New Stevie Wonder single

[wichmanne]

Listen to it hear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCbiHSOf9nc

Funky!

[copley]

Total bollocks! :[[

[soulster]

Terrible! I give it an F! No imagination. No creativity. The lyrics are lame. The musical backing sounds like it came out of the 80s.

Why in the hell can't he play his drums again? It's a sad day when a youngblood like Bruno Mars can beat Stevie at his own game.

It's time for Stevie to stop making music unless he can get serious again.

[calvin]

I think the intro is somewhat promising, with a sort of Turkish or Arabic pop feel. But once the singing starts, ugh... It goes nowhere, slowly - too repetitive and, frankly, boring. And I agree the lyrics are really lame, just a sort of hodge-podge of campaign cliches. I had to force myself to sit through the whole song. I give it a D.

[soulster]

And, the worst part of this is that we all know he still has it in him. He shows it in concerts.

[imnokid]

I too liked the middle eastern flavor, especially the harmonica runs.
The rest...eh...

[soulster]

Well, look at it this way: we still have his classic work from the 70s.

[jaybs]

I quite like it! vocal is good, it's a message HE Believes in and I Do! as well, the music is different but the more you listen to it I find it catchy, it's not going to be a HIT but those days perhaps are long gone for artists we all love.

[alanh]

Certainly not the most innovative Stevie, but it's obviously his campaign message and as jaybs says, something he believes in. He's using his platform, as many artistes do when they endorse a candidate or party. I haven't checked whether this is actually released as a single to buy - maybe it's just online as part of his support for Obama. As far as the track goes, as a 'formula funky' Stevie song, it's pretty catchy.

[skooldem1]

I have to give this a big F. Just terrible. The lyrics as was mentioned were nothing more than campaign slogans. No creativity at all. Sorry but Stevie's vocals were downright awful. The only part of the song that was cool was the first few seconds. I like the middle eastern flavor- if that is what it was.

[alanh]

Just had a look on both iTunes and Amazon and can't seem to find the song, so I guess it's just his campaign message rather than a music release.

[splanky]

It's a campaign song for Obama obviously targeted to young voters...What do you want?
As far as Stevie and Bruno Mars comparisons go tell me which one has the larger back catalogue,
greater musical ability expressed throughout his career and is one of the most covered artist
in American music even outside of his main audience's genre. Stevie's songs have been covered by more jazz artists than any other act in popular music with the possible exception
of the Beatles...Stevie already set his place in history...

[nathanj06]

Like the instrumental track but expected a better vocal and lyrics. It's politics and Stevie is one of the greatest.

[soulster]

It's a campaign song for Obama obviously targeted to young voters...What do you want? As far as Stevie and Bruno Mars comparisons go tell me which one has the larger back catalogue, greater musical ability expressed throughout his career and is one of the most covered artist in American music even outside of his main audience's genre. Stevie's songs have been covered by more jazz artists than any other act in popular music with the possible exception of the Beatles...Stevie already set his place in history... That's not fair, and you know it! Mars has only been on the scene for about three years, while Stevie has been around since the early 60s. What I'm talking about is the music. Have you heard Bruno Mars' latest? Forget the lyrical content and listen to the music. REAL instruments! Real playing! What did we just get with Stevie? It sounds like he recycled the programming from his 80s song "Go Home".

[splanky]

Soulster, you're right about my Bruno Mars statement. It wasn't fair of me to mention Stevie's back catalogue in relation to Mars. That said it also wasn't fair of you to bring up Bruno Mars, a relatively new and currently popular and active artist against a man who has
been around since the 60's and we all know is out of the business of trying to compete
with youngins for chart position. And just who are we to tell Steveland Morris what he can and cannot do ,huh?....Please....

[jobeterob]

Stevie's commitment is admirable and it probably isn't intended as an attempt to get airplay or have a hit.

Generally, the old ones are best off "going gracefully".

[splanky]

Another reason I prefer jazz and blues when it comes to aging musicians. You can't age
and be succesful in pop. Everybody expects you sound at 60 like you did at 16. Look the same
and be just as sprite. Nobody expects that in blues and jazz. John Lee Hooker gravel and darker colors in his voice fit perfectly in his music in fact his update of I'm Mad which became I'm Bad Like Jesse James is scarier than the original. Abbey Lincoln's tone changed too and though it lost a little range it gained a depth that made her latter material like
Throw It Away and Not To Worry more credible. And like Shirley Horn they worked til the end...

[calvin]

It's a campaign song for Obama obviously targeted to young voters...What do you want?...

