot take: this is a superb album. Hot take 2: other superb things include sex, Cheers, and pizza. Teenage wunderkind turned soul impresario. Nothing to not like here. We are lucky to have Stevie Wonder’s contributions to music and the universe. Cannot say anything objective about this album. It’s perfect.

70s is good!

Kann nicht singen

"They've been spending most their lives, Living in a pastime paradise" I feel so sorry (and stupid) for thinking Coolio could create the melodies (and hook) for Gangsta's paradise. Stevie Wonder is undeniably a musical genius, and this album does show his heightened sense of hearing. That being said, I wouldn't listen to this record again, and found myself wishing the current song would pass by quicker than it did, and if I have to listen to "Isn't she lovely" again, I might go insane. "Sir Duke" is a bonafide classic, and I was glad to have it ripping through my eardrums upon listening to this album, I wish the rest of the album kept as funky fresh as this track was (playlist). As per my rating promise, if I wouldn't put the record on again, it gets no higher than a 3- so that's what it gets, sorry Mr. Wonder.

Gold!

A handful of nearly-perfect songs, stapled to a boring collection of sap and treacle. Impeccably crafted, but frustratingly forgettable. I’m glad it influenced bands and artists I enjoy more.

The first time I'd listened to it since I was sixteen. Great album. If not a little long winded.

Love's in Need - 4/5 Have a Talk With God - 3/5 Village Ghetto Land - 4/5 Contusion - 3/5 Sir Duke - 5/5 I Wish - 5/5 Knocks Me Off My Feet - 3/5 Pastime Paradise - 4/5 Summer Soft - 3/5 Ordinary Pain - 3/5 Isn't She Lovely - 4/5 Joy Inside My Tears - 2/5 Black Man - 4/5 I Am Singing - 2/5 If It's Magic - 2/5 As- 3/5 Another Star - 4/5 Saturn - 3/5 Ebony Eyes - 3/5 All Day Sucker - 4/5 Easy Goin Evening -2/5

-lyrics -spiritual -uplifting -culturally/historically crushing -great, well-known songs and a few sleepers -I don't feel it needs to be a double album

1-3 churchy not my vibe 4-6 Hell yeah 7 these churchy ones feel like piano bar or elevator music but obv insane vocals? Confusing. 8 omg no way....... I was today years old. Can only hear amish paradise. 9-10 ok some of these are really damn long 11 yes she is 12 funky and ends with helpful history lesson idk if I like red/yellow as a category.. 13 -rest Yeah idk other than the obvious bops I probably won't come back to this one steven

man. i wanna love stevie wonder, yknow? he's talented. perfectly enjoyable. i just fear i don't GET him. i took a point away for isn't she lovely. gave one back for black man. it's a great album and i totally respect it. i just can't see myself coming back it it. i am sorry mister wonder.

Very groovy, makin’ me dance a lot, great vibes Pastime Paradise very much caught me by surprise, had no idea Gangsta’s Paradise was a heavy interpolation of this song, it’s great. A couple of the songs drag on a bit too long.

Was initially feeling this was somewhere between a 3 and 3.5, but it grew on me as the album went on. Excellent production and excellent performances.

holy shit its long what christians wish their shit sounded like just makes u feel so nice iconic smooth and easy listening

So great. Lots of memorable riffs and emotional songs

1hr and 45mins is very long for an album imo, even if it is as good as Stevie. Great album. "Sir Duke", "I Wish", "Pastime Paradise"??? wtf, I never knew this is where gangsters paradise came from - mind blown.

die zweite CD ist der Hammer. Was war aber bei der ersten los? Neues Keyboard und mal alle Soundeffects ausprobiert?

Such. A. Great. Album. We aren't talking about Stevie Wonder enough. Loved almost every track. Stayed a little long, still easily 5 stars.

Funk, Disco and Pop. One of the greatest albums of all time. I tend not to like albums that are this long, nonetheless it is a smooth listen. I love Stevie's voice, it is very soothing and at the same time it's a super active album, it makes you want to dance. My favorite song will always be "Isn't She Lovely".

nice poppy jazzy saxaphones

Wasn’t for me, kinda boring tbh

Not for me

Still not fully convinced that he is actually blind.

Softer Sound, nur bedingt mein Ding

Some amazing songs but sooooo long

оказался при втором прослушивании полным под завязку просто потрясающим материалом, звучащим ровно но так разнообразно. это потрясающе похоже все двадцать из двадцати это классика, это шедевр да это потрясающая запись и вторая частьне разочаровала она движовая и певучая это класс

Good classic album

some classic bangers and mind boggling how many samples came from this album.

One of the finest albums ever created

And you thought Paul McCartney could right some songs

This album not only has a bunch of my favorite Stevie songs, but some of my favorite songs period.

There's a 5 star album hiding in there.

Mother Fuckin Stevie Wonder bro. This is his 18th album?!!?! Christ. GGs boys time to go home, homie won the game. 5/5 Village Ghetto Land Sir Duke I Wish Knocks me Off my Feet PastTime Paradise (did you know Gangsta's Paradise wasn't original) Summer Soft Ordinary Pain Isn't She Lovely I kinda lost track after this point but I was vibing the entire time

Best best best😿❤️

The second disc of the album is not as good as the first, but still a solid double album

Knew about the ballads but not the faster-paced songs with synthesizer, almost Yes-ish. Sir Duke is a classic. I almost feel like I shouldn't be listening to this at work... Waaaay more songs than I thought this album had! 4 sides! How in the world have I never heard Pastime Paradise? No idea Gangsta's Paradise took from another song.

Nu... Nav mans vibe. :D

Too many songs but some of them are like top 50 best songs of all time. Really hard to rate it. I would give it 8.5

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm lost

Double album was a lot too much Stevie Wonder for me, was ok but dragged too much

Could have been half of the length and nothing would have changed. Some really great songs, but they drag on.

Classic songs in here. Genius.

Прикольно, интересно и мотивы знакомые

Didn't realize Stevie was basically a child star. Took him till his early twenties to find his signature sound, perfectly melding funk, soul, gospel, motown. That style culminated in this flawless gem of a double album. This record is why this project(1001albums) exists. This is for all music lovers to gather and agree that no matter personal preferences, this is the art of music perfected.

I've heard this album before, but damn is this amazing!! The songs I thought were kinda weak beforehand have grown on me so much since the last time I've heard it! Every song here has so much depth and passion. There's so much to uncover here and although it's almost 2 hours long, it never fails to keep my attention. Although I've given 5/5s before this album is perfect or the closest thing to it.

Peak. This album is so unbelievably good. Every song is a banger. Stevie wonder is just built different. Favorite songs: all of them

Double album, all great stuff. The guy is a genius.

A superlative Steve Wonder album. Coming in at 21 songs not every track will be for everyone. But Sir Duke is on this as are several other bops. I'm a major fan of this era of Stevie Wonder, and even though this isn't my favorite of those records, I'll take it.

Incredibly talented guy. I love that he came to Dayton after the mass shooting downtown. This isn’t an album I would keep listening to.

Love's In Need Of Love Today Sir Duke I Wish Knocks Me Off My Feet Pastime Paradise Isn't She Lovely As Another Star Ebony Eyes

TIL “Gangsta’s Paradise” came from this album.

I don't mind a bit of Stevie Wonder. SitKoL is groundbreaking and ahead of its time with very good musicianship and amazing production, but not something I'll go back and actively listen to. That said, if it comes up again somewhere, I'll dig it.

Great album. I came in knowing the big hits like Sir Duke and Isn't She Lovely which are all deserving of their classic status, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed a lot of the deep cuts: - Contusion is an unexpected jazz fusion instrumental that is great. - Pastime Paradise is instantly recognizable as the basis for Gangsta's Paradise, but the song itself is a true standout on this album. - Black Man has a really cool groove. - As is one that I didn't think I knew...until I listened and it was instantly recognizable with another great bass groove. This is a long album with long songs that's never boring, and that has lyrics that are often providing meaningful social commentary. I really enjoyed this album and its definitely Stevie Wonder's masterpiece.

One of my all-time favorite albums. An impressively robust and strong double album, with amazing song after amazing song! What I love about Stevie Wonder is the strength of his lyrics, music, and playing. He is at the top of each field. His music can be fun and bubbly, or dense and political. Harmonically complex without ever sacrificing catchiness. You turn on the album, and even within the first four tracks, you’re treated to a bevy of styles and ideas, all excellent. And that’s before you even reach the hits! Like, there’s not a single song on this album I would cut, and that is exceedingly rare for double albums! It puts to shame other albums to which I gave 5/5 stars. Track Picks: “Sir Duke,” “I Wish,” “Ebony Eyes.”

11/2/23. Masterpiece. Anyone that says otherwise I cannot trust. Still sounds excellent and every track is an 8/10 or higher.

- Absolute banger. - Incredible all around.

Pretty, pretty, pretty good

Masterpiece

A perfect album. If this were the 10 albums you must listen to, this album would be on it.

I can't believe I haven't heard this album before. I've heard some songs from it before, as they are very popular, but it's unfathomable to me that so many hits spawned from one album. In fact the quality and volume of this album is insane to me. I enjoyed nearly every track on the album. I'm definitely going to listen to some of these songs over and over again, what a powerhouse. Stevie Wonder is an icon.

they need to play this album in all hospital delivery rooms

amazing!! what a great voice and mind. rest in peace mr. wonder

I can see the talent, the unique timeless rhythm of the songs and understand the impact this album had on the genres after it came out. But I didn’t love it- I enjoyed it.

big highlights, but a loong lp to listen

How did I not know about this album? Perfect road trip vibe album. I had no idea.

It is a masterpiece

Was some great edm but the song stress alone made me bugggg out . I liked the rest tho

Hit after hit

Album is not engaging enough for its nearly 2 hour length. Has some absolutely amazing songs but also has lots of boring songs that dont hold your attention. A 2 hour album is fine but you need to keep the listener engaged throughout. If the album were split into 2 albums, they each would've been a 3-4 for me

Incredible album. Recognized a ton of samples and influence this album had on other works. Too many good songs to pick a favorite.

A remarkable album

Words cannot fully describe the perfection of this album. Each piece is a journey through what music can truly convey in its simplest and complex forms. If this isn't the best album of all time, I don't know what is.

Brani Preferiti: Sarebbe da elencare gran parte dell'album, ma difficile fare a meno di: - "Sir Duke" - "Isn't She Lovely" Note: Come si fa a non apprezzare questo album, ogni canzone è spettacolare e il disco difficilmente perde di qualità durante il suo ascolto. È chiaro quanto questo disco sia ben accolto dal pubblico e diciamo così... è tutto ciò che dicono, ma è anche molto di più di quanto si possa immaginare.

5. God, this album is good. They pulled off a 2 hour album perfectly

the jazz flute

Absolute classic album by ‘Sir’ Stevie Wonder. Full of quite brilliant songs like Sir Duke, As, I Wish and Isn’t She Lovely. My favourite though is Pastime Paradise which Gangsta Paradise was derived from years later. 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This has always been a favorite of mine 😍

Un album d'une qualité exceptionnelle qui saura plaire à tout le monde sauf à eltrapeze. Pour information, si jamais on vous montrait la photographie d'une déchetterie et que l'on vous demandait d'y retrouver eltrapeze, vous en seriez tout bonnement incapables.

