Need help...Stevie Wonder song? (hey, not a war thread!)

pscatespscates
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014




Anyone here a Stevie Wonder fan? I'm trying to track down this song (have been for while now).



I'm about 90% sure it's Stevie Wonder because a) I thought I heard someone actually say it one time and b) it sounds like something from that whole "Superstition" era. It's VERY funky.



It's an instrumental (at least all that heard of it), so with no lyrics to quote, this might get tough. But some of you into music and instruments might be able to nail it down.



It's mid-tempo, real heavy on the 1 beat. There's a real prominent clavinet (is that what that instrument is called? It's a real cool "honky/quacky" sounding keyboard thing...it's the instrument that plays that main lick/hook in "Superstition"...you know if it if you hear it).



This song just seems to repeat a simple progression over and over again. I don't know the chord symbol number thing, but if the song was in, say, E it would go from E to D to A (kind of a descending/reverse I-IV-V progression).







I'm f***ed, ain't I?



Sadly, I have nothing else but that to go on.



I asked a question like this a year or so ago (a Smiths song) and many of you nailed it right away.



Any help is appreciated.



Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    You just described all of the music from that period. Not just Stevie Wonder's...
  • Reply 2 of 15
    shawnpatrickjoyceshawnpatrickjoyce Posts: 2,417member
    What? No ABBA?
  • Reply 3 of 15
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Might I reccomend going to amazon.com and clicking on some of the preview links? It's reminded me of a song or two that I otherwise would have forgotten about....
  • Reply 4 of 15
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    I just burned through amazon.com/cdnow.com and clicked on every available sound clip they had (whew!).



    No luck.







    I mean, there's a TINY chance it's not even him, but I'd put money on it. I heard it back last summer as bumper music on Rush or somebody and I think he even said "...Mr. Stevie Wonder playing us back in..." or something. Then I heard it on a movie. Not "Dazed and Confused", but something like that (set back in the 70's).



    Then, just yesterday out of the blue, I was listening to some syndicated sportstalk radio show late at night and they had it playing and it all came back to me and I remembered how cool it was.







    So, I THINK it's Wonder, but sadly all the songs on his albums at amazon/cdnow aren't available for listening samples. Just the first five or so.



    This would SO much easier if it had lyrics, I know. I mean, it doesn't help anyone for me just to go "beyowng...chick-a-bow-dow...beyown-chank-a-a..."



  • Reply 5 of 15
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by midwinter

    You just described all of the music from that period. Not just Stevie Wonder's...



    True 'dat
  • Reply 6 of 15
    rick1138rick1138 Posts: 938member
    Contusion, from Songs in Key of Life? Although it has a long descending progression as well.
  • Reply 7 of 15
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    (bump)



    Anyone?
  • Reply 8 of 15
    curiousuburbcuriousuburb Posts: 3,325member
    if you've google'd for "stevie wonder instrumental" for no joy, and similar acquisition search nets nothing suitable, we might need to widen the search to "stevie songs with long funky instrumental sections suitable for looping"



    ... suddenly these jump to mind as candidates for radio airplay



    higher ground (red hot chili peppers version not as good as Basso Mix)

    i wish (also subject to almost as many cover versions as superstition)

    living for the city (extended version over 7 minutes... lots of instrumental bars)



    www.allmusic.com might help prompt names and album reviews, but almost no audio samples



    you might have to search the soundtrack listings of all last years retro movies for prompting
  • Reply 9 of 15
    superkarate monkeydeathcarsuperkarate monkeydeathcar Posts: 2,407member
    it's billy preston - outa space
  • Reply 10 of 15
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    i have no idea but i like ur thread name
  • Reply 11 of 15
    superkarate monkeydeathcarsuperkarate monkeydeathcar Posts: 2,407member
    Quote:

    This would SO much easier if it had lyrics, I know. I mean, it doesn't help anyone for me just to go "beyowng...chick-a-bow-dow...beyown-chank-a-





    actually that description (which i didn't see the first time i scrolled through) sounds life

    rufus - tell me something good

    which has lyrics but large instrumental portions as well
  • Reply 12 of 15
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by superkarate monkeydeathcar

    it's billy preston - outa space



    Are you serious, superkarate monkeydeathcar? Or are you just funnin'?







    I'll go check...
  • Reply 13 of 15
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    OHMIGOSH



    Superkaratemonkeydeathcar, YOU, my man, are the head m.f. of ALL the m.f.s







    Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!



    I just assumed it was Stevie Wonder. I even know Billy Preston (not personally, but am pretty aware of him) and it never occurred to me that it might be him.



    In any case, you're the man. My eternal props!



  • Reply 14 of 15
    superkarate monkeydeathcarsuperkarate monkeydeathcar Posts: 2,407member
    anytime
  • Reply 15 of 15
    ibeniibeni Posts: 54member
    I don't know which song u have in mind, but get the album "Songs in the key of life" anyway. It's fantastic!!!



    I also recommend u the Ray Baretto coverversion of the song "pasttime paradise".
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