Hotter than July

Infobox Album |
Name = Hotter than July
Type = Album
Artist = Stevie Wonder


Released = September 29, 1980
Recorded = 1980
Genre = R&B
Length = 45:52
Label = Tamla
Producer = Stevie Wonder
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:qpjxlfke5cqw link]
*Review-Christgau|A-|name=Stevie+Wonder
*The Daily Vault (A-) [http://www.dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=2026 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/steviewonder/albums/album/94471/review/6212992/hotter_than_july link]
Last album = "Journey through the Secret Life of Plants"
(1979)
This album = "Hotter than July"
(1980)
Next album = "Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I"
(1982)

"Hotter than July" is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on Motown's Tamla label on September 29, 1980. Despite the wide critical acclaim for Wonder's previous works such as "Songs in the Key of Life" and "Innervisions", "Hotter than July" was his first album eligible for platinum status, as Motown sales records before 1977 were not audited by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Inspired by the growing popularity of Bob Marley's music and its clear messages against war, "Master Blaster (Jammin)" (U.S. #5) was Wonder's way of honoring Marley. The country-tinged "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" (U.S. #11), the ballad "Lately" (U.S. #64) and the upbeat "Happy Birthday" were other notable successes from the album. Wonder wrote "Happy Birthday" in order to honor Martin Luther King and used the song to campaign for King's birthday, January 15, to become a national holiday in the USA. The sleeve design contains images of Martin Luther King and some of his famous protests.

Track two, "All I Do", had originally been written by a teenaged Wonder and collaborators Clarence Paul and Morris Broadnax in 1966. Tammi Terrell recorded the original version of the song that year; her version remained in the Motown vaults until the release of the compilation "A Cellarful of Motown!" in the United Kingdom in 2002. Michael Jackson and Eddie Levert provided background vocals for the song on Wonder's album.

Charlie and Ronnie Wilson of The Gap Band provided backing vocals for "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It".

Track listing

All songs written, produced and arranged by Stevie Wonder except where noted.

#"Did I Hear You Say You Love Me" – 4:07
#"All I Do" (music: Wonder; lyrics: Wonder, Clarence Paul, Morris Broadnax) – 5:06
#"Rocket Love" – 4:39
#"I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" – 4:39
#"As If You Read My Mind" – 3:47
#"Master Blaster (Jammin)" – 5:07
#"Do Like You" – 4:25
#"Cash in Your Face" – 3:59
#"Lately" – 4:05
#"Happy Birthday" – 5:57

[http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Stevie-Wonder-Hotter-Than-July-Album/C8A33D173D5571194825691200086DC0 Album Lyrics]

Musicians

* Stevie Wonder - Vocals, Synthesizer, Drums, Fender Rhodes, Bass Synthesizer, Clavinet, Background Vocals, Arp, Vocoder, Piano, Harpsichord, Celeste, Keyboards, Bass Melodian, Harmonica, Cabasa, Percussion, Bells, Handclaps, Flute Synthesizer
* Nathan Watts - Bass, Background Vocals
* Benjamin Bridges - Guitar, Background Vocals
* Dennis Davis - Drums
* Earl DeRouen - Percussion, Background Vocals
* Isaiah Sanders - Fender Rhodes, Background Vocals, Pianet
* Hank Redd - Saxophone, Handclaps
* Robert Malach - Saxophone
* Larry Gittens - Trumpet
* Nolan A. Smith Jr. - Trumpet
* Paul Riser - String Arrangement
* Hank Devito - Steel Guitar
* Rick Zunigar - Guitar
* Background Vocals - Angela Winbush, Mary Lee Whitney Evans, Susaye Greene Brown, Alexandra Brown Evans, Shirley Brewer, Ed Brown, Charlie Collins, Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Michael Jackson, Jamil Raheem, Betty Wright, Ronnie J. Wilson, Charles K. Wilson, Syreeta Wright, Marva Holcolm, Melody McCulley, Delores Barnes
* Handclaps - Stephanie Andrews, Bill Wolfer, Trevor Lawrence, Dennis Morrison, Kimberly Jackson

Charts

Album

ingle

External links

* [http://www.steviewonder-unofficial.com/album/id_32_Hotter_Than_July.html Unofficial website reviewing album with sound clips]
* [http://steviewonder-higherground.blogspot.com/2007/09/cash-in-your-face_07.html Cash in Your Face: exploring the harder edge of Stevie Wonder]