Songs in the Key of Life

~ Release by Stevie Wonder (see all versions of this release, 38 available)

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleRatingLength
1Love’s in Need of Love Today
producer:
Stevie Wonder
bass synthesizer, clavinet, drums (drum set), Rhodes piano, synthesizer, background vocals and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
percussion:
Eddie “Bongo” Brown
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Love’s in Need of Love Today
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
publisher:
Black Bull Music, Inc. and Jobete Music Co., Inc.
37:07
2Have a Talk With God
producer:
Stevie Wonder
bass synthesizer, drums (drum set), harmonica, keyboard, percussion, background vocals and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Have a Talk With God
composer:
Calvin Hardaway and Stevie Wonder
2:43
3Village Ghetto Land
producer:
Stevie Wonder
synthesizer and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Village Ghetto Land
composer:
S. Byrd and Stevie Wonder
33:25
4Contusion
producer:
Stevie Wonder
bass guitar:
Nathan Watts
drums (drum set):
Raymond Pounds
guitar:
Ben Bridges and Michael Sembello
keyboard:
Greg Phillinganes
other instruments:
Stevie Wonder
background vocals:
Shirley Brewer, Michael Gray (vocalist), Josie James and Artece May
performer:
Wonderlove (Stevie Wonder’s backing band)
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Contusion
composer:
Stevie Wonder
3:46
5Sir Duke
programming:
Charles Brewer, John Fischbach and Stevie Wonder
producer:
Stevie Wonder
alto saxophone:
Hank Redd
bass guitar:
Nathan Watts
drums (drum set):
Raymond Pounds
guitar:
Ben Bridges and Michael Sembello
percussion, Rhodes piano and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
tenor saxophone:
Trevor Lawrence (70s–90s saxophonist & producer, father of Trevor Lawrence Jr.)
trumpet:
Steve Madaio and Raymond Maldonado
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976) and Island Records (NOT for release label use! A division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 2022)
recording of:
Sir Duke
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
publisher:
Black Bull Music and Jobete Music Co., Inc.
4.43:52
6I Wish
programming:
Charles Brewer, John Fischbach and Stevie Wonder
producer:
Stevie Wonder
alto saxophone:
Hank Redd
bass guitar:
Nathan Watts
drums (drum set):
Raymond Pounds and Stevie Wonder
Rhodes piano, synthesizer, vocoder and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
tenor saxophone:
Trevor Lawrence (70s–90s saxophonist & producer, father of Trevor Lawrence Jr.)
trumpet:
Steve Madaio and Raymond Maldonado
background vocals:
Renee Hardaway
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
I Wish
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
4.554:13
7Knocks Me Off My Feet
producer:
Stevie Wonder
bass synthesizer, drums (drum set), piano, Rhodes piano, background vocals and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976) and Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1980)
recording of:
Knocks Me Off My Feet
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
publisher:
Black Bull Music (in 1976, in 1980), Jobete Music Co., Inc. (in 1976) and Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.) (in 1980)
sub-publisher:
ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division)
43:37
8Pastime Paradise
producer:
Stevie Wonder
percussion:
Bobbye Hall and Raymond Maldonado
percussion and synthesizer and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
background vocals:
Michael Gray (vocalist), Hare Krishna (vocal group), West Angeles Church of God in Christ Mass Choir, Stevie Wonder and Michael Wycoff
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Pastime Paradise
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
4.753:28
9Summer Soft
producer:
Stevie Wonder
bass synthesizer, drums (drum set) and piano and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
guitar:
Ben Bridges
organ:
Ronnie Foster
percussion:
Larry Latimer
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Summer Soft
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
2.654:14
10Ordinary Pain
producer:
Stevie Wonder
alto saxophone:
Hank Redd
bass synthesizer, drums (drum set), keyboard, Rhodes piano and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
guitar:
Michael Sembello
background vocals:
Terry Hendricks, Madelaine "Gypsie" Jones, Linda Lawrence (vocalist), Charity McCrary, Linda McCrary, Minnie Riperton, Syreeta (US singer‐songwriter active 1970s–80s), Sundray Tucker, Mary Lee Whitney and Deniece Williams (US soul/funk vocalist/songwriter)
guest background vocals:
Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams (US soul/funk vocalist/songwriter)
vocals:
Shirley Brewer
performer:
Stevie Wonder
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Ordinary Pain
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
26:16
11Saturn
producer:
Stevie Wonder
guitar:
Ben Bridges and Michael Sembello
keyboard:
Greg Phillinganes
other instruments and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Saturn
composer:
Michael Sembello and Stevie Wonder
4:54
12Ebony Eyes
producer:
Stevie Wonder
bass guitar:
Nathan Watts
drums (drum set), tack piano and talkbox and lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder
saxophone:
Jim Horn (saxophonist, hornist, flutist and oboist)
steel guitar:
Sneaky Pete
arranger:
Stevie Wonder
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
recording of:
Ebony Eyes
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
4:10
2▶CD

Credits

Release group

performed at:'Songs In the Key of Life' Performances - 50th Anniversary Tour: Manchester (2026-11-08)
associated singles/EPs:As
I Wish
covers:Najee Plays Songs From The Key of Life by Najee (jazz saxophonist/flautist Jerome Najee Rasheed)
included in:The Complete Stevie Wonder
part of:Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2020 edition (number: 4) (order: 4)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2023 edition (number: 4) (order: 4)
Apple Music: 100 Best Albums (number: 6) (order: 6)
Absolute Radio’s The 100 Collection (number: 12) (order: 12)
Billboard 200 Decade-End Chart 1970s (number: 13) (order: 13)
The Guardian 100 Best Albums Ever (number: 38) (order: 38)
33⅓ (number: 42) (order: 43)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2003 edition (number: 56) (order: 56)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2012 edition (number: 57) (order: 57)
Grammy Award: Album of the Year nominees (number: 1977 winner) (order: 74)
Discothèque Idéale Qobuz / Qobuz Ideal Discography (order: 110)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005 edition) (number: 365) (order: 366)
anniversary tours:Songs in the Key of Life Tour
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/master/87440 [info]
reviews:https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/j5p2 [info]
other databases:https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/stevie_wonder/songs_in_the_key_of_life/ [info]
Allmusic:https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000607481 [info]
Wikidata:Q845040 [info]
discography entry:https://www.last.fm/music/Stevie+Wonder/Songs+in+the+Key+of+Life [info]