Conversation Peace

Last updated
Conversation Peace
Conversationpeace.jpg
Studio album by
Stevie Wonder
ReleasedMarch 21, 1995
Recorded1993–1995
Genre R&B
Length73:32
Label Motown
Producer Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder chronology
Jungle Fever
(1991)		Conversation Peace
(1995)		 Natural Wonder
(1995)
Singles from Conversation Peace
  1. "For Your Love"
    Released: March 1995
  2. "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing"
    Released: April 1995
  3. "Treat Myself"
    Released: July 1995

Conversation Peace is the twenty-second album released by American musician Stevie Wonder, on the Motown label in 1995. The album was Wonder's first full-length non-soundtrack studio album since 1987's Characters . This album yielded the hits "For Your Love" (a Grammy winner for Wonder for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance) and the reggae-flavored "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing". This album also saw Wonder reuniting with Robert Margouleff, who assisted during Wonder's "classic period" from 1972 to 1974.

Contents

Wonder wrote about 40 songs in 1993 after being invited to stay for six weeks in Ghana by President Jerry John Rawlings. A number of these songs were eventually shaped into album form. [1] [2] Motown announced in August 1993 that Conversation Peace would be released later that year; [3] however, Wonder continued to work on the album through 1994 until its release in March 1995, when Vibe magazine reported that the album had been in development "off and on for at least the past four" years. A circulating outtake from these sessions, "Ms and Mr Little Ones", was later released on Natural Wonder (1995). [4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Entertainment Weekly B− [7]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
NME 7/10 [9]
The New York Times (favorable) [10]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Select U+25A0.svgU+25A0.svgU+25A1.svgU+25A1.svgU+25A1.svg [12]
Stereo Review (favorable) [13]
The Village Voice A [14]

Critics felt that the album was a return to Wonder's classic period of the 1970s. John Milward in a 1995 review in Rolling Stone gave it four stars and felt that while the album is "reminiscent" of Wonder's classic albums, its "lean execution" gives it a "modern sound". [11] While the quality of the work was appreciated, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune and Jean Rosenbluth of the Los Angeles Times felt that the style was a bit too familiar and well-worn to be interesting, [6] [8] though Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave it an "A−" and remarked that while listeners may have "heard all this before, that doesn't mean it's worn out its welcome." [14] Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it two-and-a-half stars in a retrospective review for AllMusic and felt the music wasn't contemporary enough to get radio play. [5]

Track listing

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

  1. "Rain Your Love Down" – 6:08
  2. "Edge of Eternity" – 6:04
  3. "Taboo to Love" – 4:25
  4. "Take the Time Out" – 5:05
  5. "I'm New" – 5:41
  6. "My Love Is with You" – 5:54
  7. "Treat Myself" (Wonder, Stephanie Andrews) – 4:55
  8. "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing" (Wonder, Edley Shine) – 4:46
  9. "Sensuous Whisper" – 5:47
  10. "For Your Love" – 5:00
  11. "Cold Chill" – 6:53
  12. "Sorry" – 6:15
  13. "Conversation Peace" – 6:39

Personnel

Personnel involved in the album include:

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ) [32] Gold158,000 [30]
United States (RIAA) [33] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Songs in the Key of Life</i> 1976 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Songs in the Key of Life is the eighteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter and musician Stevie Wonder. A double album, it was released on September 28, 1976, by Tamla Records, a division of Motown. It was recorded primarily at Crystal Sound studio in Hollywood, with some sessions recorded at the Record Plant in Hollywood, the Record Plant in Sausalito, and The Hit Factory in New York City; final mixing was conducted at Crystal Sound. The album has been regarded by music journalists as the culmination of Wonder's "classic period" of recording.

<i>Talking Book</i> 1972 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Talking Book is the fifteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on October 27, 1972, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. This album and Music of My Mind, released earlier the same year, are generally considered to mark the start of Wonder's "classic period". The sound of the album is sharply defined by Wonder's use of keyboards and synthesizers.

<i>Stevie Wonders Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants"</i> 1979 soundtrack album by Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on the Tamla Motown label on October 30, 1979. It is 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. It contains two singles that reached the Billboard Hot 100 charts: "Send One Your Love" and the minor hit "Outside My Window". The single "Black Orchid" reached No. 63 in the UK.

