This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder

1974

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Album Summary

Fulfillingness' First Finale is the seventeenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released on July 22, 1974 by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. It is the fourth of five albums from what is considered Wonder's "classic period".The album was Wonder's second to top the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, where it remained for two weeks, and also reached number one on the Billboard Soul LPs chart, where it spent nine non-consecutive weeks. At the 17th Annual Grammy Awards, it won in three categories, including Wonder's second consecutive win for Album of the Year. Retrospectively, the album was voted number 413 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000) and included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.57

Votes

5893

Genres

  • Soul
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!
Sort by: Top Date
View Author
Fri Dec 24 2021
5

Can't believe I overlooked this album for so long. The guy who say to listen to Wonder's albums chronically are correct over the ones who just say to listen to Innervisions or Songs in the Key of Life. This album is fantastic. Doesn't have any hits, but these songs are pure genius. It just sounds incredible, with unconventional recording techniques that somehow manage to excel with the theme and Wonder's style. It's still distinctively soul, but it's really atmospheric, and you can hear the decades of influence these songs would have on neo-soul from the late 90s to modern age. Not to mention the diversity of these tracks. We go from the echoey emotional "Too Shy To Say" to the funky "Boogie on Reggae Woman", and neither sound like anything else from its time, yet both are fantastic, and that transition does not sound out-of-place. And who the hell plays the harmonica in a funk song? Who does that? Stevie Wonder, and he's been doing that since the 60s. It's so high-pitched but I'll be damned it works. And then what comes after that? I wish I knew music theory to talk about these songs. All I know is that it's weird and highly unconventional but still identifiable and sounds really good, like the Beatles. There's something that sticks out to me about every song, whether cool or unusual and yet it's aesthetically pleasing. It's odd how this is probably considered the weakest of his classic era, but I still consider this is a perfect entry. The only complaint is the lack of star tracks to tie it all together, but the two lead singles come close. Favorites: Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Creepin, They Won't Go When I Go, Bird of Beauty

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 30 2021
5

I love Stevie Wonder and I feel this album is underrated in his catalog. Goes down easy all while making some genuinely heartfelt and poignant statements. No small feat. I used to put "They won't go when I go" on mixtapes and we'd get high and listen to it in silence and it would give us chills. Stevie is the real deal.

👍
View Author
Sat Apr 23 2022
5

10/10 how the fuck do you not like Stevie Wonder? the man has contributed some of the greatest albums on earth to humanity

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 30 2021
5

So talented and soulful. There are so many weaker copies of SW out there, it's refreshing to hear the real thing.

👍
View Author
Tue Dec 14 2021
4

Our second album from Stevie, and it's another great one! So many funky instrumentals here, with unusual rhythms and instrumental runs. "Boogie On Reggae Woman" is just otherworldly. As an album, not as grandiose or monumental as Song in the Key of Life, but really great nonetheless. I'll be returning to quite a few on here, they sound unlike anything I've heard before. Favorite tracks: Boogie On Reggae Woman, Bird of Beauty, You Haven't Done Nothin', Too Shy to Say, Please Don't Go. Album art: Absolutely fantastic art, wow. The piano key staircase, all the shadows and colors, this is really awesome. And I love the nod to the Grammys right there on Stevie's cheek, don't forget that this guy won like 300 Grammys in a span of about 10 years. 4/5

👍
View Author
Mon Jun 20 2022
4

I'm surprised I missed out on this one back in my wider music nerd phase, but I'm sad I did - this was extremely good. "They Won't Go When I Go" is an absolute classic.

