• Voto:
Un album enorme. 39 canzoni contenute in un doppio disco che rappresentano il meglio del primissimo Stevie Wonder nel periodo 1962-71.
Un periodo molto prolifico per 'Little-Genius', come veniva chiamato all'epoca, con chiari riferimenti al suo predecessore connazionale Ray Charles ('The Genius'), che con il giovane Wonder era saldamente unito in una grandissima passione per il Jazz ed il Soul, una spiccata abilità al piano ed uno sfortunato handicap fisico.
I primi dischi dell'allora 12enne, cavallo di punta dell'etichetta di Detroit 'Motown', rimarcavano anche troppo il legame artistico e personale che legava i due artisti: "The Jazz Soul Of Little Stevie" (parafrasando il celebre album di Charles "Genius + Soul= Jazz"), "Tribute To Uncle Ray" e "12-year Old Genius". Erano album molto sperimentali, estremamente improvvisati, che vedevano il 12enne Stevie esibirsi con enorme talento al piano, all'armonica a bocca e alle percussioni. Sono gli album che hanno permesso a Berry Gordy (fondatore della 'Motown') di strappare definitivamente Stevland Judkins Morris (il suo vero nome) dalla strada e di trasformarlo nel ragazzo delle meraviglie musicali: Stevie Wonder. Figlio di una prostituta e di un delinquente, cieco fin da poco dopo la nascita (per il troppo ossigeno somministratogli nell'incubatrice), non avrebbe sicuramente avuto molte possibilità di salvezza, nell'america ancora troppo razzista degli anni '50, se non si fosse aggrappato con tutte le sue forze alla musica.
Riascoltare per intero tutti i dischi degli albori della carriera di questo artista è indubbiamente molto pesante: tante erano le tracce insulse che rappresentavano un puro sfoggio d'abilità musicale da polistrumentista che Wonder aveva da vendere. Questo disco è un ottimo compromesso per chi avesse la curiosità di avvicinarsi a questa parte di produzione dell'artista, poichè contiene il meglio di questo periodo, togliendo i riempitivi e lasciando i pezzi che davvero avevano un valore. I due dischi di "Essential" contengono anche canzoni più mature provenienti da suoi album degli ultimi anni '60 e dai primissimi '70: "For Once In My Life" '68, "My Cherie Amour" '69 e "Where I'm Coming From" '71. In questa raccolta troviamo uno Stevie Wonder che non tutti conoscono, molto più Soul-Jazz, molto meno pop, di quello che sarà la sua corrente musicale futura dei suoi lavori più recenti e celebri.
Le canzoni memorabili sono tantissime: dalla spettacolare riflessione di "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday", all'acerba e sprizzante energia soul di "Workout Stevie, Workout" passando per le note funky di "Do Yourself A Favour". E come non citare anche le più lente e dolci note della meravigliosa "Something Out Of The Blue" e dell'altrettanto riuscita "Angie Girl". Nei 2 dischi ci sono anche le più celebri: "For Once In My Life", "My Cherie Amour", "Uptight (Everything's Allright) e "Signed, Saled, Delivered I'm Yours". Presenti anche le cover: "We Can Work It Out" dei Beatles (di fatto più bella della versione originale) e il meno riuscito tributo a Bob Dylan nella rivisitazione della celeberrima "Blowin' In The Wind".
Come suggerisce il titolo dell'album 'Essenziale' per riassumere il primo decennio della carriera del soul-man di Saginaw.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 I Was Made to Love Her (02:39)
I was born in Lil' Rock,
Had a childhood sweetheart,
We were always hand in hand.
I was hightop shoes and shirt tails,
Suzy was in pig tails,
I know I loved her even then.
You know my papa disapproved it,
My mama boohooed it,
But I told them time and time again,
"Don't you know I was made to love her,
Built a world all around her"
Yah! Hey, hey, hey.
She's been my inspiration,
Showed appreciation
For the love I gave her through the years.
Like a sweet magnolia tree
My love blossmed tenderly,
My life grew sweeter through the years.
I know that my baby loves me,
My baby needs me,
That's why we made it through the years.
I was made to love her,
Worship and adore her,
Hey, hey, hey.
All through thick and thin
Our love just won't end,
'Cause I love my baby, love my baby. Ah!
My baby loves me,
My baby needs me,
And I know I ain't going nowhere.
I was knee high to a chicken
When that love bug bit me,
I had the fever with each passing year.
Oh, even if the mountain tumbles,
If this whole world crumbles,
By her side I'll still be standing there.
