Stevie Wonder has released four previously unheard songs from the sessions behind Songs In The Key Of Life, and the timing could not be better. The double album, released September 28, 1976, is widely considered one of the greatest records ever made, and today marks its 50th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Wonder has pulled four tracks straight from the vault, each freshly mixed, and dropped them as Songs In The Key Of Life: The EP.
The EP arrives on Motown/Universal, and it includes “It’s Easier,” “My Life Story Of Love,” “I Can See The Sun In Late December,” and “I’m Into Livin’.” Wonder himself chose these four songs from the session tapes, and they were recently mixed by John Fischbach and Gary O Adante, the two recording and mixing engineers who worked on the original LP. The tracks were recorded with Wonder’s band Wonderlove, which included Thelma Houston, Deniece Williams, Michael Sambello, and Greg Phillinganes — musicians who would go on to become much more famous in their own right.
“These things don’t sound like outtakes.”
That line captures the whole point. These songs do not feel like leftovers. They sound like they were always meant to be heard.
Four Tracks From The Vault
All four tracks carry the same melodic confidence that defined the original album. The fact that Wonder himself selected these songs from the vault speaks to their quality. He did not hand the mix engineers a stack of rejects and tell them to pick four. He chose the ones he wanted to share, and he trusted Fischbach and Adante to bring them up to the same standard as the rest of the record.
The Band Behind The Tracks
Wonderlove was the group that backed Wonder on Songs In The Key Of Life, and the EP features several musicians who would go on to bigger things. Thelma Houston and Deniece Williams became major figures in soul and pop music. Michael Sambello and Greg Phillinganes brought instrumental precision to the sessions. Their presence on these tracks adds weight to the release, since they were part of the band that played on the original LP.
The Anniversary Celebration
Wonder has already announced plans for a tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Songs In The Key Of Life. The EP release ties directly into that celebration, giving fans new material to hear live. The tour will likely feature songs from across Wonder’s career, but the EP provides a specific reason to pay attention to the anniversary shows.
How The Songs Were Chosen
The selection process was deliberate. Wonder picked these four songs from the session tapes, and he trusted Fischbach and Adante to handle the mixes. The result is a set of tracks that sound fully realized, not like rough drafts or placeholders. The EP is a small but significant addition to the Songs In The Key Of Life legacy.
The Legacy Of The Original Album
Songs In The Key Of Life was the final burst of creativity in one of the greatest runs in popular music history. The double album and bonus 7″ made up the initial release, and the EP suggests there was still material left over after all that. The fact that Wonder chose these four songs for the anniversary rather than reaching for lesser-known tracks speaks to his own judgment about what stands up.
The 50th anniversary of Songs In The Key Of Life has arrived with a surprise. Wonder has opened the vault and handed us four more reasons to celebrate. The EP is available now on Motown/Universal. The four tracks are streaming, ready to be heard alongside the rest of the Songs In The Key Of Life catalog. For anyone who thought they had heard everything Stevie Wonder had to offer, this EP proves otherwise.
The release is a gift to anyone who loves Stevie Wonder’s music. It is not a cash grab or a half-hearted attempt to fill space. These are four songs that sounded finished in 1976, and they still do.
See the video the story is built around at Stereogum.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.