When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way.
I was in my early elementary years when this particular performance on my favorite educational television show turned me on to both the artist and the song.
The artist was the great Mr. Stevie Wonder and shown above was a live performance of his 1973 hit "Superstition" that was featured on the popular children's tv show Sesame Street.
As a child, I had spent a lot of time in the company of older cousins. The music they listened to at the time became my music too. Thus, at a very early age, I was already exposed to both electric and electronic sounds on a number of pop and rock songs that were popular at the time. That early exposure to rock and pop music quickly turned me on to this song the moment I heard its opening notes. My eyes stayed glued to the tv throughout the entire performance. I became an instant fan.
It wasn't a surprise to me then when many years later, I read on some magazine that some music critics consider the above performance of Superstition on Sesame Street as one of Mr. Wonder's finest live performances ever of the song.
Superstition wasn't his first hit. Prior to this song, he had already scored hits with the songs "For Once In My Life" and "My Cherie Amour", the latter being another personal favorite. He first became famous in the US back in 1963 when he scored a hit song called "Fingertips (Pt. 2)". But it wasn't until the early 1970s when he truly became a worldwide superstar.
Mr. Wonder went on to score more hits throughout the 70s and the 80s with songs like "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", "Isn't She Lovely," "I Just Called to Say I Love You", "That's What Friends Are For", and "Part Time Lover" to name a few.
But to this day, Superstition remains a sentimental favorite of mine simply because a great live performance of this song on a children's television show introduced me to a great artist.
To honor such a great artist, let me end this write-up with the following:
Question: Have you seen Stevie Wonder's new house?
Response: Nope, but neither has he.
24 responses:
cool post panaderos. i've heard some songs of stevie wonder but not this one and even did it in Sesame street. it means it also appeals the children. i like the beat and stevie's head shake is a wonder.
about his house... hmmm... that's funny.
this is the first time i've heard this song. nice :D my personal fave is my cherie amour :D
oh it's the famous question again.
i love stevie ,too. my faves are knocks me off my feet and castle of love.
i remember watching sesame street at the neighbor's...tv was not allowed when i was growing up.:D stevie wonder is a great singer and song-writer. i also love superstition...lately, overjoyed and for once in my life. it's good to sit back and enjoy his music.
Heh, I'm surprised that many people have never heard of Stevie's "Superstition"... doesn't that make you feel old? :-D
The Dong,
Aside from the education, another thing that was great with that show was that it introduced kids to artists in the different fields such as music, theater, art, etc. The show introduced and gave kids access to various artists and the various performing arts. It was then up to you as the viewer to pick and choose which ones you would want to pursue.
As for the joke, I've heard it for a while and decided to insert it at the last minute. Hehe :)
Carlotta1924,
My Cherie Amour is one of my personal faves too. Great love song. :)
Mari,
Yes, this entry would not have been complete without that famous question. :D
Your fave Knocks Me Off My Feet became a hit back in 1976. A sweet song and I love listening to it either very early in the morning or at night. It helps set the mood right for me.
Luna Miranda,
Loved his songs from the 70s and some from the 80s too such as "It's You" and "Lately". Great voice.
Rudy,
Hahaha Oo nga. For a moment there, I felt afraid that I was the only one who might have enjoyed this song. Hahaha
the name of the song is "overjoyed" and not as previously mentioned. :D
Love stevie and love that song!!
Mari,
Ok. "Overjoyed is a lovely song and if I remember right, it became a hit back in 1984. (Ang nerd ko 'no?) :)
rdl,
Loved it from the first time I heard it on Sesame Street. I was so glad to have found it on YouTube. Thanks. :)
Good cool-down post to follow-up the heated post about Martial Law.
Stevie Wonder is the coolest of cools! Great icons of our time, Stevie and Sesame Street. ;)
MegaMom,
Hahaha That's ok. Some people were passionate about what they believed in and that's just fine with me.
Sesame Street was and still is a great show. They'll be marking their 40th year next year. It's become an institution. Truly one of the icons of our time.
I love that sound Supertition, danceable talaga ito nuong araw pa. But my persanal favorite is "Lately" and "I never dreamed you'd leave in Summer."
Medyo mas type ko ang love song eh.
Ysrael,
Yeah, maganda iyong beat niya and that was what caught my attention. Kaya ayun, naging Stevie Wonder fan ako from then on. :)
I love Stevie Wonder, and it's probably because my parents were still listening to popular music as I grew up in the 70s (born in '71!). I didn't remember "Superstition" being on Sesame Street, but I watched S.S. every day. My Mom has a story about how I was very upset when it got pre-empted because they were showing Watergate trials instead of "my" show.
Great post, and great joke. I may have to make my own post with this video--and another one with R.E.M. on Sesame St. If I can find it.
Hi Jenny,
Oh yes, those Watergate trials. How dare they interrupt Sesame Street? Hahaha
I love REM's music too and in fact, I have at least three of their albums. I'll look forward to your REM post then. :)
Thanks for the visit and I hope you're having a great weekend!
I can't forget the time when Stevie Wonder got all the major prizes at the Grammy's making Paul Simon thank him for not creating an album the year Paul Simon won the award.
My all-time favorite Stevie album is Songs in the Key of Life where you find Sir Duke, Knocks me off my feet...
Sesame Street also featured James Taylor and he sang Up on the Roof. guess what the setting was.
Si Stevie nabugbog yan ng mga Filipino reporters kasi tinanong siya kung me balak pumunta ng Pilipinas, ang sagot ba naman e,
"hayaan nyo, titingnan ko."
Rolly,
I'm a late bloomer when it came to Songs in the Key of Life pero my favorite track there is Knocks Me Off My Feet. Love that song.
That's one thing great about Sesame Street. It raised kids' awareness on the performing arts and artists.
Hahahaha, natawa ako diyan sa Stevie joke mo ha. :) Pero sa totoo lang, 'di ba nagpunta iyan sa atin either noong late 80s or early 90s? Nagpunta pa raw iyan sa ULTRA para manood ng PBA games and para ipromote iyong concert niya. :D
Yup! It was during the early 90's when he performed at the Ultra. Lintik ang traffic nun!
nanood ng basketball ha. HAhahaha, we can go on and on but that's baaaad! Lol!
Rolly,
Yeah, too bad I missed that concert.
Ok, tama na nga ang Stevie jokes at baka biglang dumilim ang paningin ko dito. Hehehe
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