'Cause I was made to love her,
I was made to live for her, yeah!
Ah, I was made to love her,
Built my world all around her,
Hey, hey, hey.
Oo baby, I was made to please her,
You know Stevie ain't gonna leave her, no,
Hey, hey, hey.
Oo wee baby, my baby loves me,
My baby needs me,
Hey, hey, hey.
OO my baby loves me....
04 I'm Wondering (02:55)
Jimmy was your sweetie pie
Your precious one
And I knew you used to love
The very ground he walked upon
One day, Jim's papa told him
Things were looking down
And they packed up everything
They owned and left this little old town
Each tear I dried for you,
The closer our lives grew,
I fell in love it's true
And you say you love me, too
Well, don't you know I'm wondering
Little girl, I'm wondering
How can I make you love me
A little more than you loved him?
Ooh,Baby I'm wondering
Little girl, I'm wondering
How can I make you love me
A little more than you loved him?
Oh baby
But, baby I'm wondering
Little girl, I'm wondering
How can I make you love me
A little more than you loved him?
Oh baby I'm wondering,
Little girl, I'm wondering
How can I make you love me
A little more than you loved Jim?
The day you see his face again
Or hear his voice
I don't want to be a loser
If you have to make a choice
Like a puppet to a string
To you, girl, I'm attached
And I know I'd be in trouble
If he came and took you back
I feel so insecure
In my mind, I can picture
Losing you for sure
And the pain I can't endure
Oh baby I'm wondering
Little girl, I'm wondering
How can I make you love me
A little more than you loved him?
Oh baby I'm wondering,
Sure enough, I'm wondering
How can I make you love me
A little more than you loved Jim?
Ooh Baby
I can't stop loving you, baby,
I can't stop loving you , no
I can't stop loving you, baby
I feel so insecure
In my mind, I
Can picture
Losing you for sure
And the pain I can't endure
Baby, I'm worried,
Really, really worried
I wanna make you happy
Really truly happy
Oh baby I'm wondering,
Little girl, I'm wondering
How can I make you love me
A little more than you loved him?
Oh baby I'm wondering
Little girl, I'm wondering ...
08 For Once in My Life (02:50)
For once in my life,
I have someone who needs me,
Someone I've needed so long,
For once unafraid,
I can go where life leads me,
Somehow I know I'll be strong,
For once I can touch,
What my heart used to dream of,
Long before I knew,
Ohhhhh someone warm like you,
Would make my dreams come true,
Yeah, yeah yeah.
For once in my life,
I wont let sorrow hurt me,
Not like it's hurt me before,
For once I have something I know wont desert me,
I'm not alone anymore,
For once I can say,
'This is mine you can't take it'
As long as I know I have love I can make it
For once in my life,
I have someone who needs me,
(Ha ha ha heyyy yeah!
Oh baby love baby.)
For once in my life
*Instrumental solo*
For once in my life,
I wont let sorrow hurt me,
Not like it's hurt me before,
For once I have something I know wont desert me,
I'm not alone anymore,
For once I can say,
'This is mine you can't take it!'
As long as I know I have love I can make it
For once in my life,
I have someone who needs me,
(Ohh! For once in my life,
Yeah,
Somebody that needs me,
Ooooh baby!
For once in my life.)
09 You Met Your Match (02:39)
Hey, you were good at playing the fox, girl
When I was good you threw me a bone
But I ain't playing hound for nobody
Girl, just wait 'til I get you home
I'll show you the way to love somebody
Like you've never ever been shown
'Cause my love light's burning
My whole life's yearning for you
Hey baby, you played around with Jimmy and Freddie
You tried to make me look like a fool
But I took care of Cindy and Suzie
Just to show you I can be twice as cruel, babe
If you want to learn how to love me
I'll teach you in my own private school
'Cause my love light's burning
My whole life's yearning for you
You met your match when you played with my affection
You met your match when you tried to make me walk the line
You met your match when you decided you would hurt me
That's when your grape fell from the vine
Your mama told me that I'd better be mellow
She said you're just a baby, maybe too green
I told her Jimmy, Freddie, Teddy and Big Joe
They knew better, Mama shake off that dream
Hey, I told her that you really were cooking
My love is burning, while I'm turning to steam
Hey, 'cause my love light's burning
My whole life's yearning for you
You met your match when you told me that you loved me
You met your match when you told me that you wouldn't let go, baby
You met your match, you met your match, you met your match, you met your match, you met your match
You met your match, baby
You met your match, you met your match, you met your match, you met your match, you met your match
You met your match, baby
11 Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday (03:05)
Yester-me Yester-you Yesterday
What happened to the world we knew
When we would dream and scheme
And while the time away
Yester-me yester-you yesterday
Where did it go that yester glow
When we could feel
The wheel of life turn our way
Yester-me yester-you yesterday
I had a dream so did you
Life was warm and love was true
Two kids who followed all the rules
Yester-fools and now
Now it seems those yester-dreams
Were just a cruel
And foolish game we used to play
Yester-me yester-you yesterday
When I recall what we had
I feel lost I feel sad with nothing
but the memory of yester love
and now it seems those yester dreams
Were just a cruel
And foolish game we had to play
Yester-me yester-you yesterday
Yester-me yester-you yesterday
Sing with me
Yester-me yester-you yesterday
One more time...
