Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life

I write an inordinate amount about stuff that's unexpurgated shit on this site, so I thought I'd actually compliment something today.

Stevie Wonder is a bit off-putting to some people. I can see that. He did record 'I Just Called To Say I Love You', which is the worst song ever made. But don't be misled. He's ace. Not crap. Ace.

Witness 'Ordinary Pain' on Songs In The Key Of Life. This is a classic example of a Stevie Wonder song. It starts off as complete garbage and that'll be enough for most of you. You'll switch it off there and then. But DON'T!

The first half, Part I, is a saccharine ballad with Stevie going on about how some guy who's split up with his bird is totally miserable. It ends with a big cheeseball cymbal.

But you should embrace that cymbal, because that cymbal heralds GOOD Stevie Wonder. Just as it fades, Part II kicks in. Part II's the other side of the story. This time it's a woman and she tells it like it is. And she tells it through the power of funk.

Basically Part I guy should stop feeling sorry for himself because he's a complete bastard. "You're crying big crocodile tears. Don't match the ones I cried for years. While I was home waiting for you. You were out somewhere doing the do."

'So enough of your twee, heartfelt ballad. Quit moaning', she says. All the while the band's funking it to a phat one. Or something.

It ends: 'Since one ain't good enough for you, then do yourself see how you do.' Nothing schmaltzy about that.

This album also features 'Sir Duke' which starts with the exact sequence of notes that introduce train announcements in Sri Lanka. There's also 'I Wish' which was wanked-up by Will Smith and turned into 'Wild Wild West'. There's also 'Pastime Paradise' which is where the good bit of 'Gangsta's Paradise' by Coolio came from.

Go and buy some Stevie Wonder albums. Do it now!