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Innervisions | 
| Artist: Stevie Wonder
Label: Motown
Category: Music
Buy New: $15.00
New (5) Used (7) Collectible (2) from $4.00
Rating:  51 reviews
Sales Rank: 304432
Media: Audio Cassette
UPC: 737463032643
EAN: 0737463032643
ASIN: B000001A6O
Release Date: October 17, 1990
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Too High | | • | Visions | | • | Living for the City | | • | Golden Lady | | • | Higher Ground | | • | Jesus Children of America | | • | All in Love Is Fair | | • | Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing | | • | He's Misstra Know It All |
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| Similar Items:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential recording
One of Stevie Wonder's best albums, and the one where his more fanciful, free-form moments gel perfectly with his knack for irresistible pop singles, 1973's Innervisions swings between delicate and airy ballads, Latin-influenced rhythms (the hit "Don't Worry 'Bout a Thing"), and his own synth-heavy versions of gut-bucket soul (the determined spiritual questing of "Higher Ground"). The striking juxtaposition between "Vision," a barely breathed hope that a world of peace might be upon us, and the great "Living for the City," a funky, pulsing tale of racism, is powerful, haunting, and still all too relevant. --David Cantwell
Album Description
BOOK, WONDER WENT ON TO RELEASE, IN 1973, WHAT IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE HIS GREATEST ACHIEVMENT. HERE WONDER BRINGS SOCIAL COMMENTARY TO THE FORE WITH CLASSIC HITS LIKE "HIGHER GROUND" AND "LIVING FOR THE CITY" AND HIS COMMENTARY ON AMERICAN URBAN LIVING HAS REMAINED SOME OF THE MOST POIGNANT IN MUSIC HISTORY. THE ALBUM ALSO WON THREE GRAMMYS, INCLUDING ALBUM OF THE YEAR.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 46 more reviews...
STEVIE PROVES HIS VISION IS LIMITLESS. December 8, 1999
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
Listening to the sheer breadth of the music presented here, it's hard to believe Stevie Wonder was all of 23 when he released this masterpiece. Continuing a very fruitful collaboration with synth wizards Bob Marguleouff and Malcolm Cecil, Wonder made what is, in my opinion, his most accomplished album ever. Avoiding the artistic excesses that would threaten to topple his later works (1976's "Songs In The Key Of Life" being the most notable example), Stevie perfected his sound, production and vocal delivery on these 9 flawless numbers. "Too High" opens with a bouncing, funky bass/synth line that remains the focal point throughout this jazzy, bracing track which also features superb backing vocals by Lani Groves and Jim Gilstrap. Stevie's cymbal-accented drumming and keyboard work are also miracles unto themselves. This knockout opener segues directly into "Visions" a heartbreakingly beautiful acoustic number envisioning a perfect, "milk and honey land, where hate is a dream, and love forever stands". Sung with an almost childlike innocence, Stevie concludes each verse with the longing question "is this a vision in my mind?" Positively breathtaking. (Special Note: Before the final verse, after a brief pause in the music as the vibes and guitars fade momentarily into silence, listen as Stevie takes a deep breath before continuing the vocal passage, it almost breaks your heart.) This vision of utopia is abruptly interrupted by the looming, deep, almost ominous sounding synthesizer intro to the timeless "Living For The City" (remember Spike Lee's brilliant use of this in "Jungle Fever", and how it blew away every other song in the movie?)From the insistent, pounding rhythm of this song, Stevie's astoundingly detailed lyrics,(you can truly see all of the people he describes in this piece) to the still terrifying vision of the boy from Mississippi arriving in New York City and quickly being set up for arrest and imprisonment, this song has lost none of it's impact almost 27 years after being recorded. Stevie's vocals on this track are extremely impressive, alternating between high-pitched on the choruses to low and (literally) growling on the final verse, perfectly matching the hard and gritty reality of New York faced by the songs protagonist. Still his scariest song ever, and one of his funkiest. "Living"... gives way to the beautiful piano intro and breezy, effortless balladry of the underrated "Golden Lady". Sporting one of his loveliest melodies ever, this song closes side one on a romantic, hopeful note with Stevie repeating the chorus several times into the fade, letting the euphoric feeling wash over the listener. Side Two opens with the outstanding, one man band effort "Higher Ground" Everything Stevie does well is presented here, searing vocals, social commentary in the lyrics, driving drums, funky bass and even funkier clavinet, this was the album's biggest radio hit and still gets your head nodding to the bounding rhythm everytime. Witness his vocal whoooo! after the last chorus and you can tell he knows this one is a smoker too! Fading directly into "Jesus Children of America" another bass synth heavy mid-tempo number that touches on quite a few topics lyrically, from the homeless, religion, trancendental meditation, and drug use that sounds like a warning signal to each of us to awaken from our spiritual and moral complacency. "Al In Love Is Fair" follows and slowly works it's way into your subconcious, with it's simple, straightforward arrangement and passionate vocal delivery, another perfect song on an album chock-full of creativity. The somber mood is lifted immediately by the playful piano figure and playful foreign language come-on at the intro to "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing". The Latin-flavored arrangement and percussive textures make this another ear pleaser. Stevie's double-tracked vocals on the bridge are also spine tingling, you simply can't resist smiling when you hear him harmonize with himself! The largely acoustic "He's Misstra Know It All" closes out the proceedings on a relaxed yet uplifting note with the background repeating the smooth chorus over and over as the tunes drifts along on a bed of piano, laid back bass and drums bringing the track to it's gospel-tinged crescendo. A perfect close to a perfect album. R&B, pop, rock or whatever you choose to call it, this album has stood, and will continue to stand the test of time. This is indispensible and belongs in any comprehensive music collection.
What else to say ... a classic May 27, 2000
Thomas Aikin (San Diego, CA)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
Growing up my musical interest was primarily classic rock and classical. In college I finally started endeavoring to understand jazz. Now I have favorites from about every stlye out there. Inexplicably, "Innervisions" didn't make it into my collection until a couple of months ago and I must say I've been missing out. Sure I was familiar with Stevie Wonder, but the album quickly rose to being ranked among my personal favorites and comparable to albums like "Abbey Road" and "Dark Side of the Moon" as genre-transcendent masterpieces. "Innversions" perhaps even more than the aforementioned titles is an absolute amalgam of genres and styles, seamlessly blended. From the funky standards "Higher Ground" and "Living for the City" to the gorgeous ballads "Visions" and "All in Love is Fair" Stevie doesn't pen a single dud. My personal favorite would probably have to be the album-closing "He's Missta Know-it-all". A song that confounds with its sentimental story of a fairly despicable character. The kicker is the excellent remastering on this disc. I never owned the original and can't compare, but have to say this is one of the best sounding, clearest, and deepest CDs out of my collection of more than 800. On top of that it is a limited edition offering. So what are you waiting for? This is an album that can truly appeal to just about any music fan. Even pretentious indie-rock types can't say anything negative. Truly a timeless masterpiece.
Hard not to be redundant November 2, 2000
Eric V. Moye (New York, by way of Dallas)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Why they made five stars. Stevie's best work to that time. Wonderful storytelling, in "Living For The City". Inspiration in "Higher Ground" and especially "Jesus Children of America". Love songs (of course) in "All In Love Is Fair". The reproduction on this disc is positively stunning. After not listening to this for more than a decade, the CD knocked me out. Eddie Murphy was correct: STEVIE WONDER IS A MUSICAL GENIUS
Sublime October 26, 1999
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Stevie Wonder is terrific and this is a terrific album. Everything here is perfect, from fast 'n funky ("Higher Ground") to pointedly outspoken ("Living For The City," "He's Misstra Know It All") to ballads that break your heart ("All In Love Is Fair," "Visions"). He moves through so much music in the space of a little under 40 minutes....and not one dog in the bunch. Wonder has made scads of incredible albums, but INNERVISIONS is first among equals.
Wonder in fine form November 4, 2000
Matt Calvert (Gt Missenden, Bucks United Kingdom)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
A logical progression from the his commercial breakthrough (under his revised Motown contract) "Talking Book", Stevie Wonder again combines his ingeneous production and arranging skills with masterful writing to produce one os his most popular albums. The hours alone in the studio with synth wizards Bob Margeloef and Malcom Cecil paid dividends in creating a mix that was simultaneously progressive and accesible, ranging from the groove-oriented ("Golden Lady", "Too High", and "Jesus Children of America") to (by now compulsary) ballads ("Visions", "All is Fair In Love") plus surprises such "Higher Ground", bolstered by Wonder's rolling layers of Mutron-flavoured Clavinet in the vain of "Superstition", to the psuedo-latin "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing". Although he brings along a few backing singers, percussionists and guitarists, it is Wonder's heartfelt performances and his use of the technology of the day that give life to his compositions. Wonder fell slightly under par with this LP's follow up, "Fullfillingness' First Finale", before going on to complete his most celebrated work, the double album (4 LP) "Songs In The Key Of Life". I however believe that it was "Innervisions" that witnessed Wonder's creative peak, perhaps the double album that stretched his ideas too far.
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