12 My Cherie Amour (02:53)
La la la la la la, La la la la la la
My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day
My cherie amour, distant as a milky way
My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine
In the cafe or sometimes on a crowded street
I've been near you, but you never noticed me
My cherie amour, won't you tell me how could you ignore
That behind that little smile I wore
How I wish that you were mine
La la la la la la, La la la la la la
La la la la la la, La la la la la la
Maybe someday, you'll see my face amoung the crowd
Maybe someday, I'll share your little distant cloud
Oh, cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine
La la la la la la, La la la la la la
La la la la la la, La la la la la la
14 We Can Work It Out (03:18)
(Lennon/McCartney)
Try to see it my way
Do I have to keep on talking till I can't go on
While you see it your way
Run the risk of knowing that our love may soon be gone
We can work it out
We can work it out
Think of what you're saying
You can get it wrong and still you think that it's alright
Think of what I'm saying
We can work it out and get it straight, or say good night
We can work it out
We can work it out
Life is very short, and there's no time
For fussing and fighting, my friend
I have always thought that it's a crime
So I will ask you once again.
Try to see it my way
Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong
While you see it your way
There's a chance that we may fall apart before too long
We can work it out
We can work it out
Life is very short, and there's no time
For fussing and fighting, my friend
I have always thought that it's a crime
So I will ask you once again
Try to see it my way
Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong
While you see it your way
There's a chance that we may fall apart before too long
We can work it out
We can work it out
15 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours (02:40)
Like a fool I went and stayed too long
Now I'm wondering if your love's still strong
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!
Then that time I went and said goodbye
Now I'm back and not ashamed to cry
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!
Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)
Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)
I've done a lot of foolish things
That I really didn't mean, didn't I?
Seen a lot of things in this old world
When I touch them, they mean nothing, girl
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!
Oowee baby, you set my soul on fire
That's why I know you're my heart's only desire
Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)
Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)
16 Never Had a Dream Come True (03:12)
dodododdoodolllododododo
I never never had a dream come true
in my every dream im loved by you
and were free as the wind, and true love is no sin
therefore men are men not machines
I never never had a dream come true
Without you the world out there would be in chains of blue
since our roads never crossed
i work just to please the boss
I think I might as well just get lost in my dreams
Dododododododododdodododoooooo
dodododoodododododo
I never never had a dream come true
guess im gonna dream about you baby my whole life through
seems my folks are ashamed, said i aint worth the pain
but im glad im chained to my dreams
dodododododododododooooooo
dodododododododododododdodooo
Keep on dreamin
dododododododododododododododododo....
Sing along with me
dododdodododododo......
KEEP ON DREAMING ....
18 Heaven Help Us All (03:15)
Heaven help the child who never had a home,
Heaven help the girl who walks the street alone
Heaven help the roses if the bombs begin to fall,
Heaven help us all.
Heaven help the black man if he struggles one more day,
Heaven help the white man if he turns his back away,
Heaven help the man who kicks the man who has to crawl,
Heaven help us all.
Heaven help us all, heaven help us all, help us all.
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we call
Oh, yeah!
Heaven help the boy who won't reach twenty-one,
Heaven help the man who gave that boy a gun.
Heaven help the people with their backs against the wall,
Lord, Heaven help us all.
Heaven help us all, heaven help us all, heaven help us all, help us all.
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we call.
Now I lay me down before I go to sleep.
In a troubled world, I pray the Lord to keep, keep hatred from the mighty,
And the mighty from the small,
Heaven help us all.
Oh, oh, oh, yeah!
Heaven help us all.
Carico i commenti... con calma
