•
Rating: It is 1995 when 'Conversation Peace' is released. Stevie had already significantly slowed down his production for several years; in fact, this CD comes out after a 4-year silence, following the previous work 'Jungle Fever', the soundtrack to Spike Lee's film of the same name. I would define this album as the masterpiece of the modern era of Stevie Wonder, it is certainly the artist's best record since 'Hotter Than July' 1980.
Energetic and engaging soul vocals, often accompanied by the rich and powerful horns dear to 'Our Stevie', all wrapped in a fascinating and modern pop atmosphere. There are quite a few tracks (13), almost all of them splendid. Almost twenty years have passed since the masterpiece of 'Songs In The Key Of Life', many things have changed, the form is extremely different, but the essence, the pulp, the soul remains the same, recognizable and tangible right from the first notes. It is extremely interesting to listen to these two albums one after the other. The same essence enclosed in two different shells.
The album opens with thunder and then begins to rain the magical rhythm of "Rain Your Love Down", a beautiful love song among the many present on the record. It closes instead with the voices of many people asking for peace between the last notes of the politic-song, the wonderful and majestic "Conversation Peace", which gives the album its title. Between the roar of thunder and the voices demanding peace, a tide of splendid tracks are to be remembered: "Edge Of Eternity" very rhythmic and captivating, "Taboo To Love" delicate and soft (a new "If It's Magic" just to go back to the comparison with the '76 masterpiece), splendid choruses that energetically explode of "Take The Time Out" and "My Love Is With You", again the ballad the first single of the album "For Your Love", the playful "tomorrow Robin's Will Sing" and the powerful and chilly rhythm of "Cold Chill".
Monumental work from the mid-nineties. For a new true studio album, one would have to wait ten years, to find an almost unchanged style in the yet less brilliant work "A Time To Love" 2005. But the best of modern Stevie, post "Hotter Than July" is enclosed in this album. 'Me For You, You For Me There's no chance of World salvations Less the Conversation's Peace..'.
Tracklist and Lyrics
09 Sensuous Whisper (05:47)
I've seen you, I saw you, I see you
without little notice, if any at all
Of you knowing me watchin you
You walking, you talking, you smiling
You styling in everything your body wears
And that's not just a point of view
They're painting, they're ranting, they're raving
About Miss Lovely got it going on
From head down to her toes
And no one knows better than I know
Cause I've been listening to the spirit of
Your body, mind and soul
It's a sensuous whisper
That makes my body weak
It's that sensuous whisper
That's sweeter than the sweetest sweet
It's that sensuous whisper
That makes my psyche say
Ooh we, ooh wee, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we
Can feel you, can smell you, can taste you
Though my senses never had the pleasure of
That lovely wonderment
But I start to shaking, I shiver, to think that little sparkle in your eye
Means you are giving me some kind of hint
I'm ready, I'm willing, I'm able
In fact those words are at the tip of my tongue
Eagerly waiting for me to say
Then you smile and whisper "how are you?"
But when I move my lips and try to speak the words just go away
It's a sensuous whisper
That makes my body weak
It's that sensuous whisper
That's sweeter than the sweetest sweet
It's that sensuous whisper
That makes my psyche say
Ooh wee, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we
It's that sensuous whisper that's got me trippin out
It's that sensuous whisper
That I don't wanna do without
It's that sensuous whisper
That makes me want to shout
Ooh we, ooh wee, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we
I don't even care how long it takes
As long as I have you lying next to me
Cause to wait forever and a day
Is a small price to pay if it's you I'm getting
If it's you I'm getting, I'm not quitting
And that is how I'm living
I'm clinging, not dreaming, but scheming
With my nose against the grind and both my eyes focused upon the prize
I think it, I trust it, I know it
Your love that I've longed for is gonna be mine
Good things do come in time
I'm right on the rythm you're givin
But this is more than giving up some casual mental telepathy
The music, the candles, the champagne and all that's needed
Is one thing to give it authenticity
It's a sensuous whisper
That makes my body weak
It's that sensuous whisper That's sweeter than the sweetest sweet
It's that sensuous whisper
That makes my psyche say
Ooh wee, ooh wee, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we
It's that sensuous whisper
That's got me trippin out
It's that sensuous whisper
That I don't wanna do without
It's that sensuous whisper
That makes me want to shout
Ooh we, ooh wee, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we
It's a sensuous whisper
That makes my body rock
It's that sensuous whisper
That makes me beg baby don't ever stop
It's that sensuous whisper
That always get me hot, baby
Ooh wee, ooh wee, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we
It's that sensuous whisper
That makes me feel alright
It's that sensuous whisper
That keep me wanting you morning, noon and every single night
It's that sensuous whisper
Don't want you out of my sight, baby
Ooh we, ooh wee, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we, ooh we
It's that sensuous whisper (repeat)
13 Conversation Peace (06:41)
Staring right at 2000 AD
As if mankind's atrocities to man has no history
But just a glance at life in 2000 BC
We find traces of man's inhumanity to man
There's no mystery
All for one, one for all
There's no way we'll reach our greatest heights
Unless we heed the call
Me for you, you for me
There's no chance of world salvation
Less the conversation's peace
We can't pause, watch and say "no" this can't be
When there's a plan by any means to have
Cleansing of one's ethnicity
And we shouldn't act as if we don't hear nor see
Like the holocaust of six million Jews and
A hundred and fifty million blacks during slavery
All for one, one for all
There's no way we'll reach our greatest heights
Unless we heed the call
Me for you, you for me
There's no chance of world salvation
Less the conversation's peace
When publicly or privately convened
May love, positivity and life's preservation
be the basic theme
And should you put your trust in some
prophet in life
Give him trust but your faith must stay
with the one
Who gave the ultimate sacrifice for...
All for one, one for all
There's no way we'll reach our greatest heights
Unless we heed the call
Me for you, you for me
There's no chance of world salvation
Less the conversation's peace (repeat)
Loading comments slowly
