The world is getting a special gift this morning from Stevie Wonder as "Songs in the Key of Life" turns 50: four previously unreleased songs from his mid-1970s golden era.
The four tracks, recently polished off by Wonder after five decades in the vaults, are being unveiled with an EP celebrating the anniversary of the 1976 double record widely regarded as the Motown star’s magnum opus.
“It's Easier,” “My Life Story of Love,” “I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’” were in various stages of completion when Wonder finalized his album’s running list in ’76. Though ultimately left on the sidelines at the time, Wonder says the songs are true to the creative spirit of the sessions.
“We’ve lived with ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ for 50
years, but there’s still more to hear,” he says in a statement. “We didn’t add these songs to the album, but they were part of what I was feeling and discovering as we made it. They bring me back to that time in my life, and now they get to become part of yours.”
“Songs in the Key of Life” went on to garner three Grammy Awards while yielding timeless hits such as “Sir Duke,” “I Wish” and “Isn't She Lovely.” Released Sept. 28, 1976 — half a century ago today — it stands as one of the 20th Century’s music masterpieces, nailing the sweet spot of artistic triumph and commercial appeal.
The tracks released Monday instantly evoke the album's familiar feel, teeming with hallmarks of the original work — multi-tracked vocals, warm, jazzy vibes and fleeting sound effects tucked into the mix.
The springy "It's Easier" kicks off the EP, followed by "My Life Story of Love," featuring an elegant Fender Rhodes performance by Detroit keyboardist Greg Phillinganes, who in the mid-1970s was launching his professional career at age 19.
The sweetly melodic "I Can See the Sun in Late December" is one of two tracks featuring the services of Wonder's go-to bassist, Detroiter Nathan Watts, while "I'm Into Livin'" is a true time-capsule piece, with infectious keyboard lines and bass performed by Wonder on a Yamaha GX-1 — his beloved "Dream Machine" during that period. The latter song also features backing vocals by rising singers Deniece Williams and Thelma Houston, along with a distinctive sax part by noted L.A. session player Jim Horn.
All four tracks were mixed by John Fischbach and Gary Adante, engineers on the original sessions.
Even the EP's official release time Monday morning — 4:54 a.m. Pacific — is a callback to the making of "Songs in the Key of Life." The phrase "Fo' Fifty Fo'!" — uttered by Watts after a long overnight recording session — became a running inside joke in Wonder's camp.
The 50th anniversary festivities will continue: Wonder is set to hit the road on a "Songs in the Key of Life" tour that will kick off Oct. 13 in England and eventually make its way for a pair of sold-out homecoming shows at Detroit's Fox Theatre on Dec. 8 and 9.
Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Stevie Wonder unveils 4 never-heard 'Songs in the Key of Life' tracks
