Album: Fullfillingness’ First Finale
Year: 1976
. . .
One of the things I thought was hilarious as I did my patented half-assed research for yet another killer Stevie Wonder mid-1970s single, “Boogie on Reggae Woman” was how many folks have claimed that the song has any ties to actual reggae music.
Which, of course, it doesn’t: “Boogie on Reggae Woman” is a straight funk song, anchored by Wonder’s fuzzed up Moog bassline and a piano riff that you don’t even notice until it’s stuck forever in your head.
To me it sounds more like the phrase came into his head, and he was “oh, that’s a cool phrase, I’ll write a song using it.” A fucksong, as it turns out, given that Stevie sings “I’d like to make love to you / So you can make me scream” before the chorus.
So boogie on reggae woman
What is wrong with me
Boogie on reggae woman
Baby can’t you see
As befitting its subject, “Boogie on Reggae Woman” is one of the more playful songs in Wonder’s canon: his piano playing, especially during the choruses, darts all over the place, and his slurring alterations the title phrase as the song goes on is never not awesome. As is his long harmonica solos, the first of which he interrupts with a rhetoric “can I play?” a couple of times, and the second of which takes the song to its outro.
“Boogie On Reggae Woman” was yet another massive smash for Wonder, making it to #3 on the pop charts, as well as earning him a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. Meanwhile, Fulfillingness’ First Finale won Grammys for both Pop Performance, Male and Album of the Year, while also being Stevie’s first album to top the Billboard 200 Albums chart. Oh, and in case you were wondering about what the critical establishment thought, Fullingness’ First Finale also came in at #4 on the Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop Critics poll, because at this point Stevie Wonder had everybody in the palm of his hand, even if he’d prefer to be palming the titular reggae woman.
“Boogie On Reggae Woman”
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