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    Superstition: When You Believe

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    The document provides information about Stevie Wonder's song 'Superstition' including its recording, composition, release and impact. It discusses how Wonder wrote and produced the song himself, playing many instruments and creating a unique sound through layered keyboards. The song was a hit and won several Grammys. The document also provides background on Wonder's career and major collaborations.

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    Superstition: When You Believe

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    128 views2 pages
    The document provides information about Stevie Wonder's song 'Superstition' including its recording, composition, release and impact. It discusses how Wonder wrote and produced the song himself, playing many instruments and creating a unique sound through layered keyboards. The song was a hit and won several Grammys. The document also provides background on Wonder's career and major collaborations.

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    Superstition

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    The document provides information about Stevie Wonder's song 'Superstition' including its recording, composition, release and impact. It discusses how Wonder wrote and produced the song himself, playing many instruments and creating a unique sound through layered keyboards. The song was a hit and won several Grammys. The document also provides background on Wonder's career and major collaborations.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    128 views2 pages

    Superstition: When You Believe

    Uploaded by

    A
    The document provides information about Stevie Wonder's song 'Superstition' including its recording, composition, release and impact. It discusses how Wonder wrote and produced the song himself, playing many instruments and creating a unique sound through layered keyboards. The song was a hit and won several Grammys. The document also provides background on Wonder's career and major collaborations.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 2

    ACCESS ALL AREAS...

    SUPERSTITION APPEARS IN
    ROCK & POP
    2018

    Released: 1972 Album: Talking Book Label: Tamla Records

    “
    ABOUT THE SONG
    ‘Superstition’ was released in 1972, at a time
    when Stevie Wonder was taking complete WHEN YOU BELIEVE
    IN THINGS THAT YOU DON’T
    artistic control over his music. It was the lead
    single on Wonder’s 1972 album Talking Book and

    UNDERSTAND
    reached No. 1 in the USA. It is considered a seminal
    track from what has become known as Wonder’s
    ‘classic period’.
    ‘Superstition’ was originally written by Wonder for
    guitarist Jeff Beck, who appears 5th on Rolling
    THEN YOU SUFFER
    SUPERSTITION
    Stone’s list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
    Beck had agreed to be involved in the Talking Book
    album sessions in return for Wonder writing him
    a song. Delays on Beck’s version led to Motown
    releasing Wonder’s recording of the song first.

    AIN’T THE WAY

    ”
    Influential blues guitarist and producer Stevie Ray
    Vaughan recorded a live version in 1986.

    RECORDING AND PRODUCTION


    Recorded at Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady studios in New York, Wonder wrote and produced the track, and
    played the drums and all the keyboard tracks himself. The irresistible funky groove of ‘Superstition’ is created
    by a riff played on the clavinet — an electronic keyboard with a harpsichord-like sound. What you hear on the
    track is actually eight separate clavinet tracks mixed together to create a unique thick texture. Add to this a
    Moog synth bass and distinctive trumpet/sax countermelodies, and a sound was created that would influence
    the direction of pop music for the rest of the decade.

    COMPOSITION AWARDS
    One of the features of ‘Superstition’ that makes it a sure-fire
    Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
    floor-filler is its syncopation — its avoidance of the strong beats of Grammy Awards 1973
    the bar. This danceability comes straight from the groove created
    by the drums, combined with the syncopated layers provided by Best R&B Song
    keyboard riffs, the vocal line, and the horn section over the top. Grammy Awards 1973

    In common with many other funk songs, the melodic lines of


    ‘Superstition’ are created almost entirely from the notes of a
    minor pentatonic scale over a static harmony on the verse.
    The use of this scale shows the lasting influence
    of funk’s ancestor, the blues.
    THE ALBUM ‘EVEN AT ITS DREAMIEST, THE
    Talking Book was released on 28 October 1972 and was Stevie MUSIC HAS A GLOWING VIBRANCY...
    Wonder’s 15th studio album. ‘Superstition’ was released as the first ALTOGETHER, AN EXCEPTIONAL,
    single and hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles
    charts. The single also won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and
    EXCITING ALBUM, THE WORK OF A
    Best R&B Song at the 1973 Grammy Awards. The second single NOW QUITE MATURED GENIUS.’
    from Talking Book, ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’, hit No. 1 on
    Billboard’s Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts and won Wonder a
    ROLLING STONE
    Grammy Award in 1973, for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

    ABOUT THE ARTIST


    Signed to Tamla Motown in 1961 at the age of 11, Stevie Wonder has made the perfect transition from
    child star to music legend. Despite being blind almost from birth, Wonder excelled on piano, drums and
    harmonica from an early age. After performing one of his own songs to Ronnie White of The Miracles he
    was taken to audition at Motown, and CEO Berry Gordy signed him to Motown’s Tamla Records label. After
    securing his record deal, he teamed up with producer and songwriter Clarence Paul and released his first
    album when he was still 11 years old. Tribute to Uncle Ray mainly consisted of pioneer of soul music Ray
    Charles songs but included a composition by Wonder and Paul called ‘Sunset’. Over the following years,
    the creative powerhouse that was Motown nurtured his songwriting talent and by the early 1970s Wonder
    was spreading his wings, touring with the Rolling Stones and carving out his unique blend of soul, pop,
    funk and R&B. Huge commercial success followed — Wonder has received 25 Grammy awards and sold
    over 100 million records worldwide.

    COLLABORATIONS
    Stevie Wonder has collaborated with many artists
    over his career, including Paul McCartney (‘Ebony &
    Ivory’, 1982), Elton John (‘I Guess That’s Why They
    Call It The Blues’, 1984), Chaka Khan (‘I Feel For You’,
    1984) and Michael Jackson (‘Just Good Friends’,
    1987). In 2006 Wonder made a guest appearance on
    Busta Rhymes’ album ‘The Big Bang’ and on Snoop
    Dog’s ‘Tha Blue Carpet Treatment’.
    WATCH VIDEO

    MORE TO EXPLORE
    Songs: ‘Superstition’, Stevie Wonder (1973),‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’, Stevie Wonder (1973), ‘Ebony
    & Ivory’, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (1982), ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’, Elton John
    (1984), I Feel For You’, Chaka Khan (1984), ‘Just Good Friends’, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder (1987).
    Artists & collaborators: Busta Rhymes, Chaka Khan, Clarence Paul, Elton John, Jeff Beck, Paul McCartney,
    Snoop Dog, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ray Charles, The Miracles. Trinity Rock & Pop syllabus: Keyboards, Grade 6.

    real songs. real skills. real progress.

    TRINITYROCK.COM

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