NEW! On The Turntable

Now that May is in full swing, the On The Turntable page has been updated. This month it’s yet another classic: Stevie Wonder’s 1970 Motown release Signed, Sealed & Delivered.  This one is probably my favorite Stevie LP although it’s really too tough to say for sure. This one, like so many others, has so many great songs that is is a great listen form start to finish. Just the other day I had it on and someone said, “you got to send me this playlist”, as though I had weeded out all the bad songs or something. Well, not the case… this one is just a solid collection of material that doesn’t quit. There are some great videos of Stevie promoting this album back in 1970 (and plenty of later stuff too). I’ve tried to select just one or two but it is so hard to choose. Below is some footage of Stevie performing one of the lesser known hits live, “Heaven Help Us All”. This version is really great. The rap he gives in the intro is amazing and, damn, what a groove…

Here is the title track “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” from the Dick Cavett show. I love when Stevie gets up from the keys and starts groovin’ out with the back-up singers.

The interview from this appearance is very funny as well as informative. It’s pretty neat to see him be so candid. Not only does the man have a ton of talent but he has a great sense of humor too.

Visit the On The Turntable page to listen to the entire album and learn more about it.  If you don’t already own this one, you can follow the links to make a purchase online… it’s a must have.

Stevie Wonder | I Was Made To Love Her

This is one of my all-time favorite Stevie songs. It’s the title track from one of his best records, released in 1967 for Motown. I really love all his early work from the 60’s, Signed, Sealed, Delivered being my favorite. Many people will put the 70’s stuff like Songs In The Key Of Life or Innervisions at the top of Stevie’s discography and that is all well & good as there’s no denying they are great albums but I insist you need to give this one another spin. With songs like this, it might just change your mind. I also highly recommend For Once In My Life as it has “You Met Your Match” on it, which is AMAZING but then again I’m a sucker for this 60’s stuff. This first video is some really cool live footage of a young Stevie… very straightforward.  Doesn’t Stevie look like the man in his early 60’s gear? I love that skinny tie.

This next version is perhaps one of the oddest and most interesting collaborations I have ever stumbled upon. It’s Jimi Hendrix and bassist, Noel Redding, from The Experience jamming “I Was Made To Love Her” with Stevie on drums. Apparently, drummer Mitch Mitchell had to go to the bathroom at some point during this 1967 BBC session and Stevie was in house so he sat in for a slightly different take on one of his classics. At first I thought, the story was BS but I check it out and it’s the real deal. The real story says that Jimi was there to record while Stevie had come in to do an interview. He was very nervous so they sat him down behind the drum kit to help him relax.

*A lot of people don’t know that Stevie is a hell of a drummer, as evidenced by this clip.

What I didn’t realize for all these years is that there are a bunch of covers of this song. Here are just a few:

Here is the Beach Boys’ version

Here is the Jackson 5’s laid back version… damn Michael!

Here is Michael McDonald & Billy Preston doing this tune live from a PBS Motown Special back in 2005… It’s not nearly as good as the original but you know I have a thing for Mike & Billy.

There is a Boyz II Men version too, but I’m NOT posting it… sorry, you’re on your own if you want it that bad.

Here’s another live version of Stevie from 1967… this one is a bit later than the first. Some folks might dig this one but I prefer the older one.

*In all my searching I found the Funk Brother’s instrumental track from the original Motown recording. Surprisingly, there are a bunch of these online, which is pretty cool. I’m a huge James Jamerson fan so to hear James’ bass here is pretty awesome. I think there is a future post in here somewhere, whether it’s about The Funk Brothers or just Jamerson… or perhaps both. Click here for the instrumental.