Hotter than July
Encyclopedia
Hotter than July is the nineteenth album
by Stevie Wonder
, originally released on Motown's Tamla label on September 29, 1980. Despite the wide critical acclaim for Wonder's previous works such as Songs in the Key of Life
and Innervisions
, Hotter than July was his first album eligible for platinum status, as Motown sales records before 1977 were not audited by the RIAA
. This was his most successful album in the UK, peaking at #2 and producing four top ten singles.
Hotter than July was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the American Music Awards in 1982.
with only one single "Send One Your Love
" making the top 5 of the Billboard chart left him struggling at the turn of the new decade. Personally he let the media know that he felt that Motown had not promoted the album very well. His talents kept him busy when he co-wrote the song "Let's Get Serious" with Lee Garrett
for Jermaine Jackson
's 1980 album of the same name and another with Eric Mercury
called "You Are My Heaven" which became a success for Roberta Flack
and Donny Hathaway
on Atlantic Records
. During this time of upheaval, he was also in demand as a guest artist on many other albums ranging from the likes of B.B. King, James Taylor
, Quincy Jones
and Smokey Robinson
among others.
Wonder finally began work on a new album which was to be titled Hotter than July. Inspired by his love for reggae
music from meeting Bob Marley
, Wonder was encouraged to write the first track, "Master Blaster (Jammin')", after their performance at the Black Music Association in Philadelphia in 1979. The recording sessions were primarily done at Wonderland Studios in Los Angeles
(which Stevie Wonder
had recently acquired) where he became responsible for writing, producing and arranging his own material for the new album.
Inspired by the growing popularity of Bob Marley
's music and its clear messages against war, "Master Blaster (Jammin)
" (US #5; R&B #1) was Wonder's way of honoring Marley. The country
-tinged "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It
" (U.S. #11; R&B #2), the ballad "Lately
" (U.S. #64) and the upbeat "Happy Birthday" were other notable successes from the album. In the UK, all four singles reached the top 10, with the first and last releases peaking at #2 in the charts.
Track two, "All I Do", had originally been written by a teenaged Wonder and collaborators Clarence Paul
and Morris Broadnax in 1966. Tammi Terrell
recorded the original version of the song that year; her version remained in the Motown vaults until the release of the compilation A Cellarful of Motown! in the UK in 2002. Brenda Holloway
also recorded a version that was released on her Motown Anthology set in 2005. Michael Jackson
, Eddie Levert
and Walter Williams of the O'Jays
, and Betty Wright
provided backing vocals for the song on Wonder's album. Charlie
and Ronnie Wilson of the GAP Band
, handled backing vocals for "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It".
To the right of this text is a thumbprint, presumably Stevie Wonder's (Stevland Morris's), serving as his signature.
On the other side of the sleeve is a collage of five historical photos. Two images, one above the other, form the background. The top image shows an aerial view of a low-lying urban area with a six-lane highway passing through it and thick smoke rising from many of the buildings on both sides of the highway—apparently a riot scene. The bottom image shows a confrontation, in an urban street four of five lanes wide, between a large group of African Americans standing in non-violent defiance and law enforcement officers with white helmets and weapons who are apparently advancing on them. The other three, smaller photos are laid out horizontally across the midline where the background images meet and are about 40% of the height of the sleeve. In the center is a wide rectangular photo of a large peaceful demonstration march, with both black and white participants, being led by Martin Luther King. To either side are two square photos of apparent police brutality: in the photo to the left, three officers in white helmets seize a male African American youth by his arms and one leg; one officer holds as a club what appears to be a long nightstick turned around with the thicker handle end out. In the photo to the right, an African American man lies in a pool of blood on the sidewalk in front of an urban store, while in the foreground an officer in a white helmet stands at a distance and looks toward him, and in the background another African American man crouches with his back against the wall and looks away. (King directly mentioned police brutality in his famous "I Have A Dream" speech).
These images contrast with the general mood of the album, which is upbeat and positive, including "Happy Birthday". Exceptions are the few songs about romantic turmoil ("Rocket Love", "I Ain't Gonna Stand For It", "Lately") and the socially critical "Cash In Your Face", which protests racial housing discrimination.
except where noted.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, originally released on Motown's Tamla label on September 29, 1980. Despite the wide critical acclaim for Wonder's previous works such as Songs in the Key of Life
Songs in the Key of Life
Songs in the Key of Life is the 13th album by American recording artist Stevie Wonder, released September 28, 1976, on Motown Records. It was the culmination of his "classic period" albums. An ambitious double LP with a 4-song bonus EP, Songs in the Key of Life became among the best-selling and...
and Innervisions
Innervisions
Innervisions is the sixteenth album by American musician Stevie Wonder, released August 3, 1973 on Motown Records; a landmark recording of his "classic period"...
