Sanwiched between the masterpieces Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life, the 1974 album "Fulfillingness' First Finale" is often less debated but it doesn't make it less wonderful. However, it's quite diffrent then both of them, While "Innervisions" was socio-conscious and "Key of Life" more autobiographical this one ends up being a collective of mostly romantic love songs with quite sparse arrangements compared to Wonder's most adventourous efforts with his patented futuristic syntheziers. But Wonder was at his creative peak during the classic period 1972-1976 and his albums started to sell better and better after the crossover smash Talking Book when people of all backrounds had realized how amazing he was. "Fulfillingness' First Finale" was no exception and reached the top of the album charts spawning two top 3 singles aswell and just like "Talking Book" it also features plenty of interesting guest appearences like Paul Anka, Minnie Ripperton and Jackson 5 (all singing backround vocals). The album is defenitely worth a second look if you haven't heard about it before.

It all starts with a slow ballad called "Smile Please", at first it may sound rather forgettable but after repeated listens it will find it's way to your heart. The song is about taking life for what it is and making the best out of what it has to offer. Stevie sings "Don't mess your face up with better tears/'Cause life is gonna be what it is/ It's okay, please don't delay from smiling.../There're brighter days ahead". And he is so right about that. The standout here in my oppinion is "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away" a midtempo with gospel choirs about finding god. Stevie sings "Why can't they say that hate is 10 zillion light years away/ Why can't the light of good shine God's love in every soul/ Why must my color black make me a lesser man/I thought this world was made for every man/He loves us all, that's what my God tells me". "Too Shy To Say" is one of the slowest songs I ever heard him sing, it's basically only Stevie and a piano but it's still a very beautiful ballad. "Boogie On a Reggae Women" is Jazzy piano vs Funky bass. This song is a midtempo and reached a #3 on the pop charts. "Creepin" a slow ballad and among the alltime finest and most romantic. Backround vocals from Ripperton, I guess you recognize her unique voice?. The Jackson 5 joins in on the most funky song here "You haven't Done Nothing" which follows the same musical path as "Higher Ground" and "Superstition", the lyrics deal with the same thing as "He's Misstra Know It All" from his last album. It reached number 1!. "It Ain't No Use" another slow ballad with backround choirs, the song is about a relationship going wrong and once again Wonder makes the song better then it is with his performence. A sensitive but sad piano ballad with gospel called "They Won't Go When I Go", good song after repeated listens. One of the best songs is defenitely "Bird of Beauty" with it's exotic feeling and funky bass lines, Stevie also sings in Portuguese here so I guess he was inspired by Brazilian music at the time. Sergio Mendes maybe?. The album's last song is the soulish midtempo/ballad "Please Don't Go", yet another wonderful song.

Overall, "Fulfillingness' First Finale" may not be his most selling album nor most adventurous but song after song here is memorable on their own right. A few funky numbers but mostly romantically written and very beautiful love songs sets the tone for the 4th out of 5 albums from Stevie Wonder's most creative time. It may not be the first album to pick up but any ambitious Stevie Wonder fan should defenitely give it a chance. You won't regret it.

Even a not so great Stevie Wonder album in comparison to other artist is a masterpiece. This isn't my favorite Stevie album maybe because of the last half of the album. "Too Shy to Say" and "Boogie on Reggae Woman" are great songs, as are others on here. But they all come during the first half. Again though, even a not so great Stevie album is a great album compared to other artists. So even the second half of the album isn't bad. I just tend to skip more of the last few songs than listen to them. I still say "Talking Book" is his best album or "Songs in the Key of Life" A lot of people love this one as much as the others, just not me though. It's just missing something. I still consider this in his top 4 best albums. With "Music of My Mind" fifth.

This is a very moody album. Even "Smile Please", which you'd expect by the title to be this all-out joyous funfest like "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing", has a hint of melancholy. To say nothing of the really melancholy songs: the spiritual "Heaven is Ten Zillion Light Years Away"; the emotional "They Won't Go When I Go"; eerie love song "Creepin'" - two of the three songs concern death. Hell, even the funk-a-thon "You Haven't Done Nothin'" is a tirade against Nixon - it was a hit, and it's catchy, danceable, smart and easily a highlight, but I can't shake the nagging feeling that it sounds like "Superstition". Then again, "Superstition" laid the groundwork for all of Stevie's funk-a-thons, so maybe that's a moot point. Wonder's only genuinely happy in a couple spots: the reggae-funk hybrid "Boogie on Reggae Woman", a massive hit and it's a damn good time; the lovely "Bird of Beauty", and "Please Don't Go", with full choir singing backups. Not that I'm saying the only Stevie is joyous Stevie - come on, I gave Innervisions five stars! And the darker songs are among the best: "Creepin'" is my favorite outside of "Boogie On"; "Heaven" has interesting keyboards; "They Won't Go" is, like "All in Love is Tony Blair", therapeutically cathartic. I think the spacey "Too Shy to Say" is a bore, but that's it: this is another of Stevie's best.

The only thing new that I could possibly add to any forum regarding this phenomenal piece of musical artistry is that whenever I put it on, I experience something that goes way beyond listening pleasure. Listening to this CD, from beginning to end, is for me, almost like a spiritual experience. I find it spiritually healing. It's restful and uplifting all at the same time. Each song picks me up in a soothing emotional embrace and carries me like a newborn baby on to the next one, right till the end of the CD, when I wake up from my trance and wonder where all the time went.

