POLLTIME PARADISE: ILM Artist Poll #9 Results -- Stevie Wonder

I think it was pretty clear from the start that our tastes are not very alike ('Summer Soft'??). And I didn't vote for it because I think it's the worst song on Innervision.

I love the bass and piano at the beginning. Like a lot of Stevie's songs from this period, it could go anywhere.

I'm learning that other people rate Stevie's non-funk stuff way higher than I do

Cecil has a great quote in that book, something about how Stevie didn't know how to program a synthesizer and only used factory presets on SitKoL.

― ArchCarrier, Tuesday, October 11, 2011 11:37 AM (1 hour ago)

Sadly, the remainder of his career would tend to confirm that claim.

― michael assbender (Eric H.), Tuesday, October 11, 2011 11:39 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

But were there such things as factory presets on analog synths in 1976?

Eric H OTM. My first thought (which I think I've posted elsewhere) when I heard "I Just Called..." was, "Oh, he wrote a song around the 'demo' button on a Casio." My second was that he must've thought, "Hey, I don't have to play the drums anymore! This keyboard plays them for me!"

XP - If by "non-funk stuff" you mean his ballads, that's about 2/3 of his output - even on his greatest albums - right there. And if you don't love at least a few of Stevie's ballads...well I don't mean to judge, but gosh. I feel sorry for your ears.

"Higher Ground" = my #1. Surprised "Golden Lady" did slightly better, but I voted for that too.

Great top 10 so far.

I think it was pretty clear from the start that our tastes are not very alike

Um, you voted in a Stevie Wonder poll. They can't be THAT far off.

My favorite poll so far.

05. AS (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 372 points, 17 votes, 3 #1 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjsAy7HFeX0

If by "non-funk stuff" you mean his ballads, that's about 2/3 of his output - even on his greatest albums - right there.

there's plenty of Stevie ballads that I like, and some of the pre-70s stuff is okay, but they're all kind of secondary in my mind behind stuff like Superstition, Higher Ground, You Haven't Done Nothin, I Wish, etc.

"As"? more like "ass".

I'm an equal-opportunity Stevie fan-maniac. I love his funk stuff as much as his ballads as much as his twee album filler.

I just don't like "Ebony & Ivory."

"As" is great. There've been some appalling cover versions of it though.

04. SIR DUKE (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 381 points, 18 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MIjsANK_LQ

wow neither Sir Duke nor As at number 1? surprising!

o rly?

superstition v. uptight v. living for the city, right? genuinely can't tell what will win but all are good enough to.

Guess "I Don't Know Why" won't make it. Bummer. Was in my top 5.

I hope Living for the City is not number one

yyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

xp I love it of course, but Superstition and Uptight feel like better choices for the top

Yeah, I'm kind of surprised at the direction this top 5 is taking. I would never have guessed 'As' would place this high. But I'm pretty sure 'Uptight' will win.

As - TOO LOW

I was kinda resigned earlier to 7 minutes of bathtime gurgles being #1. So yay ILM.

I hate when people jump in and start listing the top three or whatever, even if we don't know the order--let us enjoy the g.d. results in real time!

Heywhatabout "Tell Me Something Good"? Fuck y'all if you forgot about that one.

'Race Babbling' anyone?

I hope Living for the City is not number one

03. LIVING FOR THE CITY (Innervisions, 1973) -- 483 points, 22 votes, 3 #1 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSRyf5G2uI8

Yep, Innervisions went 9/9. I call it "the Innervisions effect.'

I've no problem with that (the 9/9). I think I voted for more songs from Hotter Than July though, which is evidently the most underrated Stevie LP around these parts.

TS: Album or single version?

Would love too see a post-Seventies (or even post-Musiquarium) Stevie poll, which is all too predictably slept-on here as elsewhere.

If you follow the official ILX list, your next chance will be somewhere around May of 2013...

I think I voted as many Hotter Than July tracks as any other album. Hella underrated.

Alright, top two time.

02. UPTIGHT (EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT) (Up-Tight, 1966) -- 527 points, 21 votes, 2 #1 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14hskyBXkPo

01. SUPERSTITION (Talking Book, 1972) -- 637 points, 25 votes, 2 #1 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ul7X5js1vE

I've never once seen a Stevie Wonder poll in which "Superstition" didn't more or less run the table.

For awhile, tho, I seriously thought "Uptight" would stage a big upset. You all sure do love that chugging old school '60s Motown, huh.

'Uptight' is literally my favorite song I discovered all year, and I probably hadn't if it weren't for this poll. So thank you Eric! It was great fun.

Yes, cheers Eric for running this.

