Down to Earth (Stevie Wonder album)
Encyclopedia
Down to Earth is Motown singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder
's sixth studio album, released in 1966 on the Tamla (Motown) label. The album was a departure from Wonder's earlier, teen pop
-driven albums, and, along with its predecessor, Up-Tight
, it re-established the sixteen-year-old Wonder, whose voice had recently changed, as a Motown hitmaker.
The LP features the hit single "A Place in the Sun
". Another single, "Hey Love", would go on to become a hit for Detroit soul singer Betty Lavette the following year.
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's sixth studio album, released in 1966 on the Tamla (Motown) label. The album was a departure from Wonder's earlier, teen pop
Teen pop
Teen pop is a subgenre of pop music that is created, marketed and oriented towards teenagers. Teen pop copies genres and styles such as pop, dance, R&B, hip hop, country and rock....
-driven albums, and, along with its predecessor, Up-Tight
Up-Tight
Uptight is a 1966 album by US singer Stevie Wonder. It was his fifth studio release.- Background :Uptight was the breakthrough album for Stevie Wonder, released in 1966 on Motown Records' Tamla label. The album features the U.S...
, it re-established the sixteen-year-old Wonder, whose voice had recently changed, as a Motown hitmaker.
The LP features the hit single "A Place in the Sun
A Place in the Sun (song)
"A Place in the Sun" is a 1966 soul single by American and Motown musician Stevie Wonder. Written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, the song hit #9 on the Billboard pop singles chart, his third Top Ten hit since 1963, and one of Wonder's first songs to contain social commentary...
". Another single, "Hey Love", would go on to become a hit for Detroit soul singer Betty Lavette the following year.
Track listing
- "A Place in the SunA Place in the Sun (song)"A Place in the Sun" is a 1966 soul single by American and Motown musician Stevie Wonder. Written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, the song hit #9 on the Billboard pop singles chart, his third Top Ten hit since 1963, and one of Wonder's first songs to contain social commentary...
" (Ron Miller, Bryan Wells) 2:52 - "Bang BangBang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"Bang Bang " is the second single by singer-actress Cher from her second studio album The Sonny Side of Chér. The song was written by Sonny Bono and released in 1966. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100...
" (Sonny BonoSonny BonoSalvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.-Early life:...
) 2:42 - "Down to Earth" (Ron Miller, Avery Vanderberg) 2:50
- "Thank You Love" (Henry CosbyHenry CosbyHenry "Hank" R. Cosby was an African American songwriter and record producer for Motown Records...
, Sylvia MoySylvia MoySylvia Moy is a songwriter and record producer, formerly associated with the Motown Records group. The first woman at the Detroit-based music label to write and produce for Motown acts, she is probably best known for her songs written for Stevie Wonder....
, Wonder) 2:55 - "Be Cool, Be Calm (And Keep Yourself Together)" (Cosby, Moy, Wonder) 2:43
- "Sylvia" (Cosby, Moy, Wonder) 2:34
- "My World Is Empty Without YouMy World Is Empty Without You"My World Is Empty Without You" is a 1965 song recorded and released as a single by The Supremes for the Motown label.-Overview:Written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song's slow tempo accompanies a somber lyric which delves into the feelings of...
" (Holland-Dozier-HollandHolland-Dozier-HollandHolland–Dozier–Holland is a songwriting and production team made up of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr. They are considered to be one of the greatest songwriting teams in popular music...
) 2:53 - "The Lonesome Road" (Gene AustinGene AustinGene Austin was an American singer and songwriter, one of the first "crooners". His 1920s compositions "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street" and "The Lonesome Road" became pop and jazz standards.-Career:...
, Nat Shilkret) 3:06 - "Angel Baby (Don't You Ever Leave Me)" (Cosby, Moy) 2:45
- "Mr. Tambourine ManMr. Tambourine Man"Mr. Tambourine Man" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, which was released on his 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. The Byrds also recorded a version of the song that was released as their first single on Columbia Records, reaching number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and...
" (Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
) 2:30 - "Sixteen Tons" (Merle TravisMerle TravisMerle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
) 2:42 - "Hey Love" (Morris Broadnax, Clarence PaulClarence PaulClarence Otto Pauling , better known as Clarence Paul, was a songwriter and record producer for Detroit's Motown Records....
, Wonder) 2:41
Personnel
- Stevie Wonder – harmonica, keyboards, vocals
- Benny BenjaminBenny BenjaminWilliam "Benny" Benjamin , nicknamed Papa Zita, was an American musician, most notable as the primary drummer for the Motown studio band known as The Funk Brothers. He was a native of Birmingham, Alabama....
– drums - James JamersonJames JamersonJames Lee Jamerson was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records' hits in the 1960s and early 1970s , and he is now regarded as one of the most influential bass players in modern music history...
– bass - Clarence PaulClarence PaulClarence Otto Pauling , better known as Clarence Paul, was a songwriter and record producer for Detroit's Motown Records....
and Henry CosbyHenry CosbyHenry "Hank" R. Cosby was an African American songwriter and record producer for Motown Records...
– producers