Cet album nous présente la transformation toute récente de Stevie Wonder en castor. Stevie ne maîtrise malheureusement pas encore totalement l'art du barrage, ce dernier présentant de multiples trous laissant échapper de vastes volumes d'eau.

One of the Best, Which is saying a lot, Stevie Wonder LP's. Rock, Soul, Funk, everything you want from this Musical Genius

Knocks me off my feet, för mig ny låt som va väldigt bra Ture tyckte summer soft låter mycket som nujabes, håller med, speciellt introt.

Previously listened to for this list: Innervisions (4/5) ************************************ Just listened to Innvervisions last week. Songs in the Key of Life is a very low 4/5. Rated highly for some amazing songs, Sir Duke, Isn't She Lovely, Pastime Paradise, I Wish. Some other songs, and the album as a whole, especially sides 3 and 4, go on way too long. A couple are pretty cringeworthy and I'd definitely skip them if I listened to this again.

Genius. Timeless. Soulful.

Insane production. Stevie’s voice like silk. Not my favorite genre

Epic!

I had no idea that Pastime Paradise inspired other songs, which is obvious. Very surprised to hear those strings, I wasn't expecting it at all.

I remember playing this day after day when it came out, loads of real bangers on the album, difficult to pick best song but Pastime Paradise is my current favourite.

Loved how the first three songs of disc two rolled into one another. Stevie Wonder is great, I love Sir Duke but I didn't love every song.

Beautiful voice! Reminds me a lot of Jackson. The synthesizer strings are not my fav. Loved 16 "As".

it was extremely groovy. but it reminded me of church music at the beginning

Amazing, complex instrumental composition. Sounds full, sounds like songs in the key of life

Some really good moments and some that weren’t my cup of tea. Realized that his song pastime paradise was the sample for the coolio song! Enjoyed some new to me songs like summer soft

10/10

What an album

This was an album with a lot of mixed emotions for sure. The length of it seems to be a whooping 105 (!) minutes, which is absurd for an album in my opinion. The first quarter is way too much religion centric for my taste. Almost all songs seems to be about Jesus or God in some form - not my cup of tea. Not all songs keep the same quality, but you can't deny that there are quite a lot of bangers here. What's more, there are also a handful of songs that have been sampled and you recognize from other famous songs as well. 'I Wish' seems to be the main song in Will Smith's 'Wild Wild West', 'Pastime Paradise' has been covered and sampled loads of times, and there might be more that I missed. Still, for an album to get a 5 star I would like it to be a bit more even throughout, and it would probably reach that level if like half of the songs were cut. Strong 4 it is!

"This album has 'As' and 'Sir duke' on it, why do i feel like i don't like this album too much?" was my thought process seeing this album and remembering listening to it on my IPod. Then i saw that it is nearly 2 hours long. Honestly, that's too much man. Listening to it, I found I wasn't enjoying it as much as I thought I would. None of my favourite Stevie Wonder songs are on here (except for "As"). Still it was an ok listen and while I know it is a classic I don't think it was for me today.

Pretty awesome stuff! I was surprised to hear pastime paradise and I REALLY liked Contusion and Sir Duke

maybe one of the strongest albums ever, front to back. His 18th! recorded in Sausalito

Quite original and personal

I love this album and it is a go to for cooking, cleaning, and other household task!

So many amazing songs, and his sound is so iconic and influential.

What a great album. I probably listened to it 4 times today. I was already familiar with a few songs like Sir Duke, I Wish, Passtime Paradise, Isn't She Lovely, and As. But by the 3rd listen I was really getting into some other ones like Knocks Me Off My Feet and Saturn.

You're dead inside if this music doesn't make you feel things. And he was twenty-six when this was released. Twenty-fucking-six. What am I even doing with my life.

Although Stevie is one of the greater musicians to have walked the Earth, I have not been a big fan of this style of music for a while now. As a guitar player however I know I’m missing out, and I do learn a lot of the rhythms. This album got me into it again.

Some undeniably great songs by an undeniable great. Album drags at times though.

Some bangers for sure, but a bit long and noncohesive for my taste

songs in the key of life was stevie wonder at his peak, and he created a double album as a result. stevie created such amazing music, and "sir duke" and "as" (among others) are prime examples of that. i don't think a double album was necessary, but it was also not unnecessary. this album could've been trimmed, but i didn't hate listening to it! this album is full of beautiful music after beautiful music. how could i be mad? there's something about the way wonder creates music. that combination of r&b, soul, funk, pop, jazz, all while he plays keyboards. he does this as if it's magic, truly. how does he do it??? i don't know, but i do know it makes for a damn easy listening experience. i've mentioned this in a previous stevie review, but forgive me. stevie wonder makes noteworthy music, but it's easy for him to be only considered as the king of romantic songs--which is absolutely accurate and fair, but he doesn't let us forget he's a black, religious man. "have a talk with god" and "black man" forces us to understand who stevie wonder is. not to mention, "village ghetto land" allows wonder to include a political song, too, which isn't unheard of for him, but i admire it all the same.