, Hotter than July was his first album eligible for platinum status, as Motown sales records before 1977 were not audited by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. This was his most successful album in the UK, peaking at #2 and producing four top ten singles.
Hotter than July was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the American Music Awards in 1982.
Background
The commercial failure of his last album Journey through the Secret Life of PlantsJourney through the Secret Life of Plants
Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on the Tamla Motown label on October 30, 1979...
with only one single "Send One Your Love
Send One Your Love
"Send One Your Love" is a 1979 soul single by American and Motown musician and singer Stevie Wonder. The song reached number four on the Billboard pop singles chart in 1979 and was the lead single off of Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants", which was a mostly instrumental...
" making the top 5 of the Billboard chart left him struggling at the turn of the new decade. Personally he let the media know that he felt that Motown had not promoted the album very well. His talents kept him busy when he co-wrote the song "Let's Get Serious" with Lee Garrett
Lee Garrett
Lee Garrett is an American rhythm and blues singer-songwriter, most famous for co-writing the song "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours".-Career:...
for Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine La Jaune Jackson is an American singer, bassist, composer, a member of The Jackson 5, older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and occasional film director...
's 1980 album of the same name and another with Eric Mercury
Eric Mercury
Eric Mercury is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and musician. He was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario into a family of musicians. He performed with groups including The Pharaohs and Eric Mercury and the Soul Searchers in the 1960s, and moved to Chicago in 1968 to perform by himself. His debut...
called "You Are My Heaven" which became a success for Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
and Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...
on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. During this time of upheaval, he was also in demand as a guest artist on many other albums ranging from the likes of B.B. King, James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
and Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
among others.
Wonder finally began work on a new album which was to be titled Hotter than July. Inspired by his love for reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
music from meeting Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, Wonder was encouraged to write the first track, "Master Blaster (Jammin')", after their performance at the Black Music Association in Philadelphia in 1979. The recording sessions were primarily done at Wonderland Studios in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
(which Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
had recently acquired) where he became responsible for writing, producing and arranging his own material for the new album.
Inspired by the growing popularity of Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's music and its clear messages against war, "Master Blaster (Jammin)
Master Blaster (Jammin)
"Master Blaster " is a 1980 single by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder from his 1980 album Hotter than July.-History:The song, built on a heavy reggae feel, is an ode to reggae legend Bob Marley; Wonder had been performing with Marley a few times in concerts on his US tour in the fall of...
" (US #5; R&B #1) was Wonder's way of honoring Marley. The country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-tinged "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It
I Ain't Gonna Stand for It
"I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" is the second single from Stevie Wonder's 1980 album, Hotter Than July. It reached number four on the Billboard R&B singles chart and number 11 on the Hot 100. It also hit number ten on the UK Singles Chart...
" (U.S. #11; R&B #2), the ballad "Lately
Lately (Stevie Wonder song)
"Lately" is a song by American singer Stevie Wonder recorded for his album Hotter than July . The song was notably covered by R&B group Jodeci and released as a promotional single for the live album Uptown MTV Unplugged in June 1993....
" (U.S. #64) and the upbeat "Happy Birthday" were other notable successes from the album. In the UK, all four singles reached the top 10, with the first and last releases peaking at #2 in the charts.
Track two, "All I Do", had originally been written by a teenaged Wonder and collaborators Clarence Paul
Clarence Paul
Clarence Otto Pauling , better known as Clarence Paul, was a songwriter and record producer for Detroit's Motown Records....
and Morris Broadnax in 1966. Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell
Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
recorded the original version of the song that year; her version remained in the Motown vaults until the release of the compilation A Cellarful of Motown! in the UK in 2002. Brenda Holloway
Brenda Holloway
Brenda Holloway is an American singer and songwriter, a recording artist for the Motown label during the 1960s...
also recorded a version that was released on her Motown Anthology set in 2005. Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Eddie Levert
Eddie Levert
Edward "Eddie" Levert is an American singer, and is the lead vocalist of the soul/funk/R&B vocal group, The O'Jays.Levert was born in Bessemer, Alabama, but was raised in Canton, Ohio. While attending high school, he met buddies Walter Williams, Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, and William Powell...
and Walter Williams of the O'Jays
The O'Jays
The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005...
