TERRY GROSS, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. As part of his summer series about great albums turning 50 years old, rock critic Ken Tucker has chosen Stevie Wonder's 1974 album "Fulfillingness' First Finale." Although it went to No. 1, Ken says he thinks the album is underrated, for reasons he'll explain. Here's Stevie Wonder and the song that opens the album, "Smile Please."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SMILE PLEASE")
STEVIE WONDER: (Singing) A smiling face is an Earth-like star. A frown can't bring out the beauty that you are. Love within, and you'll begin smiling. There are brighter days ahead.
KEN TUCKER, BYLINE: In the first half of the 1970s, any list of the most popular music acts would have included Elton John, John Denver, the Rolling Stones. But there was no hitmaker working at as high a level of creativity as Stevie Wonder. He released back to back masterpiece albums in '72 and '73 - "Talking Book" and "Innervisions," respectively. He followed those up with a mouthful of alliteration for an album title - "Fulfillingness' First Finale." It continued his hot streak. In the summer of 1974, it was impossible to avoid the jittery rhythms and bouncy vocals of one of the album's hit singles, "Boogie On Reggae Woman."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN")
WONDER: (Singing) I like to see you boogie right across the floor. I like to do it to you till you holler for more. I like to reggae, but you dance too fast for me. I'd like to make love to you, So you can make me scream. So boogie on, reggae woman. What is wrong with me? Boogie on, reggae woman. Baby, can't you see?
TUCKER: Despite the fact that it was neither reggae nor a boogie, "Boogie On Reggae Woman" was played everywhere because it was catchy and because people could not get enough of the sound of Stevie Wonder's voice, a reedy croon with a smile tucked inside it. By this time, Wonder had become, along with Marvin Gaye, one of the few Motown artists in complete control of his recordings, writing, producing and hiring the musicians he wanted to execute his compositions.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HEAVEN IS 10 ZILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY")
WONDER: (Singing) They say that heaven is 10 zillion light-years away and just the pure at heart will walk her righteous streets someday. They say that heaven is 10 zillion light-years away, but if there is a God, we need Him now. Where is your God?
TUCKER: That's "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away," a song that begins with Wonder asking if there's a God, only to blossom into a chorus about God's love filling his spirit. As ethereal as the music is, Wonder was also rooted in reality. At another point in the song, he sings the question, why must my color, black, make me a lesser man? And later in the album, Wonder will offer the best protest song he ever wrote. "You Haven't Done Nothin'" is the angry cry of a citizen dismayed by the hollow promises of politicians, a citizen who also happens to be a genius musician.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "YOU HAVEN'T DONE NOTHIN'")
WONDER: (Singing) We are amazed but not amused by all the things you say that you'll do, though much concerned but not involved with decisions that are made by you. But we are sick and tired of hearing your song telling how you are going to change right from wrong. 'Cause if you really want to hear our views, you haven't done nothing. It's not too cool to be ridiculed...
TUCKER: "You Haven't Done Nothin'" was a pointed criticism of the Richard Nixon administration. It was released as a single on August 7. Nixon resigned a day later. But it transcends its context to exist now as a vivid showcase for Wonder's music-making at this point, playing keyboards as the lead instrument, drums that established the rhythm grooves, harmonica when he feels like it. "Fulfillingness' First Finale" won the Grammy for Best Album of the Year, yet today it feels underrated. I think that's partly because its overall tone was more subdued, more meditative than the albums immediately preceding it. A gorgeous ballad like this one, called "Creepin'", sounds utterly contemporary today.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CREEPIN'")
WONDER: (Singing) I can hear you sighing, saying you'll stay beside me. Why must it be that you always creep Into my dreams? On the beach we're sitting...
TUCKER: Following this album, Wonder would release a double album masterpiece, "Songs In The Key Of Life," in 1976. By any measure, it was a remarkable run for any musician ever. And his gifts just keep on giving. "Fulfillingness' First Finale" remains ripe for rediscovery in 2024.
GROSS: Rock critic Ken Tucker revisited Stevie Wonder's 1974 album "Fulfillingness' First Finale." Tomorrow on FRESH AIR, our guest will be Julianne Nicholson. Proud to call herself a character actor, she's appeared in dozens of films and TV series from "Ally McBeal" and "Boardwalk Empire" to "August: Osage County" and "Mare of Easttown," where she earned an Emmy award. She stars in the new film "Janet Planet." I hope you'll join us.
FRESH AIR's executive producer is Danny Miller. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham. Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Amy Salit, Phyllis Myers, Ann Marie Baldonado, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Teresa Madden, Thea Chaloner, Susan Nyakundi and Joel Wolfram. Our digital media producer is Molly Seavy-Nesper. Roberta Shorrock directs the show. Our co-host is Tonya Mosley. I'm Terry Gross.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PLEASE DON'T GO")
WONDER: (Singing) Please don't go, no, no, no. If you go, I'll be sad and blue, so I say no, no, no, don't go away. Oh, no. Please don't leave, baby, please. If you should leave, my poor heart would grieve, so I say nay, nay, nay, baby, please stay. And I'll do everything you want me to if you promise that you won't leave tonight, 'cause I'll break down and cry a river of tears with just the thought of you not here in my life.
(SOUNDBITE OF DEEP BLUE ORGAN TRIO'S "TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