This is definitely Stevie Wonder at the top of his game, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that this album truly has something for EVERYONE. There's jazz, soul, funk, pop, R&B, and more here. He fuses everything together so delightfully on this album (again, no doubt due in part to him being at his peak). It's just nearly impossible not to find something (or multiple things!) to enjoy here. It's also truly a marvel and a testament to Stevie Wonder's ability that he could produce content for a double album like this and keep things from dragging or going stale. It felt fresh the entire way through. Simply put, Stevie just expresses such master musicianship here, defying genre and decade. This music is timeless. This was just such a pleasant lesson, all the way through.

I would like to describe the guy who really really enjoy it as a good taste, but this guy won’t be me

A lot of fluff here, and at 21 tracks totaling 1hr45min it's just too much.

There's a lot more Stevie wonder on the album than Stevie wonder you would like

Not something I'd usually listen to, but I enjoyed it

So good. One of my all time favorite albums. There are weaker moments here and there, but overall its many strong moments are delightful. A friend of mine used to take a random line or two from Stevie Wonder’s lyrics, print them out without attribution, then anonymously post them around at his job.

Most Stevie albums, particularly in this era are essentially perfect. This album is a sprawling, almost 2 hour epic that is also essentially perfect. I might prefer Innervisions but there’s no denying the quality of this album, an easy 5 stars

Maybe the best album of all time?

Best album till now.

Finally a Stevie album I actually like. Glorious

Very interesting and enjoyable record, showing all the sides of Stevie greatness. In my opinion, some of the songs in the second half of the record extend their duration unnecessarily.

4 the opening melody really took me, it's really spacial.

Stevie's masterpiece. I respect it but I didn't enjoy it as much as I would like. Maybe if it's a bit shorter i would've liked it more.

The easiest 5 star I'll give. Beautiful, inspired, confident, vulnerable, free. This album is a pure gift to music and the world

pretty perfect except every now and then it slides too close to jazz fusion for me to take

Greatest stevie wonder album, so positive and incredible

Surprisingly pedestrian

If you don't love Stevie Wonder you don't have a soul. I can't tell if Stevie Wonder is the Bob Ross of music, or Bob Ross is the Stevie Wonder of painting. This man loves making music and music loves being made by him. And I love listening to it.

Awesome music. Way too long. Never finished it. Maybe will have time to later this week. 5/5.

Ok, ikke helt min greie. Litt mye wall of sound.

Some jams, but very repetitious. Would have been killer as a single album rather than a double.

So good. Just next level.

I felt long, but there were some highlights that I hadn't heard before

Essential! More to it than well constructed pop. Experimental at times.

Good, but a lot

Nice easy listening. A few classics in there.

i mean come on

I’ve had enough Stevie Wonder

The first disc is absolutely flawless. Sir Duke, Summer Soft, Pastime Paradise, Love's In Need of Love Today its shining jewels. Overall great CD. Its soul, funk and borderline gospel sound flows perfectly and makes me feel at ease. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius. Second disc is also very good. It has a much calmer tone, instead relying on slower tempos for many of its songs. Loved this album! It surely got me interested in everything related to Stevie Wonder.

Yes.

Exceptional: never would I ever think on first listen an album can shoot straight up to one of my favourite albums of all time, this was a real journey. The lyrics were crafted in the hands of god perfectly and it flowed without resistance at all. An instant classic I would recommend to anyone who cares for a listen. AND HIS 18TH ALBUM?!? This was insane.

First track was an insanely amazing intro, super catchy hook Second track is a nice vibe talking about God. Third track has orchestral parts. They are good. Fourth track funky. insane instrumentation. Chant at the beginning of second half. Fifth track is super vibey. This album is super funky. Stevie Wonder’s vocals are fantastic. Trumpets are fantastic Eight track has a orchestral part at the start of the song, really good. “Ordinary Pain” has a really great synth break. No other comments, all tracks are outstandingly amazing. Love the instrumentation all throughout

I've loved songs from this album at different times of my life. I think everyone has heard Sir Duke more than anything. What's special about this one, Dolores and I had our first dance to As at our wedding. Good memories.

First album!!! Giving this a shot, cannot wait to expand my musical horizons :) some absolute gems here, amazed at how many songs on this have been sampled over the years. Does go on too long, in numbers of songs and the songs themselves. But they cover a really wide range of styles, and now interested in what else stevie made over the years.

Sonido algo monótono, grandes arreglos, voz increíble. Too long.

Perfect

Essential Tracks: I Wish (Playlist) Sir Duke Pastime Paradise Black Man

Fantastic album, so many good songs

I hateeeee long albums. But I can make exceptions like this. Amazing front to back. Stevie never fails!!!

Come on. A double album with this much variety of rock, soul, R&B, jazz, *prog???* ("Contusion"), incredible songwriting, smash hits, amazing production .... This is like cramming 1982 Gretzky, 2023 Ohtani, and 1979 Balboa all into one package. 10/10 5 stars.

Stevie's masterpiece. Straight bussin

The good songs are really good. Some went on longer than I felt they needed to.

decent, but hasn't aged terribly well. Not my thing.

Just give me this one every day and we’ll call it quits yeah?

Mixed in with the Helen Reddy, Anne Murray, and Barry Manilow albums in my parent’s record collection were a few gems that made a huge impact on me as a kid. One was box set of Motown hits and another was Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book, from which I would play Superstition over and over. In high school I scored multiple Wonder albums— this one, Innervisions, and Fulfillingness’ First Finale (the ones with similar cover art)— in one lucky purchase. Sadly, I can’t say I’ve listened to this one much since then. It’s 7 a.m. on work day and I’m in the basement with it on now. One of the nice things about this music group is that it’s forcing me to listen to things that have been sitting on my shelf for a long time. Things I’ve wanted to hear again but haven’t made the time for. (Not to say I own every album here. There have already been several I haven’t heard or heard of.) It’s also nice to force myself to write— something I haven’t done regularly for years. This is becoming a music diary. Rambling musings I’m sure no one else wants to read. Anyway, I pulled out my vintage copy— it’s got the 24-page booklet advertised on the front cover; the completist in me is frustrated that it’s missing the bonus 7 inch with the extra tracks. Oh well. Some of these songs are familiar once they come on. Some of them I don’t ever recall hearing. Stevie really runs the gamut of styles on this— funk, r&b, prog, experimental soundscapes. I’d forgotten how good it is.