Stevie Wonder doesn't have many peers but I will forever be in awe of him and his small group of fellow legends whose music is still relevant, still vibrant, still totally engaging, well over 30 years after it was first made.

Absolutely beautiful. Five stars are nowhere near enough.

This is one of Stevie's best albums. I absolutely love it!

This is the greatest effort that Stevie has ever produced. It is a masterpiece in Soul, R&B and Funk all tied into one nice package. If you haven't heard this You Haven't Heard Nothing. So Boogie on Raggae Women.

Musical genius to the limit. It Ain't No Use it the most beautiful song ever written - I have listened to this over and over and over again for years, and will continue to do so.

This album manages to sound slightly different from it's predecessor and yet still remain great... the music is great on the entire album.. the music is awesome.... "Ain't No Use" is the best Wonder you're going to hear.. it's got a classic beat and a great build up and a great climax... you know it's Stevie Wonder... and "Please Don't Go" is in my mind, a better conclusion then "He's Mister Know-It-All"..

All in all, this is outstanding material!!!

Bird of beauty lyrics are sung in macarronic Portuguese (not Spanish) and English.

In the period of time from 1971-1976, Stevie Wonder could do no wrong. His output during this stretch is truly unassailable, and it isn't likely that any artist of any genre will ever have such a prolific period again. That is probably the reason that Fulfillingness' First Finale, released in the middle of this time frame, doesn't consistently receive the praise that is routinely heaped upon Stevie's other albums from this era. Nevertheless, Wonder's "forgotten child" is a masterful achievement that ranks right up there with the other three classics he recorded at that time.

On FFF, Wonder compiles an eclectic group of songs touching on various topics, but manages to tie them together with a commonality that isn't matched on his previous effort, Innervisions, or his next, Songs in the Key of Life. The most recognizable track to most listeners is the funk/reggae hybrid "Boogie On Reggae Woman" which Stevie whips into a soulful stew with great interplay between the piano, synthesizers and harmonica (all played by Wonder, of course). Then there's the scathing social commentary, "You Haven't Done Nothin'". The best way to describe this track is ludicrously funky. The ambiguously trippy anti-drug song, "Bird of Beauty", is one of the most bizarre tracks in the Stevie Wonder canon, and it is juxtaposed next to one of his most straightforward and plaintive soul numbers, "Please Don't Go".

So, how does he make these seemingly disparate tracks fit together as a cohesive album? It's hard to say, exactly, but it works. Musically, many of the tracks have an ethereal, dreamy quality. Wonder makes use of more backing vocals than usual, adding another texture to several songs, and the harmonica playing is some of his best ever. The most evident thread throughout the album, though, is Stevie's honesty. This may be his most candid album. Obviously, he's candid on all of his recordings, but he has never worn his heart so plainly on his sleeve. The pair of spiritual songs are vastly different in sound, but equally bold and truthful in subject. "Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away" attacks (or rather, counter-attacks) critics of Christianity with the same verve that "You Haven't Done Nothin'" calls out the government. "They Won't Go When I Go" is a sad, brutally honest, piano-driven track about the fate of non-believers who are close to him. It's a real issue any faithful person deals with, even though no one likes to talk about it. The frank break-up song "It Ain't No Use" is a fantastic kiss-off, and "Too Shy to Say" is the most gut-wrenching unrequited love song since Van Morrison's "Cyprus Avenue". The album is rounded out with the lush opener "Smile Please" and the delirious "Creepin'". Somehow it all comes together to form a forceful artistic statement that has rarely been matched.

Fullfillingness' First Finale is easily the least accessible of Stevie's classic records. Even the title is unwieldy. It is a mature album, and Wonder's stark delivery doesn't really invite the listener in, nor does the lack of pop hooks. Once you do give it a listen (and a few more), however, the layers begin to peel away and you start to uncover a beautiful work of art. If FFF had been released by another artist, we would laud it as a supreme, career-defining statement. It seems for Stevie Wonder, in the 70s, that was simply par for the course.

This was the second of 3 albums in a row to win the album of the year Grammy for Stevie, (as well as best male vocal performance for the album, and best male R&B vocal performance for `Boogie on reggae woman') and it's easy to see why. He was on an artistic and commercial roll in the 70s; the album made #1 pop and R&B.

The cover art depicts children playing, gold discs, grammy awards, JFK and Martin Luther King, among other scenes in a beautiful painting.

And the music; Easy flowing, soothing, well crafted songs with intelligent lyrics. The opening pair of `'Smile please' and `Heaven is 10 zillion light years away' are perfect examples of this.

The tender ballad `Too shy to say' features a relaxed, drawn out vocal over delightful piano and haunting bass/acoustic effects. Covered by numerous artistes, Diana Ross included.

Rich percussion, church organ, and deep buzzing synthesizers comprise the smash hit single `Boogie on reggae woman'. #1 R&B, #3 pop.

`Creepin'' is another tender magical sounding ballad (with the angelic Minnie Ripperton on backing vocals), again covered by numerous artistes, Luther Vandross and Jamie Foxx included.

Next is the midtempo funky horn laden `You haven't done nothin'', (with the Jackson 5 providing `Doo do wop' backing vocals) with acrid lyrics aimed at then president Richard Nixon. A pop and R&B #1.

`It aint no use' is a beautiful semi-sunny sounding ballad with lyrics about the end of a relationship. `They won't go when I go' is a haunting, melancholic piano ballad and biting lyrics that belie the mood of the song. Great vocal layering too!

