Defend the Indefensible: Mid '80s Stevie Wonder

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I'm relistening to him a lot these days -- I started a thread on "Master Blaster" not too long ago -- and it struck me that albums like In Square Circle and Characters contain a lot more goodies than we thought. The hits from the former ("Part-Time Lover," "Overjoyed," "Go Home") are as potent as the minor hits from the latter ("Skeletons"), all of which at least as good as the great songs from the mid '70s.

Since I rarely read or hear a nice thing about these albums, I'm curious what y'all think.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 5 November 2005 18:10 (twenty years ago)

"Overjoyed" is easily one of my favorite Stevie singles, and I recall liking "Go Home" though I haven't heard it since 1986. Can't defend "Don't Drive Drunk," though. The hit-miss ratio seems iffy enough that I've never bought any of his '80s albums.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 5 November 2005 18:26 (twenty years ago)

"Skeletons" had a pretty bad-ass synth bass, if memory serves.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Saturday, 5 November 2005 18:28 (twenty years ago)

"Skeletons" had a pretty bad-ass synth bass, if memory serves

Sure does!

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 5 November 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Do I Do is pretty good, and Part Time Lover is classic if only for the video - Wonder cutting about the over 30's section a Buck Rogers-esque disco wearing a jumpsuit and playing a load of synths on one of those A-Frame stands.

But yes, more misses than hits.

― JohnFoxxsJuno, Saturday, 5 November 2005 18:39 (twenty years ago)

Really liked these albums at the time of release, thought they were criminally underated etc...but I just listened to "Skeletons" a couple days ago and it sounded thin and kinda 1-D so I don't know.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 5 November 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

Don't Drive Drunk?

― What Are You Kidding?, Saturday, 5 November 2005 18:58 (twenty years ago)

I have the 12" extended version single of "Don't Drive Drunk."

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Saturday, 5 November 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

"I Just Called To Say I Love You" Owns This Thread.

― elgolfo (elgolfo), Saturday, 5 November 2005 21:33 (twenty years ago)

eight months pass...

"I Ain't Gonna Stand For It"!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 01:34 (nineteen years ago)

"Mid '80s"

― It's Rodney, chocolate-covered, freaky, and habit-forming! (R. J. Greene), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 01:42 (nineteen years ago)

Literalist!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 02:00 (nineteen years ago)

"I Just Called To Say I Love You" is really NOT that awful. I mean, it's sappy as hell, but I think if the lyrics were about anything else (and okay, the chorus would have to be changed) it would be a total classic.

― musically (musically), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 02:02 (nineteen years ago)

"That Girl" is pretty good.

― a.b. (alanbanana), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 03:31 (nineteen years ago)

"That Girl" is fuckingmidnblowingawesomeunbelievable...I love it.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 09:22 (nineteen years ago)

what about his cameo harmonica solos of the era, such as EJ's "I guess that's why they call it the blues"?

― veronica moser (veronica moser), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

In Square Circle and Characters are both largely marvelous, especially the former. Creamy pop-soul (or is it soul-pop?) at its finest, from one of its foremost purveyors.

― Thomas Inskeep (submeat), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

hat about his cameo harmonica solos of the era, such as EJ's "I guess that's why they call it the blues"?

True! Include Eurythmics' "There Must Be An Angel (Playing with My Heart)"

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

1. Wasn't there another such cameo on a Carly Simon song too?

2. I once walked a good number of blocks behind some guy who was whistling the verse to 'Part-Time Lover', over and over. Just got to the end ("A part-time lover"), and started right up again. I couldn't wait until he turned off, and I could whistle, for myself, that fantastic bridge.

― gooblar (gooblar), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

Said bridge begins: "We are undercover passions on the run"--I had no idea that was the line.

― gooblar (gooblar), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 17:31 (nineteen years ago)

"In Square Circle" isn't too bad as an album. Never liked "Part Time Lover", but there are other great tracks: "Stranger On The Shore Of Love", "Go Home", "Overjoyed" and, most of all, "Whereabouts".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 18:11 (nineteen years ago)

The Luther Vandross scat on "Part-Time Lover" is genius.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 18:18 (nineteen years ago)

Anyone who doesn't like "Overjoyed" is clearly a crazyface.

― GILLY'S BAGG'EAR VANCE OF COUPARI (Ex Leon), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 18:19 (nineteen years ago)

the song he made w/the cosby kidz wuz genius!!!

― M@tt He1geson, Rendolent Ding-Dong (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 21:47 (nineteen years ago)

I vastly prefer the Claire Huxtable-fronted duet version of "I Just Called..."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 22:21 (nineteen years ago)

I'm a certifiable crazyface!

― It's Rodney, chocolate-covered, freaky, and habit-forming! (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 6 July 2006 00:49 (nineteen years ago)

My Launchcast station just completely randomly played "My Eyes Don't Cry" (from Characters)! (Here's just how random: last two songs played prior were Eurythmics' "Who's That Girl" and Dolly Parton's "Heartbreaker" - Alf, are you secretly programming my station?) What are the chances?

!!!.

― Thomas Inskeep (submeat), Thursday, 6 July 2006 21:53 (nineteen years ago)

two years pass...

his plea for understanding for Jehovah's Witnesses is pretty good.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 17 October 2008 17:37 (seventeen years ago)

his harmonica work on "I Feel For You" and "Venus Of The Soup Kitchen" (Prefab Sprout)...

― henry s, Friday, 17 October 2008 17:58 (seventeen years ago)

I'll add to the praise for Characters.

― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 17 October 2008 19:30 (seventeen years ago)

what about his cameo harmonica solos of the era, such as EJ's "I guess that's why they call it the blues"?

Suggest Ban Permalink
― veronica moser (veronica moser), Wednesday, July 5, 2006 4:26 AM Bookmark

"I Feel For You"! (I was so happy when I discovered the buried "Fingertips" samples)

― Teddy Riley (The Reverend), Saturday, 18 October 2008 00:39 (seventeen years ago)

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