Higher Ground (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Higher Ground


from Album = Innervisions
B-side = "Too High"
Released = July, 1973
Artist = Stevie Wonder
Format = 7" 45 RPM
Genre = Soul
Recorded =
Length = 3:42 (full-length version)3:10 (single-edit)
Label = Tamla
Writer = Stevie Wonder
Producer = Stevie Wonder
Chart position = * #4 U.S. Pop
* #1 U.S. R&B
* #29 U.K.
Last single = "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"
(1973)
This single = "Higher Ground"
(1973)
Next single = "Living for the City"
(1973)Extra tracklisting
Album = Innervisions
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side One
# "Too High"
# "Visions"
# "Living for the City"
# "Golden Lady";Side Two
#"Higher Ground"
#"Jesus Children of America"
#"All in Love Is Fair"
#"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
#"He's Misstra Know It All"Infobox Single
Name = Higher Ground


from Album = Mother's Milk
B-side = "Millionaires Against Hunger"
Released = 1989
Artist = Red Hot Chili Peppers
Format = CD Single
Genre = Alternative rock
Recorded =
Length = 3:21
Label = EMI
Writer = Stevie Wonder
Producer = Michael Beinhorn
Last single = "Knock Me Down" (1989)
This single = "Higher Ground" (1989)
Next single = "Taste the Pain" (1989)Extra tracklisting
Album = Mother's Milk
Type = studio
prev_no = 1
prev_track = "Good Time Boys"
track_no = 2
this_track = "Higher Ground"
next_no = 3
next_track = "Subway to Venus"Extra tracklisting
Album = What Hits?
Type = compilation
prev_no =
prev_track =
track_no = 1
this_track = "Higher Ground"
next_no = 2
next_track = "Fight Like a Brave""Higher Ground" is a funk song written by Stevie Wonder and first appearing on his 1973 album "Innervisions". Against a driving, percolating clavinet-based arrangement, the lyric posits that religion can perhaps successfully do battle with the darker sides of human nature. It reached #4 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart and #1 on the U.S. Hot Soul Singleschart. The album version of this song contains an extra verse and runs 30 seconds longer than the single version. The unique wah-clavinet sound in the song was achieved with a Mutron envelope filter pedal. The bass is a Moog synthesizer. Via overdubs, Wonder played all instruments on the track, including drums.

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song #261 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, offering the [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596106/higher_ground following explanation] : ""Ground"" was recorded just before Wonder was involved in a near-fatal accident in August '73 that left him in a coma. Early in Wonder's recovery, his road manager sang the melody of "Ground" into the singer's ear; Wonder responded by moving his fingers with the music."

A version was recorded by Ellen McIlwaine for her 1975 album "The Real Ellen McIlwaine".

An especially ferocious performance of "Higher Ground" was given by Alicia Keys along with Wonder and Lenny Kravitz at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards. Keys and Wonder then took a softer, improvised approach in a duet at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Later in 2006, fifth-season "American Idol" contestant Chris Daughtry gave an acclaimed, show-closing rendition that blended the original with the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 1989 cover. At the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival, Marcus Miller also performed this song. "Higher Ground" was later released on his 2007 album "Free".

More recently in the 2007 run of Australian Idol, contestant Ben Mackenzie sung his own version, which was a mixture of a ballad and the hard rock from the version recorded by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Red Hot Chili Peppers cover

This song was covered by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their 1989 album, "Mother's Milk". Many consider it to be the song that made the band huge, earning them a MTV Video Music Award nomination.

This version was featured in the films "" (1995), "Center Stage" (2000), "Walking Tall" (2004) and "The Longest Yard" (2005).

It is used in "The Pursuit of Happyness", too, as "Highest Ground". It was also used during the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" pilot episode opening.

A cover of this version of the song was used in the game "Guitar Hero". This song was released as a part of a 3-song pack via Xbox Live for the Xbox 360 title "Guitar Hero II" on April 11, 2007.

"Higher Ground" was the Steiner Brothers' entrance music back in WCW.

As part of the "Year of a Million Dreams" Celebration, Space Mountain at Disneyland in Anaheim, California used this song as its soundtrack for 16 weeks, from January 3, 2007 to April 26, 2007.

This version has also been played in a season one episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air".

British magazine, Total Guitar names this version as the second greatest cover version ever in 2000. [citation | newspaper = Total Guitar | date = August 2000 | title = The Best Cover Versions Ever | publisher = Future Publishing]

Track listing

CD Single #1
# "Higher Ground" (Album)
# "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
# "Millionaires Against Hunger" (Previously Unreleased)
# "Mommy Where's Daddy" (Album)

CD Single #2 (Germany Only)
# "Politician" (Mini Rap)
# "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
# "Higher Ground" (Daddy-O Remix)
# "Mommy Where's Daddy" (Album)

12" Vinyl
# "Politician (Mini Rap)
# "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
# "Higher Ground" (Dub Mix)
# "Mommy Where's Daddy"

12" Remix Vinyl
# "Higher Ground"
# "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
# "Politician" (Mini Rap)
# "Higher Ground" (Bert Bevans Mix)

UK 12" Vinyl
# "Higher Ground"
# "Higher Ground" (Daddy-O Remix)
# "Fight Like a Brave"