When Stevie was Little

**Nano** · March 7th, 2010, 11:21 AM

I have all Stevie Wonder's albums since 1972's MUSIC OF MY MIND but I had never really explored his early career other than listening to some radio hit here and there. Some time ago I went to explore those records (the ones I could find) in order to do my own compilation of those years, basically the music he was doing when he was still a minor and hence didn't have control over his own contract with Motown (legend has it that the day he turned 21 he entered Berry Gordy's office with an Allen-Klein-wide smirk and proceded to stipulate his tight self-control conditions to stay at the label).

I got me some Greatest Hits compilations done by Gordy in the Sixties plus some full albums. He released 11 LPs in between 1962-1971, the first four as "Little" Stevie Wonder and the rest as he is known today. In addition to these original recordings, the boy released one Christmas LP, one live LP and two Greatest Hits albums. I also found some rare material in the double-LP compilation LOOKING BACK (1977).

Anyway, here's my list of the best of those years. Two things that I noticed while doing this work:

1) The Greatest Hits albums leave a lot of good music out, and the hits tend to be more lame than the filler on the albums.

2) His 1971 album WHERE I'M COMING FROM is as good as the ones who came inmediately next, starting with the self-produced MUSIC OF MY MIND.

I made two lists/folders, each one should fill the space of a single CD. One list is for the early harmonica work, covers from other artists and some border-sappy ballads. The other one has in my humble opinion his best recordings from the period, and is as good as his later work. In fact it's incredible to think that a 16 or 18-year old boy was creating these gems!

1962-1970 - Instrumentals, ballads & covers

01 - Fingertips Part 2 (single 1963)
02 - Work out Stevie, work out (single 1963)
03 - Hey Harmonica Man (LP Stevie at the beach, 1964)
04 - Blowin' in the wind (LP Uptight, 1966)
05 - A place in the sun (LP Down to Earth, 1966)
06 - Bang Bang (LP Down to Earth)
07 - Mr. Tambourine Man (LP Down to Earth)
08 - Can I get a witness (LP I was made to love her, 1967)
09 - I'd cry (LP I was made to love her)
10 - My girl (LP I was made to love her)
11 - Please, please, please (LP I was made to love her)
12 - Respect (LP I was made to love her)
13 - For once in my life (LP For once in my life, 1968)
14 - God bless the child (LP For once in my life)
15 - Sunny (LP For once in my life)
16 - If I ruled the world (circa 1968-69, from compilation LP Looking back)
17 - At last (LP My cherie amour)
18 - Light my fire (LP My cherie amour)
19 - I can't let my Heaven walk away (LP Signed, sealed and delivered, 1970)
20 - We can work it out (LP Signed, sealed and delivered)

1966-1971 - Pure Stevie's gold

01 - Hey love (LP Down to Earth, 1966)
02 - Thank you love (LP Down to Earth)
03 - Until you come back to me (that's what I gonna do) (circa 1966, released on compilation LP Looking back)
04 - I'd be a fool right now (LP For once in my life, 1968)
05 - Angie girl (LP My cherie amour, 1969)
06 - My cherie amour (idem LP)
07 - Heaven help us all (LP Signed, sealed and delivered, 1970)
08 - I gotta have a song (LP Signed, sealed and delivered)
09 - Never had a dream come true (LP Signed, sealed and delivered)
10 - Something to say (LP Signed, sealed and delivered)
11 - Sugar (LP Signed, sealed and delivered)
12 - Look around
13 - Do yourself a favor
14 - Something out of the blue
15 - If you really love me
16 - Take up a course in Happiness
17 - Sunshine in their eyes

Tracks 12 to 17 are from his 1971 LP WHERE I'M COMING FROM. He was now 21 years old.

Hope these lists are useful to anyone who want to listen to some unknown Stevie's treasures from the vaults.

I'm lazy to post links to eventual YouTube clips... I depend on Videoskooter for that job :icon_mrgreen:

Greetings from Buenos Aires!

**eddie** · March 8th, 2010, 08:14 PM

"For once in my life" and "Signed, sealed, delivered" are my favorites from that era. I did find some of his early albums on cd and there were a few decent cuts on them. I didn't pay ridiculous money for them but there are some who would. There is one fan favorite that is now on some compilations but was originally only issued as a b-side. The track was "Purple raindrops" and a favorite of many.

**K-Bee** · March 10th, 2010, 05:51 AM

Originally Written by eddie

"For once in my life" and "Signed, sealed, delivered" are my favorites from that era.

To great cuts eddie, and as you probably know they've been covered plenty of times, sometimes even bettering the original. I've always enjoyed Chaka's 1988 version of "Signed Sealed Delivered".
(And suddenly I find myself being back at discomusic.com after yet another long absence)

**Nano** · March 17th, 2010, 01:06 PM

Here are some video links, hope they fit well

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and for the full-grown symphonic:

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