1972 Syreeta – Syreeta
Syreeta is the debut studio album by American R&B and soul singer and songwriter Syreeta Wright, released on June 20, 1972 on MoWest, a subsidiary of Motown Records.
The self-titled debut album was produced by Wright’s ex-husband, frequent collaborator and musician Stevie Wonder, it was released following the former couple’s separation and subsequent divorce. The album featured compositions by both Wonder and Wright, and also featured Wright’s takes on other artists’ songs including a Wonder-produced funk-oriented version of his earlier recording, “I Love Every Little Thing About You”, which was initially recorded by Wonder for his Music of My Mind project, released earlier that year. Wonder and Wright used the talk box prominently on Wright’s cover of The Beatles’ “She’s Leaving Home” while Wright provided a smoother vocal take of Smokey Robinson’s “What Love Has Joined Together”. Wright wrote the ballad “Happiness” and she and Stevie co-wrote “Baby Don’t You Let Me Lose This” and their featured duet “To Know You Is to Love You” together. The album failed to generate success though Wright would go on to a productive solo career throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Wright and Wonder would continue working together for several decades.
Tracks
1 I Love Every Little Thing About You (Stevie Wonder) 4:56
2 Black Maybe (Stevie Wonder) 4:34
3 Keep Him Like He Is (Stevie Wonder; Syreeta Wright) 2:53
4 Happiness (Syreeta Wright) 5:22
5 She’s Leaving Home (John Lennon; Paul McCartney) 4:19
5 What Love Has Joined Together (Robert Rogers; William Robinson Jr) 3:41
6 How Many Days (Stevie Wonder) 3:34
7 Baby Don’t You Let Me Lose This (Stevie Wonder; Syreeta Wright) 2:56
8 To Know You Is To Love You (Stevie Wonder; Syreeta Wright) 6:04
Biography
Musicians
Bass | Scott Edwards |
Drums | Keith Copeland |
Guitar | Buzzy Feiten |
All Other Instruments | Stevie Wonder |
Vocals | Syreeta |
Other Musicians
1 I Love Every Little Thing About You
Background Vocals | Gloria Barley |
Background Vocals | Jim Gilstrap |
Background Vocals | Lani Groves |
Background Vocals | Linda Tucker |
3 Keep Him Like He Is
Percussion | Trevor Lawrence |
Background Vocals | Gloria Barley |
Background Vocals | Jim Gilstrap |
Background Vocals | Lani Groves |
Background Vocals | Linda Tucker |
5 What Love Has Joined Together
Background Vocals | Gloria Barley |
Background Vocals | Jim Gilstrap |
Background Vocals | Lani Groves |
Background Vocals | Linda Tucker |
Strings – Julian Gaillard Orchestra
Liner Notes
Producer – Stevie Wonder
Co-producer – Malcolm Cecil, Robert Margouleff
Arranged By – Stevie Wonder, Trevor Lawrence, Yusuf Rahman
Recorded By – Andy Edlen, Dick Shapiro, Joan DeCola
Art Direction – David Weissman
Photography – Robert Margouleff
Recorded At Electric Lady Studios
Recorded At Crystal Sound
Recorded At Olympic Studios
Phonographic Copyright Motown Record Corporation
Copyright Motown Record Corporation