`Bird of beauty' is a midtempo funk/jazz-tinged number with soothing backing vocals, and lyrics sung in English and Spanish. In a similar vein is closing track is `Please don't go' which features a harmonica solo and choir like backing vocals.

A stunning collection of music, one of the best all time releases, and essential to any collection.

I just revisited this album, which is my favorite Stevie Wonder set. I forgot how good these songs really are, from beginning to end. No tracks are too short nor do they last forever. We know Stevie can be guilty of that from time to time (hello, Songs In The Key Of Life!), but no such thing occurs on FFF.

I think the thing that really took me by storm this time around was the quality of the remastering. For years I had the old CD reissued by Motown with no liner notes and muddy, airy sound. Well, I received the remastered version a couple years ago with full liner notes and credits ... but this is the first time I had a chance to really BLAST it while I was on the road on a solo trip. All the songs sound full and clear with plenty of bass, and every note of every instrument and vocal lick are apparent. In 1974 Stevie was still singing songs rather than doing acrobatics all the way through them, and his vocals are well-recorded and effective, a perfect fit for his own music. Listening to Smile Please all the way through to Please Don't Go while driving through hills lined with autumnal-colored trees and silvery skies was an awesome experience, and gave me an even deeper appreciation for this set of songs.

Creepin' is probably the most widely-known song from this set. It has been done justice many times by a wide variety of artists, but Stevie's remains the definitive version, a timeless classic.

I would implore anyone who likes Stevie, 70's music, or just good music in general to check this album out!

How much does one really have to say about Stevie Wonder? If you don't already know that he's a genius you've been living under a rock for the last 40 years. "Fulfillingness' First Finale" falls right in the middle of Wonder's most fruitful period or pretty much the entire 1970's! When he says "Sing it loud for your people" in "You Haven't Done Nuthin" you'll surely join in the pure confection. If you don't you must not have a soul because this music is so powerful, moving, romantic and soulful that it would make anyone stand up and testify to the power of Wonder. The songs flow seamlessly from one into the next switching grooves without missing a beat. There's also spectacular guest appearances by The Jackson 5 and backing vocals by the late great Minnie Ripperton. If you don't own this album you should buy it now because you won't buy anything better! It's not the sprawling masterwork that "Songs In The Key Of Life" is (though what is?) but it's just as good an album . It's amazing to think that this music was recorded 31 years ago. It sounds as fresh today as any R&B music you'll hear and like most of Wonder's music it holds up well. Buy it now!

