“I guess it comes with the territory, you have a very creative imagination, therefore your life can be wonderful, or a living hell. Because your mind is so creative it goes to places that aren't necessarily realistic. You feel things a lot.” »read more
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Wonder wrote this about the dangers of believing in superstitions.
This was intended for Jeff Beck. Wonder played all instruments on the album except horns and guitars, and Beck was brought in to play some guitar parts in exchange for a song. At one of the sessions, Stevie came up with the riff and wrote some lyrics, and they recorded a rough version of the song that day for Beck. It took Beck a while to record the song, and by the time he released it, Wonder's version had been out for a month and was a huge hit. Beck felt shortchanged, and made some statements in the press that Wonder didn't appreciate. In 1975, Beck released an instrumental version of Wonder's "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" on his album Blow By Blow. The album was a hit and helped solidify Beck's reputation as an elite guitarist.
When Wonder turned 21, he was no longer obligated to Motown Records, and used his clout to sign a deal with the label giving him unprecedented control of his music. He got a large share of royalties and publishing rights, and Motown was not allowed to alter the albums once they were delivered. One thing Motown did control, however, were what songs they released as singles. Knowing Jeff Beck was about to record his version, Motown head Berry Gordy made sure this was the first single and released it before Beck could get his out.
Beck finally recorded his version in December, 1972 with bass player Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice. They recorded as Beck, Bogert and Appice, and while their album did well, their version of this song was hardly noticed.
Several artists besides Jeff Beck have covered this. None made much of an impact until Stevie Ray Vaughan released a live version as a single in 1986 on his album Live Alive. His version is still played on Classic Rock radio, and has grown even more popular since Vaughan's death in 1990.
This was recorded at Electric Lady Studios, which is where Jimi Hendrix recorded. The studios stayed active after his death, with artists like Miles Davis and Deep Purple also recording there.
Bringing Beck in on guitar was a way of appealing to a white audience and including elements of Rock in Wonder's songs. Before Talking Book was released, Stevie went on tour with The Rolling Stones, which gave him credibility in the world of Rock. By the time this was released, it crossed over to Rock stations and earned Wonder many new fans. It also dispelled his image as a child star.
This was Wonder's second #1 hit in the US. His first was with "Fingertips (pt.2)" in 1963, which he recorded as "Little" Stevie Wonder.
Raven of The Cosby Show and Disney Channel's That's So Raven fame, recorded this for the 2003 Disney movie The Haunted Mansion, starring Eddie Murphy. (thanks, Patrick - Conyers, GA)
More songs by Stevie Wonder
More songs that were written for other artists
More songs that were hits for more than one artist
Comments:
Bake Beans? Stevie sing "Thirteen month old BabY"
Imagine dining out on 13 months of bake beans?
Love the track and it moves baby maves!
- Ken Sparkes, Sydney, Australia
I always thought stevie sang these words,Thirteen years of baked beans,broken looking glass.This is why I do not eat baked beans on friday thirteenth.
- john, Brisbane, United States
Thirteen months of baked beans.What does this mean?
- john, Brisbane, United States
Stevie Wonder got booed offstage at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York for playing this then-new song. A few months later, it became his second #1 pop single.
- John, Nashville, TN
He did play it on Sesame Street, I saw it on youtube. It is even better than the studio version!
- James, Gettysburg, PA
the BBA version is way better than this.
- Cameron, Irvine, CA
thats interesting about the jeff beck thing. i wonder if the song would have been as popular had jeff beck recorded it first.
- Dylan, Burlington, VT
This song has also been covered by another Stevie, namely the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan. SRV's live rendition of "Superstition" appears on his Greatest Hits Vol. 2 CD.
- Joshua, Twin Cities, MN
The Stones recorded during that tour and wanted to release an album featuring them and Stevie but the Stones' record company said no. This tour did expose Stevie to white audiences and helped his career progress from Little Stevie Wonder to mature artist.
- Don, Newmarket, Canada
I believe he once played this on 'Sesame Street', which is my earliest recollection of him. I remember thinking 'who is that guy'.
- Nate, Newport News, VA
Opening for The Rolling Stones on their world tour in 1972 exposed Wonder to a white audience that helped propel this song and the followup "You Are The Sunshine of My Life" to no. 1. in the U.S.
- Charles, Charlotte, NC