I've been meaning to listen to this album for a long time now; what a fantastic album title. Despite the length, I was surprised at the variety on the album and how well it flows. Contusion reminded me of Herbie Hancock or Jimmy Smith jazz fusion, followed by a damning social critique on Village Ghetto Land juxtaposed with light hearted instrumentation. I don't have anything smart to say about any other tracks but "As" was probably my favorite that I didn't know before. A great album but I'm maintaining an arbitrary rule of "5 star rating means I would never skip a single track".

This album has only 1 negative. It’s too long. The first 11-12 songs are an absolute masterpiece. Incredibly produced, everything still holds up today. You can hear melodies ripped from Stevie in multiple songs. 8.9/10

Some great tracks!

I held off listening to this for a long time, it's almost two hours long after all. That was a capital M Mistake, this album slaps.

Timeless work. You can clearly hear how this has influenced so much music.

5/5

En fest

Some good songs but that electric piano just sounds like a toy - can't stand it. I guess im just not into stevie wonder.

liked it more than i thought i would - some songs i knew but didn't know that i did and didn't know the song titles. Very cool couple of songs that were brand new to me - lots of different styles of music. Knocks Me Off My Feet was great - love the piano in the beginning

Very good 5/5

Great album, very long. A few songs lost my attention as the album went on.

This actually grew old fast. The hits are still the hits. But, I don't need Stevie telling me to turn to God.

First of all, kudos to the generator for guiding me through Stevie Wonder’s classic period in chronological order. SITKOL feels like a summation of the albums that came before, only bigger and more ambitious. Inevitability, then, some of the same flaws are present (namely overly schmaltzy numbers like Knocks Me Off My Feet, and long, repetitive funk sections). But there’s some kind of voodoo going on here because even these tracks - which would usually be a big turn-off for me - grew on me after a few listens. Many of the tracks go on for ages, repeating the same few chords, but somehow I was ok with that. I’m guessing this is down to the sheer ambition/grandiosity of the thing - even the schmaltzy love songs became *epic* schmaltzy love songs. As with his previous albums, my favourite bits are often the squelchy, downright filthy sounding tunes, and those that employ less traditional sounds, like the superb All Day Sucker and, improbably, Have A Talk With God. Then there’s Sir Duke, which is my favourite Stevie song and absolutely joyous. I guess it’s this joie de vivre (plus ridiculous musicianship, obvs) that’s at the root of his appeal in general. I wouldn’t have scored this so highly earlier in the process, and I definitely wouldn’t have scored it so highly after the first listen. But my scoring system, my levels of perseverance, and, dare I say it, my tastes, have changed since then. Some ‘classic’ albums baffle me as to why they’re so revered, but I definitely understand the hype with this one. 4.5

One of may all time favorites

Incredible music, incredible lyric writing, incredible playing and incorporating sounds. Stevie Wonder should be considered by me more in the greatest artist of all time conversation.

Lots of different iterations of the RnB band sound showing its range. There are jazz fusion tracks like Contusion that are fast, with great riffs and guitar/keyboard tones and tight collective playing through intricate parts. There are funky uptempo style songs lead by the horns and melodic bass playing like Sir Duke that have a motown basis but incorporate a bigband jazz sound with harmonized horn/guitar leads. There are songs like Ordinary Pain that anticipate the galactic funk of parliament. The bass is the star on so many songs, relentlessly grooving through the changes with imaginative lines and perfect anticipation. Lots of good stuff, but the slow songs are really dire, with orchestral strings and horrible overwrought lyrics like 'babies die before they're born infected with disease'. Isn't She Lovely is so sickeningly sachharine I have diabetes now. If It's Magic is a warbly and tuneless 4 minute ballad. I know he's a legendary singer, but I find his voice to be very nasal and almost thin at times and just at the edge of being off key like on Summer Soft - I'm sure it's intentional and has to do with the jazzy chords/modes he's using where he's delaying resolution to the tonic? But still, find it kind of unpleasant at times. Favorites: Contusion, I Wish, Ordinary Pain, Another Star, As, All Day Sucker

Lots of rappers samples songs from this album. Sir Duke is one of my all-time favorite songs by any artist ever. So good. But - this album is too long. They can't all be bangers, Stevie.

this was an enjoyable listen, even for a double album! stevie knocks it out of the park again with some amazing tracks here and solid musicianship throughout. i definitely liked the first half more, but nothing felt like a bad inclusion here. favorites: sir duke, i wish, pastime paradise, summer soft, isn't she lovely

a fascinating mix of rock, jazz, disco, gospel, with progressive elements. songs about love, social progress, race relations. just a gorgeous well crafted album. tis a solid choice for this endeavor. highlights: “village ghetto land”, “sir duke”, “pastime paradise”, “joy inside my tears”…

Not my jam

I Dunno. I like some stuff on this (Sir Duke is my favorite Stevie Wonder song) but most of it seems more generic than I had been led to believe. Not bad, but I think it’s a bit overrated.

