Steveland Hardaway Morris: the Legend Comes to Life

I had not ever planned to see Stevie Wonder in an arena. I tend to avoid big venues that have no direct and vulnerable connection between artist and audience. But I was gifted the ticket so off I went to Birmingham, for an evening of surprisingly close contact with Stevie.

To be around Stevie is to experience some key elements of African American folklore. The archetype of the blind street musician at the crossroads blowing blues on the mouth harp, howling about spells and superstitions. Completing the path and circle that Brotha Ray Charles, his inspirational mentor, began to draw.

Wonder established himself as one of the originators of alternative Black music, creating a unique prototype of art house funk infused with Afro Futurism.

Stevie is a part of our lives in the same way Italian food or black hats are. Everyone has seen a black hat they like and tasted at least one Italian dish they enjoy. His music is a part of our lives like Beethoven, nursery rhymes or oak trees. Just nice things that we've always had and take for granted. I doubt that there are many of us alive in the Western world that haven't enjoyed listening to a Stevie jam.

Songs like You Are the Sunshine of My Life and For Once in My Life are part of our universal human DNA. His legendary household status is unquestionable.  

But for this tour he has chosen to perform his album Songs in the Key of Life.  The classic period of Wonder's career indisputably includes the trio of magical albums co-produced with Tonto's Expanding Headband: Music of my Mind, Talking Book and Innervisions.

The week he released Innervisions, Wonder was severely injured in a car accident and went into a coma for four days. It was a life-changing experience that would eventually lead to the recording of Songs in the Key of Life. 

The record is considered by many as one of the top 10 greatest albums. It is different from his classic period. Somewhat less quirky and alternative, but there are groundbreaking moments. Notably Village Ghetto Land, Pastime Paradise, Ordinary Pain and Saturn.

The ensemble Wonder has put together for this tour is, as expected, large and dynamic: including string players they numbered 27 on stage at one point.

Backing tracks and other trickery seemed to be largely avoided, so what you get is some serious live jamming by these badass cats from LA. Including many of Wonder's family members.

It always occurred to me that the song that stands apart from the others on Songs in the Key of Life is Saturn. And I was happy that Wonder seemed to think so also. Saturn is often not included as part of the album – indeed it was relegated to a separate 45 on the original vinyl release. 

But here the show was stopped midway through and Saturn was inserted. All the musicians exited the stage apart from Stevie, keyboardist Greg Phillinganes, drummer Eddie Brown and guitarist Errol Cooney. The lights are dimmed and a beautiful film of a celestial shower cascades the room as Stevie Wonder proceeds to sing the most profoundly political lyrical message of the evening.

At the end of Saturn, the largely white Birmingham audience sits seemingly underwhelmed. They quietly and politely clap, perhaps wishing for I Just Called to Say I Love You. Into the resulting silence I stand up and holler, "that was the jam. That was the jam."

SATURN
Packing my bags - going away
To a place where the air is clean
On Saturn
There's no sense to sit and watch the people die
We don't fight our wars the way you do
We put back all the things we use
On Saturn
There's no sense to keep on doing such crimes

There's no principles in what you say
No direction in the things you do
For your world is soon to come to a close
Through the ages all great men have taught
Truth and happiness just can't be bought - or sold
Tell me why are you people so cold

I'm......
Going back to Saturn where the rings all glow
Rainbow, moonbeams and orange snow
On Saturn
People live to be two hundred and five
Going back to Saturn where the people smile
Don't need cars cause we've learn to fly
On Saturn
Just to live to us is our natural high

We have come here many times before
To find your strategy to peace is war
Killing helpless men, women and children
That don't even know what they are dying for
We can't trust you when you take a stand
With a gun and bible in your hand
And the cold expression on your face
Saying give us what we want or we'll destroy

I'm......
Going back to Saturn where the rings all glow
Rainbow, moonbeams and orange snow
On Saturn
People live to be two hundred and five
Going back to Saturn where the people smile
Don't need cars cause we've learned to fly
On Saturn
Just to live to us is our natural high