Original Musiquarium

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
This 16-song set presents the hits Wonder scored after he negotiated artistic control for himself in the 1970s. It's a wondrous collection, ranging from the driving pop-funk of "Superstition" and the streetwise "Living for the City" to the sweet "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," now a pop standard. In addition to the hits, Musiquarium includes four great new songs, two of which ("Do I Do" and "That Girl") would go on to become hits soon enough. In the years since this set was originally released, Wonder's output has been spotty at best, but Musiquarium reminds us that Stevie Wonder is a giant of soul and pop. --David Cantwell

Original Musiquarium,Stevie Wonder,Motown / Pgd,Pop,R&B,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues

Tracks:

Superstition
You Haven't Done Nothin'
Living For The City
Front Line
Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
Send One Your Love
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
Ribbon In The Sky

Tracks:

Higher Ground
Sir Duke
Master Blaster (Jammin')
Boogie On Reggae Woman
That Girl
Isn't She Lovely
I Wish
Do I Do

Amazon.com essential recording

This 16-song set presents the hits Wonder scored after he negotiated artistic control for himself in the 1970s. It's a wondrous collection, ranging from the driving pop-funk of "Superstition" and the streetwise "Living for the City" to the sweet "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," now a pop standard. In addition to the hits, Musiquarium includes four great new songs, two of which ("Do I Do" and "That Girl") would go on to become hits soon enough. In the years since this set was originally released, Wonder's output has been spotty at best, but Musiquarium reminds us that Stevie Wonder is a giant of soul and pop. --David Cantwell

Customer Reviews:

LIVING FOR THE STEVIE!!!!!!!!.......2007-06-22

This album is beyond GREAT! This is (well in my opinion)HIS
WONDER at his best!The very first time I ever heard him was
on the radio and it was the song LIVING FOR THE CITY...
I was just a child,but still could feel the beat and rythems
and although could not make out the lyrics,I can remember
driving my mom crazy at 4 yrs. old trying to sing/hum.....
DA,DA,DA=DUM,DA,DA,DUM-DUM,DUM,DUM,DUM,DUM,DA,DUM-DA-DA-DA=DUM
DUM-DUM-DUM=DUM....I think my mom thought I was dumb! A year
goes by and I am at the drive in it's a double feature the
movies were Black Sunday(Robert Shaw)and It's Alive(John Ryan)
While waiting for It's Alive to come on those crappy speakers
you had to mount on your window started playing another tune
my 5 yr.old mouth could'nt stop humming.Dun,dun,dun,dunt,dala,dala
dala,dunt,dala,dala,dala,dun,dunt.It was SIR DUKE, and I can still
smell the popcorn and picture the SUPERFRIENDS colorforms in my
hands in the backseat of the car.Not intil many years from than
did I really hear his WONDERful music again...The likes of HIGHER
GROUND,SUPERSTITION(one of JEFF BECK'S FAV.)MASTER BLASTER
and the immortal BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN! I have read other reviews
for this album("ALBUM? JEWEL!")and they are right if you love
great music and are comfortable with $$$ than buy HIS CATALOG!
But seriously if you can buy only one! It should be this and really
that is NOT debatable. You have 16 tracks of music that anyone I
mean anyone can enjoy!If you love country(you will love this album)
you love punk(you will love this album)classical,heavy metal and
yes I will go so far as too say POLKA!!!You will love this album!
So buy MUSIQARIUM it is truly WONDERful(sic)
JUST ENOUGH...JUST ENOUGH....FOR THE CITYYYYEEEAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

It's good, but why not buy the original albums?.......2007-03-02

Seriously, each studio album from Music of My Mind to Hotter Than July's a classic, and this collection, while a serviceable roundup of them, misses out on quite a few good songs. What missed the boat, you ask? Love Having You Around and Evil (from Music of My Mind), Big Brother, You & I and Blame it On the Sun (from Talking Book), Golden Lady, Too High and He's Misstra Know-It-All (from Innervisions), Smile Please, Heaven is Ten Zillion Light Years Away and They Won't Go When I Go (from Fullingness' First Finale), Pasttime Paradise, Knocks Me Off My Feet, As, Another Star and Ebony Eyes (from Songs in the Key of Life - only three songs from a classic double-album is NOT a good idea), and All I Do, Lately (a total classic) and Happy Birthday from Hotter Than July. Still, you get most the classic hits (pretty much the whole album), there isn't a single weak track on the listing, in fact not even anything remotely questionable, and the new songs are all awesome - wrenching ballad Ribbon in the Sky, with an amazing melody; the infinitely funky That Girl, war protest Front Line and especially the joyous, ten-minute big-band stomper Do I Do, with a Mr. Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet - Stevie's improvised vocals over the last couple minutes are hilarious, too. So you can't go wrong with Musiquarium, and it's certainly a fine place to start for those who are looking for an accessible jumping-off point, but don't stop here.

Upgrade This Essential Collection ASAP!.......2006-10-16

Stevie Wonder's 'Original Musiquarium I' has been an essential compilation for MANY years, but for some reason, Motown never expanded it with additional tracks. Most fans like myself aren't interested in toting around huge multi disc box sets, and we don't like mini single disc collections, which feature short versions of songs ('The Definitive Stevie Wonder' for example!!). To make this 2 CD set even better, consider adding the following extra music for an enhanced Stevie Wonder jamfest...
AN ULTIMATE MUSIQUARIUM!!!