stevie wonder's 1974 album 'fulfillingness first finale'is an album of musical ethereal beauty.it is also mixed with social and spiritual overtones,romantic love and classic seventies funk.wonder produced and arranged this album for his taurus productions,inc.(black bull music)'fulfillingness first finale'would be the fourth straight album in a row of which wonder would be working with his hired synthesizer comrades robert margouleff and malcolm cecil.this 1974 masterpiece was recorded at the record plant-L.A./media sound-new york/westlake audio-L.A./and jimi hendrix's legendary electric ladyland studios-new york.also on hand were the recordists joan decola and gary olazabal.4 me as a child of the sixties and the seventies when i grew a little older 2 appreciate music even more,i was awestruck by stevie wonder's musical genius.having been amazed by wonder's classic'innervisions'album the year before in 1973 as a 9 or 10 year old kid,'fulfillingness first finale'4 me brings back so many sweet memories when i was a child in elementary school.as is the tradition that is of music,an artist will release singles before the actual album is released.i and many other fans of wonder could not wait 4 the release of this album.but first things are first.it was those exciting 45 single discs!i remember as a ten year old kid going on eleven when stevie released the funk singles from this album:'you haven't done nothin'and 'boogie on reggae woman'both of these 45 singles were singles that my sweet mother bought 4 me in which i still do have 2 this day.as a kid,i just completely wore out the grooves of these 45 singles til they were white!i still remember it like it was yesterday when my mother bought me the second single from the album,'boogie on reggae woman'-my mother thought that something was wrong with the needle on the beginning of the song.she actually thought that the needle was actually skipping from groove 2 groove on the 45 single.but that was the way stevie used that synthesizer effect on the song that caught my mother off guard'/'fulfillingness first finale'is the first album that my mother bought 4 me on an 8 track tape (of which that i still have 2 this day.)(ah,if only the young folk of today could just understand how special those times were when musicians PLAYED and singers SANG.)i also have the original album on vinyl format and now on cd.when my mother bought me this album on a white plasic 8 track tape cartridge in late 1974, i was excited as a child could be.i was also amazed by the amazing cover illustration of this album which was done by artist bob gleason. the title of this album came 2 stevie in a dream.'smile please'the moderate upbeat opener of the album,is a song that so much expresses that when sadness or unhappiness takes over smiling is the answer.there is not much lyrical content in the song,but it's few key lines make the message worth while:'a smiling face is an earthlike star-a frown can't bring out the beauty that you are;don't mess your face up with bitter tears cause life is gonna be what it is-love within and you'll begin smiling-there are brighter days ahead'.../the heavenly ethereal but spiritual 'heaven is 10 zillion light years away'is the first of the two spiritual songs on the album.(the other one is 'they won't go when i go')/'heaven is 10 zillion light years away'(my father's favorite cut on this album)(which also features paul anka,shirley brewer,larry latimer and stevie's ex-wife at the time the beautiful syreeta wright providing background vocals) with it's incredible melody has a message that is of the heavens and feeling the spirit of god while at the same time wonder addresses with biting stinging comentary in the song of which he addreses atheists:'for those who don't believe(in god)will never see the light'(institutional) racism done towards black people of which wonder cuts through the heart of the matter:'why must my color black make me a lessor man?'-'i thought this world was made for every man,he(god)loves us all'...'but in my heart i can feel it,feel his spirit'...wonder brilliantly mixed the wrong doings of man and heavenly enlightenment with this classic spiritual./'too shy to say'is the first slow cut on the album.the song is about sensual longing with his woman but is being shy about expressing his feelings 2 her in that he really loves her.this slow cut has a slight'country and western'vibe 2 it.on the song,wonder has the classic legendary motown bassist james jamerson on acoustic bass and'sneakey'pete on pedal steel guitar.'boogie on reggae woman'with it's laid back caribbean-reggae groove has wonder playing all of the instruments except the congas.in the song,wonder expresses his vocal 'drawl'4 his hot desire for a 'reggae woman' whom he spots on the dance floor...'i like to see you boogie right across the floor-i like to do it to you-til you holla for more'...the 'drawl'that stevie uses in his voice is funny and funky at the same.the deep heavy synthesized bass groove on this cut controls the rhythm of the funk.as the groove picks up more momentum,wonder asks us ''can i play?-CAN I PLAY???(stevie's classic harmonica playing with vocal and instrumental interplay takes the song over the top)-another funny memory about this cut reminds me of my father back in the day.whenever i would play this song, stevie would ask can i play?my father would playfully shout back NO!!!this groove is still funky after 30 years and will remain funky 4 ever...but 'creepin'(sorry luther vandross fans this is the original!)no matter how good the rest of this album is,'creepin'is my favorite cut on this album when i was a child and still is now that i'm an adult.for this cut,wonder returns back 2 his one man band persona.also for this track wonder has the beautiful minnie riperton providing her sweet sensual backing vocals in the song.the lyrics in this song 4 his lady are simply incredible:'when i'm sleep at night babaa,i feel those moments of ecstacy-when you sleep at night babaa i wonder do i creep into your dreams-or could it be i sleep alone in my fantasy....'oh love is so amazing-guess you will be stayin'-so let it be!that you always creep into my dreams...this classic dreamy technicolor slowjam is one 4 the ages.my special memory about this song was that when i was a ten or eleven year old kid back in the 5th grade when i was in elementary school,i would walk to school singing this song and thinking about the two girls in my class that i had a crush on.i had school boy dreams that i had married one of them.the first girl i had a crush on her name was donna and the other girl's name was robin.(even though i was 2 shy 2 express my feelings for either girl,it was only a puppylove fantasy.)ah,'creepin'was the jam back when i was a 10 or 11 year old kid and is still the jam now.'you haven't done nothin'is the album's most powerful cut and the first single release.as a kid i liked the song so much i begged my mother 2 buy the 45 single 4 me and she did.i remember playing this 45 everyday getting ready 4 school looking out the window and jamming 2 it by the windowpane.by playing the 45 single so much,i completely wore out the grooves 2 it until the single was damn near white!!!the song is stevie's vocal assault on the then so-called devil president richard 'TRICKY DICK'nixon.stevie's scathing assault on this bastard serves this devil right.wonder immediately cut thru the chase and and pulls no punches with no mercy blew this fool out the water with these scathing lyrics:'it's not to cool to be ridiculed,but you brought this upon yourself!'/'we would not care to wake up to the nightmare that's becoming real life...but when mislead who knows a person's mind can turn as cold as ice...'and we are sick and tired of hearing your song-tellin' how you are gonna change right from wrong-cause if you really want to hear our views,you haven't done nothin!'...stevie also has the group the jackson 5 harmonizing the doo doo wop background vocals in this scathing funk cut.'it ain't no use'is a moderate ballad about the end of a love affair between a man and a woman(with backing vocals provided by lani groves,minnie riperton and deniece williams).in the song,wonder describes that love's fire had burned out and the relationship cannot be saved,but still offered hope and redemption 4 the both of them 2 find love anew:'we still are young and both of us have time to find our winter love in spring'...of course by the song's end the breakup is official:'it ain't no use cause we done run out of juice'and he tells her:'so long baby,bye bye baby'...'they won't go when i go'is the second and final spiritual cut on the album.co-written with yvonne wright,the song is spiritually powerful with wonder's opening quiet piano intro.it would be almost a full minute until wonder began his serious spiritual vocals.in the song,wonder intones to us all that GOD wants us 2 steer away from those who are not of good and are of the evil persuasion.the song's key dramatic section when he states:'unclean minds mislead the pure/the innocent will leave for sure/for them there's a resting place/people sinning just for fun/they will never see the sun/for they can never show their faces/there ain't no room for the hopeless sinner/who will take more than he will give'...wonder's spiritual message is clear.there are those of us who want peace thru all eternity and there are those of us who do not.the final lyrics 2 this song completes it's message:'since my soul conceived/all that i believe/the kingdom i will see/cause they won't go when i go/and i'll go where i'll go /no one can keep me from my...DESTINY/they won't go WHEN I GO...4 me personally after hearing this spiritual cut no matter what one's spiritual affiliation is,you cannot helped but be moved by this classic,spiritual meditation piece.'bird of beauty'is a similar twin 2 'smile please'but is more musically vibrant.the song has an unusual beginning and is also sung in 2 different languages.it's message is for one to relax their mind when one is in stress.shirley brewer,lani groves and deneice williams provide exciting vocals 2 start the song off and they shine throughout the song.with free your mind lyrics,we all need time off and wonder delivers these time 2 relax sentiments:'simon says that now your mind desires a vacation/free it to join in fun and plenty recreation/there awaits you a ticket at ''please have a good time station''...these lyrics are for one 2 escape and to get away and let the mind and soul be free while at the same time wonder warns his listeners 2 enjoy life but leave the trappings of drugs alone when he states:'there is so much in life for you to feel/unfound in white,red or yellow pills/a mind excursion can be such a thrill/you please satisfy-take a chance and ride/the bird of beauty of the sky...stevie thanked jazz musician sergio mendes for the translation of lyrics on 'bird of beauty'to portuguese for him 2 be able 2 speak 2 his beautiful people of mozambique and the beautiful people of brazil.'smile please'is the final upbeat cut from this classic album.it's message is not for his woman 2 leave him in the midst of a breakup:'and i'll do everything you want me to/if you promise that you won't leave tonight/cause i'll cry a river of tears/with just the thought of you not here in my life'...the track has a strong climatic finish and ending with wonder begging 4 his woman 2 stay with him in the midnight hours and 2 never leave him,ending the album with an exhaustive breathtaking conclusion...as an 11 year old kid my father and i attended his concert together when he came 2 dallas and i still have his 1974 concert brochure entitled 'stevie wonder's fall festival tour'...stevie wonder would win grammies for his 'fulfillingness first finale'album in march,1975...

