Fulfillingness’ First Finale
Released July 22, 1974
Recorded Record Plant Studios and Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles; Media Sound and Electric Lady Studios in New York City
Genre Soul, funk
Length 42:33
Label Tamla
Producer Stevie Wonder, Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil
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. While masterly, the musical arrangements used in several songs 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.
Fulfillingness’ First Finale won Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal, Best Male Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance (for “Boogie On Reggae Woman”), and Album of the Year in 1974.
Track listing
All songs written by Stevie Wonder, except where noted.
Side One
“Smile Please” – 3:28
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, background vocal, Fender Rhodes, drums
Michael Sembello – electric guitar
Reggie McBride – electric bass
Bobbye Hall – congas, bongos
Jim Gilstrap – background vocals
Deniece Williams (credited as Denise) – background vocals
“Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away” – 5:02
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, background vocal, Hohner clavinet, drums, Moog bass
Paul Anka – background vocal
Syreeta Wright – background vocal
Shirley Brewer – background vocal
Larry “Nastyee” Latimer – background vocal
“Too Shy to Say” – 3:29
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, piano
James Jamerson – acoustic bass
Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar
“Boogie On Reggae Woman” – 4:56
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, Fender Rhodes, piano, harmonica, drums, Moog bass
Rocky Dzidzornu – congas
“Creepin'” – 4:22
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, background vocal, Fender Rhodes, harmonica, drums, Moog bass, T.O.N.T.O. synthesizer
Minnie Riperton – background vocal
Side Two
“You Haven’t Done Nothin'” – 3:23
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, Hohner clavinet, bass drum, hi-hat, cymbal
Reggie McBride – electric bass
The Jackson 5 – background vocals
Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil – synthesizers
Horns, drum machine – uncredited
“It Ain’t No Use” – 4:01
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, background vocal, Fender Rhodes, drums, Moog bass
Lani Groves – background vocal
Minnie Riperton – background vocal
Deniece Williams – background vocal
“They Won’t Go When I Go” (Wonder, Yvonne Wright) – 5:58
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, background vocal, piano, T.O.N.T.O. synthesizer
Bob and Malcolm – programming Moog
“Bird of Beauty” – 3:48
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, Fender Rhodes, Hohner clavinet, drums, percussions, Moog bass
Bobbye Hall – cuíca
Shirley Brewer – background vocal
Lani Groves – background vocal
Deniece Williams – background vocal
Sergio Mendes – Portuguese lyrics
Drum machine – uncredited
“Please Don’t Go” – 4:07
Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, piano, Fender Rhodes, harmonica, handclaps, drums, hi-hat, Moog bass
Michael Sembello – acoustic guitar
The Persuasions – background vocal
Shirley Brewer – background vocal
Deniece Williams – background vocal
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