Stevie Wonder

[Lament]

There's no one there.

[Kaius]

Living For The City is great.

In a catalog packed to the brim with great songs, Living For the City is definitely a part of the uppermost echelon.

Yeah, it's my early favorite. Even the little skit in the middle is well-placed and not as cheesy as you'd think it would be.

[Lament]

There's a single edit without the skit in it, if you ever feel like it gets to be too much.

[Kaius]

i like the campy-ness to it actually. I think Mr. Wonder has a unique sense of humor hidden within some of his anger. I get fucking pumped up when it comes about the 5:15 mark and he's growling. But yeah, maybe I'll tire of it eventually.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

This is one of the best Motown compilations in terms of sound quality and purity (original mono 45 versions):

[Lament]

I would say that straight up IS the best one. If you've got the attention span to sit with something that's more than just a single disc, that box is AWESOME.

[Lament]

And with that, it's time...

harmless, I'm uploading that compilation for you right now. I hope it doesn't break your brain with its sheer awesomeness. I expect you to officially start the "All Things Motown/Stax" thread when you start playing it so that we can have all of your thoughts in one place.

[harmless]

Downloading now!

[harmless]

I really wish 'Where Were You...' was its own song rather than just being tagged onto Superwoman. It's gorgeous.

[Lament]

Yeah, they're definitely both strong enough to be their own separate tracks. I think I prefer Where Were You When I Needed You if pressed to choose.

[Lament]

Your post has made me put Music of My Mind on. "I Love Every Little Thing About You" is so fantastic.

[harmless]

I prefer that song too.

And yeah, it is. But the lyrics of three of these songs are kind of bothering me.

[Lament]

Which ones?

[harmless]

The problem is they're generally kinda sexist.

"Superwoman" I can give a pass, because the intention is there, but it sort of is.

"I Love Every Little Thing..." is absolutely perfect until the end, when that little voice says "You want candy?" (What do you think he's trying to achieve there, and does it not sound totally creepy?)

"Sweet Little Girl" again sounds stalkery / creepy.

"Keep On Running", ditto, and this is sort of the worst offender. The bit about jumping out the bushes makes me feel icky.

[harmless]

I really like the album but these lyrics make it less than a classic for me.

[Lament]

Superwoman and the part at the end of I Love Every Little Thing About You don't bother me at all. The only part of Sweet Little Girl that makes me feel icky is the very last line, but to be fair I really have no clue what exactly he means there.

Keep on Running definitely has some questionable stuff in it, and in the context of another artist's catalog would probably bother me far more than it does here. Either way, his writing about love and woman matures in leaps and bounds on the next album, and is unbelievably refined by Songs in the Key of Life. Part of me almost wants to chalk up the weird stuff on MoMM to him being a 22 year old who isn't really thinking all that hard about what he's actually saying, but that could very well just be me being an apologist because I love the music so much.

[harmless]

Superwoman and the part at the end of I Love Every Little Thing About You don't bother me at all. The only part of Sweet Little Girl that makes me feel icky is the very last line, but to be fair I really have no clue what exactly he means there.

Keep on Running definitely has some questionable stuff in it, and in the context of another artist's catalog would probably bother me far more than it does here. Either way, his writing about love and woman matures in leaps and bounds on the next album, and is unbelievably refined by Songs in the Key of Life. Part of me almost wants to chalk up the weird stuff on MoMM to him being a 22 year old who isn't really thinking all that hard about what he's actually saying, but that could very well just be me being an apologist because I love the music so much.

Nah, you're probably right. I find it really hard to stomach when people make excuses for the era and say it was a different time etc. The writing still makes me feel like it makes me feel. But having said that, you can't expect everything from a 22 year-old guy in the 70's. Motown has quite a bit of sexism peppered in it, but then so does butt rock.

[harmless]

Happier Than The Morning Sun is the best love song overall on the album, for me.

[Lament]

I definitely don't blame you for being made uneasy by it, and I'm with you on the "different era" argument. Creepy is creepy, regardless of when it's from.

And I'm on board with Happier Than the Morning Sun. It's so delightful. I love, love, love that melody.

[harmless]

How do you interpret that little "Candy" part? I know it's right at the end of the song but...