, and Betty Wright
Betty Wright
Bessie Regina Norris, better known by her stage name, Betty Wright , is a Grammy winning Miami-based soul and R&B singer-songwriter, who won fame in the 1970s with hits such as "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight Is the Night"...
provided backing vocals for the song on Wonder's album. Charlie
Charlie Wilson (musician)
Charles Kent "Charlie" Wilson is an American R&B singer-songwriter-producer and the former lead vocalist for the Gap Band. As a solo artist he has been nominated for four Grammy awards, received a 2009 Soul Train Icon Award, and a recipient of a BMI Icon Award in 2005...
and Ronnie Wilson of the GAP Band
Gap Band
The Gap Band was an American funk band, who rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. Comprising brothers Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson, the band first formed as the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band in 1967 in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group shortened its name to The Gap Band...
, handled backing vocals for "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It".
Sleeve liner design and Martin Luther King Day activism
Wonder wrote "Happy Birthday" in order to honor Martin Luther King and used the song to campaign for King's birthday, January 15, to become a national holiday in the US. The sleeve liner design (of the 1980 Motown LP issue) is entirely dedicated to these two purposes. Both sides are printed in a black-and-white semi-glossy photographic process. One side features a large square photograph portrait of King inset on a black background with white lettering above and below. Above the photo is printed "Martin Luther King, Jr." "January 15, 1929 -- April 4, 1968" (on two lines, centered), and below it appears a passage of text written by Wonder. The text below the photo reads:
It is believed that for a man to lay down his life for the love of others is the supreme sacrifice. Jesus Christ by his own example showed us that there is no greater love. For nearly two thousand years now we have been striving to have the strength to follow that example. Martin Luther King was a man who had that strength. He showed us, non-violently, a better way of life, a way of mutual respect, helping us to avoid much bitter confrontation and inevitable bloodshed. We still have a long road to travel until we reach the world that was his dream. We in the United States must not forget either his supreme sacrifice or that dream.
I and a growing number of people believe that it is time for our country to adopt legislation that will make January 15, Martin Luther King's birthday, a national holiday, both in recognition of what he achieved and as a reminder of the distance which still has to be traveled.
Join me in the observance of January 15, 1981 as a national holiday.
Stevland Morris a/k/a Stevie Wonder
To the right of this text is a thumbprint, presumably Stevie Wonder's (Stevland Morris's), serving as his signature.
On the other side of the sleeve is a collage of five historical photos. Two images, one above the other, form the background. The top image shows an aerial view of a low-lying urban area with a six-lane highway passing through it and thick smoke rising from many of the buildings on both sides of the highway—apparently a riot scene. The bottom image shows a confrontation, in an urban street four of five lanes wide, between a large group of African Americans standing in non-violent defiance and law enforcement officers with white helmets and weapons who are apparently advancing on them. The other three, smaller photos are laid out horizontally across the midline where the background images meet and are about 40% of the height of the sleeve. In the center is a wide rectangular photo of a large peaceful demonstration march, with both black and white participants, being led by Martin Luther King. To either side are two square photos of apparent police brutality: in the photo to the left, three officers in white helmets seize a male African American youth by his arms and one leg; one officer holds as a club what appears to be a long nightstick turned around with the thicker handle end out. In the photo to the right, an African American man lies in a pool of blood on the sidewalk in front of an urban store, while in the foreground an officer in a white helmet stands at a distance and looks toward him, and in the background another African American man crouches with his back against the wall and looks away. (King directly mentioned police brutality in his famous "I Have A Dream" speech).
These images contrast with the general mood of the album, which is upbeat and positive, including "Happy Birthday". Exceptions are the few songs about romantic turmoil ("Rocket Love", "I Ain't Gonna Stand For It", "Lately") and the socially critical "Cash In Your Face", which protests racial housing discrimination.
Track listing
All songs written, produced and arranged by Stevie WonderStevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
except where noted.
- "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me" – 4:07
- "All I Do" (music: Wonder; lyrics: Wonder, Clarence PaulClarence PaulClarence Otto Pauling , better known as Clarence Paul, was a songwriter and record producer for Detroit's Motown Records....