👍
View Author
Wed Oct 19 2022
3

I think this the weakest of the albums from Stevie's "classic period", so it suffers a bit in being compared to them. Compared to most other albums from most other artists, it's outstanding, but compared to his body of work, it's doesn't hit the same highs. For 1001 Albums, I think the average person would understand Stevie Wonder's brilliance with Innervisions and Songs In the Key of Life, so having four albums represented seems like overkill. The big singles both work: Boogie on Reggae Woman is slinky and funky, while You Haven't Done Nothin does have a Superstition vibe to it. Heaven is 10 Zillion Years Away is also a standout. The slower tracks don't have the same immediacy - Creepin isn't bad, but Too Shy to Say is pretty dull excepting the steel guitar from Sneaky Pete Kleinow. Again, I like this album, but it's never going to be my Stevie Wonder album of choice.

👍
View Author
Sun May 08 2022
2

a little sesame street for me

👍
View Author
Tue Aug 09 2022
2

Compositional greatness unmatched, but the delicate baroque palette means the songs simply don't jam, and that reduces his generational reach, which is when he's at his best. Very pretty though.

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 17 2021
5

solid, and a good WFH mood

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 04 2022
5

Awesome

👍
View Author
Thu Jan 06 2022
5

Really great album. Not super familiar with Stevie.

👍
View Author
Fri Jan 07 2022
5

Schön funkig, macht Spaß.

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 10 2022
5

Very very good

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 24 2022
5

I believe this is the only album in stevie’s classic period of albums that I haven’t heard! Glad to finally add it to the list of growing albums I’ve heard before I kick the bucket :)!

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 25 2022
5

One of his classics

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 25 2022
5

Glas, atmosfera, emocije, instrumenti… jako mi se se svidjelo

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 25 2022
5

Uživala san

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 31 2022
5

En given klassiker. Det är starkt det är coolt.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 04 2022
5

another great work!

👍
View Author
Sun Feb 06 2022
5

Musicas para atender pacientes em processo psicoterapeutico. Som ambiente! Adorei

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 03 2022
5

Pretty phenomenal. Catchy and beautiful instrumentals and incredible vocals + lyrics, not much more I could ask for. 9/10

👍
View Author
Fri Mar 04 2022
5

Feel good Stevie Wonder!

👍
View Author
Wed Mar 09 2022
5

Loved this album - only heard Inner Visions from this period

👍
View Author
Sat Mar 12 2022
5

Fantastic record

👍
View Author
Fri Mar 25 2022
5

Awesomeness

👍
View Author
Sat Mar 26 2022
5

It's Steve Wonder! He's 5 star himself!

👍
View Author
Fri Apr 15 2022
5

Whew, that was a ride! Is it as good as Songs in the Key of Life? No. But is it an excellent album? Absolutely yes. Not to mention, it's better than approximately 95% of albums I've listened to so far on this list. And for that, it gets 5 stars.

👍
View Author
Fri Apr 15 2022
5

This is one of the most beautiful albums ever made. As one of my dad's favourite albums I've heard it many many times. I can't put my finger on it, but somehow it hits my emotions quite badly and therefore I find it hard to listen to this album frequently.

👍
View Author
Mon Apr 18 2022
5

It's hard to listen to Stevie and not feel good. His voice is one of the best and the message in his music is so positive, even when it's a slower tune you still need to move along with it. Incredible artist, and this was great to peek into his lesser known stuff.

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 20 2022
5

Lots of great songs here that were brand new to me!

👍
View Author
Sat May 14 2022
5

Brilliant album. While no hits, this album's whole sound is amazing.

👍
View Author
Wed Jun 29 2022
5

Stevie can do no wrong in this household, son. Listen to your mother. Do your chores.

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 30 2022
5

Epic

👍
View Author
Sun Jul 10 2022
5

Slightly prefer predecessors Talking Book and Innervisions, which I felt had a bit more energy to them, but this was still a very good album.

👍
View Author
Sun Jul 10 2022
5

Music of my mind - talking book - innervisions - this album - song in the KoL: should all be on this list.

👍
View Author
Tue Jul 12 2022
5

Stevie Wonder is one of the towering giants of music in any period. His run of albums in the 70s defies belief. One of my all-time favourite songs, They Won't Go When I Go, is on this album. Stunning musicianship, perfect vocals, groove for days, watertight arrangements. It's all here.