To say that Stevie Wonder experienced an "artistic peak" in the early-to-mid 1970s seems like a gross understatement. Here's a guy who, if he had retired after "Signed Sealed and Delivered" would be remembered as a great Motown soul artist, who then took an enormous leap forward into a realm of creativity that combined an avant-garde approach both to rhythm and to electronic instruments, with a naked expressiveness about a wide range of emotions and feelings, from love to grief to political rage. All the while, manufacturing the freshest-sounding melodies and richest harmonies this side of Brian Wilson.

If you haven't explored this music, take your pick from "Music of My Mind," "Talking Book," "Innervisions," this album, or its follow-up "Songs in the Key of Life." They're all equally accomplished, with their moments of sheer ecstasy, and I would say they're all essential listening.

I happen to prefer "Fulfillingess'..." slighly over the others, because for me it hits its emotional targets with songs like "Smile Please," "Creepin'" and "It Ain't no Use," and sets up some deeply funky rhythms with "You Haven't Done Nothin'" "Boogie On Reggae Woman" and "Bird of Beauty." Whereever you start, you won't be sorry.

When it comes to blending moods,textures,funkiness and mellowness with that ever important quality of song NO ONE can
and probably will match Stevie Wonder!His words abound in high
sociopolitical optimism while also reveling in often regretful
romantic revelries!And he wraps all that into this a sea of
tasteful arrangements,slightly jazz texutures and a great sense of a groove!
Now THAT'S just the overall sound!There are classic hits
like "Boogies On Reggae Woman" and the scathingly political
"You Haven't Done Nothin'".And when the rest of the album consists of songs like "Creepin'","Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light
Years Away" and the as yet undiscovered "Bird Of Beauty" sound
even MORE like potential hits then you've got it made!

By 1974 Stevie Wonder was on an awesome run of form with three classic albums preceding `Fulfillingness' First Finale'. The guy had a unique sound & style all of his own and was combining his political and social observations with some seriously funky music.

`You Haven't Done Nothin' is probably the most famous cut on here and still funks hard (With back up by none other than the Jackson boys), but the equally classic `Creepin', that dreamy dedication to a certain someone who manages to creep each night into his sleeping mind, is also present. `Boogie On Reggae Woman' is a fun experiment, and cuts like `It Ain't No Use' and `They Wont Go When I Go' are powerful and atmospheric. The overall vibe here is slick and you really have to admire how this guy was able to keep crafting such consistent and varied albums each time out back in the day. Another essential piece of work.

Another master class from stevie. his song writing and production is unmistakeable. A living genious

