Fulfillingness' First Finale

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.

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

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

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.

Jazz people love to say how great Stevie Wonder is at harmonisation and songwriting. Alas, I am not a jazzman, nor – it seems – constitutionally able to get through one of these songs unbored. More like Stevie Natural Occurrence!

a little sesame street for me

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

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.

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.

Beautiful, happy music. I feel like music is rarely just purely happy, but Stevie Wonder always hits it right.

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.

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

Released between two absolute 5 star crackers (Innervisions and Songs in the key of life). First few songs seem light weight sentimental ditties, and it takes a few songs before the funky grooviness starts. Then you realise that they’ve all got under your skin and you’re humming away to some lovely love songs. Subsequent listens double down on all this and before you know it your listening to a classic Stevie album. Just a pity it falls between such giant corkers!

It’s slower than I prefer. Musically it’s there, the production is good.

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.

This is pop gospel for the masses. My husband doesn't like Stevie Wonder and he is wrong.

Excellent album. I'm not sure it's aged well though. The cheesy keyboards were probably amazing in 1974, but not so much now. If I were reviewing this in the '70s or even '80s, I might give it 5 stars, but... I hate to hold a trend or "fashion" against an album, but if yodeling was really popular for a few years, it's simply not going to age well, and I can't ignore it. A decent example is the last song, "Please Don't Go". It's a good song, but the "bass keyboard" hasn't aged well. Ever since the '70s, that line would have just been played on a bass guitar. It doesn't change that it's a good song, but production and implementation does matter. Still, 4 stars.

Fav: Too Shy To Say Least Fav: Boogie On Reggae Woman

When I die im donating my eyes to Stevie Wonder 🙏

It was good but not great.

Overrated and repetitive

Mostly super boring.

I tend to score Stevie's albums on the strength of the iconic hits with their ground-breaking keyboard licks while holding my nose for the syrupy ballads. In this case "Boogie on Reggae Woman" is great, "You Haven't Done Nothin" borrows heavily from "Superstition" but there are too many over produced ballads.

Surprisingly not so good.

One of my faves from his classic era. So well done.

smooth af

What a superb album. It’s probably the 4th best album during his Renaissance period and it’s still an easy 5. “Please Don’t Go” is the perfect evolution of Stevie’s Mowtown sound. “Boogie on Reggae Woman” is so funky and danceable. There really isn’t a dud on the whole album.

March 25, 2025 The last 70s album belongs to… Stevie Wonder! It’s been so long since a Stevie album, I almost forgot there was more to the list besides Songs, Innervisions and Talking Book (all were brought to me here by 2022, though I had heard Talking Book earlier in life) Perhaps I was a little biased from this album before, just because there was no song from this as ubiquitous as “Higher Ground” or “Sir Duke”. I actually only knew the marching band stop of “You Haven’t Done Nothin’”. Yet learning 9 new Stevie Wonder songs has never been an issue in the past. The fact that “It Ain’t No Use” and “Smile Please”might be my least favourite tracks speaks volumes to the consistency of FFF. Only thing wrong with em is that they’re next to even better songs. The fact that the 4 Wonder albums featured here were all released 4 years apart, one after each other, blows my mind. Absolutely legendary run HL: “Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away”, “Boogie On Reggae Woman”, “Creepin’”, “You Haven’t Done Nothing”, “They Won’t Go When I Go”

Wonderful album.

And that’s the story, of the key change baby

First time listening to this album and something about it already feels so timeless. His voice sounds so smooth on this record and makes for easy listening

What can you say about this album that hasn't already been said? It's a masterpiece. I am fortunate enough to own an original copy and have listened to it more times than I can remember.

Solid

great! nothing more to say.