...Stevie already set his place in history...

Absolutely, Stevie is one of the all-time greats, all genres included. I think this song is a dud once he starts singing - not for the aging voice, but I just don't like the song or lyrics beyond that point. I think he could have done much better, even for a campaign song aimed at young voters. Still, it doesn't take anything away from all the great music he's made in the past.

[calvin]

Another reason I prefer jazz and blues when it comes to aging musicians. You can't age
and be succesful in pop. Everybody expects you sound at 60 like you did at 16. Look the same
and be just as sprite. Nobody expects that in blues and jazz. John Lee Hooker gravel and darker colors in his voice fit perfectly in his music in fact his update of I'm Mad which became I'm Bad Like Jesse James is scarier than the original. Abbey Lincoln's tone changed too and though it lost a little range it gained a depth that made her latter material like
Throw It Away and Not To Worry more credible. And like Shirley Horn they worked til the end...

If it were just a matter of an aging voice, Stevie could write, perform, and produce some great music - and find a good younger singer to do the vocals.

[rovereab]

This is really uninteresting and if this is the best Stevie can do now it is definitely the right time for him to sanction the release of vaulted songs from his golden era!

[soulster]

Soulster, you're right about my Bruno Mars statement. It wasn't fair of me to mention Stevie's back catalogue in relation to Mars. That said it also wasn't fair of you to bring up Bruno Mars, a relatively new and currently popular and active artist against a man who has
been around since the 60's and we all know is out of the business of trying to compete
with youngins for chart position. And just who are we to tell Steveland Morris what he can and cannot do ,huh?....Please....

Sure it was fair! The music on Mars' new song has emotion and grit. Stevie's new song sounds like it was programed for a kiddie show on the Nickelodeon channel. I don't care how long Stevie's been around. I respect it, but that doesn't mean that anything Stevie does is golden. He laid an egg, but it isn't golden.

As for the lyrical content, he sounds just as lazy as he did back when he wrote "Don't Drive Drunk".

[soulster]

Another reason I prefer jazz and blues when it comes to aging musicians. You can't age
and be succesful in pop.

Don't tell Aerosmith that! They're ready to drop a new album next week, and they still got it after having been around since the 60s.

I understand that Wonder's new song is politically motivated, but I still think he could have done a LOT more with it. Where is the man who put so much into his work? Where is the man who thought out every detail to the point of holding up projects for months? Where is the man who injected feeling and purpose into his music?

[splanky]

Aerosmith , The Rolling Stones and a few other rockers will always have their hardcore fanbase that will flock to their shows and buy their music primarily because they don't mind giving them exactly the same things they've been giving for ages. Or at least an
approximation...Stevie has always liked to follow his own muse, make changes and eliminations and interject himself into social causes when he feels they merit his attention.
Regardless of what you or I want from him. He's also 62 years old not 26 and I never said everything he does is golden or that I like the campaign song. I don't have to. I repeat:
Stevie has already satisfied me dozens of times over as an artist. Even if he had never
recorded again after Living For The City he'd have set served and cleared the table. I liked
Bruno's Grenade but I didn't buy it. He, like Usher and a few other of these cats I can enjoy on the radio without wanting to collect their releases. Now, Ryan Shaw,that a young lion that roars!...

[skooldem1]

My My....someone's got their panties all twisted. All some here were doing was reviewing this song. They certainly know Stevie's place in music history and don't need a lecture on that. These Stevie fans.... I tell ya.

[soulster]

My My....someone's got their panties all twisted. All some here were doing was reviewing this song. They certainly know Stevie's place in music history and don't need a lecture on that. These Stevie fans.... I tell ya.

I hear ya! I don't have to like his new song to respect Stevie's legacy.

[jaybs]

Stevie's commitment is admirable and it probably isn't intended as an attempt to get airplay or have a hit.

Exactly! I would wonder if he thinks it even as a single release! it is just showing his Respect and Support for BARACK OBAMA.

The list of ageing artists who still try to do modern music would make a long thread! often now I will buy tracks only I like off iTunes! instead of keeping to what they are best at, but then if they foolishly think kids will go out and buy their music, so be it!

[soulster]

Problem is, it doesn't even sound modern.

[ivyfield]

I'm a big Stevie fan - always have been. This one just doesn't work for me and why does he take soooooo frickin' long to put out singles these days?

[calvin]

I don't like this song but I would like to have been at this event:

Few knew about Stevie Wonder appearance for President Barack Obama at Cleveland State University on Saturday

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/11/few_know_about_stevie_wonder_a.html#incart_river