SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

Fifty years ago this month saw the release of Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key Of Life, regarded by many, including myself, as the apex of his career. I was living in New York at the time, working as Melody Maker’s US editor, and was among a party of music writers flown to Long View Farm, a state-of-the-art recording studio in Massachusetts, to listen in optimum conditions to all four sides of the LP, 17 songs in all, plus its accompanying four-song EP. 

We all met up at La Guardia airport to board a plane hired for the occasion by Motown Records. Amongst the party was Nik Cohn, with whom I was well-acquainted in those days, and we sat together as we flew north over New England, enjoying breakfast served by a stewardess who was somewhat alarmed – it was around 9am as I recall – when Nik asked for vodka in his orange juice. I smelled trouble and, sure enough, Nik became restless during the lengthy listening session. 

Spotting a pool table during a break between sides, Nik dragged me out of the listening area for a game but a Motown employee saw us and pointed out that the reason for our presence in the studio was to listen to Stevie’s new album, not to play pool. 

Nik protested. “We can hear it perfectly well in here,” he said. “It’s loud enough.”

This was true. The record, excellent as it was, was being played at a high volume.

“We’d prefer it if you came and listened with all the others,” said Mr Motown.

“And we’d prefer to play pool while we listen,” replied Nik.

        Which we did. Evidently, the Motown press man was disinclined to offend a columnist from the prestigious New York magazine. I loved Nik but he was an outspoken, combative sort, forever unafraid to offend anyone. Nevertheless, these distractions did not stop me from taking notes, and in my New York news column for MM that week reported as follows:

“Stevie Wonder has completed his Songs In The Key Of Life album which was previewed during a day in the Massachusetts countryside last week. It is a double album with an extra EP: altogether 21 songs of varying length. 

“Key Of Life offers just about everything, from disco to jazz, from funk to melody and from protest to harmony. It is a project of alarming proportions but its effect emphasises Wonder’s huge creativity at a time when many black artists seem content to rehash the same old bass lines in a danceable tune.

“Songs to watch out for on the new set include ‘Love’s In Need Of Love Today’, the opening cut with an extended, revolving melody line. ‘Village Ghetto Land’ with an ‘Eleanor Rigby’-style string section, ‘Sir Duke’, a tribute to Duke Ellington, ‘Ordinary Pain’, a two-part epic, and ‘If It’s Magic’, with Wonder at his harmonic best. ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ and the four additional cuts on the EP seem to be likely commercial singles. Albums will be in the stores in about ten days’ time.”

        Stevie Wonder was present for the listening session and he handed us all a signed copy of his LP but I do not recall him talking to the press beyond introducing the event. If he had I’d have been in like a shot, brandishing my little Sony tape machine to grab a quote or two for my weekly column.