This album falls between Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life and is sometimes an overlooked part of Stevie Wonder’s classic period. Perhaps the problem is that there is just too much good Stevie Wonder to listen to? This was his 17th album and the fourth out of arguably five of the best albums ever made. There are no well known hits here (with just one number one single), just consistently great tunes in a unique progressive soul style. We have heartfelt love songs (Too Shy to Say) leading into lovely, squelchy boogie rhythms (Boogie On Reggae Woman) and it all flows perfectly. There’s a down tempo number about Creepin’ into someone’s dreams (with backing vocals from Minnie Ripperton!) that segues into a blistering funk attack on the moribund Nixon administration (with backing vocals from the Jackson Five!). This is a great way to spend a Friday - I’ve listened to this twice in a row, and I’m just about to put it on again! Why not join me?

brilliant from the first notes. this music feels like a hug

Stevie is without match. Great album

Stevie Wonder kreiert eine unschlagbare Atmosphäre, eine unaufgeregte, gelassene gute Laune. Wo soll ich anfangen: Seine Stimme ist wandelbar vom schönen Bariton zum frechen Tenor und verschmilzt mit den wunderbaren Background Voices. Zusammen mit den Instrumenten bilden die Singstimmen schöne und dissonante Harmonien und einen angenehmen Trott im Rhythmus. Sowohl Harmonien als auch Rhythmen bringen immer wieder überraschende Wendungen.

Stevie at the height of his powers. Great songs, music, and vocals.

Beautiful. My favorite Stevie Wonder album I've heard so far.

while i've never been a regular listener, hating on stevie wonder is literally impossible. the song It Ain't No Use does not get enough love, it might be my fav of the whole album

Hdp

Super!

Enjoyed too shy to say and creepin It ain’t no use Piano solo they won’t go when I go I love , gospel/ medieval inspiration - harmonies gorgeous- favourite Bird of beauty is amazing bosa vibes , makes me think of Brazil be sunshine , happy vibes 9/10

70s stevie is all 5‘s.

I was not familiar with this Stevie album but after listening to it, realized I had heard more songs than I thought (Boogie on Reggae Woman, You Haven't Done Nothin'). It's Stevie during his imperial period so of course it's fantastic. I loved it. Favorites: Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, You Haven't Done Nothin', It Ain't No Use, They Won't Go When I Go (especially the piano intro), Please Don't Go Would I listen to it again: Yes

kl

Effortless playing Has a mood lifting function Nearing perfection

Not his best album but the worst of Stevie Wonder is better than most other artists

It’s like a whole album of awesome album cuts.

Black excellence.

He's got the funk.

Woooo doggy this was a good one! Stevie really knew how to crank out the classics in the 70s. Standouts: “It Ain’t No Use”, “Bird of Beauty”, “Please Don’t Go”

Finally a fun, flamboyant, and full-fledged album from famous fingers of fine fellow Fevie Fonder

Not a single bad song in this album!❤

Alliterations are awesome So splendid, smart, so Stevie Fulfillingness' first finale finds few flaws Grower gains gigantic greatness

Great album, genuinely enjoyed it.

Magnificent soulful funk

excellent

Golden Era Stevie

A lot of emotion. So much skill. Legend for a reason.

My fav Stevie album I can say

you alr know this is my favorite stevie album... Now to be fair... I think songs in the key of life and innervisions hold a candle to this one for sure, but i just think this one has the most heart and the best sleeper picks. (Plus a personal favorite sleeper, too shy to say). it's a 10

Great album...Stevie always brings it.

What a sound. just incredible, playing and songwriting. ALL WITH NO EYES!

It’s Stevie Wonder, what else needs to be said.

Nice background music

Stevie at his peak

Every song is perfect and has beautiful singing.

Simply “Wonder”ful

From what I've gathered, this album isn't one of his favourites amongst fans. I find this album to be very underrated in that case because I really enjoyed this one. It's warm and upbeat and his voice is unsurprisingly amazing. I was deadset on giving this a four and I was trying to think of reasons to mark it down but none really came. Too samey? But I didn't get bored of it. Cheesy lyrics? Probably 80% of music has dumb lyrics. It's just a really solid, easy-listening album and it will most likely become a comfort album of mine They Won't Go When I Go is my favourite track

I really enjoyed it a lot very upbeat and fun

A masterpiece in Stevie's incredible 70s run. The man was connected to something deeper than we'll ever know. It just flows out of this album. The most 5/5 of all time.

Loved this album. But then it is part of the rhythms and sounds of my late teens. Favorite songs were Boogie on Reggae Woman, and You Haven't Done Nothin'. Both had great and layered intros, and were excellent to the end.

