Too High by Stevie Wonder

Album: Innervisions (1973)

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"Too High" is one of Stevie Wonder's deep cuts, released in 1973 as the first song on his classic album Innervisions and also used as the B-side for "Higher Ground." Wonder played all the instruments on the track. The lead instrument is a Fender Rhodes electric piano; the rhythm comes from live drums and a Moog bass, and in the bridge there's one of Wonder's famous harmonica parts.
"Too High" is about drug abuse, one of the few times Wonder dealt with the subject. While the songs on the Innervisions album are largely in the genres of soul and funk, "Too High" has a definite ring of jazz fusion to it, and, garnishing the arrangement like a sprig of parsley, even a hint of bebop.

Interestingly enough considering this song's subject matter, Stevie Wonder was in his famous car accident just three days after this album's commercial release. The car he was riding in rear-ended a lumber truck, resulting in his being hospitalized in a coma for 10 days with head trauma.
Wonder provided vocals and harmonica to a version of "Too High" released by the guitarist Norman Brown in 1992 on his album Just Between Us.

Comments: 3

AnonymousJamiroquai also copied those early James Vincent albums (not the new guy, the other guy from the 70s).
Jgs from TorontoRe: Ed from Deal Kent’s comment - I say the same thing re: Jamiroquai but I use Stevie’s “Black Man” as the song example.
Ed from Deal Kent UkJamiroquai the UK funk band sounded like they based all their songs on this track.

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