👍
View Author
Mon Jul 25 2022
5

Awww yeah!

👍
View Author
Tue Aug 09 2022
5

❤️

👍
View Author
Wed Aug 10 2022
5

You know, Songs in the Key of Life and Innervisions get more attention than Fulfillingness' First Finale, but this really is a splendid album. It's got everything you love in a Stevie Wonder album. It's warm, soulful, sweet, musically diverse, gorgeously arranged, and technically pretty perfect. It's also so much fun to listen to. This one is going into my regular rotation. I absolutely love it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, They Won't Go When I Go, Boogie On Reggae Woman, You Haven't Done Nothin', Please Don't Go, Too Shy to Say, It Ain't No Use, Bird of Beauty, Smile Please, Creepin'

👍
View Author
Thu Aug 18 2022
5

Feel good album, soul/funk, outdoor party

👍
View Author
Mon Aug 22 2022
5

ALTO DISCO PARA ESCUCHAR MIENTRAS SE TRABAJA EN LA COMPU

👍
View Author
Mon Sep 12 2022
5

Rating: 10/10

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 16 2022
5

Sublime!

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 22 2022
5

I haven't heard this one but I do like Stevie so happy to check it out. Starts lovely and pretty calm. Gets going with You Haven't Done Nothin', which is the kind of Stevie Wonder I like best. They Won't Go When I Go is quite powerful. Overall a really interesting album with lots to like. Grew on me the more I listened. Initially a 4 but a 5 by the end of the day.

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 30 2022
5

Incredible music. On a full Stevie binge now.

👍
View Author
Sat Oct 01 2022
5

Fantastic, perhaps perfect. Stevie is such a treasure, I love pretty much all of his work, and this is no exception. Absolutely wonderful

👍
View Author
Sat Oct 01 2022
5

4.5

👍
View Author
Wed Oct 12 2022
5

Very funky, fantastic voice. A bit too chill and soft for my taste, though.

👍
View Author
Tue Oct 18 2022
5

100% awesome

👍
View Author
Mon Nov 21 2022
5

The first time I listened to this I was riding in the front passenger seat on a road trip, tripping balls on mushrooms. It is, to date, one of my all-time favorite records.

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 23 2022
5

очень очень приятненько

👍
View Author
Tue Nov 29 2022
5

This is Stevie Goddamn Wonder. Of course it's five stars. The man is a musician beyond musicians. Innovative, talented.

👍
View Author
Sat Dec 10 2022
5

I don't know Stevie Wonder had a so called 'golden period' I just thought he was a genius throughout his life. But Boogie on Reggae Woman is a real and endless genius of a song within a fabulous album

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 16 2022
5

Never disappoints

👍
View Author
Sat Dec 31 2022
5

amazing soul record. stevie is able to balance funky and upbeat tracks with blissful and quaint ones. fav tracks: smile please, heaven is 10 zillion light years away, too shy to say, boogie on reggae women, you haven’t done nothin, they won’t go when i go, bird of beauty,

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 17 2023
5

Lovely album. Damn-near divine.

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 17 2023
5

The synth work and sounds are stellar. Stevie is working the arrangements hard.

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 17 2023
5

I love Stevie Wonder but I don't know this record, even though it's in his imperial period. It's a gem, quite understated and beautiful. I know best track, You Haven't Done Nothing, though, obvs

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 23 2023
5

Primero al que le doy 5 ☆ Es suave, sencillo, emotivo y tiene ritmo siendo conciso y justo en su cantidad de tracklist

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 23 2023
5

Muy divertido este disco. Relajante, divertido, bailable. Stevie Wonder es un excelente cantante. Me encantó.