01. SUPERSTITION (Talking Book, 1972) -- 637 points, 25 votes, 2 #1 votes
02. UPTIGHT (EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT) (Up-Tight, 1966) -- 527 points, 21 votes, 2 #1 votes
03. LIVING FOR THE CITY (Innervisions, 1973) -- 483 points, 22 votes, 3 #1 votes
04. SIR DUKE (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 381 points, 18 votes
05. AS (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 372 points, 17 votes, 3 #1 votes
06. GOLDEN LADY (Innervisions, 1973) -- 368 points, 16 votes, 2 #1 votes
07. HIGHER GROUND (Innervisions, 1973) -- 366 points, 16 votes, 1 #1 vote
08. DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING (Innervisions, 1973) -- 337 points, 15 votes, 1 #1 vote
09. SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED I'M YOURS (Signed, Sealed & Delivered, 1970) -- 318 points, 17 votes
10. I WISH (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 317 points, 18 votes
11. HE'S MISSTRA KNOW IT ALL (Innervisions, 1973) -- 317 points, 13 votes, 2 #1 votes
12. YOU HAVEN'T DONE NOTHIN' (Fulfillingness' First Finale, 1974) -- 278 points, 17 votes
13. I BELIEVE (WHEN I FALL IN LOVE IT WILL BE FOREVER) (Talking Book, 1972) -- 274 points, 15 votes, 1 #1 vote
14. IF YOU REALLY LOVE ME (Where I'm Coming From, 1971) -- 268 points, 13 votes, 2 #1 votes
15. I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER (I Was Made To Love Her, 1967) -- 254 points, 15 votes
16. SUPERWOMAN (WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU) (Music Of My Mind, 1972) -- 247 points, 13 votes
17. WE CAN WORK IT OUT (Signed, Sealed & Delivered, 1970) -- 231 points, 12 votes, 1 #1 vote
18. CREEPIN' (Fulfillingness' First Finale, 1974) -- 225 points, 14 votes
19. MY CHERIE AMOUR (My Cherie Amour, 1968) -- 221 points, 11 votes
20. THE TEARS OF A CLOWN (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Make It Happen, 1967) -- 216 points, 10 votes
21. BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN (Fulfillingness' First Finale, 1974) -- 204 points, 13 votes
22. VISIONS (Innervisions, 1973) -- 204 points, 9 votes
23. DO I DO (Original Musiquarium, 1982) -- 190 points, 10 votes, 1 #1 vote
24. ANOTHER STAR (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 185 points, 7 votes
25. MASTER BLASTER (JAMMIN') (Hotter Than July, 1980) -- 181 points, 8 votes
26. HEAVEN IS 10 ZILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY (Fulfillingness' First Finale, 1974) -- 174 points, 9 votes, 1 #1 vote
27. YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE (Talking Book, 1972) -- 170 points, 11 votes
28. TOO HIGH (Innervisions, 1973) -- 167 points, 14 votes
29. LOVE'S IN NEED OF LOVE TODAY (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 155 points, 7 votes, 1 #1 vote
30. JESUS CHILDREN OF AMERICA (Innervisions, 1973) -- 148 points, 9 votes
31. LOVE HAVING YOU AROUND (Music of My Mind, 1972) -- 140 points, 7 votes
32. BIG BROTHER (Talking Book, 1972) -- 140 points, 6 votes
33. IT'S A SHAME (The Spinners, 2nd Time Around, 1970) -- 137 points, 6 votes
34. PASTTIME PARADISE (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 135 points, 9 votes
35. (tie) UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME (Aretha Franklin, Let Me in Your Life, 1973) -- 131 points, 7 votes
35. (tie) BLAME IT ON THE SUN (Talking Book,, 1972) -- 131 points, 7 votes
37. SUMMER SOFT (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 128 points, 9 votes, 1 #1 vote
38. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE (For Once in My Life, 1968) -- 111 points, 9 votes
39. ALL IN LOVE IS FAIR (Innervisions, 1973) -- 103 points, 7 votes
40. ORDINARY PAIN (Songs in the Key of Life, 1976) -- 100 points, 8 votes

Superstition's a monster, was gonna be real surprised if it didn't win

Next 10 for the round 50:

41. I DON'T KNOW WHY (98/6)
42. RIBBON IN THE SKY (89/5)
43. (tie) KNOCKS ME OFF MY FEET (87/5)
43. (tie) LATELY (87/5) <-- um, seriously?! How did this miss the top 40?
45. OVERJOYED (87/4/1#1)
46. NEVER DREAMED YOU'D LEAVE IN SUMMER (86/6)
47. I AIN'T GONNA STAND FOR IT (78/6)
48. THEY WON'T GO WHEN I GO (78/4)
49. ISN'T SHE LOVELY (77/7)
50. PLEASE DON'T GO (77/6)

Kind of shocked "Isn't She Lovely" didn't make the top 20, at least.

THEY WON'T GO WHEN I GO

thought this would be higher, one of my favorite Stevie ballads

Beyond "Overjoyed," the only songs that received #1 votes that missed the top 40 entirely were also, coincidentally, those respective song's sole vote. With 40 points each:

CONTUSION
ANGIE GIRL

I'M GOIN' LEFT was the highest ranking Syreeta track, in case anyone was curious -- 72 points on 4 votes.

Are you going to upload the whole list somewhere? I'm curious if I was the only one who voted for 'Look Around', my nr. 2.

Superstition > everything else (except maybe I Heard it Through the Grapevine)

My ballot:

01. Summer Soft
02. Golden Lady
03. You And I
04. Creepin'
05. Another Star
06. Jesus Children Of America
07. Do I Do
08. Did I Hear You Say You Love Me
09. Too High
10. Lately
11. Isn't She Lovely
12. Living For The City
13. Seems So Long
14. Visions
15. Do Like You
16. Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer
17. Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
18. I Ain't Gonna Stand For It
19. Rocket Love
20. Please Don't Go
21. Too Shy To Say
22. I Can't Help It
23. If You Really Love Me
24. I Wanna Be By Your Side (feat. G.C. Cameron)
25. Look Around
26. Feeding Off The Love Of The Land
27. I'm Goin' Left
28. Superstition
29. Perfect Angel
30. I Was Made To Love Her

I think I did this right. Full spreadsheet here.

LOOK AROUND is actually in slot #51, ArchCarrier -- 77 points on 4 ballots.