Stevie Wonder Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants CD - Import

Out of print in the U.S.! Full title - Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants. This two CD set from the Motown legend was originally released in 1979 and was the follow-up to his hugely successful Songs In The Key Of Life album. This mostly instrumental album was the soundtrack to the documentary The Secret Life of Plants, directed by Walon Green, which was based on the book of the same name by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird. The album was chiefly written by Stevie although it does include collaborations with Syreeta and Michael Sembello. 20 tracks. Motown.

Personnel: Stevie Wonder (vocals, various instruments); Syreeta, Tata Vega (vocals); Ben Bridges, Rick Zunigar, Michael Sembello (guitar); Hank Redd (saxophone); Larry Gittens (trumpet); Ron Kersey (keyboards); Nathan Watts (bass); Ibrahim Camara, Lamine Konte, Dennis Davis, Joe Johnson, Earl DeRouen (percussion); Kathy Collier, Susaye Greene, Josie James, Abdoulaye Soumare, Angela Winbush, Shirley Brewer, Alexandra Brown, Marva Halcolm (background vocals).
German edition.
The emphasis here is on instrumentals. ~ Rick A. Bueche
Perhaps the most curious album in Stevie Wonder's career, Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants was ostensibly a soundtrack for a film few people saw (a documentary directed by Walon Green). These were mostly instrumentals, plus a few oddball vocals, but most observers didn't know what to make of it at the time. Wonder was so hot that the record peaked at number four on the pop albums chart, despite the lack of any real singles and confounding almost everyone who heard it. Though "Send One Your Love" and "Outside My Window" both made the pop charts, the R&B community ignored the entire album. ~ Ron Wynn
JOURNEY THROUGH THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS was Stevie Wonder's attempt to create a concept album about the life of plants. Released in 1979, this unusual album failed to connect with Wonder's sizable following. While SECRET LIFE doesn't rank with such Wonder classics as TALKING BOOK or INNERVISIONS, it has aged rather well and features some exceptionally fine music, including the romantic hit single "Send One Your Love."
Though bizarre lyrics and sound effects occasionally dilute the impact of many of the performances, several long instrumentals like the ambient soundscape "Earth's Creation" and the African-flavored "Kesse Ye Lolo De Ye" are some of Wonder's most adventurous and rewarding compositions. Presumably humbled by the poor response to this album, Wonder never again tried to make as bold an artistic statement as JOURNEY THROUGH THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS and he has since concentrated on the upbeat, R&B-infused pop that has made him so successful for more than three decades.