Of all the amazing albums Stevie released in the 70's, this is definetely the weakest but it still warrants 5 stars. That alone says something about the WonderMan. As I usually do in my reviews, let's go song by song.
Smile Please: Stevie is first and foremost the visionary and optimist. Which can unfortunately make his music sometimes seem corny. This is one of those times. It is a beautiful song and it has one of the best lines of any of his work, "Love's not competing, it's on your side. You're in life's picture so why must you cry?" It's a weak opening for the album but again, it's Stevie so it's still better than half the stuff that passes for music today. Heaven Is Ten Zillion Light Years Away: One of the most spiritual songs he's ever written, and one of the best. Paul Anka, of all people, gives a soulful background vocal on this one. In it, Stevie tells us to realize that God lives inside of us all. Therefore be careful how you treat others. And, if you wonder where heaven is, we make our own. Too Shy to Say: The third example of what has become known as the Classic Stevie Wonder ballad (primarily piano, voice and bass). This is a heartfelt song of the lonliness of someone that sees their true love but for whatever reason, can't have them. A very country sounding slide guitar is added as an eerie, heart tugging effect. The song literally melts in love. Boogie On Reggae Woman: A funk based, semi-Reggae masterpiece. His drum playing snaps but the sound is almost tinny. His harmonica playing is funky and rough but yet exquiste. The vocals, barely understandable and funky. It's one of the roughest, playfulest songs he's ever done (in the same league as Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing). And, most importantly...you can shake your tailfeathers to it! Creepin': Another great love song. It's about someone so in love They dream about it. It also harps back to Too Shy To Say because it seems that the person again is being ignored by or not known at all by the other lover. Minnie Riperton helps with the vocals on this one and her squeaky sweet voice is perfect for the song. The song also features another great harmonica solo. You Havne't Done Nothing: More funk coming your way in this one. Great piercing horn section, a great lead vocal and the funkiest synth riff since Superstition from the man himself AND great doo-wop from The Jackson Five in the middle of their hayday. How can you go wrong here? The song is a knock on Richard Nixon and his lies specifically but in reality, he's referring to all dishonest politicians. You can also shake your tailfeathers on this one but it's more of a militant march instead of a disco dance. One of his best political songs. It Ain't No Use: Another layered classic. This a great sing-along song with some good background vocal arrangements. They Won't Go When I Go: I look at it this way, if you ever decide to seriously study music and songwriting, there are 4 Stevie Wonder songs that will teach you about half of what you need to know. They are, Girl Blue from Music of My Mind, Living for The City from Innervisions, Lately from Hotter Than July, and They Won't go When I Go. With these songs you get lessons about timing, chord progression, key change, melody, harmony, major and minor keys, poly rhythms and the like. When you think of They Won't Go When I Go, don't think funky low down blues, think of a Bach requiem instead. This is a mournful song where Stevie is saying that no one will keep him from his goal of going to heaven. And when you think of it, if that was the goal for all of us, the world would be a better place. Beautiful harmony and keyboard arrangements backed by some pretty incredible background vocals (and of course another great lead vocal by The Man) takes this song to another level. A level not reached by many artist either before or after Stevie. It is the best song on the album by far. Bird of Beauty: This is another low point for the disc and unfortunately it follows the best song. Stevie sings about hey, if you're tired and stuff, don't take drugs, take a vacation! Yeah right. Again its the optimist Stevie winning over the logical Stevie. It's the equivelent of "Just Say NO", easy to do unless you're in the projects and have to walk through drug dealing territory everyday. A good message but not well thought out. Please Don't Go: Another great album finale. It's funk, blues and rock all mixed together as only Stevie could do. It's not the highlight of the album but it's way better then the song that proceeded it. It also featres another great vocal by The Man of course. So after everything is said and done, even though this album is the weakest of his 70's classics, it was still good enough to win the album of the year Grammy. Is that genius or what? Buy this album, you won't be disappointed.

For an album that a)was a Billboard #1 hit b)won tons of Grammies including album of the year,FFF was released on CD in 1988 with not only a shoddy sound but the insert wasn't even a booklet,but a sheet with liner notes but no lyrics on one side and the cover reduced and surrounded with an orange border on the other.Now FFF has been given the respect it deserves, as well as remastered with a brighter,crisper sound whereas it sounded like it was being channeled through an AM radio.Boogie On Reggae Woman staccato synth bassline no longer sounds like a scratched record,while "Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away "sound as transcending as its title promises.Bird Of Beauty benefits the most with its Latin-esque elements sonically at the forefront. Creepin' is more seductive than ever and no longer sounds like a Classic IV clone.
FFF's remastering, along with his other "Power 70s Albums"(Music Of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs In The Key Of Life) is a godsend to Stevie fans who've had to put up with chopped up album sleeves,lost lyrics and fourth generation master sound unbefitting to these state of the art recordings during their initial releases.

I don't have anything to say in terms of the musical content of this album that hasn't already been stated below -- it's a splendid work. I do, however, want to chime in on the remastered disc in case you own the original CD and are wondering if it's worth shelling out the cash for yet another version. In short: it's definitely worth it. I'm usually underwhelmed by remasterings, but in the case of this album, remastering was long overdue. The original CD sounded flat and muffled. The remastered version is a major improvement -- it's nicely balanced and brings out all sorts of rich musical detail lost in the mush of the first CD pressing.

people argue that songs in the key of life, innervisions or talking book are stevie's greatest. they are all true. fulfillingness' first finale is stevie's first....... well exactly as he chose to title it.... the first album that fullfilled his induvidual and musical expression. it is the most pure introspective vision into his soul. i was 4 years old when i heard it in 1974 and it changed my life forever. a personal masterpiece. this album has become the benchmark by which i interpret music. in a current world of pop music that leaves your soul feeling empty ..... thank god for stevie

I remember my brother and I listening to this "album" when I was just a kid... trying to be "cool" like my older brother, he was right, this is a sexy, delicious stroke of Stevie Wonder genius...you won't be sorry! Especially, the floatty groovings " Too Shy to Say" and "Creepin"...Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Stevie Wonder's Fulfillingness First Finale was exploring Wonder's havenly mind by life until death. I thought this was great. One problem: why would Stevie do this. On the cover of the cd or album was showing a confused or dazed timeline of Stevie's life. I own this one. I wanted to listen to it, to see what was Fulfillingness all about. I have the digipak edition. It sounded great. All the lryics were there in the booklet.

1. Smile Please: I Love this song, it was powerful.
2. Heaven is 10 zillion light years: Church song that gave a powerful statement.
3. Too Shy to say: Love song that freaked me out.
4. Boogie on Raggae Woman: Funky keyboards, #1 favorite
5. Creeping: #2 favorite, 1# in my book, he's jamming.
6. You haven't done nothing: 74' was the year for a president. Jackson 5 on background vocals. Jackie was really feeling it.
7. Ain't no use: Great and my favorite
8. They won't go: Freaky tune but, he could sing
9. Bird of beauty: Very Great but, that's the Fulfullingness *
10. Please Don't Go: Very Great, Fast Love Song
*- Should of been Fulfillingness First Finale Because it sounds like it.