<i>A Time to Love</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Stevie Wonder

A Time to Love is the twenty-third studio album by Stevie Wonder, his first since Conversation Peace in 1995. Originally to have been completed in 2004, it was finally released to stores on October 18, 2005, following an exclusive digital release on Apple's iTunes Music Store on September 27.

<i>Innervisions</i> 1973 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Innervisions is the sixteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on August 3, 1973, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. A landmark recording of Wonder's "classic period", the album has been regarded as completing his transition from the "Little Stevie Wonder" known for romantic ballads into a more musically mature, conscious, and grown-up artist. On the album, Wonder continued to experiment with the revolutionary T.O.N.T.O. synthesizer system developed by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff, and Innervisions became hugely influential on the future sound of commercial soul and black music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syreeta Wright</span> American singer-songwriter (1946–2004)

Syreeta Wright, known mononymously as Syreeta, was an American singer-songwriter, best known for her music during the early 1970s through the early 1980s. Wright's career heights were songs in collaboration with her ex-husband Stevie Wonder and musical artist Billy Preston.

<i>Be Yourself Tonight</i> 1985 studio album by Eurythmics

Be Yourself Tonight is the fourth studio album by British pop duo Eurythmics, released on 29 April 1985 by RCA Records.

<i>Hotter than July</i> 1980 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Hotter than July is the nineteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on September 29, 1980, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. Wonder primarily recorded the album in Los Angeles, California, at Wonderland Studios, which he had recently acquired. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 3, 1981. It was Wonder's most successful album in the UK, where it peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and produced four top-10 singles. Music videos were produced for the album's first, third, and fourth singles.

<i>Music of My Mind</i> 1972 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Music of My Mind is the fourteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder. It was released on March 3, 1972, by Tamla Records, and was Wonder's first to be recorded under a new contract with Motown that allowed him full artistic control over his music. For the album, Wonder recruited electronic music pioneers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff as associate producers, employing their custom TONTO synthesizer on several tracks. The album hit No. 21 in the Billboard LP charts, and critics found it representative of Wonder's artistic growth, and it is generally considered by modern critics to be the first album of Wonder's "classic period".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Tears of a Clown</span> 1970 single by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

"The Tears of a Clown" is a song written by Hank Cosby, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder and originally recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for the Tamla Records label subsidiary of Motown, first appearing on the 1967 album Make It Happen. The track was re-released in the United Kingdom as a single in July 1970, and it became a number-one hit on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending September 12, 1970. Subsequently, Motown released a partially re-recorded and completely remixed version as a single in the United States as well, where it quickly became a number-one hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts.

<i>Fulfillingness First Finale</i> 1974 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Fulfillingness' First Finale is the seventeenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Stevie Wonder, released on July 22, 1974, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. It is the fourth of five albums from what is considered Wonder's "classic period".

<i>The Woman in Red</i> (soundtrack) 1984 soundtrack album by Stevie Wonder and Dionne Warwick

The Woman in Red: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the second soundtrack album released by American musician Stevie Wonder on the Motown label. Also featuring Dionne Warwick, the album was released in 1984 for the film of the same name. It features Wonder's biggest hit, "I Just Called to Say I Love You", which hit number one internationally and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and also features the follow-up hit, "Love Light in Flight" and "Don't Drive Drunk", the song and the accompanying music video for which were used in the Ad Council and the US Department of Transportation's Drunk Driving Prevention public service announcement the following year.

<i>In Square Circle</i> 1985 studio album by Stevie Wonder

In Square Circle is the twentieth studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released in 1985. The album features the hit singles "Part-Time Lover", "Go Home", "Overjoyed", and "Land of La La". The album earned Wonder a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 1986 Grammy Awards.

<i>Characters</i> (Stevie Wonder album) 1987 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Characters is the twenty-first studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released in late 1987. The album features six singles including the Grammy-nominated "Skeletons" and "You Will Know", which both reached number one on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. The album also contained a duet with Michael Jackson, "Get It", that was a minor hit.

<i>The Force Behind the Power</i> 1991 studio album by Diana Ross

The Force Behind the Power is the nineteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 10, 1991, by Motown Records. The album reached No. 11 on the UK Albums chart and became the biggest selling studio album of her career there, selling over half a million copies in the UK alone.