👍
View Author
Wed Feb 01 2023
5

4.5/5

👍
View Author
Sun Feb 05 2023
5

It's not Stevie's greatest album, but it's still amazing. I was hovering over giving it a 4, but They Won't Go When I Go tips this into yet another masterpiece.

👍
View Author
Tue Feb 21 2023
5

Part of Wonder's "classic period", and all five albums released during that period live up to their reputation. This might be one of the less notable releases of that time, and it still has absolute anthems like "They Won't Go When I Go", and funky little numbers like "It Ain't No Use". Always a fantastic listen.

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 02 2023
5

Awesome example of Stevie’s Classic period. Made me incredibly excited to listen to other albums from that period.

👍
View Author
Tue Mar 07 2023
5

This is Stevie Wonder’s third album in his classic 4 album masterpiece run where he could do no wrong. FFF is my favorite of the four. I’m not sure why this album didn’t do as well as the albums that came before and after. The songs have some great melodies and the track flow on here sends the listener through a wide range of emotions on each side (or every 5 tracks for you digital listeners). Just listen to that segue from “Too Shy to Say” into “Boogie on Reggae Woman.” I didn’t look it up but “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” feels like it’s directed towards Nixon, who resigned around the time of the album’s release. “They Won’t Go When I Go” sounds like it might be the most personal song on here with its Baroque style piano and funeral dirge-like chord progression. The album popped on my feed a few days ago but this review took so long because I couldn’t stop listening to it. Here’s to another easy 5 stars.

👍
View Author
Wed Mar 08 2023
5

cool

👍
View Author
Mon Mar 20 2023
5

A wonderful listen. Although there aren't any of Wonder's better known 'hits' on this album, it just shows the depth of ability.

👍
View Author
Mon Mar 20 2023
5

Pretty fucking great.

👍
View Author
Tue Mar 21 2023
5

Really solid, and shows that Stevie really has a signature sound across his discography.

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 10 2021
4

Heerlijk album en wat een stem, niet zn beste maar blijft goud

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 10 2021
4

An album I was unfamiliar with before, but now realise is just as important as "Talking Book".

👍
View Author
Sat Dec 11 2021
4

Pretty good.

👍
View Author
Tue Dec 14 2021
4

While this album did not reach the heights of songs in the key of life, it was still incredibly enjoyable. I loved the variety of songs and even could hear I think the same sample for Superstition in You Haven't Done Nothin. My favorite in the album was Boogie on Reggae Woman. Also killer album cover.

👍
View Author
Mon Dec 20 2021
4

A pleasant listen.

👍
View Author
Tue Dec 28 2021
4

More stripped down and personal. No hits but it didn’t need any. Very good.

👍
View Author
Sat Jan 01 2022
4

4/5. Nice and jazzy at some points, prob not gonna end up being my favorite SW, but still very good

👍
View Author
Sun Jan 02 2022
4

good stuff this time

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 03 2022
4

Pas sourd, l'aveugle! Prefs: Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Creepin', You Haven't Done Nothing Moins pref: It Ain't No Use

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 03 2022
4

Chouette album, surtout la deuxième partie

👍
View Author
Wed Jan 05 2022
4

Thought this was pretty good, liked it better than Talking Book.

👍
View Author
Sat Jan 08 2022
4

Loved it, whilst it may not have any of Stevies greatest hits its a still a great album

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 10 2022
4

Stevie Wonder fucking goes hard and this album is no exception, some absolute bangers on here

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 10 2022
4

First of (I assume) many Stevie Wonder albums on here. Opens nicely with the musical warm bath of Smile Please. Then the actually even sadder nearly 50 years on Heaven is 10 Zillion Miles Away, a gospel song about how hard it was to defeat hate. Too Shy To Say does less for me. Just a bit too slow and sad without a good reason. But Boogie on Reggae Woman is gorgeous fun with its squelchy, funky synth. Creepin is a bit dull, but then You Haven't Done Nothin is full on Superstition MK2, except it hasn't been ruined by a generation of terrible X Factor type covers. The shining diamond of this album. It does off a little towards the end - chilled piano balladry has a limit for me, but Bird of Beauty and Please Don't Go see to a strong finish. A lovely album, possibly one that struggles a little being sat between Innervisions and Songs in the Key.

