Fulfillingness' First Finale
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Fulfillingness' First Finale is a landmark album by Stevie Wonder, released on July 22, 1974 (see 1974 in music). It was the fourth of five consecutive albums widely hailed as his "classic period", along with Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions, and Songs in the Key of Life. Subsequent to the epic sweep and social consciousness of Innervisions, this set projected a reflective, decidedly somber tone. The musical arrangements used in several songs while masterful could be considered sparse in comparison to others among his 70's masterworks, evident especially in the bleak "They Won't Go When I Go" and understated "Creepin'". While largely a stripped down, more personal sounding record, Wonder had not completely foregone commentary on the world around him. The No. 1 hit "You Haven't Done Nothin'" launched a pointed criticism of the Nixon administration bolstered by a crunching funk rhythm (and Jackson 5 cameo).
Fulfillingess' First Finale won Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal, Best Male Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, and Album of the Year in 1974. When Wonder took two years to record his follow-up album (Songs), this broke his consecutive Grammy streak and led to Paul Simon's famous quote [thanking him] for not releasing an album in 1975 (when he won the Album of the Year award for Still Crazy After All These Years).
Interestingly enough, this album from Stevie Wonder's classic period is the only one not included in Rolling Stone's Top 500 albums of all time [list] from November 2003.
Track listing
- "Smile Please" (Wonder) - 3:28
- "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away" (Wonder) - 5:02
- "Too Shy to Say" (Wonder) - 3:29
- "Boogie on Reggae Woman" (Wonder) - 4:56
- "Creepin'" (Wonder) - 4:22
- "You Haven't Done Nothin'" (Wonder) - 3:22
- "It Ain't No Use" (Wonder) - 4:01
- "They Won't Go When I Go" (Wonder, Y. Wright) - 5:58
- "Bird of Beauty" (Wonder) - 3:48
- "Please Don't Go" (Wonder) - 4:07
Personnel
- Paul Anka - Background Vocals ("Heaven Is 10 Zillion...")
- Shirley Brewer- Background Vocals ("Heaven Is 10 Zillion...", "Bird of Beauty", "Please Don't Go")
- Jim Gilstrap - Backgrond Vocals ("Smile Please")
- Lani Groves - Background Vocals ("It Ain't No Use", "Bird of Beauty")
- Bobbye Hall - Congas, Bongas ("Smile Please"), Quica ("Bird of Beauty")
- Jackson 5 - Background Vocals ("You Haven't Done Nothin'")
- James Jamerson - Acoustic Bass ("Too Shy to Say")
- "Sneakey Pete" Kleinow - Pedal Steel Guitar ("Too Shy to Say")
- Larry "Nastyee" Latimer- Background Vocals ("Heaven Is 10 Zillion...")
- Reggie McBride - Bass ("Smile Please", "You Haven't Done Nothin'")
- The Persuasions - Background Vocals ("Please Don't Go")
- Minnie Riperton - Background Vocals ("Creepin'", "It Ain't No Use")
- Rocky - Congas ("Boogie on Raggae Woman")
- Michael Sembello - Guitar ("Smile Please", "Please Don't Go")
- Denise Williams - Background Vocals ("Smile Please", "It Ain't No Use", "Bird of Beauty", "Please Don't Go")
- Syreeta Wright - Background Vocals ("Heaven Is 10 Zillion...")
Cover versions
- "Too Shy to Say" - Later recorded by Diana Ross in 1978.
- "Creepin'" - Later recorded by Luther Vandross for The Night I Fell in Love in 1985.
- "They Won't Go When I Go" - Later recorded by George Michael for Listen Without Prejudice, Vol 1 in 1990.
- "Boogie On Reggae Woman" - Later regularly performed live by Phish and featured on Hampton Comes Alive among other live releases.
Charting singles
- 1974: "You Haven't Done Nothin'" (Pop Singles) - No. 1 (entered chart on [08-17-1974], 14 wks on)
- 1974: "You Haven't Done Nothin'" (Black Singles) - No. 1
- 1974: "Boogie on Reggae Woman" (Pop Singles) - No. 3 (entered chart on [11-30-1974], 14 wks on)
- 1974: "Boogie on Reggae Woman" (Black Singles) - No. 1
Album charts
- 1974: Black Albums Chart - No. 1
- 1974: Pop Albums Chart - No. 1
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