Talking Book

Infobox Album | Name = Talking Book
Type = Album
Artist = Stevie Wonder


Released = October 28, 1972
Recorded = 1972
Genre = R&B
Length = 43:31
Label = Motown
Producer = Stevie Wonder, Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2jbsa9ugb23k link]
* Rolling Stone Rating|5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album?id=117344 link]
Last album = "Music of My Mind"
(1972)
This album = "Talking Book"
(1972)
Next album = "Innervisions"
(1973)

"Talking Book", an album by Stevie Wonder released on October 27, 1972, is regarded by some fans as one of the best crossover records of all time. It was the second of five consecutive albums widely hailed as his "classic period", along with "Music of My Mind", "Innervisions", "Fulfillingness' First Finale", and "Songs in the Key of Life". Released after Wonder toured with the Rolling Stones in 1972, "Talking Book" became an immediate hit. The popular appeal of the recording helped destroy the myth that R&B artists were incapable of creating music that could be appreciated by rock audiences, and marked a unique period for R&B artists (especially Motown artists). Its cover depicts Wonder with corn rows, Indian jewelry and a velvet afghan.

Sandwiched between the release of "Music of My Mind" and "Innervisions", "Talking Book" saw Wonder enjoying more artistic freedom from Motown, taking over the production reins and playing most of the instruments. Featured guest appearances include guitar hero Jeff Beck, Ray Parker, Jr. and Buzzy Feton (Howard "Buzz" Feiten). The sound of the album is sharply defined by Wonder's keyboard work, especially with the synthesizers he incorporated, giving a funky edge to tracks like "Maybe Your Baby". His use of the Hohner clavinet model C on "Superstition" is widely regarded as one of the definitive tracks featuring the instrument. His swinging clavinet and harmonica embellishments on "Big Brother", though, defy categorization.

Wonder won three awards for "Talking Book" at the 1974 Grammys: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", and both Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Superstition". Incidentally, in the same ceremony, Wonder's next album, "Innervisions", won Album of the Year and "Talking Book"'s producers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff won the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical award for their work on that album. Cecil and Margouleff produced four of Wonder's "classic" albums in all: "Music of My Mind", "Talking Book", "Innervisions" and "Fulfillingness' First Finale", as well as several albums by the Isley Brothers and others. They employed an unusual production technique using multiple layers of instruments such as the clavinet, Fender Rhodes electric pianos, and Arp & Moog synthesizers in place of the string orchestras used in conventional production techniques. This combination is what gives "Talking Book" and these other three albums their distinctive sound.

Track listing

All songs produced and arranged by Stevie Wonder
# "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (Wonder) - 2:58
# "Maybe Your Baby" (Wonder) - 6:51
# "You and I (We Can Conquer the World)" (Wonder) - 4:39
# "Tuesday Heartbreak" (Wonder) - 3:02
# "You've Got It Bad Girl" (Wonder, Yvonne Wright) - 4:56
# "Superstition" (Wonder) - 4:26
# "Big Brother" (Wonder) - 3:34
# "Blame It on the Sun" (Wonder, S. Wright) - 3:26
# "Lookin' for Another Pure Love" (Wonder, Syreeta Wright) - 4:44
# "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (Wonder, Y. Wright) - 4:51

[http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Stevie-Wonder-Talking-Book-Album/20BE08050BC26A8648256912000A38E1 Album Lyrics]

Personnel

(Where name appears twice, the first is the name of the artist as credited on the original album).

* Gloria Barley - Vocals
* Jeff Beck - Guitar
* Shirley Brewer - Vocals
* Malcolm Cecil - Programming, synthesizers, Producer, Engineer, Associate Producer
* Scott Edwards - Bass Guitar
* Buzzy Feton (Howard "Buzz" Feiten) - Guitar
* Jim Gilstrap - Vocals
* Lani Groves - Vocals
* Loris Harvin (Delores Harvin) - Vocals
* Trevor Laurence - Saxophone
* Steve Madaio - Trumpet
* Robert Margouleff - synthesizers, Producer, Engineer, Associate Producer, Photography
* Ray Parker, Jr. - Guitar
* David Sanborn - Saxophone, Vocals
* Denise Williams - Vocals
* Debra Wilson - Vocals
* Stevie Wonder - Moog synthesizer, Harmonica, Clavinet, Rhodes Piano, vocals, drums, Producer, ARP Synthesizer
* Daniel Ben Zebulon - Percussion, Conga

* Austin Godsey - Engineer, Recording
* Joan Decola - Recording
* George Marino - Mastering

Produced by Stevie Wonder.