This is definately not my favorite Stevie Wonder album, but it does contain my 2 favorite songs by him, "Boogie on Reggae Woman" and "Heaven is 10 zillion.."

The way I see it Stevie had 3 main songwriting formats: 1. Uptempo Funk 2. Soul 3. Love Ballads. Where I never much cared for his ballads, I think that "Heaven is 10 Zillion.." represents the pinnacle of of his soul/gospel side, that song is so perfectly underproduced and intelligently played and sung, I still get entranced everytime I hear it. Along with that "Boogie on Reggae woman" along with "Superstition" represent the absolute perfection of Stevie's funk formula. Know one played funk music like him, he didnt rely on a million musicians (Parliament, etc.), he could do it with a couple keyboards, and some drums (maybe some tasteful horns thrown in for good measure) and he could do it so much better than his more bombastic counterparts.

Now the reason I say this record is not his best is because I think his others have *more* good songs. I do also love "You Haven't Done Nothin", though it is VERY reminiscent of "Superstition" in song structure, but you cant blame a guy for stealing his own good idea. "Creepin" is a favorite as well. With Stevie you pretty much have to buy all his albums from "Music of My Mind" to "Hotter Than July" to truly understand his genius, so again this is just another step, but dont make the mistake of overlooking it.

Having read the review at Allmusic.com, I did expect a great album, but I did not think it would be this great! The review gave it 4.5 stars. The other album review I read at the same time was Innervisions. Innervisions is a good album, but not quite as great as FFF in my opinion. Living For The City may be an epic, but I think You Haven't Done Nothin' is much more heartfelt.The most beautiful song on FFF is probably To Shy To Say (he knows how so many of us feel) and that beats any of the ballads from Innervisions. Don't get me wrong, I gave Innervisions 5 stars in my review. I just think this is better. I will add though that it is not as perfect as Talking Book and as epic as Songs In The Key Of Life, but it is truly a gem.

While the phrase, "greatest album" is a useless distinction for the great Stevie Wonder, the material contained herein finds him at a pinnacle of his more introspective songwriting mode. Released between the chart-topping splendor of INNERVISIONS and the monumental SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE, FULFULLINGNESS' FIRST FINALE has spare instrumentation and a particularly personal tone.From gospel-inflected affirmations to the funky classic, "Boogie On Reggae Woman," this music is spirited.

Stevie sings out on a seamless array of love declarations ("Creepin") and social protestations ("You Haven't Done Nothin"). The melodies are simple and evocative, spiced with jazzy harmonies. Between his gentle clavinet work and his inspired synth romps, the man's got a great keyboard palette, and he surely knows how to use it. Throughout, Stevie provides excellent interplay between foreground andbackground, rounding out his vocal and keyboard flights with haunting overdubs. Perhaps most outstanding is the moving reverie, "Heaven Is," a hand-clapping groove on the divine. Let's face it -- few soulsters can be quite as mesmerizing as Stevie with a line like, "Love is so a-ma-zing."

This was the first Stevie Wonder album I owned. I liked the songs I heard on the radio, but listening to this whole album was a revelation. The radio hits are probably my least favorite songs on the album. The variety of pop and R&B styles on this album are amazing. I know a lot of people think INNERVISIONS is Stevie's best album, but I think this one is. If you are a Wonder fan, and you don't have this one: What are you waiting for??!!

Although critics might not agree, I feel that that with the fresh new material and supberb use of exotic and exciting rhythms this is Wonder's finest hour. In the new 24 bit remastering it assumes an intimate immediacy not previously heard. A word of caution, however. Just because you order one with the "original recording remastered" claim it does not mean that you will get the remastered version. The remastered version has a gold label prominantly attached that says "A stevie wonder classic remastered in 24 bit sound". Several times of late I have ordered such recordings here and received only the standard CD version. Of course, you can send them back, but it is a pain in the ***.

Let me try to be objective here;this was STEVIE's third masterpiece in a row;a great collection of soul,funk and ballads concocted by a master chef.Just remember,1974 was the year disco music really became popular,and this guy was reinventing the dictionnary of soul music.If an artist has deserved every GRAMMY award he ever earned,it is STEVIE WONDER.Few artists have dominated a decade like he did in the seventies;his influence is still being felt today.Everything in that album is of interest,from the funk groove of BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN and the political YOU HAVEN'T DONE NOTHING aimed at NIXON's administration,to wonderful ballads like HEAVEN IS 10 ZILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY and THEY WON'T GO WHEN I GO.Bying only a greatest hits package is an outrage to this artist.Buy TALKING BOOK,INNERVISIONS,SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE and HOTTER THAN JULY and you'll find out why STEVIE matters.AMAZON is waiting to send them to you.What are you waiting for?

It is impossible to overrate Stevie Wonder's album releases in the 1970s. "Fulfillingness' First Finale" was the fourth in a string of masterpieces that began with 1972's "Music Of My Mind", although it is slightly overlooked (as far as a multiplatinum #1 album can be overlooked, that is). Perhaps it is the mellower atmosphere (although no more so than "Talking Book"), or perhaps it is that it followed 1973's overwhelming "Innervisions". Perhaps it is that it does not

really vary much from the winning formula he established on the previous three releases--whatever the case, "Fulfillingness" is equally as strong as these, and improves with each listen.