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 10 2022
4

Stevie Wonder neophyte here, so my impressions are fleeting at best. "Ineffable" seems like the wrong word to describe these songs, but there's far too much going on to call it minimal. Subtle, perhaps: Many catchy tunes, none that I think could be covered or replicated well. I have at least two legible observations. The synths sound great, and the final three tracks are flawless.

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 25 2022
4

Couple of absolutely brilliant songs on this and the rest are all very good.

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 31 2022
4

I like it, kanske lite underwhelming men jag gillar det ändå

👍
View Author
Tue Feb 01 2022
4

Stupendous. Should have nine of his albums on here instead of Dylan.

👍
View Author
Wed Feb 02 2022
4

Je l'ai plus apprécié que Talking Book, mais dans les deux cas, il va falloir réécouter les albums, car bien que je trouve les albums bons, je ne vois pas pourquoi il sont tant adulés.

👍
View Author
Wed Feb 09 2022
4

Gladly surprised! I am still bouncing on my office chair in front of an excel spreadsheet…

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 10 2022
4

Stevie in the 70s was on fire and made some of the beat music of all time. Altough this doesn't reach the heights of music in the key or inner visions it's still a fantastic album. The mix of pathos, injustice and banging music makes it a must for me.

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 10 2022
4

I found this to be a really interesting album. The first track had some cool jazzy chord changes. Then things perked up with Boogie Reggae Woman, went trippy (and a bit creepy) with Creepin'. Like all great artists, the more you get into Stevie Wonder's world, the more you start to enjoy his music. You have to let yourself in.

👍
View Author
Mon Feb 14 2022
4

The lineup of talented backup singers Stevie has here is insane (Deniece Williams, Minnie Riperton et al). I thought Stevie might run the table and get 5's for all of his albums. This one is great, absolutely deserving of a spot on the list. There's not a damn thing wrong with it. It just lives in that 4.5 area.

👍
View Author
Sun Feb 20 2022
4

Some very soulful Stevland here. Good times.

👍
View Author
Mon Feb 21 2022
4

3.5/5. Stevie Wonder is very consistent, and this album is no exception. It is exactly what I would expect from him. It's good, however, it's not the best thing I have ever heard.

👍
View Author
Tue Feb 22 2022
4

Much better than I expected. Catchy

👍
View Author
Tue Feb 22 2022
4

Another fine Stevie Wonder album, he was certainly on a roll throughout the 70s making consistently fine albums with a nice mix of rock, pop, soul and R & B, always with a taste and beauty. This album ranks behind Talking Book and Innervisions and on a par with Songs in the Key of Life, in my opinion. 3.75 🌟

👍
View Author
Sat Feb 26 2022
4

A lot of meh, somewhat relieved by Boogie On Reggae Woman. Then you hear the clavinet lead into You Haven't Done Nothin', one of the greatest songs I've heard. Side two is a great Stevie journey: a slow ballad that makes your heartache, a sweet bit of samba soul, with that wonderful sound of the cuica, and a great soul song that fades out with a jam. Can't go give stars because the first side is a let down, but side two is everything that genius was capable of.

👍
View Author
Mon Mar 07 2022
4

Ah aurinkoisen perjantain piristys. Ei paljon pahaa sanottavaa tästä, funk soimaan!

👍
View Author
Mon Mar 07 2022
4

Wonderin musa kyl kestää aikaa täydellisesti. Tää ei edes hänen top3-levyjä, mut tässäkin kaikki vaan toimii. Ja pari helmeä, esim. Heaven Is 10 Zillion... ja Creepin'.

👍
Load more reviews