Stevie Wonder Plays Drums On 'I Wish'?

As I suspected for a long time, Stevie played the drums on 'I Wish' rather than the sleeve-credited Raymond Pounds. Clip taken from the Classic Albums 1997 documentary about the making of 'Songs In The Key Of Life'.

[@funkdat2012]

The drums on that song have a great feel and driving groove. He's a genius and not even known for his drumming. Amazing.

[@barryminor6245]

Has always been very well know for his drumming and playing of various instruments. I'm not going to assume anything yet you couldn'tve been a Stevie Wonder fan and not knowing this.

[@nckhed]

​@@barryminor6245 Sometimes a lot of fans are more casual fans and don't know all the ins and outs of any particular musician. For example, I absolutely love Metallica, and I could probably tell you almost everything about their history, practically as if I was right there with them, but I still learn new things about them and their history all the time. Casual fans and listeners may not necessarily dive too deeply into all the intricacies of their beloved musicians, that's all.

[@barryminor6245]

@@nckhed this is true

[@BarrackObamna]

@@nckhedbut it’s like people saying “WOW DID YOU KNOW PRINCE COULD PLAY 12 INSTRUMENTS” Yes, everyone who knows prince, knows he could do that. It’s the same with a lot of people, it’s almost like talented musicians can produce music from thin air.

[@superpotiron]

@@BarrackObamna Playing and mastering an instrument are 2 different things.

[@FUNKINETIK]

When Steve was 18 he jammed on the drums with Jimi Hendrix at a BBC recording session.

[@KasbashPlays]

This video is a great example of just how articulate Coolio truly was. We lost another legend when he passed away man. RIP

[@stevenhall9009]

I have to say I was impressed hearing Coolio's commentary on Stevie Wonder

[@ElfPrincessHarley]

I always wondered what Coolio thought of Stevie Wonder.

[@helenbenie8294]

Love mr coolio, love mr stevie wonder, i love them, so inspirring, ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🇳🇱

[@paulpaul4681]

Lies

[@michaelorourke3976]

😂

[@grimtapestry5585]

Gangsta's paradise is a sample of a stevie song, pastime paradise.

[@StefveoX]

@@grimtapestry5585and thus explains their connection for sure

[@LOS_NEGRITOS]

stevie wonder, one of the greatest artists of our era. bless the man, he could do it all.

[@shellavation]

I didn't know he even played drums, I guess you learn something new everyday.

[@spanqueluv9er]

@shellaviation You didn’t know that Stevie Wonder played drums? How did you know that you are supposed to continue breathing?🙄🤡🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️💩💩💩💩💩

[@Tank196958]

I am a drummer, or was until I fractured my spine recently, lol, and I enjoyed finding out who played on several old classics that I had learned as I studied each drummer and would dissect what and how they played.. I discovered Stevie played on several of his songs, and also other instruments as well. He played drums on Superstition as well. Bery talented man. He has such a natural feel to play to the song and add just enough flair to be able to tell he was the drummer. Small and tasteful fills and the way he plays a shuffle, exactly like the example above, is pretty distinct once you know the particular drummers style in how they approach a song.

[@thedrumdoctor]

@TimEngle That was always the mystery, when it was so clearly a Stevie Wonder feel on the track and totally different to the vibe on say, 'Sir Duke'. This clip does suggest Pounds was mistakenly credited for the final cut, though he probably did lay down a track that wasn't picked for final mix.

[@Pyrochazm]

What a badass.

[@85Aheadstix]

Wow thats cool. Colour dont mean shit, when you cannot see it.

[@nckhed]

I like what Coolio said about Stevie. He's absolutely right. I like old school black folks. They're real and honest and they're definitely not soft. Love 'em. 👍

[@sergiohormiga1983]

I recommend the whole documentary if anyone gets the chance to watch it.

[@caprise-music6722]

What’s it called ?

[@freestroke895]

@@caprise-music6722 it’s from a 1997 episode of a show called “Classic Albums.” They mention it in the video’s full description.

[@andriealinsangao613]

​@@caprise-music6722 Classic Albums: Songs In the Key of Life, great series.

[@quedurance1]

Stevie on kit!!!!

