Jungle Fever (soundtrack)
Encyclopedia
Jungle Fever is the 1991 soundtrack album by Stevie Wonder
to Spike Lee's movie Jungle Fever
. It was released on Motown
. Wonder was asked by director Spike Lee
to compose the film soundtrack and film score to the film, which depicted a black businessman falling for a white female associate. The hits included from the album include "Jungle Fever", "Gotta Have You", "Fun Day" and "These Three Words". It topped the R&B Albums chart for two weeks.
, Carlton sings the title track (also along with another Stevie Wonder tune "Ebony and Ivory
") before the wedding on the Season 2 episode "Guess Who's Coming to Marry" which was aired in the same year.
Grammy nominated group, The Foreign Exchange did a cover of the song, "If She Breaks Your Heart" on their second album, Leave It All Behind.
and Malcolm Cecil
, who was the dream team behind Stevie's classic albums like Music of My Mind
and Innervisions
to name a couple.
The final song on the album, the ballad "Lighting Up the Candles", was written as a tribute to Wonder's former label mate and friend Marvin Gaye
, who died in 1984. Wonder performed the song at Gaye's funeral service. Seven years later, Wonder performed the song while guesting on The Oprah Winfrey Show
, as the cast of Jungle Fever were there to celebrate the release of the film.
, except "Chemical Love", lyrics by Stephanie Andrews.
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
to Spike Lee's movie Jungle Fever
Jungle Fever
Jungle Fever is a 1991 American drama film directed by Spike Lee, starring Wesley Snipes and Annabella Sciorra. It was Lee's fifth feature-length film. The film mainly explores interracial relationships...
. It was released on Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
. Wonder was asked by director Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
to compose the film soundtrack and film score to the film, which depicted a black businessman falling for a white female associate. The hits included from the album include "Jungle Fever", "Gotta Have You", "Fun Day" and "These Three Words". It topped the R&B Albums chart for two weeks.
In popular culture
On an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
, Carlton sings the title track (also along with another Stevie Wonder tune "Ebony and Ivory
Ebony and Ivory
"Ebony and Ivory" is a 1982 number-one single by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. It was released on March 29 of that year. The song is featured on McCartney's album Tug of War. The song reached number one on both the UK and the U.S. charts...
") before the wedding on the Season 2 episode "Guess Who's Coming to Marry" which was aired in the same year.
Grammy nominated group, The Foreign Exchange did a cover of the song, "If She Breaks Your Heart" on their second album, Leave It All Behind.
Trivia
This album also marked a reunion with Robert MargouleffRobert Margouleff
Robert Margouleff is a Grammy Award winning American record producer, recording engineer, electronic music pioneer, audio expert, and film producer....
and Malcolm Cecil
Malcolm Cecil
Malcolm Cecil is a British jazz bassist and Grammy Award-winning record producer.A founding member of the UK's leading jazz quintet of the late 1950s, The Jazz Couriers, he went on to join a number of British jazz combos led by Dick Morrissey, Tony Crombie and Ronnie Scott in the late 50s and...
, who was the dream team behind Stevie's classic albums like Music of My Mind
Music of My Mind
- Side One :# "Love Having You Around" – 7:21#* Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, background vocal, Fender Rhodes, talk box, drums, Moog bass#* Art Baron – trombone#* Background Singers – uncredited...
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"...
to name a couple.
The final song on the album, the ballad "Lighting Up the Candles", was written as a tribute to Wonder's former label mate and friend Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, who died in 1984. Wonder performed the song at Gaye's funeral service. Seven years later, Wonder performed the song while guesting on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
, as the cast of Jungle Fever were there to celebrate the release of the film.
Track listing
Lyrics and music 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 "Chemical Love", lyrics by Stephanie Andrews.
- "Fun Day" – 4:41
- "Queen in the Black" – 4:46
- "These Three Words" – 4:54
- "Each Other's Throat" – 4:17
- "If She Breaks Your Heart" (sung by Kimberly Brewer) – 5:03
- "Gotta Have You" – 6:26
- "Make Sure You're Sure" – 3:30
- "Jungle Fever" – 4:55
- "I Go Sailing" – 3:58
- "Chemical Love" – 4:26
- "Lighting Up the Candles" – 4:10