<i>Primitive Love</i> 1985 studio album by Miami Sound Machine

Primitive Love is the ninth studio album and second English-language record by the Miami Sound Machine, released in August 1985, by Epic Records. The album has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.

<i>Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA</i> 2007 studio album by Boyz II Men

Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA is the tenth studio album by Boyz II Men. It was released on November 13, 2007 by Decca Records. The album was produced by American Idol's Randy Jackson and Boyz II Men. David Simone and Winston Simone were Executive Producers for the album. The album is a tribute to some of Motown's classic songs, including "Just My Imagination" by The Temptations, "The Tracks of My Tears" by The Miracles and "Reach Out I'll Be There" by The Four Tops. The first single off the album is "The Tracks of My Tears".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">For Your Love (Stevie Wonder song)</span> 1995 single by Stevie Wonder

"For Your Love" is a song written and performed by American musician Stevie Wonder, released in February 1995 by Motown as the first single from his 22nd album, Conversation Peace (1995). It won two Grammy awards for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song at the 38th Grammy Awards.

<i>Someday at Christmas</i> 1967 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Someday at Christmas is the eighth studio album by Stevie Wonder, first released on November 27, 1967 by Motown Records under its Tamla imprint. Produced by Henry Cosby, it marked Wonder's first Christmas album. Someday at Christmas consists of twelve tracks, featuring four cover versions of Christmas standards and carols, as well as eight original songs, chiefly penned by Ron Miller along with his wife Aurora as well as Bryan and Deborah Wells, including its title track and "What Christmas Means to Me". "Twinkle Twinkle Little Me" had been included two years earlier on The Supremes' Christmas album Merry Christmas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living for the City</span> 1973 single by Stevie Wonder

"Living for the City" is a 1973 single by Stevie Wonder from his Innervisions album. It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the R&B chart. Rolling Stone ranked the song number 104 on their 2004 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Jeremy K. (2010). Stevie Wonder: Musician. Infobase. p. 79. ISBN   9781438134222.
  2. ↑ Werner, Craig (2007). Higher Ground: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Rise and Fall of American Soul. Random House. p. 269. ISBN   9780307420879.
  3. ↑ Jeffrey, Don (August 14, 1993). "Motown Adds Might to Polygram Roster". Billboard . Vol. 105, no. 33. Nielsen Business Media. p. 82. ISSN   0006-2510.
  4. ↑ "Revolutions: Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace – Motown". Vibe. 3 (3). Vibe Media Group: 98. March 1995. ISSN   1070-4701.
  5. 1 2 "Conversation Peace". AllMusic . Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  6. 1 2 Greg Kot (April 6, 1995). "Not So Wonder-ful". Chicago Tribune– via chicagotribune.com.
  7. ↑ Hiltbrand, David (March 31, 1995). "Conversation Peace". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly.
  8. 1 2 Jean Rosenbluth (March 19, 1995). "Record Rack". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 20, 2013– via articles.latimes.com.
  9. ↑ Fadele, Dele (March 18, 1995). "Long Play". NME . p. 47. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  10. ↑ Pareles, Jon (March 26, 1995). "RECORDINGS VIEW; What if Love Can't Save The World?". The New York Times – via nytimes.com.
  11. 1 2 John Milward (March 23, 1995). "Stevie Wonder: Conversation Peace". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone.
  12. ↑ MH (April 1995). "New Albums: Soundbites". Select . Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  13. ↑ Stevie Wonder: Conversation Peace. Vol. 60. Stereo Review. August 1995. p. 78 & 79.
  14. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (July 11, 1995). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  15. ↑ Conversation Peace - Stevie Wonder | Credits | AllMusic , retrieved 2023-10-20
  16. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 305.
  17. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6892". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Highest position and charting weeks of Conversation Peace by Stevie Wonder". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Archived from the original on May 10, 2007. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Charts.nz – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  29. ↑ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  30. 1 2 Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  31. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  32. ↑ "Japanese certifications" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan . Retrieved July 14, 2022.Select 1995年3月 on the drop-down menu
  33. ↑ "American album certifications – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved February 20, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.