Uptown's First Finale

Album: Uptown Special (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is one of two tracks on Uptown Special that features Stevie Wonder (the other is "Crack in the Pearl, Pt. II"). The title is a play on Wonder's 1974 album Fulfillingness' First Finale.

    Ronson told The Sun: "I am the biggest Stevie Wonder fan there is. I don't know how I managed to get him on the record. I'm still in shock."

    "There's always this image that I know all these people but getting Steve involved, I just wrote a letter to his manager and sent the song and explained who I was," he added. "I said Stevie is my all-time musical hero and would be my dream to have him on this song."

    "I didn't hear back for a couple of months," Ronson continued, "then all of a sudden they were like, 'He likes the song and he wants to do it, we booked a studio in Chicago on Thursday."
  • The majority of Uptown Special's lyrics were written by the Pulitzer-winning American novelist Michael Chabo. Ronson told The Guardian: "The melody to this piece was completely inspired by the first set of lyrics that Michael sent me. And although I loved the lyrics, for some reason I kept hearing the melody as if it were being played by Stevie Wonder with his signature harmonica tone."

    "His harmonica playing can really turn me inside out, just as his singing does. Anyway, I thought what the hell and sent a 'hail-mary' letter to his manager with the song ... and a few months later, he recorded it!"
  • Stevie Wonder recorded his harmonica part in a Chicago studio while he was on tour.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Cheerleaders In Music Videos

Cheerleaders In Music VideosSong Writing

It started with a bouncy MTV classic. Nirvana and MCR made them scary, then Gwen, Avril and Madonna put on the pom poms.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Lecrae

LecraeSongwriter Interviews

The Christian rapper talks about where his trip to Haiti and his history of addiction fit into his songs.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.