'Gets stronger as the album progresses

There is no denying that Stevie Wonder is a musical genius: he's a singer, a profound lyricist, and an accomplished master of several musical instruments, all made more remarkable because of his blindness. He has never let his "disability" keep him from "seeing" the good and bad of the world.



This album, though not in the same league as his 70's triumphant quintet ("Music of the Mind," "Talking Book," "Innervisions," "Fulfillingness First Finale," and the Grammy-winning "Songs in the Key of Life"), is a mixed bag.



It begins with three forgettable tunes, including the popular-but-so-sweet-it's-sickening "These Three Words." Wonder's gift is his complexity as an artist; unfortunately, the song in question is too simplistic in both words and music, reminiscent of the artist's Oscar-winning "I Just Called to Say I Love You."



Glimpses of vintage Stevie can be found on "Each Other's Throats," a condemnation of domestic violence; "If She Breaks Your Heart," a duet with Kimberly Brewer; "Gotta Have You" and the title cut, the two songs obviously geared for the dance floor; and "Make Sure You're Sure," a lush string-laden track concerning commitment in a relationship.



My favorite among the remaining songs is "I Go Sailing". On that song Wonder's lyrics tell the listener that personal reflections or "sailing" will result in a discovery and growth. The accompanying music symbolizes the movement on the ocean, with its ebbs and flows, adding "buoyancy" to the singer's words.

FEEDING OFF THE LOVE OF THE LAND?

in 1979,stevie wonder recorded his first soundtrack album:the

double album entitled-"stevie wonder's journey through the secret life of plants"of which was scorned by motown;then was

trashed by the critics and even worse was the fact his fan base

was not used 2 this kind of music and the movie itself was hated by the movie audience.nonetheless it hit #4 r&b-#4pop.wonder was still hot enough 2 hit the top ten on both charts.five years later in 1984,wonder recorded his second film soundtrack-"the woman in red" with dionne warwick.it featured the beautiful duets "weakness" and "it's you"-plus the hit single releases

"i just called to say i love you" and "lovelight in flight"and the funk workout of the explosive title track,"the woman in red" /the soundtrack even charted better than it's predecessor-it hit #1r&b-#4 pop.seven years later in 1991,wonder recorded

his third soundtrack album:"music from the movie:jungle fever"-a

high tech collection of beautiful ballads and funk.inspired by

movie director spike lee's film of the same name,wonder's voice

and music sounds better than ever before.stevie kicks off this

set with the beautifully ray of sunshine track-"fun day"-a song

about a day in the park with children playing,birds singing or

with that special someone.stevie vocalizes:"i'm gonna go out to

the park where you feel the joy in every heart"/the song

features his classic harmonica solo midway thru the song and

near the song's end,stevie says:"let me solo,let me solo,let me

solo...solo!"-wonder decorates the song with a pretty piano solo

piece at the song's conclusion."queen in the black"-a song dedicated 2 the black woman's regal beauty inside and out is

every true blackman's dream 2 have a beautiful blackqueen by his

side.the song is framed by wonder's exquisite modern day funk

and high caliber sound.stevie says:"excuse me please your majesty-i chance this moment nervously-to share with you a

fantasy-that i have lived inside of me"-by the song's end wonder

is placing her on a throne and her beauty is driving him out of

this world.however,the tearjerker of this set is the sad but

beautiful"these three words"-need i say more about this track?listen to it and you'll understand what i mean.next up is the

driving "each other's throat"-a tale of black people bringing

each other down of which wonder states:"we are suppose to be

sisters and brothers but all we do is constantly dog one

another"-no need 2 explain this song any further.../the very

plush,relaxed "if she breaks your heart"(or is it "my love is

gone with yesterday"?)stevie let's his love(of the time)kimberly

brewer assists with lead vocals,while wonder himself relaxes

with background vocals and electric piano,synthesizer,drums and

percussion while larry gittens assists with trumpet.the soft

voice of kimberly along with the pillow plush groove is

irresistible.the song's key lines:"well if she breaks your heart-i will send a robin to sing happy tunes for you-cause i may not

be around to do the things i used to do"-this track is tender

and relaxing with kimberly's soft delicate vocals.i repeat this

track in my cd player all the time."gotta have you" was the

album's first single and another "wonderjam"-although it did not

fare well in the pop charts,stalling at #92-it did hit the r&b

top five reaching#3.the song's heavy funk groove along with

wonder's fiery vocals combined with his background vocalists-this funk number blasts from start 2 finish.but the premier

showcase ballad of this soundtrack album is "make sure you're

sure"-another surefire wonder masterpiece.this is wonder's only

jazz piece of the 90s-mellow piano,masterful vocals and a lush

string section of players.the song is just an instant classic

alongside stevie's other vintage lovesongs-what a beautiful line

to tell a woman:"well,the wine is sweet-and the music sways-and

your lips are so divine-and you say you know-that you're falling

in love-now,let's be mature,make sure you're sure"-need i say

more about this classic?listen 4 yourself."jungle fever"is a

tale of interracial romance while "i go sailing"is the smooth 90s

version of the 1960s "california dreaming"/"chemical love" is a

moderate upbeat song about people craving 4 different types of

addictions in life.wonder pretty much sums up the song with

these lines:"some people crave chemical,physical,material love-

but we need a spiritual love"/the song "lighting up the candles"

was written about marvin gaye-a song that stevie had dedicated

2 him,but he also included it in this soundtrack.the song has

a sleek attractive melody and of course wonder's classic vocals:

