Studio Album · No. 13
Where I'm Coming From Songwriting Credits by Stevie Wonder
Produced by Stevie Wonder
Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Stevie Wonder carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Where I'm Coming From was the first album Stevie Wonder produced entirely himself, recorded as he approached 21 and renegotiated his Motown contract for greater creative control. Every one of the nine songs was co-written with Syreeta Wright, his then-wife and a Motown singer-songwriter, and the record leans into social commentary that his earlier hit-driven releases avoided. It is a transitional work that pointed toward the run of classic albums he would begin the following year with Music of My Mind and Talking Book.
Where I'm Coming From is Stevie Wonder's thirteenth studio album, released in 1971 on Tamla Records and his last before the career-defining creative-control contract renegotiation that would transform his career. The album was entirely self-written by Wonder and co-written with his then-wife Syreeta Wright, every single track a Wonder composition, in stark contrast to the Motown staff-written records that preceded it. 'If You Really Love Me,' co-written with Syreeta, became a Top 10 pop hit and proved that Wonder's songwriting was commercially viable without Motown's machine. The album received mixed reviews at the time but is now recognized as the critical bridge between the manufactured Motown era and the self-directed genius of Talking Book. Where I'm Coming From announced, loudly, that Stevie Wonder was done being a vessel for other people's songs.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Look Around
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards) |
| 2 |
Do Yourself a Favor
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards) |
| 3 |
Think of Me as Your Soldier
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards) |
| 4 |
Something Out of the Blue
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards) |
| 5 |
If You Really Love Me
#8
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards) |
| 6 |
I Wanna Talk to You
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards) |
| 7 |
Take Up a Course in Happiness
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards) |
| 8 |
Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer
#26
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards) |
| 9 |
Sunshine in Their Eyes
|
Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie WonderSyreeta Wright | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder (Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |