In Square Circle
Encyclopedia
In Square Circle is a 1985
album released by Grammy Award
-winning American
R&B/soul
singer-songwriter
Stevie Wonder
(his twentieth overall). The album features the hits "Part-Time Lover
", "Go Home
" and "Overjoyed
" (which was left off Wonder's 1979 album Journey through the Secret Life of Plants
and re-recorded for this album).
In Square Circle broke into the Top 5 on the Pop Albums
chart and spent twelve weeks at #1 on the Top R&B Albums chart.
"Go Home" was performed during the Grammy awards ceremony in 1985, in the famous synthesizer jam with Thomas Dolby
, Herbie Hancock
and Howard Jones
.
1985 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.-January–March:*January 1 - The newest music video channel, VH-1, debuts on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV...
album released by Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B/soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer-songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
(his twentieth overall). The album features the hits "Part-Time Lover
Part-Time Lover
"Part-Time Lover" is a 1985 single by Stevie Wonder, from his album In Square Circle. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, R&B, dance and adult contemporary charts. The song's simultaneous chart success made him the first artist to score a number-one hit on four different Billboard...
", "Go Home
Go Home
"Go Home" is a 1986 hit single released by American and Motown musician Stevie Wonder released on the Tamla label. The song showcased the narrator's plea to a young woman to go home, though the girl tries to get the narrator to stay with her. In the U.S., the song became another #1 adult...
" and "Overjoyed
Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder song)
"Overjoyed" is a 1985 hit single released by American and Motown music legend Stevie Wonder on the Tamla label. The single peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1986, remaining in the Top 40 for six weeks. In addition, "Overjoyed" was a No...
" (which was left off Wonder's 1979 album Journey through the Secret Life of Plants
Journey through the Secret Life of Plants
Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on the Tamla Motown label on October 30, 1979...
and re-recorded for this album).
In Square Circle broke into the Top 5 on the Pop Albums
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart and spent twelve weeks at #1 on the Top R&B Albums chart.
"Go Home" was performed during the Grammy awards ceremony in 1985, in the famous synthesizer jam with Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
and Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
.
Track listing
All songs written by Stevie Wonder- "Part-Time LoverPart-Time Lover"Part-Time Lover" is a 1985 single by Stevie Wonder, from his album In Square Circle. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, R&B, dance and adult contemporary charts. The song's simultaneous chart success made him the first artist to score a number-one hit on four different Billboard...
" – 4:12 - "I Love You Too Much" – 5:27
- "Whereabouts" – 4:17
- "Stranger on the Shore of Love" – 5:00
- "Never in Your Sun" – 4:06
- "Spiritual Walkers" – 5:13
- "Land of La La" – 5:12
- "Go HomeGo Home"Go Home" is a 1986 hit single released by American and Motown musician Stevie Wonder released on the Tamla label. The song showcased the narrator's plea to a young woman to go home, though the girl tries to get the narrator to stay with her. In the U.S., the song became another #1 adult...
" – 5:18 - "OverjoyedOverjoyed (Stevie Wonder song)"Overjoyed" is a 1985 hit single released by American and Motown music legend Stevie Wonder on the Tamla label. The single peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1986, remaining in the Top 40 for six weeks. In addition, "Overjoyed" was a No...
" – 3:42 - "It's Wrong (Apartheid)" – 3:28 (6:52 on CD)
Musicians
- Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
- Drums, synthesizers, piano, electric piano, harpsichord, accordion, percussion, harmonica, Yamaha CS80, vocoder, coraKora (instrument)The kora is a 21-string bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa.-Description:A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge. It does not fit well into any one category of western instruments and would have to be...
, environmental percussion (crickets, bird sounds, ocean, pebbles in pond, stone dropped, crushing leaves), lead & background vocals - Edwin BirdsongEdwin BirdsongEdwin Birdsong is a keyboard/organ player who was known in the 70's and 80's for his experimental funk/disco music. He never achieved chart success, but developed a strong fan base, and has also been sampled by other artists many times, most famously by Daft Punk who sampled "Cola Bottle Baby" in...
- Yamaha CS80 - Larry Gittens - Trumpet
- Bob Malach - Saxophone
- Earl KlughEarl KlughEarl Klugh is an American smooth jazz/crossover jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and composer.At the age of 13, Klugh was captivated by the guitar playing of Chet Atkins when Atkins made an appearance on the Perry Como Show. Klugh was a performing guest on several of Atkins' albums...
- Guitar - Ben Bridges - Guitar
- Rick Zunigar - Guitar
- Luther VandrossLuther VandrossLuther Ronzoni Vandross was an American singer-songwriter and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times...
- Lead & background vocals - Syreeta WrightSyreeta WrightSyreeta Wright , who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was a Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter most notably known for her work with Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston.-Early life and career:...
- Background vocals - Philip BaileyPhilip BaileyPhilip Irvin Bailey is an American R&B, soul, gospel and funk singer, songwriter, percussionist and actor, best known as one of the longtime members of Earth, Wind & Fire. Together with Verdine White, B. David Whitworth, and Ralph Johnson he forms the heart of the current EWF line-up on...
- Background vocals - Vincent Unto - Background vocals
- Keith John - Background vocals
- Melody McCully, Billy Durham, Peter Byrne, Renee Hardaway, Darryl Phinnessee, Deniece WilliamsDeniece WilliamsJune Deniece Chandler known by her stage name Deniece Williams is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s...
, Howard Smith, Janice Moore, Chela Akins, Carolyn Garrett, Valencia Cox, Ruthell Holmes, Ray Gibbs, Musa Dludla, Thandeka Ngono-Raasch, Linda Bottoman-Tshabalala, Muntu Myuyana, Lorraine Mahlangu-Richards, Fana Kekana, Tsepo Mokone - Background vocals - Paul Riser - String arrangement
- Bob Bralove, Brad Buxer - programming
- Gary Olazabal - Programming, Engineer
Charting singles
Code: US Pop / US R&B / US Dance / UK- "Part-Time Lover" - 1 / 1 / 1 / 3
- "Go Home" 10 / 2 / - / 67
- "Overjoyed" 24 / 8 / - / 17
- "Land of La La" 86 / 19 / - / -
- "Stranger on the Shore of Love" - / - / - / 55