Talking Book
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Talking Book is an album by Stevie Wonder. Some fans claim that it is one of the best cross-over records of all time. On its release it helped to destroy the myth that R&B artists were incapable of creating music that could be appreciated by rock audiences.
Talking Book was released after Wonder toured with the Rolling Stones in 1972, and became an immediate hit. The album marked a unique period for R&B artists and especially Motown artists. Its cover depicts Wonder with manicured corn rows, Indian jewelry and a velvet afghan.
Sandwiched between the release of Music of My Mind and Innervisions, Talking Book saw Wonder enjoying more artistic freedom from Motown, taking over the production reins and playing most of the instruments. The album is sharply defined by Wonder's keyboard work, especially with the synthesizers he incorporated, giving a funky edge to tracks like "Maybe Your Baby". His swinging acoustic guitar and harmonica embellishments on "Big Brother", though, defy categorization.
The album features appearances from guitar heroes Jeff Beck, Ray Parker, Jr. and Buzzy Feton (Howard "Buzz" Feiten).
Wonder won three awards for Talking Book at the Grammy Awards of 1974: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", and both Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Superstition". Incidentally, in the same ceremony, Wonder's next album, Innervisions, won Album of the Year and Talking Book's producers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff won the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical award for their work on that album. Cecil and Margouleff produced four classic Wonder Albums in all: Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions and Fulfillingness' First Finale.
Track listing
- "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"
- "Maybe Your Baby"
- "You and I (We Can Conquer the World)"
- "Tuesday Heartbreak"
- "You've Got It Bad Girl"
- "Superstition"
- "Big Brother"
- "Blame It on the Sun"
- "Lookin' for Another Pure Love"
- "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)"
Personnel
(Where name appears twice, the first is the name of the artist as credited on the original album).
- Gloria Barley - Vocals
- Jeff Beck - Guitar
- Shirley Brewer - Vocals
- Malcolm Cecil - Programming, Moog Synthesizer, Producer, Engineer, Associate Producer
- Scott Edwards - Bass Guitar
- Buzzy Feton (Howard "Buzz" Feiten) - Guitar
- Jim Gilstrap - Vocals
- Lani Groves - Vocals
- Loris Harvin (Delores Harvin) - Vocals
- Trevor Laurence - Saxophone
- Steve Madaio - Trumpet
- Robert Margouleff - Moog Synthesizer, Producer, Engineer, Associate Producer, Photography
- Ray Parker, Jr. - Guitar
- David Sanborn - Saxophone, Vocals
- Denise Williams - Vocals
- Debra Wilson - Vocals
- Stevie Wonder - Moog Synthesizer, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer, ARP Synthesizer
- Daniel Ben Zebulon - Percussion, Conga
- Austin Godsey - Engineer, Recording
- Joan Decola - Recording
- George Marino - Mastering
Produced by Stevie Wonder.