I Was Made To Love Her – STEVIE WONDER***

I Was Made To Love Her/Send Me Some Lovin’/I’d Cry/Everybody Needs Somebody (I Need You)/Respect/My Girl/Baby Don’t You Do It/A Fool For You/Can I Get A Witness/I Pity The Fool/Please Please Please/Every Time I See You I Go Wild

On this album I Was Made To Love Her teen Stevie Wonder interprets several upbeat soul standards. The title track peaked at No. 2 in the US and No. 5 in the UK. (US:45)

“This album marks something of a change of direction, with the dominant focus on Stevie's musical heritage and influences as he pays homage to many of the great black male soul vocalists of the period.”

“This has all the ingredients for the first classic Stevie Wonder album; it is the first that is solid from start to finish, with none of the second side fall off that had significantly weakened some of his previous releases. Stevie is in just as good singing form as ever, we get plenty of his harmonica, the choice of songs is inspired and this time it all flows together well.”

“This album falls short, because it largely centres on one style, blues-flavoured soul; and across almost the whole of the album, the arrangements though often inventive are a bit over reliant on the same formula, being based on virtually the same combinations of powerful drumming, horns and elaborate vocal fills, often adding strings to the mix.”

“It seems that this album was thrown together for the girls in college dorms and sorority houses who wanted Stevie Wonder pop without too much of that 'Devil Music'. Nevertheless this record serves as a perfect play for your girlfriend's next 'visit' because she'll know most of the songs and they're ridiculously approachable. In short this album isn't going to push the lid as to what constitutes an all time great funk/soul/R & B album, but it is excellent for romancing.”

“I love his renditions of Respect and Can I Get A Witness, they both have a grooviness and originality of their own. If you really like Stevie's mid-'60s sound, don't hesitate tracking this album down. It's a real finger clicker and 'sing-a-longer'.”

“While you can hear his talents quite clearly he's not quite there yet. What he is on this album is an extraordinarily talented soul singer.”