, Morris Broadnax) – 5:06 - "Rocket Love" – 4:39
- "I Ain't Gonna Stand for ItI Ain't Gonna Stand for It"I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" is the second single from Stevie Wonder's 1980 album, Hotter Than July. It reached number four on the Billboard R&B singles chart and number 11 on the Hot 100. It also hit number ten on the UK Singles Chart...
" – 4:39 - "As If You Read My Mind" – 3:37
- "Master Blaster (Jammin')" – 5:07
- "Do Like You" – 4:25
- "Cash in Your Face" – 3:59
- "LatelyLately (Stevie Wonder song)"Lately" is a song by American singer Stevie Wonder recorded for his album Hotter than July . The song was notably covered by R&B group Jodeci and released as a promotional single for the live album Uptown MTV Unplugged in June 1993....
" – 4:05 - "Happy Birthday" – 5:57
Musicians
- Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Synthesizer, Drums, Fender Rhodes, Bass Synthesizer, Clavinet, Background Vocals, Arp, Vocoder, Piano, Harpsichord, Celeste, Keyboards, Bass Melodeon, Harmonica, Cabasa, Percussion, Bells, Handclaps, Flute Synthesizer
- Nathan WattsNathan WattsNathan Lamar Watts, born 1954 in Detroit, Michigan is an American session bass guitar player, best known for his work with Stevie Wonder from the 1970s to the present...
- Bass, Background Vocals - Benjamin Bridges - Guitar, Background Vocals
- Dennis DavisDennis DavisDennis Davis is an American drummer and session musician best known for his work with David Bowie.He was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City and studied with the late drummers Max Roach and Elvin Jones. He met guitarist Carlos Alomar when they were both playing with Roy Ayers...
- Drums - Earl DeRouen - Percussion, Background Vocals
- Isaiah Sanders - Fender Rhodes, Background Vocals, Pianet
- Hank Redd - Saxophone, Handclaps
- Robert Malach - Saxophone
- Larry Gittens - Trumpet
- Nolan A. Smith Jr. - Trumpet
- Paul Riser - String Arrangement
- Hank Devito - Steel Guitar
- Rick Zunigar - Guitar
- Background Vocals - Angela WinbushAngela WinbushAngela Winbush is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter who rose to fame first in the 1980s R&B duo René & Angela, also scoring hits as a solo artist.-Early life and career:...
, Mary Lee Whitney Evans, Susaye Greene BrownSusaye GreeneSusaye Greene , is an African-American singer, best known for being the last official member to join Motown girl group The Supremes, remaining in the group during its final years of existence from 1976 to 1977.-Early life and career:...
, Alexandra Brown Evans, Shirley Brewer, Ed Brown, Charlie Collins, Eddie Levert, Walter WilliamsThe O'JaysThe O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005...
, Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Jamil Raheem, Betty WrightBetty WrightBessie Regina Norris, better known by her stage name, Betty Wright , is a Grammy winning Miami-based soul and R&B singer-songwriter, who won fame in the 1970s with hits such as "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight Is the Night"...
, Ronnie J. Wilson, Charles K. Wilson, Syreeta WrightSyreeta WrightSyreeta Wright , who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was a Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter most notably known for her work with Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston.-Early life and career:...
, Marva Holcolm, Melody McCulley, Delores Barnes - Handclaps - Stephanie Andrews, Bill Wolfer, Trevor Lawrence, Dennis Morrison, Kimberly Jackson
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Cashbox | 1 (1 week) |
| 1980 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Top R&B Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
1 (13 weeks) |
| 1980 | Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
3 |
| 1980 | UK album charts | 2 |
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | "Master Blaster (Jammin')" | Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 1 |
| 1980 | "Master Blaster (Jammin')" | Billboard Pop Singles | 5 |
| 1980 | "Master Blaster (Jammin')" | Billboard Club Play Singles | 10 |
| 1980 | "Master Blaster (Jammin')" | UK singles chart | 2 |
| 1981 | "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" | Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 4 |
| 1981 | "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" | Billboard Pop Singles | 11 |
| 1980 | "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" | UK singles chart | 10 |
| 1981 | "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me" | Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 74 |
| 1981 | "Lately" | Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 29 |
| 1981 | "Lately" | Billboard Pop Singles | 64 |
| 1981 | "Lately" | UK singles chart | 3 |
| 1981 | "Happy Birthday" | UK singles chart | 2 |
See also
External links
- Unofficial website reviewing album with sound clips
- Cash in Your Face: exploring the harder edge of Stevie Wonder
- Stevie Wonder interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' March 1995