Fulfillingness' First Finale is the seventeenth studio album by American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer Stevie Wonder, released on July 22, 1974 by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. It is the fourth of five albums from what is considered Wonder's "classic period".[2][3][4]
Fulfillingness' First Finale | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 22, 1974 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Progressive soul[1] | |||
Length | 42:21 | |||
Label | Tamla | |||
Producer |
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Stevie Wonder chronology | ||||
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Singles from Fulfillingness' First Finale | ||||
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The album was Wonder's second to top the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, where it remained for two weeks, and also reached number one on the Billboard Soul LPs chart, where it spent nine non-consecutive weeks.[5] At the 17th Annual Grammy Awards, it won in three categories: Album of the Year (Wonder's second consecutive win in this category), Best Male Pop Vocal, and Best Male Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance (for "Boogie On Reggae Woman") at the ceremony held in 1975. Retrospectively, the album was voted number 413 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000)[6] and included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[7]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
The Austin Chronicle | [9] |
Christgau's Record Guide | A−[10] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [11] |
The Great Rock Discography | 7/10[citation needed] |
Los Angeles Times | [12] |
MusicHound | 4/5[citation needed] |
Q | [13] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [14] |
The Village Voice | B+[15] |
Following the epic scope and social consciousness themes of Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, in contrast, projected a more reflective, personal, and somber tone. The musical arrangements used in several songs, especially the bleak "They Won't Go When I Go" and the understated "Creepin'", were sparse compared to those of some of Wonder's other 1970s tracks. Wonder had not completely foregone social commentary, as evidenced by the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "You Haven't Done Nothin'", which launched a pointed criticism of the Nixon administration bolstered by clavinet, drum machine, and a cameo by the Jackson 5.
All songs written by Stevie Wonder, except "They Won't Go When I Go", written by Wonder and Yvonne Wright.
"Smile Please"
"Heaven Is 10 Zillion Years Away"
"Too Shy to Say"
"Boogie On Reggae Woman"
"Creepin'"
"You Haven't Done Nothin"
"It Ain't No Use"
"They Won't Go When I Go"
"Bird of Beauty"
"Please Don't Go"
Year | Chart | Position |
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1974 | Soul Albums | 1 |
Top LP's & Tape |
Year | Single | Billboard Hot 100 |
Billboard Hot Soul Singles |
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1974 | "You Haven't Done Nothin'" | 1 | 1 |
"Boogie on Reggae Woman" | 3 | 1 |