Hotter than July
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| Hotter than July | |||||
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| Studio album by Stevie Wonder | |||||
| Released | September 29, 1980 | ||||
| Recorded | 1980 | ||||
| Genre | R&B | ||||
| Length | 45:52 | ||||
| Label | Tamla | ||||
| Producer | Stevie Wonder | ||||
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Hotter than July is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on Motown's Tamla label on September 29, 1980. Despite the wide critical acclaim for Wonder's previous works such as Songs in the Key of Life and Innervisions, Hotter than July was his first album eligible for platinum status, as Motown sales records before 1977 were not audited by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Inspired by the growing popularity of Bob Marley's music and its clear messages against war, "Master Blaster (Jammin)" was Wonder's way of honoring Marley. The ballad "Lately" and the upbeat "Happy Birthday" were other notable successes from the album. Wonder wrote "Happy Birthday" in order to honor Martin Luther King and used the song to campaign for King's birthday, January 15, to become a national holiday in the USA. The sleeve design contains images of Martin Luther King and some of his famous protests.
Track two, "All I Do", had originally been written by a teenaged Wonder and collaborators Clarence Paul and Morris Broadnax in 1966. Tammi Terrell recorded the original version of the song that year; her version remained in the Motown vaults until the release of the compilation A Cellarful of Motown! in the United Kingdom in 2002. Michael Jackson provided background vocals for song on Wonder's album.
[edit] Track listing
All songs written, produced and arranged by Stevie Wonder except where noted.
- "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me" – 4:07
- "All I Do" (music: Wonder; lyrics: Wonder/Paul/Broadnax) – 5:06
- "Rocket Love" – 4:39
- "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" – 4:39
- "As If You Read My Mind" – 3:47
- "Master Blaster (Jammin)" – 5:07
- "Do Like You" – 4:25
- "Cash in Your Face" – 3:59
- "Lately" – 4:05
- "Happy Birthday" – 5:57
[edit] Musicians
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Synthesizer, Drums, Fender Rhodes, Bass Synthesizer, Clavinet, Background Vocals, Arp, Vocoder, Piano, Harpsichord, Celeste, Keyboards, Bass Melodian, Harmonica, Cabasa, Percussion, Bells, Handclaps, Flute Synthesizer
- Nathan Watts - Bass, Background Vocals
- Benjamin Bridges - Guitar, Background Vocals
- Dennis Davis - Drums
- Earl DeRouen - Percussion, Background Vocals
- Isaiah Sanders - Fender Rhodes, Background Vocals, Pianet
- Hank Redd - Saxophone, Handclaps
- Robert Malach - Saxophone
- Larry Gittens - Trumpet
- Nolan A. Smith Jr. - Trumpet
- Paul Riser - String Arrangement
- Hank Devito - Steel Guitar
- Rick Zunigar - Guitar
- Background Vocals - Angela Winbush, Mary Lee Whitney Evans, Susaye Greene Brown, Alexandra Brown Evans, Shirley Brewer, Ed Brown, Charlie Collins, Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Michael Jackson, Jamil Raheem, Betty Wright, Ronnie J. Wilson, Charles K. Wilson, Syreeta, Marva Holcolm, Melody McCulley, Delores Barnes
- Handclaps - Stephanie Andrews, Bill Wolfer, Trevor Lawrence, Dennis Morrison, Kimberly Jackson
[edit] External links
- Unofficial website reviewing album with sound clips
- Cash in Your Face: exploring the harder edge of Stevie Wonder
