Stevie Wonder has released four previously unheard recordings from the original Songs in the Key of Life sessions as the landmark album reaches its 50th anniversary. The release gives listeners access to material recorded during the album’s creation and forms part of Wonder’s anniversary plans surrounding the influential 1976 project.
Key Takeaways
- Stevie Wonder released four previously unreleased recordings from the original Songs in the Key of Life sessions
- The tracks are “It’s Easier,” “My Life Story of Love,” “I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’”
- Wonder personally selected the recordings for release
- Original album engineers John Fischbach and Gary O Adante recently mixed the recordings
- The release marks the 50th anniversary of Songs in the Key of Life
Stevie Wonder Releases Four Previously Unreleased Recordings
Four recordings from the original Songs in the Key of Life sessions are now available as previously unreleased Stevie Wonder songs. The material comes from the sessions associated with the 1976 album and adds four titles to the body of music connected to the project.
The newly released recordings are “It’s Easier,” “My Life Story of Love,” “I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’.” Wonder personally selected all four tracks for release.
The release is tied directly to the album’s 50th anniversary. Rather than representing newly recorded material, the songs come from the original period in which Songs in the Key of Life was created.
For audiences following Wonder’s catalog, the release provides additional material from one of his most significant recording periods while preserving a direct connection to the sessions behind the original album.
Unreleased Tracks Come From the Original Album Sessions
The four songs originate from the original Songs in the Key of Life sessions. That connection distinguishes the release from a new studio project or a collection of newly recorded Stevie Wonder music.
“It’s Easier” is one of the four recordings included in the release, giving listeners access to another piece of material recorded during the album’s creation.
“My Life Story of Love” is the second track in the set. It joins the other previously unheard recordings selected from the original sessions.
The release also includes “I Can See the Sun in Late December,” which was recorded during the same period associated with the making of Songs in the Key of Life.
“I’m Into Livin’” completes the four-song collection. Together, the tracks add newly available recordings from the album’s original creative period.
Their release also fits a broader interest in artists releasing lost tracks, particularly when archival recordings provide additional context around an established period in an artist’s catalog.
“It’s Easier” and “My Life Story of Love”
“It’s Easier” and “My Life Story of Love” are two of the four recordings selected for release. Both come from the original sessions connected to Songs in the Key of Life.
Their release gives listeners access to recordings that were previously unavailable as part of the album’s publicly released material. Wonder’s selection of the songs connects their availability directly to the anniversary plans surrounding the album.
The two tracks appear alongside “I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’,” creating a four-recording release drawn from the same session period.
Stevie Wonder Selected the Four Recordings
Wonder personally selected the four recordings for release, making his choices central to the anniversary project.
The selection consists of “It’s Easier,” “My Life Story of Love,” “I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’.”
The recordings are not being presented as a new album of newly created music. Instead, they were selected from material recorded during the creation of the 1976 project.
That distinction places the four songs within the same creative period as Songs in the Key of Life rather than positioning them as a separate contemporary recording project.
Wonder’s involvement also establishes which recordings from the sessions are being made available for the anniversary. The four tracks represent the material selected for this release.
“I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’”
“I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’” make up the remaining two tracks in the four-song release.
Both recordings originate from the original Songs in the Key of Life sessions. Their inclusion means the anniversary release covers four previously unavailable recordings from the same album-making period.
The songs join “It’s Easier” and “My Life Story of Love” as the complete group selected by Wonder. Each title remains tied to the original sessions rather than representing a later reinterpretation or newly recorded version of the project.
Original Album Engineers Mixed the Newly Released Tracks
John Fischbach and Gary O Adante, the original album engineers, recently mixed the four recordings for release. Their involvement creates a direct technical connection between the newly available versions and the engineering team associated with the original album.
The mixing process prepared the previously unreleased session recordings for their current release while maintaining their connection to the original recording period.
Fischbach and O Adante’s work applies specifically to the four recordings selected from the sessions. The tracks were previously unreleased and received recent mixes before being made available to listeners.
Archival material has also become part of other anniversary release campaigns, allowing recordings and creative material from earlier periods to be presented within new milestone projects.
For Wonder’s anniversary release, his selection of the recordings and the engineers’ recent work together define the process of bringing the archival material into its current form.
Songs in the Key of Life Reaches Its 50th Anniversary
The release coincides with the 50th anniversary of Songs in the Key of Life. Originally released in 1976, the album provides the historical setting for the four newly available recordings.
The anniversary creates the specific occasion for the songs to be released. Although the material comes from the album’s original sessions, its public availability is part of the plans marking five decades since the project first arrived.
The four songs are presented as previously unreleased session recordings rather than replacements or revisions of the original album.
“It’s Easier,” “My Life Story of Love,” “I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’” therefore expand the available material associated with the project while remaining connected to the sessions in which they were recorded.
The anniversary also provides a clear timeline for the release. Wonder selected the recordings, Fischbach and O Adante recently mixed them, and the finished tracks are now available as previously unheard material from the creation of Songs in the Key of Life.
For listeners exploring Wonder’s catalog, the release makes four additional recordings from that album period publicly available and adds another layer to the material surrounding the 1976 project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What unreleased songs did Stevie Wonder release?
Stevie Wonder released “It’s Easier,” “My Life Story of Love,” “I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’.” All four recordings come from the original Songs in the Key of Life sessions.
When was Songs in the Key of Life originally released?
Songs in the Key of Life was released in 1976. The newly released recordings are tied to the album’s 50th anniversary.
Why did Stevie Wonder release the previously unheard recordings?
The four recordings were released as part of the plans marking the 50th anniversary of Songs in the Key of Life. Wonder personally selected the material for release.
Who mixed Stevie Wonder’s newly released recordings?
John Fischbach and Gary O Adante recently mixed the four recordings. Both were original album engineers associated with Songs in the Key of Life.
Are the new Stevie Wonder songs from the original album sessions?
Yes. “It’s Easier,” “My Life Story of Love,” “I Can See the Sun in Late December” and “I’m Into Livin’” were recorded during the original sessions for Songs in the Key of Life.
