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Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life by Zeth Lundy EPUB

Sir Duke is one of the most easily recognized songs in Wonder's catalog, even if most casual readers don't know its name; the title is uttered once in a verse, while the "you can feel it all over" chorus gets the more hallowed transcendent repetition treatment. One of its most endearing qualities is how self-consciously it documents the thrill of good music; it's embedded in the melody and arrangement, and further emphasized by the lyrics. Call it meta-pop, a dictated blueprint of the very sensation it evokes; like a cigarette, part of the Sir Duke addiction is concealed in its design.

In the autumn of 1976, when Stevie Wonder unveiled Songs in the Key of Life to the world, it was immediately apparent that this was an album of considerable genius and undeniable scope. Here, Zeth Lundy tells the compelling story of the album's background, creation and enduring influence.

Zeth Lundy is Music Columns Editor at online magazine PopMatters.

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