Comments: 13

• Chuck from Atlantic City NjMany say it was Marvin Gaye on drums however many researchers say it was Richard "Pistol" Allen.
• Wally from Miami, FloridaWhen Fingertips hit the AM radio R&R stations, I recall Stevie saying "key of G, key of G" in the recording. I found that very odd and have remembered it since, because musicians obviously should know the key of a song before the recording it. To me it was more evidence of Stevie's genius. When I listen to Fingertips now, I don't hear Stevie saying that. Was it another song? Is my recollection wrong?
• Steve from Sydney, AustraliaBeing on Tamla Motown label this was an import so I had to wait and when it finally arrived (on 45rpm record) it was labeled back the front with part 1 actually part 2. Always wondered if this was deliberate as the articles I have read suggest that part2 was the hit so maybe this was the intention.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn July 8th 1963, Stevie Wonder performed "Fingertips (Part 2)" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
  One moth earlier on June 16th, 1963 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #85; and on August 4th, 1963 it peaked at #1 (for 3 weeks) and spent 15 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 7 of those 15 weeks is was on the Top 10)...
  And on July 28th, 1963 it also reached #1 (for 6 weeks) on Billboard's Hot R&B singles chart...
  The three weeks it was at #1 on the Top 100 it prevented three different records was reaching #1; "Wipe Out" by the Surfaris, "Blowin' in the Wind" by Peter, Paul and Mary, and "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter From Camp)" by Allan Sherman (all three peaked at #2)...
  Mr. Wonder, born Stevland Hardaway Judkins, celebrated his 64th birthday two months ago on May 13th, 2014.
• Bill from Ocean View, Njthe bass player larry moses yelled what key what key,not joe swift.wonder left the stage,and came back for an encore.by the way,the key is C MINOR.THIS WAS NOT a telvised show.
• Bill from Ocean View, Njthis was recorded live in june of 1962
• Bill from Ocean View, Njthe bass player larry moses yelled what key what key,not joe swift.wonder left the stage,and came back for an encore.by the way,the key is C MINOR.THIS WAS NOT a telvised show.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScMarty. Both halves of "Fingertips" are on Stevie Wonder's At the Close of a Century boxed set.
• Lester from New York City, NyI always thought the MC was surprised that Stevie continued to play, and he said, "What's this Stevie, what's this?". At least that's how I interpreted it.
• Marty from League City, TxI had a 45 with both halves of Fingertips on it and I would pay ANYTHING to get both halves again. Do you think they will ever re-release it? To me, they are both incomplete without the other half.
• Eric from Los Angeles, CaComment above "Wonder kept singing when the song was supposed to end,..." I believe is incorrect.
  
  To me, it sounds like the performance was televised live. Stevie's only way to queue the band that his "jam" was complete was to play "Mary Had A Little Lamb". The band strikes up closing chords, etc and the MC of the show begs the audience to give Stevie a hand. At this point, what I believe happened, is that Stevie continued to "jam" during what seems to be a TV commercial break. If you notice, that last part ("what key") is a little less than 60secs. When that happens, the MC goes on mike to shut the song down.. as if, getting ready to come back from the TV spot. Thats MY interpretation :-) (Eric CD Thomas, LA)
• Les Knoll from Chicago, IlFingertips Part I contains one of the all time best brass ensemble riffs I have ever heard! For theory nuts, it's based on the circle of 5ths, alternating between m7 + 4th and 7th + flatted 5th. I play keys, and jam on that progression 'till my fingers bleed. You would not believe how good these passages sound on a large theater pipe organ! Clarance Paul had a KILLER arrangement there, too bad portions of Part 1 never made it into the pop mainstream.
• Jeff from Boston, MaThe reason you could hear the bass player yelling "What key Stevie - what key?" is because in the live version recorded during Stevie's set at Chicago's Regal Theatre, this was the last song, and when his conductor Clarence Paul called him back out onto the stage, Mary Wells' conductor and bass player Joe Swift had already taken the stage to set up for Mary's set, and when Stevie began to play again, Joe yelled "What Key?"

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