Stevie Wonder - The Woman In Red (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1984) (vinyl Lp) - €10,00

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The Woman in Red: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the second soundtrack album released by American musician Stevie Wonder on the Motown label. 

Stevie Wonder’s first foray into the world of soundtracks was for the film, The Secret Life of Plants. 

The film disappeared so fast that many fans assumed the release was a studio album. The music was different from his normal fare but remains extremely interesting.

His second soundtrack was for the film, The Woman In Red and it proved to be a more traditional affair. 

The movie starred Gene Wilder, Kelly LeBrock, and Gilder Radner, and enjoyed some commercial success. Wonder wrote the music and produced the resulting album. 

There was some other music in the film but only his material made it onto the official soundtrack.

The album may not have been his finest hour, but when it was good, it was very good, as two of the songs rank among his best.

“I Just Called To Say I Love You” won an Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Original Song. An edited version was released as a single and became the biggest solo hit of his career. It featured one of his smoothest vocals. 

The six-minute album version is more interesting than its shorter counterpart as it keeps the instrumental connectors intact.

The other well-known track also became a hit single in an edited form. “Love Light In Flight” clocked in at just shy of seven minutes as an album track. 

There is a classic melody that helps the song to soar, plus his use of a digital percussion machine was extremely creative at the time.

“Don’t Drive Drunk” was an odd tempo song with an important message. It was another six-minute-plus track that contained some good ideas but it was the quirky chorus that made the song a difficult listen.

All was not completely well with the album. The title song really never takes off and while the instrumental, “It’s More Than You,” may have had its place in the movie, on an album it is just filler.

He was not alone on the album as Dionne Warwick was a guest vocalist on three of the tracks, two duets and one solo. While some may remember her as the spokesperson for the Psychic Friends Network, during the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, she was one of the most commercially successful solo female artists in music history. 

This album catches her when her voice was still a formidable instrument. If Stevie Wonder had to have a female guest vocalist, she was a good choice at the time.

The best of her three appearances was the duet, “It’s You,” as they fit together perfectly. Her solo outing, “Moments Aren’t Moments,” is only a cut below. “Weakness” was appropriately named as it was the weakest of her three tracks.

Side one

1.  Stevie Wonder - Woman In Red - 4:38

2.  Dionne Warwick & Stevie Wonder - It’s You - 4:56

3.  Ben Bridges - It’s More Than You - 3:15

4.  Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You - 6:17

Side two

1.  Stevie Wonder - Love Light In Flight - 6:54

2.  Dionne Warwick - Moments Aren’t Moments - 4:33

3.  Dionne Warwick & Stevie Wonder - Weakness - 4:13

4.  Stevie Wonder - Don’t Drive Drunk - 6:33

All songs written by Stevie Wonder, except "It's More Than You" by Ben Bridges. 

Companies, etc.

• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Motown Record Corporation
• Copyright © – Orion Pictures Corporation
• Distributed By – RCA S.A.
• Distributed By – RCA Schallplatten GmbH
• Distributed By – RCA B.V.
• Distributed By – RCA Ltd.
• Marketed By – RCA Records
• Distributed By – RCA Records
• Lacquer Cut At – Precision Lacquer
• Pressed By – Sonopress – B-1508

Credits

• Engineer, Mixed By, Producer [Associate] – Gary Olazabal
• Music By – Ben Bridges (tracks: A3)
• Music By, Lyrics By – Stevie Wonder (tracks: A1, A2, A4 to B4)
• Producer – Stevie Wonder

Notes

Release:  1984

Format:  LP, Vinyl

Genre:  Soul

Label:  Motown

Catalog#  ZL 72285

Vinyl:  Goed (VG)

Cover:  Goed (VG)

Prijs: €10,00