"lighting up the candles-to what used to be-tender memories in

moments of love".../but the most astonishing and the most

mystifying thing about this album is what should have been the

album's closer:"feeding off the love of the land"-wonder's

heartfelt compassion of the world and man's corruption of it.

the song is basically an updated version of "visions"from the

"innervisions"album from 1973."feeding off the love of the land"

is heard at the film's conclusion as the credits were rolling

but is not included in the album soundtrack.why was the strange

decision made 2 not include it in the soundtrack album?it leaves

me scratching my head!the song is only avaliable on the flip side of "gotta have you" and the 12inch version of the hit. my ?uestion is where is "feeding off the love of the land?"

stevie wonder's jungle fever soundtrack reached#1 r&b #24 pop.

Fun Day !

Jungle Fever is Stevie's return to form after the boring "Characters"

First of all, his vocals, save one song is back in form, strong, vibrant, the Stevie we all know from the seventies. He doesnt do anything quite new, but great music it is.



Fun Day is well, fun! From the piano work, which feels jazzy, and the cool sounding intro, and drumming with Nathan's base kickin to underpin the song, its fresh, vibrant, and embodies the lyrics completely. Its what a Stevie Wonder song should be; lyric and insturmental working together to achieve emotion. Its a joy to wake up to that song



Queen in the Black has great lyrics. Just as vibrant and lively, it tells of Stevie worshipping the lady of his life a Queen in the Black. Dig the drumming and love the synth work in the background which fit perfectly.



These Three Words are a tender reminder of things that matter- family which makes sense to sing about, because they're supposed to be our rock. The electric piano is followed by guitar and the awesome synths that move us from our questioning to why we should say "I love you". His singing at the end is excellent, hitting highest registers, with the clever lyrics of "These There Words" Sound corny from anyone else, but from Stevie we can feel his love.



Each Other Throat feels like it would have worked on an album say Conversation Peace because of its socially conscious lyrics. Going for the sound of the early ninties, it filled with blaring base, keyboards and guitar.

"We are supposed to spread, love and not evil

But we've been acting more like heathens than people

Treating our fellow man, far worse than illegal

cause we keep at each others throats"

Awesome lyrics. Stevie attempt at rapping seems a bit arkward, because the lyrics doesnt balance out on each line, but the words are relevant and the singing carry them out perfectly.



If She Breaks Your Heart breaks the streak of excellent songs on the album- not that it isnt great, or Kimberley's singing isnt awesome, but it just isnt Stevie. It actually songs as if it should be written for her on her own album, which would be great. Other than that its great, wonderful exuberent, espically the insturmentals.



Gotta Have You is reminisenct of Micheal Jackson pop, and it will keep you interested for a while, its really bouncy. which would be cool if the lyrics were substanial- sure, hes gotta have you but thats all its basically saying. Above average.



Make Sure You're Sure

This is the kind of song that you romance to. Its got this candlelight dinner music playing in the background feel. Its jazzy feel reminds us that Stevie can do slow numbers like this- its probably his best slower songs. And the lyrics are just to die for, a subject approached from a vunerable couple who needs to be sure where they are. The violins are espically moving, and the singing is top notch strong.



Jungle Fever. Its got the Fun Day bounciness and strength, but the lyrics are kind of uninspired. Nevetheless, the music itself is good title foddler for the movie this album soundtrack is from. Good, but not essensital listening, despite its social inspired lyrics.



I Go Sailing has a great sound, and you gotta love that he uses the wind blowing to start off the song, which is really just genious. The lyrics while not very substanial work here; you are kind of just floating here, where the words dont even matter, thanks to Stevie lovely singing. Love the adlib at the end



Chemical Love is underrated, and at first it wont grab you like the other songs did, but its really great, with Stevie's synth voice, but the sound is just really funky. Its remininsent of "Bird of Beauty" in subject but I think the lyrics are less convulted here.



Lighting Up the Candles relies on imagery, to assume that seeing lighted up candles gives up memories we see loves past, and hoping the spark the future. Though again the lyrics are somewhat short, it has an urgency like "Please Dont Go" just not in a Ray Charles country sense. This is more R and B, espically with the way the verse is sung. Great way to end this album.



I wasn't looking at this if its an appropiate soundtrack for the movie Jungle Fever; rather is it a good Stevie Wonder album, since he wrote every song save one lyric and sung almost every song. Not all the songs are essential like Stevie's 70 albums, but throughly enjoyable from beginining to end.