[@TC-xh5wp]

Stevie can do anything because he is a genius. Stevie Wonder

[@thedrumdoctor]

Agreed, 100%….but I’m not so sure about ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’….🫤

[@TC-xh5wp]

@@thedrumdoctor The song was a hit with Mothers though. You can always play it with very old and very young people in the same place. But then you have Living for the City..1973. The atmosphere he created in that one song is next level.

[@thedrumdoctor]

@@TC-xh5wp It was also a soundtrack song as well so maybe he targeted his writing specifically to the film’s paymasters. Definitely a safe bet for that situation. I remember seeing him live a few years ago and he followed the dreaded song after ‘Do I Do’. I reckon 90+% of the audience loved the segue but it was a huge anti-climax for me! After all that sheer funkiness it was drop into the depths for me.

[@TC-xh5wp]

@@thedrumdoctor lol, that would be harsh for sure. After Hotter Than July, soul music became really overproduced imo. Stevie was still droppin jams of course. That Girl, Overjoyed, Send One Your Love, Ribbon in The Sky. I Ain't Gonna Stand for it is a solid jam, but a waste of Charlie Wilson's vocals. They could've done so much more together back then. They had the same range.

[@Meridian83West]

@@thedrumdoctor The fact that "I Just Called" was for a movie soundtrack and that Stevie ended it with that "cha-cha-cha" with the Vocoder tells me he thought the song was relatively disposable.

[@TimEngle]

The sleeve-credited Ray Lee Pounds.

[@bettyburneywilson1221]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Ronald-sg4ym]

The music icon

[@George-zk4nv]

Stevie toured with The Rolling Stones, covered a song by Bob Dylan and The Beatles also!

[@EricBlackmonGuitar]

I can see just fine, and I don't see color. I love everyone just like God told us to do, and I feel like I can do anything with his help and guidance.

[@mac899]

..........Or even when you can.

[@darrellbarnes2096]

THAT'S WHY HE IS THE GOAT, THE GOAT

[@AntoineLaRochelle-ru8ik]

There is a loud ringing sound, most likely because my ears are still sharp but it's really fucking loud. Either way this is really good.

[@kidkique]

tha ode mode

[@bettyburneywilson1221]

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@lyndxnjoel6917]

RIP Coolio🕊️ sad that he got sacrificed.

[@ashylarry3442]

I ain’t deaf, but I can read lips. He definitely called dude “Bitch-ass”! 😂😂😂

[@williampapadopoulos8145]

I guess people who are blind from birth don’t know what they’re missing…so they don’t feel limited by anything. Just my theory. I would feel EXTREMELY limited if my eyesight was taken away from me!

[@securethebag1613]

U bihhh 00:10

[@jayboyee452]

Steavie can see. I was watching the making of we are the world. And someone walks up to him he turns around ans sees the dude, the camera was right on his face where you could see through his sunglasses. His eyeballs were looking right at him.

[@billybones6137]

He probably has partial sight. Shadows and shapes etc.

[@jayboyee452]

@@billybones6137 that's what I thought too. Shaq said the same thing, Shaq says they both took an elevator together and could see through Stevie's shades and he was looking right at him 😎

[@billybones6137]

@@jayboyee452I’m guessing he’s legally blind. He might be able to recognize objects, but you wouldn’t ask him to drive you home.

[@arijitsengupta9766]

He is completely blind.

[@billybones6137]

@@arijitsengupta9766 How do you know?

[@ryanj.rapsys3859]

interesting, I was unaware Stevie was blind.

[@percyvolnar8010]

The guys who says "Okay stevie" is an absolute Jerk.

[@jasonprince1205]

Probably because he is not really blind. You’ll find out later I guess. Lots of people know though…

[@caprise-music6722]

Don’t make me laugh

[@jasonprince1205]

@@caprise-music6722 naive.

[@thedrumdoctor]

My friend’s dad did a TV show in Germany with him in the 1970s and confirms he had partial sight at that point in his life. That may or may not be the case now.

[@TheBigBidder]

ugh always having to insert something about race. wtf is wrong with the culture of america.

[@percyvolnar8010]

America wishes it was Germany. What do you expect? lol

[@WB-1]

Genius