Si he criticado álbumes por ser muy planos y monótonos, este álbum tiene tantos matices y contrastes que no puedo sino darle 5. Pasa del "bugui" a una oración, luego a una canción re erótica y luego a una épica. Lo disfruté demasiado, y se nota que Stevie Wonder lo disfrutó más haciéndolo. Lo escucharía completo otra vez mañana. Tremendo.

I LOVE STEVIE!!!!!!!

I was blown away by this. It makes me excited to listen to the other Stevie albums. What a genius.

alegria vai cantar carnavaaaaal

A good reminder that I should listen more often to Stevie Wonder. What a musical genius. This isn't his best record, but plenty of great songs and lots of variety in musical styles.

Stevie is always a good listen.

Will I listen to it again? Probably not. Did I really really like it? Yes.

94% Best: Smile Please; Boogie On Reggae Woman; Creepin'; You Haven't Done Nothin'; It Ain't No Use Must-Hear? Definitely

FFF is an album that has always eluded me in some way. It's unlike anything else from the Classic Period, and that is undoubtedly due to Stevie's near death experience/coma less than a year before it was released. It's a dark, sometimes bleak album; Stevie, who was like, 23? 24? when he wrote and recorded this was confronting his mortality, his abilities, and the world he returned to in the wake his accident. When Stevie asks "Can I play?" twice in the outro to "Boogie on Reggae Woman" - a song that I don't believe features any other musicians - it's not just him taking a solo; it's him proving to himself that he's still got it. But the shape of the whole album still mystifies me, even as compelling as it is. The haunting, funereal "They Won't Go When I Go" is conspicuously placed on the second side of the album, a centerpiece of reckoning amid songs that are tonally disparate in comparison. The drum machine - maybe the only one I can think of Stevie using - on "You Haven't Done Nothin'" is conspicuous in its machine-like chug. Altogether, this feels like the Classic Stevie album I still have the most to learn from, and that is a rare thing for an artist so celebrated.

One of my favorites of all time. Can feel its spirit.

For how legendary Stevie Wonder is, I've never sat through an album of his before. All I can say is wow, what an album. These songs are layered with musical nuance, great singing, and deeply emotional moments. Smile Please opens the album on a high note and Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away sounds like very moving gospel. There aren't really amy low points here, with my other favorites being Too Shy to Say, Creepin', and Bird of Beauty. Loved it.

stevie wonder's music is consistently good; his jazzy, carefree ballads and dance tunes can make anyone feel good after a rough day. he's a true virtuoso of sorts when it comes to composing; i often find myself grooving along with the tracks and being blown away by his mesmerizing hooks and accompaniments... it should come to nobody's surprise that even if someone can't physically see anything, let alone an instrument or a sheet of music, they can still understand music on such a deep level.

Everybody has a favourite Stevie Wonder album, right? The only mistake this album has for me is that it's not Talking Book.

Day 6 - Fulfillingness' First Finale I was surprised to see this Stevie album on this list, and I didn't know any songs before listening. But it was a great album! I loveeee his voice so much and most of the beats were really fun to jam to. The album flows so easily. 'You Haven't Done Nothin'' reminds me of 'Superstition'. 5/5! Standout songs: Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, Too Shy to Say, Boogie on Reggae Woman, and Creepin'

This is beautiful, the sound of the 70's for me. Wonder's vocals are silky and soulful and my favorite part is how the background singers so perfectly complement and add depth in interesting ways to every track.

One of his very best. 4.5 stars. Rounding up to 5.

Absolute Stevie banger! (10) ★★★★★

My second favourite Stevie Wonder album. Nice listen for sure!

Untouchable brilliance! His best album.

Great

Favourite songs: You Haven't Done Nothin', Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, Boggie On Reggae Woman, Please Don't Go Least favourite songs: They Won't Go When I Go 5/5

This album is packed with amazing songs. Stevie Wonder’s voice never sounded better to me. My favorite is "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away". I think it has such an optimistic viewpoint and is uplifting with a strong statement of faith. Beautiful. https://tinyurl.com/47btbp65

Another stupendous soulful, hopeful collection from Stevie. This guy really wrote some of the best songs of all time. Most of the tracks on this album are not that, but definitely a 5 star collection of rythmn and blues for sure.

Smooth

Had to give this one a relisten because it was so good. I think this is the second 5 star album rated on this list that I hadn't heard before. This album rules

Pure genius.