- Listen Stevie, you're great but an hour 45 is too much - Okay this is actually insanely good - Great production quality, variety of song styles, and smooth lyrics - Would be a 5 if it was shorter, but a decent 4.5 for now

- fantastic joyful vibes - Sir Duke and Isn’t She Lovely are just so good - not sure you can say “red man” and “yellow man” anymore - could’ve been a 5 but a little too long

One of the greatest albums ever created. 5/5.

Uno de los mejores álbumes dobles de la historia. Una gran batería de canciones de Soul, Funk y R&B que dejan claro por qué Stevie Wonder es uno de los prodigios más prolíficos de la historia de la música, influenciando toda la música estadounidense que salió después del peak de su carrera.

A great album with a nice flow, from a very talented artist!

Album of the week, and it's not even close.

It's amazing how many iconic songs are on this album, but I was equally amazed at how many incredible songs are on here that I'd never heard. It truly is the taqueria from the review matt shared the other day! What really blew me away on this album is how much work Stevie Wonder put into this. There's only 4 other people who get writing credit on this, besides that SW wrote, composed, and arranged the entirety of this monolith. I'm glad they gave us this on a friday. It took way more than a day to digest this one.

This is what I was waiting for all week! So many hits on this album but as a whole this thing is pure gold.

Not much to say other than this is quite possibly a Top 10 album of all time. Great stuff!

Hmm... I like Stevie Wonder and I like some songs on this, but it's just too damn long and really starts to drag in the latter half. Given how I'm a stickler for long albums, unless they really make it work, I have to knock this down a bit for the length. 4.5/5

Pretty good album, some songs that are really popular that I’ve heard my whole life. Sir Duke is amazing.

I’m floored. I had no idea Coolio ripped off Stevie’s song “Pastime Paradise” and then had the nerve to get peeved when Weird Al released “Amish Paradise.” Also I didn’t realize that I really enjoy Stevie Wonder.

So many great songs

It really doesn't get much better than this.

first time listening have heard sir duke isn’t she lovely

ah, the rare legitimate double album that actually works and has two distinct sides, which each thematically enrich one another. great stuff stevie amazing that this doesn't drag on despite its enormous runtime. best tracks: sir duke, saturn, knocks me off my feet

Some people claim that you can recognize some 5-star albums already in the first couple of minutes. For this album, I completely agree, a great record in every aspect. Overall score:10/10

A few seconds in and you already know this is going to be a five star album.

Brilliant and far-stretching: basically everything is great about this record but on this occasion I particularly valued the infinite jam on Another Star.

Super authentic funk. Really distinctive and mature voice. Great themes.

It was kinda good no lie. The album was full of variety. Although I won't necessarily add all the songs to my list, some of them stood out to me. I didn't even know Pastime Paradise was that song I always hear around haha. Stevie Wonder is a legend so I guess this is why.

It’s considered one of the best of all time for a reason

Double album....always tricky. 18th album by SW. Run out of ideas? Utterly brilliant. Inventive, tunes, production, politics, voice. Genius. Have a 5.

Nice to hear again. Still sounds so current! Brings back childhood memories Didn't realise that pastime paradise was remixed into gangsta paradise.

-- consistently relaxing instrumentals that have since become a bit cliché -- no obviously bad tracks, unified aesthetic, the instrumentals don't really change but the tracks mostly feel different from one another -- on second listen, definitely some catchy tracks

Nice

Often seen as Wonders magnum opus. This is a two album spanner with hits across its 21 tracks. Wonder waxes on Duke Ellington as well as a love song for his, at the time, infant daughter. Beautifully played and well produced…especially for the time.

Love’s In Need of Love Today has one of the smoothest instrumentals and is such a smooth way to start the album. Listening to Saturn on the Pacifica beach while the sun is setting is a whole vibe. Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely, and As are some of my other favorite songs. Although I’ve listened to this before, listening to it after listening to Talking Book last week made me enjoy it so much more. This man Stevie got the soullll.

Hh

I had huge expectations going into this album and while it took a couple songs to get going, the album really hit its stride. I really enjoyed this the more and more it went on. very cool

This was my first time listening to this album all the way through. Usually I've come to this one just for the singles. There are some other nice jams in this one.

Rediscovered this album after a long time. It’s just so beautiful!!

Some 45 minute albums on this list feel like like it's a three-hour listen. Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life comes in at a whopping 1:45 on two discs and feels like it's a 45 minute listen. That my friends is mastery of the art. There's many reasons a person of Stevie Wonder's stature can put out 18+ albums and SitKoL is a prime example. 4.5/5

There’s lots I really like on here but it is very long!

Inmenso. Aquí hay mucho más que las colecciones de grandes éxitos dejan ver a los iniciados

Pop. Soul. Funk. Muy largo y muy bueno.

I went into this expecting some degree of bloat, it being a long double album. I guess it would be silly to say I was surprised at a Stevie Wonder Album being great, but I kind of was. There were a couple of tracks that didn’t hit me quite as hard and of course, some degree of cheesiness is just part of the Stevie Wonder experience, but overall, this is album is amazing.

Some stand out tracks for sure, but not loving the vibe all the way through.