CD One..
9. As
10. Visions
11. Golden Lady
12. All In Love Is Fair
13. Rocket Love
14. Lately
15. Overjoyed
16. You Will Know

CD Two...
9. Love Light In Flight
10. Part Time Lover
11. Skeletons
12. Gotta Have You
13. These Three Words
14. For Your Love

All of these extra tracks are full length versions and not short edits, so fans can make this ULTIMATE MUSICQUARIUM at home (or try waiting for Motown to do the right thing!).
Peace, SD
(of 'Chaka's World')

Essential Stevie Wonder.......2006-04-27

Stevie Wonder's "Original Musiquarium I" goes beyond the traditional greatest hits package by offering 16 songs of rhythmic unity. A few tracks -- notably "Isn't She Lovely" and "Do I Do" -- are uncut versions that never reached the Top 40 airwaves. "Superstition," "Boogie On Reggae Woman," "Master Blaster (Jammin')" and "Sir Duke" remain essentials in this timeless collection.

Stevie at his best.......2006-03-19

This is better than any greatest hits album, all the pap has been removed and this is raw, honest music, from the heart. 'Living for the City', 'Higher ground', even more telling today than they were when they were written. Time is given to jammin and letting the music unravel and speak with its own voice. Maybe you have to have kids to love 'Isnt she lovely' - I danced around the kitchen to it last night with my 7 year old and the look on her face was a sight to behold, but then again maybe you just have to embrace life, the good and the bad, to love Stevie.

Average customer rating:

Pop/Soul/R&B At Its All-Time Best
Original Musiquarium:Greatest Hits
Essential to any collection.
Everyone Should Swim In This "Musiquarium"
The Great Mind OF The Genius

Original Musiquarium I - 2 disc set
Stevie Wonder
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Motown | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Box Sets | Stores | Music

R&B & Soul | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Innervisions
Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I, Volume 2
The Woman In Red: Selections From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Songs in the Key of Life

ASIN: B000001AIW
Release Date: 1992-03-09

Tracks:

Higher Ground
Sir Duke
Master Blaster (Jammin')
Boogie On Reggae Woman
That Girl
I Wish
Isn't She Lovely?
Do I Do

Amazon.com essential recording

Customer Reviews:

Pop/Soul/R&B At Its All-Time Best.......2003-08-08

Believe it or not guys, it was Mariah Carey who turned me on to this double album. I think it was sometime in 2002 when I read an interview on her official website. When asked about her favourite album, she replied: "Stevie Wonder's Musiquarium."

Gathering all the highlights from the super-successful 1970's and adding four classy new songs, "The Original Musiquarium I" (1982) works as a greatest hits album as well a concept long-player -- something that few entertainers ever could afford. So high was the quality of Wonder's albums between 1972-1980!

This is probably the best-possible introduction to Stevie's prolific discography and maybe the best choice if you want to own one album of this artist. All tracks are just top and even if I decided to pick highlights, I would get pretty close to naming all songs here. But let's try... "Living For The City", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Higher Ground", "That Girl", "Do I Do" (one of the best jams I've ever heard) -- and more!

If there will ever be another "musiquarium", I doubt it will be this good...

Original Musiquarium:Greatest Hits.......2000-08-31

If you love the "8th Wonder of the World" Mr. Stevie Wonder, then you will love this Greatest Hits Set. All those songs you love to sing along with are right here. Isn't she lovely, Sir Duke and my #1 all time favorite DO I DO!!! Yes this is the one to get if Stevie Wonder is your favorite artist like he is mine.

Essential to any collection........2000-06-04

Despite the inclusion of a couple of overlong, pedestrian ballads ("Ribbon in the Sky" and the abominable "Superwoman"), this is one of the finest hits collections ever assembled by any artist. Three of Stevie's four new songs ("That Girl," "Do I Do" and the searing "Front Line") are first rate, while the fourth (the aforementioned "Ribbon") is one of those sugary, saccharine Stevie ballads that everyone but his most devoted fans can't abide. However, from "Living for the City" to "Master Blaster (Jammin')," these are some of the most innovative, original, fully realized pop/soul songs ever recorded. I cannot recommend this collection highly enough.

Everyone Should Swim In This "Musiquarium".......2000-06-02

Few performers in any genre compiled their own work as cohesively and beautifully as Stevie Wonder on this essential 1982 hits album.

It testifies to the seamlessness of the classic 70s albums which comprise this set that no song feels any better on the originals than here. That's easy enough to do with Wonder's sensitive, moving love songs ("Superwoman," "You Are The Sunshine of My Life,".) But it also goes for "Superstition," "You Haven't Done Nothin'," "Living For The City," and the then-new anti-war song "Front Line," which are of a piece musically and in message. The same is again true for 1974's propulsive "Boogie On Reggae Woman," rubbing up against 1980's "Master Blaster."

The net effect is that "Original Musiquarium" is essential even for those owning all of Stevie's 70s work (and that should be everybody). And how many performers can you say that about?

The Great Mind OF The Genius.......2000-04-06

I've had this Set for many Years.and It Reflects his Grand Genius.So Many Great Songs From A Mind that never stopped Clicking.As Writer,Arranger,Producer,Instrumentalist,Vocalist Stevie Wonder Has Inspired a WHole Generation&a half with his Quality Work.he has had time periods.his 60's stuff was hit&Miss.in the 70's UNSTOPPABLE.80's Hit,Miss&Close.90's So-So at best.but Look at how many Decades He has been Around and The Many Lives His Music has Touched?He will always be Special to me.