The Best Music You’ve Never Heard: Vol 15 – Stevie Wonder’s Early Years

[Note: Updated on Feb, 18 2016 with updated notes and references to downloadable songs removed]

As promised, here’s part one of my Stevie Wonder “Best Music You’ve Never Heard” posts…

Stevie Wonder had been at Motown since he was twelve years old. Though he had a number of hits, Wonder didn’t start to showg211654_u60127_bkah[1] his true potential until the For Once In My Life album. The single I Don’t Know Why (co-written and produced by Wonder) gives a glimpse into things to come. Any thoughts of “Little” Stevie Wonder are erased as he pleads to understand why he continues to love a cheating woman.

Up next was My Cherie Amour. While not his strongest pre-classic-period album, Cherie has some bright spots. In addition the title track and “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday”, the album includes some decent covers, namely Hello Young Lovers and Light My Fire”. “Hello Young Lovers” sounds nothing like the mellow lounge version; “Light My Fire” starts with a driving guitar riff before diving into a funky bass line.
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