👑

pasttime paradise............mitävittua.REVELAATIO.. noh meikäläinen tyhmä juntti vaan...nyt toinen albumi herralta ja tuplaria vielä ja tajusin että en tykkää äänensävystä...älä mulle tuu tollattiin..He's basically responsible for modern R&B music MITÄH? MITÄH HELVETTIÄ... 0 TÅHTEÅ..kattelin tossa arvosteluja ja herrankuukkelis rauhassa siellä rauhottelappa vähän... JOJOO ON HYVÄ ALBUMMi...herran tuuttelis MIETIPPÄ OBJEKTIIVISESTI..... jaksa kattoa tollasta saatana. neljä kautta viisi. as

This album is a true 5 out of 5, 10 out of 10, no notes. I have always enjoyed Stevie Wonder and his voice, he has so many good songs but I was not prepared for this album to be so amazing. The instruments used throughout the whole album are so vibrant and unique the harmonica is so essential to these songs and this sound and maybe it's an overall underrated instrument in music in general. I think that's one takeaway listening to this. This is the blueprint for so many albums to come, I feel like it's specifically a blueprint for the miseducation of Lauryn Hill based on the array of topics covered in this album. It's talking on so many important and pivotal events and subjects in life, from love to birth to racial equality to dream like traits in life, the title is so aptly given to this. It deserved all it's praise and more than I can give. My favorites that I can remember are I wish, Ordinary Pain, Isn't She Lovely, As, and Another Star. This took me 2 days to finish because it was so long but it was so great. This kind makes some other 5s I've given out look like 3s now.

Some bangers, but some songs way too long, including Isn't She Lovely

Wow, this one was long, but still great. Some of the songs were pretty long, but still very enjoyable. I was worried the length would bog the album down, but it really didn't. I don't there's much here that I can say that I didn't say in my other two reviews. Only one Stevie Wonder album left for me on here! I'm excited for that. My favourite songs were Sir Duke, Pastime Paradise, and Ngiculela - Es una historia - I Am Singing.

Stevie wonders a musical genius

So so good yes Gowan ther Stevie pal

Favourite tracks: have a talk with god; contusion; sir duke; I wish; knocks me off my feet; pastime paradise; ordinary pain; isn't she lovely; black man; as

Nah! Just that; nothing more to say.

One of the best soul albums of all time, great melody and song writing. On top of that the intricacy of Stevie’s piano playing makes the songs interesting for the listener and challenges your ear to not just listen but understand

Some filler but mostly killer songs in this stellar set. Hugely influential and full of joy.

Absolute classic. Pacing of the album is perfect, love the hits, and have a couple new favorites to add to my playlist.

This album is perfection musically, solid recording and great in every detail!

Kinda nice at times but also a bit long

This album has some absolutely amazing songs. Unfortunately there were also some parts of the album where I would rather have listend to those same amazing songs 5 times in a row.

Looking at the length I was expecting some boring parts but there were none. Every song is musically great and exciting. "As" has to be one of the greatest love songs ever written. It's a bit lengthy for a full active listen but I guess an album that could be split up into two 5 star albums deserves a 5 star rating!

Beauty and the beast wasnt really for me. 2/5 Joe the lion was far better, way more energy. 3/5 Heroes one of my all time favorite Songs. Could do without that 1st verse though. Still fantastic. 5/5 Sons of a silent age is decent, but not really that great either 2.5/5 Sons of silent age isnt really good, just way too wierd for me. 1.5/5 Blackout starts off really strong, but gets really akward at some spots for me personally, 3/5 V-Schneieder is pretty average, still nice tho, 3.5/5 Sense of doubt starts of fine, but then gets way to long, 1/5 Moss garden same deal, but worse lol. 0.5/5 Neuköln is fine, but not really my cup of tea. 2/5 The secret life of arabia is finally a good Songs again 4/5 for me. So on average we get a 2.5/5

It's Stevie at his finest. How many samples came from this one album?

Man, in 1971, Stevie Wonder released Where I'm Coming From and didn't really let up until 1980's Hotter Than July. That's a full decade of once in a lifetime level albums. This is pretty much the apex of it all. A remarkable run from a remarkable musician.

Could be a single record and still need to use some filler. The 4 songs I do like are spectacularly good, so that just about makes up for the frankly ridiculous 105 minute runtime. 3 / 5 stars.

Kinda long for me today... good songs are amazing though

An absolutely incredible album with 1 star deducted because of Isn't She Lovely. 1) the song makes me feel really quite nauseous generally 2) it sounds like they've tacked on a recording of Stevie having a massive piss at the end of the track

A very good album with so many funky tunes on it. The songwriting and production are excellent. It's very long and it makes a bit difficult to listen to it in one sit, and I loved the second disc more.

A remarkable album. Possibly the best ever?

I hate to admit that I was really unhappy to see that this album was an hour and 45 minutes long, and that the first 7-minute track didn't pull me in. Mind you, I've had a lot of music to catch up on, and not being familiar with this album, I didn't know what was coming up. Then it started blowing me away. This is a pretty incredible album with incredible songs, all the way through, with well known favorites and happy discoveries.

As if I could rate this one any other way...

I've had this one in my library for a while but there's a lot here, so I'm always appreciating new things. This is a good one.

How can you be so creative to make 17 albums then create a double album with nearly 2 hours of incredible, beautiful, meaningful songs?! You be Stevie Wonder, that’s how! An extraordinary album!

Legendary. Feel blessed to have seen him live in the action

Double albums can be a bit sprawling sometimes but this manages to maintain high quality all the way through.

A lot of songs…. Maybe too many. There are quite a few classics here though too.. Standouts: Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely, As, I Wish, Pastime Paradise, Village Ghetto Land 3.5/5

A classic! Very long though and not as cohesive as I’d hope.

Again one the best

Honestly, what a wonderful voice. Should listen to Stevie Wonder more often.

A bit too long, but some very good songs on here.

