Stevie Wonder

Listen: High Heel Sneakers / Stevie Wonder
High Heel Sneakers / Stevie Wonder

Those early Little Stevie Wonder and then Stevie Wonder singles, from ’62 up through and including ‘High Heeled Sneakers’ in ’65, are like a different world to his later releases. ‘Uptight (Everything’s Alright)’ immediately followed and arguably still had a live, one take feel, but there’s just something about the earlier ones. Yeah, they were not only way more spontaneous but about then, my guess is, the star making machine was switched on, and the de-ghettoizing process began.

It was a time when you really had to be capable of singing and playing to get a record deal, like really, really be able to sing. At least if you wanted to keep your deal I suppose. It was obvious he could do both better than most.

Yet still a teenager, his harmonica mastery was undeniable. I bet those live shows in bars and dare I assume, juke joints, had to have been loose and wild. Just add liquor and bang.

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