I know we are a rock crowd. But growing up, Motown music had a huge effect on our musical tastes. And everyone from The Beatles and Stones to CCR and Doobie Brothers covered Motown songs.
On this date in 1976, the stunningly superb Songs In the Key of Life was released. Thriller had the otherworldly sales numbers and catapulted Michael Jackson to heights of worldwide musical popularity only seen before by Elvis and The Beatles. But the ultimate collection of songs by any Motown artist was undeniably Songs In the Key of Life. Today marks 48 years since its release and it is still as relevant, maybe more-so, as the day it was released.
Where to start in reviewing this masterpiece of songwriting, musicianship, and production by the most universally loved, respected, and honored artist of the 1970’s.
Consider that Stevie released Innervisions which won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1974, then Fulfillingness’ First Finale which won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1975, and then SItKoL which won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1977, all in a row. (The winner in 1976, Paul Simon, famously thanked Stevie for not putting out an album in 1975 in his acceptance speech). On all of these albums, he switched gears effortlessly from R&B to pop to jazz to Latin rhythms to funk, but nowhere better than on Songs in the Key of Life.
The joyful Top 40 of Summer Soft
The smooth Motown of Knocks Me Off My Feet
The big band sounds of Sir Duke
The jazz fusion of Contusion
The soul of Saturn
The classical music of Village Ghetto Land
The R&B pop of I Wish
The gospel of Love’s in Need of Love Today
The uncategorizable Pastime Paradise The R&B rave-up at the end of Ordinary Pain
The funk of Black Man
And the album is chock full of poignant lyrics about the weight of the world and what our obligations are to lighten it. I can think of no other artist who explored so many styles successfully on a single album.
“Music is a world within itself with a language we all understand.” Right?
Put it on and you can feel it all over, my friends.
Love all your blogs. Keep them coming.