Steffan's 18e studioalbum; een dubbelalbum van grof afgerond twee uur. Dat is gewoon megalomaan. Iemand had hier rücksichtslos het mes in moeten zetten. De nummers van 6-8 minuten zijn hun lengte niet helemaal waard en ook het aantal tracks had beperkt moeten worden. Neem nou "Isn't She Lovely": Duurt 6,5 minuut omdat het moet beginnen met een krijsend kind en moet eindigen met een badderend kind. Stevie heeft een gebrek aan visie. Schoolvoorbeeld van een album dat bezwijkt onder z'n eigen gewicht. En dan "I don't wanna bore you with it" zingen. Wat een lul. 1 ster zou te streng zijn, dus toch nog 2 sterren.

Not my cup of tea so far tbh Okay okay okay have a talk with God is cooking CONTUSION IS COOKING Sir Duke that's all Bro is cooking GANGSTERS PARADISE IS A SAMPLE??????????? Peak album 8.5/10

Album 91 of 1001 Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life Rating : 5 / 5 Favorite Tracks : Wish / Sir Duke Not much I can add about this one that hasn't already been said. It has been a classic for a long time and has been honored with about any praise I could possibly come up with. A great listen. Great tunes. Great performance. It has an overall feel that is a constant throughout.

Wowowow, extraordinaire du début à la fin, du bon soul/funk boosté au stéroïde en prenant le meilleur des genres qui l'influence.

Yes Please! 5

I feel blasphemous admitting that this isn't my favourite Stevie Wonder album. But I can still say that this is an absolute masterpiece. It feels so cohesive, despite covering several genres and topics over the course of its 105-minute runtime. This is often seen as the end of Stevie's incredible mid '70s run, in which he delivered four or five near-perfect records back to back. But what a way to go out!

Was not a fan

This. Is. A. Stonecold. Classic. This album has a grip on me almost like no other. It is so influential in the funk, soul and r&b department. But I feel the first half is the stronger one, with almost all perfect songs. The second one feels a bit more lacklustre, but still, even solid Stevie is better than anything else out there! 9 out of 10

This is the artistically and technically incredible album that isn't for me. I enjoyed listening to it enough, but I just can't connect to it on a higher level the way I see many people connecting to it. It's also neat listening to it and noticing how many different artists were informed by the wide range of sounds on the album.

Omg this rules

great song writing, some songs stick with you longer than others and a couple don't hit personally

Isnt she lovely

Definitely some classic hits but they sit alongside some snoozers, too.

fun stuff, groovy, funky, sometimes schmalzy. wonder brings you higher and sometimes he makes you want to get out this elevator. still cool doe.

Stevie doing Stevie

I often used to discuss new bands and albums with a good friend of mine and he often replied with it's ok but either Stevie Wonder or Steely Dan had done that only much better. This album is full of great tracks, ok Isn't She Lovely is a bit cheesy, but that is far outweighed by Sir Duke and Contusion. This is an album you should definitely listen to

3/4

TIL Gangster's Paradise was sampled off of Stevie Wonder. Made it through the first disc. It's ok. I get why it's famous and whatnot, but not my style.

There really isn't anything I can say that has not already been said. Plenty of other reviews have more eloquent, more interesting things to say. Read them, or better yet, listen to this album and decide for yourself.

Många. (!) bangers å glassixkt men lite lustigt långt ja e splittrad mellan 3 å 4 så idkkkk

Stevie is crazy man. Legendary album for good reason. Absolutely on the shortlist of albums you have to hear

På rätt dag är det mycket lätt att tro att det här är den bästa skivan som någonsin gjorts.

So much on this album. His vocals are so styled and the musicianship throughout is genius. What a storyteller and innovator. Only one Stevie Wonder.

3.5 stars

It’s Stevie whats not to enjoy?

Это классная соул-госпел музыка с нотками забавной электроники (иногда крипово, но чаще забавно)

Конечно, человек с невероятной историей жизни и невероятным талантом. Не видел границ, да-да!) Ну просто настолько растворяешься в этом, в этих детских голосах, в этих вяжущих и тянущих мотивах, что не может собраться в кучу обратно потом. Единственное - длинновато. А так - шик.

в целом даже длительность не доебала. было и оч вкусно на фон, а было и действительно интересно. Но моменты с криками детей это крипота

A well crafted and produced effort. There is a sunny disposition and charming tone to this album. Great album to have on when out on the deck for an afternoon.

TIL that there’s a song called “Pastime Paradise”…. Nothing really jumped out aside from the popular tracks

Again pretty fucking long, good points are bloodly great though.

Could do with a bit of a trim as with most double albums but still packed with bangers. Would be 4.5 if possible because Isn’t She Lovely makes me feel ill.

Bloody masterpiece

Really enjoyed it and was surprised by many samples that I didn't even know were samples until now

Those horns in 'Sir Duke' always get me. I've listened to this album start to finish several times. I don't think it's a perfect album, but it's really good. On the verge of being 4 stars for me, but the songs I like are so good that I have to give it 5 stars.

Wonderful! Sir Duke might be the perfect song. Every song on here is a toe-tapper. Stevie at the height of his power.

I mean this is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Stevie at his best. So many different styles, so many different themes in the lyrics and yet everything flows. Tremendous album. would give 6 stars if I could

Wow so much variety in this one with so many classics. However- the songs I didn't like, I really didn't like. And that's what prevents the five. Some of those just sounded so synthy and cartoony. This album also has like 3 songs that are the base for other songs I didn't know about!!! Past time paradise?! Amazing

4.5+/5

nice album

A bunch of these songs would be pretty good if they were 3 - 4 minutes long. Instead, oh so many of them stretch out to an interminable 6 - 8 minutes for seemingly no reason. Didn't know that Coolio ripped one of these though, that was interesting at least.