1974 Stevie Wonder – Fulfillingness’ First Finale
Fulfillingness’ First Finale is a 1974 album by Stevie Wonder; widely considered one of the albums from his “classic period”. Released on July 22, 1974 on the Tamla label, it is Wonder’s nineteenth album overall, and seventeenth studio album. According to Billboard magazine, it was Wonder’s first studio album to top the Pop Albums chart where it remained for two weeks, while it was his third album to top the R&B/Black Albums chart where it spent nine non-consecutive weeks.
Subsequent to the epic sweep and social consciousness of Innervisions, this set projected a reflective, decidedly somber tone. The musical arrangements used in several songs while masterly could be considered sparse in comparison to others among his 1970s masterworks, especially in the bleak “They Won’t Go When I Go” and understated “Creepin'”. While largely a stripped down, more personal sounding record, Wonder had not completely foregone social commentary on the world around him. The No. 1 hit “You Haven’t Done Nothin'” launched a pointed criticism of the Nixon administration bolstered by clavinet, drum machine, and a Jackson 5 cameo.
The album received three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, in 1974.
Tracks
1 Smile Please (Stevie Wonder) 3:28
2 Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away (Stevie Wonder) 5:02
3 Too Shy To Say (Stevie Wonder) 3:27
4 Boogie On Reggae Woman (Stevie Wonder) 4:58
5 Creepin’ (Stevie Wonder) 4:20
6 You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (Stevie Wonder) 3:22
7 It Ain’t No Use (Stevie Wonder) 4:01
8 They Won’t Go When I Go (Stevie Wonder, Yvonne Wright) 5:59
9 Bird Of Beauty (Stevie Wonder) 3:48
10 Please Don’t Go (Stevie Wonder) 4:07
Biography
Musicians
1 Smile Please
Bass | Reginald McBride |
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Guitar | Michael Sembello |
Fender Rhodes | Stevie Wonder |
Percussion | Bobbye Hall |
Background Vocals | Jim Gilstrap |
Background Vocals | Deniece Williams |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
2 Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Clavinet | Stevie Wonder |
Moog | Stevie Wonder |
Background Vocals | Paul Anka |
Background Vocals | Syreeta Wright |
Background Vocals | Larry Latimer |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
3 Too Shy To Say
Bass | James Jamerson |
Piano | Stevie Wonder |
Steel Guitar | Pete Kleinow |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
4 Boogie On Reggae Woman
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Fender Rhodes | Stevie Wonder |
Moog | Stevie Wonder |
Piano | Stevie Wonder |
Harmonica | Stevie Wonder |
Percussion | Kwasi Dzidzornu |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
5 Creepin’
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Fender Rhodes | Stevie Wonder |
Moog | Stevie Wonder |
Synthesizer | Stevie Wonder |
Harmonica | Stevie Wonder |
Background Vocals | Minnie Riperton |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
6 You Haven’t Done Nothin’
Bass | Reginald McBride |
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Clavinet | Stevie Wonder |
Synthesizer | Robert Margouleff |
Synthesizer | Malcolm Cecil |
Percussion | Stevie Wonder |
Background Vocals | The Jackson 5 |
7 It Ain’t No Use
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Fender Rhodes | Stevie Wonder |
Moog | Stevie Wonder |
Background Vocals | Lani Groves |
Background Vocals | Minnie Riperton |
Background Vocals | Deniece Williams |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
8 They Won’t Go When I Go
Piano | Stevie Wonder |
Synthesizer | Stevie Wonder |
Programming | Robert Margouleff |
Programming | Malcolm Cecil |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
9 Bird Of Beauty
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Clavinet | Stevie Wonder |
Fender Rhodes | Stevie Wonder |
Moog | Stevie Wonder |
Percussion | Stevie Wonder |
Percussion | Bobbye Hall |
Background Vocals | Lani Groves |
Background Vocals | Deniece Williams |
Background Vocals | Shirley Brewer |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
Vocals | Sergio Mendes |
10 Please Don’t Go
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Acoustic Guitar | Michael Sembello |
Fender Rhodes | Stevie Wonder |
Moog | Stevie Wonder |
Harmonica | Stevie Wonder |
Percussion | Stevie Wonder |
Background Vocals | The Persuasions |
Background Vocals | Shirley Brewer |
Background Vocals | Deniece Williams |
Vocals | Stevie Wonder |
Liner Notes
Arranged By – Stevie Wonder
Coordinator – Ira Tucker Jr, Josette Valentino
Engineer – Malcolm Cecil, Robert Margouleff
Mastered By – Robert Margouleff
Recorded By – Gary Olazabal, Joan DeCola
Tape Op – Peter Chaikin
Design, Illustration – Robert Gleason
Mastered At Kendun Recorders
Recorded At Record Plant, Los Angeles
Recorded At Mediasound
Recorded At Westlake Audio
Recorded At Electric Lady Studios
Phonographic Copyright Motown Record Corporation
Copyright Motown Record Corporation