Stevie Wonder - Stevie Wonder´s Journey Through The "Secret Life Of Plants" (1979) (2LP) - €20,00

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Stevie Wonder’s Journey Through “The Secret Life of Plants” is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on the Tamla Motown label on October 30, 1979. It is the soundtrack to the documentary The Secret Life of Plants, directed by Walon Green, which was based on the book of the same name by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird. 

It contains two singles that reached the Billboard Hot 100 charts: “Send One Your Love” (No. 4) and the minor hit “Outside My Window” (No. 52). The single “Black Orchid” reached No. 63 in the UK.

Stevie Wonder broke a three-year silence, one that followed a series of six classic albums released within six years, with this double album, the score/soundtrack to a little-seen environmental documentary directed by Wild Bunch co-screenwriter Walon Green. From the release of Songs in the Key of Life through the release of Plants, Wonder had been active, actually, but only as a collaborator, working with Ramsey Lewis, the Pointer Sisters, Minnie Riperton, Syreeta, Ronnie Foster, and Michael Jackson.

Even so, three years was a considerable lag between albums. Anticipation was so high that this release peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and R&B album charts. It quickly slipped to footnote status; when Wonder’s 1972-1980 albums were reissued in 2000, it was left out of the program. Plants is a sprawling, fascinating album. 

Though it is dominated by synthesizer-heavy instrumental pieces with evocative titles, there is a handful of full-blown songs.

The gorgeous, mostly acoustic ballad “Send One Your Love” was a Top Ten R&B single, while the joyous “Outside My Window” registered in the Top 60. Beyond that, there’s the deep classic “Come Back as a Flower,” a gently lapping, piano-led ballad featuring Syreeta on vocals. 

Otherwise, there are playfully oddball tracks like “Venus’ Flytrap and the Bug,” where Wonder chirps “Please don’t eat me!” through robotizing effects, and “A Seed’s a Star,” which incorporates crowd noise, a robotized monologue, and a shrieking Tata Vega over a funkier and faster version of Yellow Magic Orchestra.

The album is not for everyone, but it suited its purpose and allowed its maker an amount of creative wiggle room that few major-label artists experience.

Side A

A1.  Earth’s Creation (Instrumental) -4:06

A2.  The First Garden (Instrumental) - 4:48

A3.  Voyage to India (Instrumental) - 6:29

A4.  Same Old Story - 3:44

A5.  Venus’ Flytrap and the Bug - 2:25

A6.  Ai No, Sono - 2:06

Side B

B1.  Seasons (Instrumental) - 2:53

B2.  Power Flower - 5:29

B3.  Send One Your Love (Instrumental) - 3:05

B4.  Race Babbling - 8:51

Side C

C1.  Send One Your Love - 4:01

C2.  Outside My Window - 5:29

C3.  Black Orchid - 3:47

C4.  Ecclesiastes - 3:42

C5.  Kesse Ye Lolo De Ye - 3:03

C6.  Come Back as a Flower (Lead vocals: Syreeta Wright) - 4:59

Side D

D1.  A Seed’s a Star/Tree Medley - 5:53

D2.  The Secret Life of Plants - 4:16

D3.  Tree (Instrumental) - 5:47

D4.  Finale (Instrumental) - 7:01

Personnel

• Stevie Wonder – instruments, synthesizer, vocals
• Syreeta Wright – vocals on "Come Back as a Flower"
• Bill Wolfer, Clark Spangler, Gordon Bahary – synthesizer, sequencer, programming
• Ben Bridges, Michael Sembello, Rick Zunigar – guitar
• Nathan Watts, Henry Franklin – bass
• Ron Kersey – Fender Rhodes on "A Seed's a Star/Tree Medley"
• Dennis Davis – electronic drums on "A Seed's a Star/Tree Medley"
• Earl DeRouen – congas, bongos, backing vocals on "A Seed's a Star/Tree Medley"
• Joe Johnson – bells on "A Seed's a Star/Tree Medley"
• Ibrahim Camara – djembe, congas, bells, drums, vocals on "Kesse Ye Lolo De Ye"
• Lamine Konté – kora, vocals on "Kesse Ye Lolo De Ye"
• Josie James – vocals on "Race Babbling"
• Táta Vega – vocals on "A Seed's a Star/Tree Medley"

Companies, etc.

• Produced For – Taurus Productions
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Motown Record Corporation
• Published By – Jobete Music Co., Inc.
• Published By – Black Bull Music

Credits

• Art Direction – John Cabalka
• Coordinator [Album Cover Coordination] – Keith Harris 
• Engineer [Additional] – Jay Mark
• Engineer [Additional], Programmed By [Synthesizer] – John Fischbach
• Engineer [Assistant] – Ann Bolling, Bob Harlan, Charlie Brewer, Jim Dougherty, Laura Livingston, Lindy Griffin
• Engineer, Mixed By, Producer [Associate], Programmed By [Synthesizer] – Gary Olazabal
• Illustration [Album Package] – Margo Nathas
• Lacquer Cut By – J.H.
• Layout – Ginny Livingston
• Liner Notes [Bambara Translation] – Abdoulaye Soumare
• Liner Notes [Japanese Translation] – Kenji Miura, Mary Ann Monkoski, Yoshi J. Maejima
• Lyrics By – Stevie Wonder (tracks: A4 to A6, B4 to C2, C5, D1, D2)
• Mastered By – Stan Ricker
• Music By, Performer [Instruments], Producer, Programmed By [Synthesizer] – Stevie Wonder
• Programmed By [Synthesizer, Sequencer] – Bill Wolf, Clark Spangler, Gordon Bahary
• Technician [Computer Music Melodian Design] – Harry Mandell

Notes

Release:  1979

Format:  2LP, Vinyl 

Genre:   Soul

Label:  Motown Records

Catalog#   1A 158-62492

Vinyl: Goed (VG)

Cover: Goed (VG) (Gatefold)

Prijs: €20,00