Hotter than July
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hotter than July | ||
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| Studio album by Stevie Wonder | ||
| Released | September 29, 1980 | |
| Recorded | ? | |
| Genre | R&B | |
| Length | 45:52 | |
| Label | Motown | |
| Producer(s) | Stevie Wonder | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stevie Wonder chronology | ||
| Journey through the Secret Life of Plants (1979) |
Hotter than July (1980) |
The Woman in Red (1984) |
Hotter than July is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on the Tamla Motown 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.
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 song was a big hit too. The ballad "Lately" and "Happy Birthday" were other notable successes from the album. Wonder wrote "Happy Birthday" in order to commemorate Martin Luther King and used the song to campaign for King's birthday, January 15, to become a national holiday in the USA. The inlay of the compact disc contains images of Martin Luther King and some of his famous protests.
[edit] Track listing
All songs written, produced and arranged by Stevie Wonder
- "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me" – 4:07
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Vocoder, Synthesizer
- Nathan Watts - Bass, Background Vocals
- Benjamin Bridges - Guitars, Background Vocals
- Dennis Davis - Drums
- Earl DeRouen - Percussion, Background Vocals
- Isaiah Sanders - Pianet, Background Vocals
- Hank Redd - Saxophone
- Robert Malach - Saxophone
- Larry Gittens - Trumpet
- Nolan A. Smith Jr. - Trumpet
- Angela Winbush - Background Vocals
- Mary Lee Whitney Evans - Background Vocals
- Susaye Greene Brown - Background Vocals
- Alexandra Brown Evans - Background Vocals
- Shirley Brewer - Background Vocals
- Ed Brown - Background Vocals
- Charlie Collins - Background Vocals
- "All I Do" – 5:06
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Fender Rhodes, Flute Synthesizer, Drums, Synthesizer, Bells
- Hank Redd - Saxophone
- Eddie Levert - Background Vocals
- Walter Williams - Background Vocals
- Michael Jackson - Background Vocals
- Jamil Raheem - Background Vocals
- Betty Wright - Background Vocals
- "Rocket Love" – 4:39
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Fender Rhodes, Bass Synthesizer, Drums, Synthesizer, Percussion, Background Vocals
- Benjamin Bridges - Guitar
- Paul Riser - String Arrangement
- "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" – 4:39
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Piano, Clavinet, Cabasa, Drums, Background Vocals
- Nathan Watts - Bass
- Isaiah Sanders - Fender Rhodes
- Benjamin Bridges - Guitars
- Hank Devito - Steel Guitar
- Ronnie J. Wilson - Background Vocals
- Charles K. Wilson - Background Vocals
- "As If You Read My Mind" – 3:47
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Piano, Celeste, Clavinet, Harmonica
- Nathan Watts - Bass
- Benjamin Bridges - Guitar
- Rick Zunigar - Guitar
- Isaiah Sanders - Fender Rhodes
- Earl DeRouen - Percussion
- Dennis Davis - Drums
- Syreeta - Background Vocals
- "Master Blaster (Jammin)" – 5:07
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Fender Rhodes, Clavinet
- Nathan Watts - Bass
- Benjamin Bridges - Guitar
- Rick Zunigar - Guitar
- Isaiah Sanders - Organ
- Dennis Davis - Drums
- Earl DeRouen - Percussion
- Hank Redd - Saxophone
- Larry Gittens - Trumpet
- Marva Holcolm - Background Vocals
- Angela Winbush - Background Vocals
- Shirley Brewer - Background Vocals
- Alexandra Brown Evans - Background Vocals
- "Do Like You" – 4:25
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Harpsichord, Drums, Synthesizer, Arp
- Larry Gittens - Trumpet
- Robert Malach - Saxophone
- Alexandra Brown Evans - Background Vocals
- Shirley Brewer - Background Vocals
- Melody McCulley - Background Vocals
- Delores Barnes - Background Vocals
- "Cash in Your Face" – 3:59
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Fender Rhodes, Bass Synthesizer, Drums, Synthesizer, Handclaps
- Earl DeRouen - Percussion
- Stephanie Andrews - Handclaps
- Bill Wolfer - Handclaps
- Hank Redd - Handclaps
- Trevor Lawrence - Handclaps
- Dennis Morrison - Handclaps
- Kimberly Jackson - Handclaps
- "Lately" – 4:05
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Piano, Bass Synthesizer
- "Happy Birthday" – 5:57
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Drums, Arp, Bass Melodian, Synthesizer, Keyboards
[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
