Good Material

Stevie Wonder was coming into His own with His late 60's material.while some of the material here isn't fully developed like His 70's Material you can hear the Blue Print at what was to come.He was finding His voice&overall Creative powers.the title track alone is a classic jam.

Not so 'Little' anymore

The first six months of 1966 were pretty darn good ones where Motown albums were concerned. In February, the Supremes released the ethereal "I Hear A Symphony," and before June came the Temptations' "Gettin' Ready" which heralded the start of the group's Norman Whitfield era by also carrying `Ain't Too Proud To Beg.' Both the Vandellas & The Marvelettes put out superb greatest hits sets, and in sequential LP numbers on Tamla (266, 267 & 268), came "Moods of Marvin Gaye," the Miracles "Going To A Go-Go" and Stevie's "Uptight." All three carried at least four hit singles (or eventually would.)

"Uptight" was one of those albums that really didn't have a bad cut at all, and you could listen to both sides, all the way through, without your interest waning. The year started with the single of the title song still high in the top ten. Next, came a single whose both sides were equally good: the driving "Nothing's Too Good For My Baby" backed with a hypnotic ballad, just right for Stevie, "With A Child's Heart." Summertime saw a slightly edited version of "Blowing In The Wind" (a near-duet with Clarence Paul) climb high on the pop chart and to No. 1 on the R&B. The LP also reached back to January 1963 to carry the pre-`Fingertips' single, "Contract On Love." The album contained another duet as well: Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops giving Steve an assist on "Teach Me Tonight." Nowhere on the cover was this mentioned - you got the surprise when you played the record. "Hold Me," also, became a strong B-side in 1967 for "I Was Made To Love Her."

One little matter could use rectifying if Motown ever re-packages this one. Those as old as me will remember that the original "Uptight" 45 carried a great B-side - the bluesy, lost-love ballad, "Purple Rain Drops," whose writer-credit was Ted Hull, Stevie's tutor. Not even the mammoth "At The Turn Of A Century" set of Stevie's work remembered to pick up this one and, as far as I know, it's never been revived on a vinyl LP or CD set. It doesn't deserve that oblivion.

stevie's musical talent is revived with the "uptight" album

in 1964,the young stevie wonder's career at motown was at serious

crossroads.motown had considered dropping the young musical lad

because after his runaway smash(live)hit "fingertips" from 1963

the hits stopped coming and soon his career was in the shambles and in serious crisis.several more singles came and went without a trace and executives at motown wanted 2 tear up stevie's contract.enter the beautiful sylvia moy.she basically influenced the motown staff 2 let her help stevie come out of his musical

funk.inspired by a musical riff by stevie,sylvia sketched out

the lyrics for what was 2 be wonder's biggest hit in 2 years:

"uptight" which was also co-written with henry cosby.the song

was a breath of fresh air 4 the 15 or 16 year old wonder.the

"uptight"album itself even after all these years is still refreshing 2 listen 2.the album opener the upbeat "love a go go" with it's driving rhythm and stevie's voice by this time is

coming of age."love a go go"is just as good or better than

"uptight"-"hold me" is a nice tender ballad of which the young

wonder tells his girl in the song:'why should you be lonely

when i need you so?'/"blowin' in the wind" (which is a duet with his older mentor clarence paul)is stevie's remake of a classic bob dylan song and it was one of stevie's earliest forays into message songs."nothing's too good for my baby"is similar in sound 2 "uptight" while "teach me tonight" is a good vocal duet between stevie and the four tops lead singerlevi stubbs."ain't that asking for trouble" and "i want my baby back" are the first 2 upbeat songs that kicks off the original vinyl of side two."pretty little angel"is perhaps one of the most nicest melodies on this classic 1966 album.the song has romantic lyrics 4 those who r very young:'i can win your love-if you'll just open up your heart-little girl i'm so in love with you'...this song's melody is nice.stevie's powerful drumming which gives "music talk" a solid hard groove has stevie vocalizing that 'music is a language that's understood by people everywhere'...stevie gives the song another solid hard drum solo

midway thru and closes this song with his harmonica heroics.

"contract on love" is the only reason i would give this album

three out of five stars because it's inclusion on this album is

strange.it was recorded in 1962. notice when listening 2 this

album that there is a musical progression from 1962-1966 and the

sounds from 1962 and 1966 is entirely different.simply put the

song "contract on love" does not fit on this album.however,i agree with a previous reviewer who bitterly complained about

the ignored "purple raindrops" which was included on the flipside of the original "uptight"45 but not included in this

album.why would motown do this?this is a crime!"purple raindrops" would surely fit better on the "uptight"album than

"contract on love"/ motown needs 2 rectify this matter because

as the previous reviewer stated that the song"purple raindrops"

does not deserve oblivion.another wonder song that should have been included in this album is the happy rambunctious "kiss me baby"(1965)-this song was co-written by stevie with his older mentor clarence paul.even stevie's fiery live remake of "high heel sneakers"from 1965 would have fit well on this album instead of "contract on love"/the final song on this album is the

tender childlike "with a child's heart" a tender song for the

children.stevie even has his harmonica in a childlike mood.

the song can bring out the inner child from grown adults and

it can be the type of song that can put little children 2 sleep.stevie wonder's 1966 classic album "uptight" was perfect

for it's time and it changed motown's mind when it hit-and it

gave the young genius more time 2 develop his musical craft...

(thanks 2 the very beautiful sylvia moy...)