Stevie Wonder - Talking Book

The two No. 1 hits from this 1972 album perfectly illustrate the contrasting sides of Wonder's complex personality. "Superstition" is a strong rocker, a paranoid bit of wah-wah guitar funk that's as persistent as the best punk music; the opening track, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," is a pure love song that would sound corny coming from any other voice. A hint of bitterness, perhaps owing to Wonder's then-dissolving marriage, gives Talking Book its edge. But overall it's obsessed with love, and while "Sunshine" is still one of the singer/keyboardist's most beloved songs, the closing "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" is much deeper and more rewarding. --Steve Knopper