The two upbeat hits, "Boogie On Reggae Woman" and the Nixon attack "You Haven't Done Nothin'", ground the album in hardcore funk rhythms (the former mixing its sound with reggae accents). The other eight tracks are midtempo pop songs and ballads, colored by Wonder's ever-innovative

banks of keyboards, and if there is any difference between these and ones on earlier albums, it is that they frequently sound more eerie and haunting. Right from the opening "Smile Please", Wonder's voice sounds slurred and yearning, which lends a subtle sense of irony to the cheerful lyric; it is the more mature flipside to "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life". "Too Shy To Say" and the classically-inspired "They Won't Go When I Go" are absolutely chilling, with tastefully sparse arrangements augmenting the minor-key histrionics. "Creepin'" is a strong contender for best cut, a mysterious ballad with Arp synths lacing themselves around the vocal. Although the sluggish and overrated "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away" presages Wonder's soppier later material, the album closer "Please Don't Go" sounds like the pop hit that never was. While the album lacks the cohesive sense of social and political commentary that fired "Innervisions", it sounds more personal, and its overall sense of resignation mirrors that of other critically acclaimed releases of the post-Watergate era such as Neil Young's "On The Beach" and Robert Wyatt's "Rock Bottom".

Stevie is really a wonder. Along with Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sly, James Brown and possibly Al Green, Stevie brought soul music to another level. From inside his mind, Stevie Wonder conjured images of beauty, pain, loss and so on, in mesmerising arrangements.

He must've been a busy man in 1970s, simply by the amount of classics that he brought out. Fulfillingness' First Finale possesses a light, uplifting touch, though it's certainly not candy floss!

Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away is a quality song, as if asking a question of belief. Like when people doubt religion, 'where is your God? That's what my friends ask me'.

There's that instantly recognisable Stevie Wonder sound on Boogie On Reggae Woman. It's difficult to classify these songs. Another one of these get down and do it songs is You Haven't Done Nothin'. Yes, I know there's a political and racial subtext to a lot of his songs.

Please Don't Go must've been some sort of hit. I'm sure I've heard it all round the place. It's a great, structured, song with a snappy melody.

It's quite easy for me to say that Stevie Wonder sees better than most people I know. Another example of greatness of mind.

Fulfillingness' First Finale continued the major roll Stevie Wonder was on in the mid-70's. The album opens with the sunny "Smile Please" and then moves into a more cautionary "Heaven Is 10 zillion Light Years Away" (which has a backing vocal from Paul Anka). "Boogie On Reggae Woman" is simmering slice of funk while "Creepin'" is an effective ballad. "You Haven't Done Nothin'" is probably the angriest and most outright attacking song in his catalog. An attack on Richard Nixon, Mr. Wonder sings with venom in his voice and calls out backup singers, The Jackson Five, like he was reading troops for battle. The song is a classic and was a number one hit. On the other side "They Won't Go When I Go" is a sparse and haunting track that showcases Mr. Wonder's incredible voice. The album became Mr. Wonder's first number album since 1962's 12 Year Old Genius and showed that after 12 years he was still a genius.

"Fulfillingness' First Finale" is often neglected among Stevie Wonder's classic recordings, following 1973's groundbreaking "Innervisions" and preceeding 1976's seismic "Songs In The Key Of Life." Perhaps realizing this CD re-release could fall between the cracks among Wonder's other 70s studio sets (let along his subsequent hits collections), engineer Kevin Reeves masterfully brought Wonder's songcraft and detail from this collection, reminding many of its musical depth 25 years after its release.

Motown was often known for putting first-rate re-releases on second-rate vinyl. Thus, the CD revolution (and 90s digital remastering) makes "Fulfillingness'" even more an overjoy. You now hear the slight giggle before the funereal "Too Shy To Say," the off-beat hand clap in the funk indictment "You Haven't Done Nothin'," the grunts and growls (and Paul Anka's background vocals!) in the moving "Heaven Is Ten Zillion Light Years Away," the almost mocking "Bye, bye" chorus in "It Ain't No Use." These details, along with trademark stellar backup by guitarist Michael Sembello, bass master James Jamerson, and vocalists Niecy Williams and Minnie Ripperton, are now clearer, brighter, with melodies further and fresher toward the surface.

This album, with its lyric images of inner beauty "Bird of Beauty," "Smile Please,") and spirituality (the frightening "They Won't Go When I Go," written with Syreeta) set to some of his most thorough melodies and arrangements, is as emotionally moving and cohesive as any of Stevie Wonder's more acclaimed releases. "Fulfillingness First Finale," bad grammar and all, is among Stevie Wonder's finest music; which is to say, among the best ever created. Absolutely essential.

FFF has always been and will always remain my favorite Stevie record. Something clicks here that's on a higher level than everything else I've heard from the man. There's a certain sweltering heat generated on it that's almost tangible; it reminds me of reading comic books in Central Park during a hot New York summer.

Stevie goes about as deep as you can go into these melodies. It's damn near impossible to pull more feeling out of these songs. I couldn't care less what the lyrics are, they're decent as far as song lyrics go but as meaningless to me as most of Bob Marley's or Marvin Gaye's (in fact I believe that "Let's Get it On" with its mostly sexual lyrics is a much more political record than "What's Going On" but not in a way that's immediately noticable); it's Stevie's uniquely deep melodic sense and soulful singing that interests me. That speaks volumes on its own and is a constant source of inspiration.