Fulfillingness' First Finale

album

Fulfillingness' First Finale is the seventeenth studio album by American musician Stevie Wonder. It was released on July 22, 1974 by Tamla. Wonder would release his next album Songs in the Key of Life in 1976, two years after Fulfillingness' First Finale.[1]

Fulfillingness' First Finale
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 22, 1974
RecordedRecord Plant Studios and Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles; Media Sound and Electric Lady Studios in New York City
Genre
Length42:33
LabelTamla
Producer
Stevie Wonder chronology
Innervisions
(1973)
Fulfillingness' First Finale Songs in the Key of Life
(1976)
Singles from Fulfillingness' First Finale
  1. "You Haven't Done Nothin'"
    Released: August 1974
  2. "Boogie On Reggae Woman"
    Released: November 1974

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
The Austin Chronicle     [3]
Christgau's Record GuideA–[4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [5]
The Great Rock Discography7/10[5]
Los Angeles Times    [6]
MusicHound4/5[5]
Q     [7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide     [8]
The Village VoiceB+[9]

Fulfillingness' First Finale received generally positive reviews from music critics.

Track listing

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No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Smile Please"  Wonder 3:28
2. "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away"  Wonder 5:02
3. "Too Shy to Say"  Wonder 3:29
4. "Boogie On Reggae Woman"  Wonder 4:56
5. "Creepin'"  Wonder 4:23
6. "You Haven't Done Nothin'"  Wonder 3:29
7. "It Ain't No Use"  Wonder 4:01
8. "They Won't Go When I Go"  Wonder, Yvonne Wright 5:59
9. "Bird of Beauty"  Wonder 3:48
10. "Please Don't Go"  Wonder 4:07
Total length:
42:33
Side One
  1. "Smile Please" – 3:28
  2. "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
  3. "Too Shy to Say" – 3:29
  4. "Boogie On Reggae Woman" – 4:56
    • Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, Fender Rhodes, piano, harmonica, drums, Moog bass
    • Rocky Dzidzornu – congas
  5. "Creepin'" – 4:22
Side Two
  1. "You Haven't Done Nothin'" – 3:29
    • 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
  2. "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
  3. "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
  4. "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[10]
    • Drum machine - uncredited
  5. "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

Cover versions

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2007.

  • "Boogie On Reggae Woman" - Later recorded by Marcus Miller for Silver Rain in 2005
  • "You Haven't Done Nothing" - Later recorded by Curumin for "Achados e Perdidos", in 2005

Chart positions

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Billboard Chart information by Billboard VNU eMedia

Album
Year Chart Position
1974 Soul Albums 1
Top LP's & Tape
Singles
Year Single Billboard
Hot 100
Billboard
Hot Soul Singles
1974 "You Haven't Done Nothin'" 1 1
"Boogie on Reggae Woman" 3 1

References

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  1. "Stevie Wonder > Album Discography > AllMusic". AllMusic.
  2. Allmusic review
  3. Moser, Margaret. Review: Innervisions. The Austin Chronicle.
  4. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Stevie Wonder". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0899190251.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Fulfillingness' First Finale". Acclaimed Music. Archived from the original on 2017-07-29. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  6. Hilburn, Robert (April 1, 2000). "Motown Releases Remind Us of Stevie Wonder's Impact". Los Angeles Times.
  7. "Q review". Archived from the original on 2015-09-30. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  8. Rolling Stone review
  9. Christgau, Robert (October 24, 1974). "Consumer Guide (49)". The Village Voice. New York.
  10. "Bird of Beauty" partial Portuguese lyrics provided by Sergio Mendes