How My Mother's Music Taste Shaped Mine

Read my latest '68 to '05 essay about Stevie Wonder's Natural Wonder (1995)

For Hanif Abdurraqib’s playlist & music archival project ‘68 to ‘05, I wrote about Stevie Wonder’s 1995 live album Natural Wonder & how I felt my mother’s love through her favorite music.

I shared this thought more fully here, but Hanif is one of those people I reach for as I write toward some sort of future in Columbus, Ohio—the city we both call home. I consider Hanif as part of my writing lineage. I’m grateful to him and the ‘68 to ‘05 team for this feature.

A preview:

Album cover: Natural Wonder, Stevie Wonder (1995)

“My song is on.”

That’s what my mom would say as she drove past our house. She would circle the block and let the radio play, beautifully singing every word to songs like Luther Vandross’ “I’d Rather” and Phyllis Hyman’s “The Answer Is You.”

I would sing along too, her little shadow belting out with my prepubescent voice, “I was just a rider on the storm / I needed love to keep me warm.” And I’d put a little flair on it. Whatever I could do to make my mom laugh. The things we do when we never want to see someone we love cry again.

Growing up playing sports, I spent plenty of time in my mom’s car. Getting driven to and from practices, games, and wherever we had to go for whatever obscure piece of sports equipment I needed next. And I only got to hear my music in her car if she let me stay in while she ran into the store.

My mom’s car was her concert venue. And though I didn’t always realize it then, I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat. Looking back now, I fondly remember many of the songs I heard her sing — that we sang together — as the outside zoomed by.

When I left for college, my grandma’s car became mine. It didn’t have an aux cord, just a six-disc CD changer I filled with burnt discs of my favorite albums. Despite not having money for gas, I regularly offered my friends rides. Many of the albums we listened to — Channel Orange, good kid, m.A.A.d city, Take Care—became the soundtrack for our first years at college.

And while repetition built our love for these albums, I assumed the responsibility of ensuring they didn’t get stale. So I did what I could to bring new music into the mix. Sometimes this meant rummaging through my mom’s CD collection whenever I returned home.

She had one of those metal CD towers that could hold 100 albums, and every shelf was full. Each hunt was like a music history lesson.

One day while digging, I came across a Stevie Wonder album I had never seen before called Natural Wonder. It consisted of two discs with live performances spanning Stevie’s discography.

Before that trip, my homie J.T. had begun educating me on the wonders of Stevie’s 1976 album, Songs In The Key Of Life. I recognized many of its songs on Natural Wonder, including “Love’s In Need Of Love Today,” “Village Ghetto Land,” and more.

I can’t remember if I asked my mom for the CD or not, but it truly doesn’t matter. Natural Wonder entered the rotation, and that’s when it became real to me just how incredibly talented Stevie Wonder is.

The rest of my essay includes:

• Some of the history behind Natural Wonder

• An excerpt from an episode of Superstars and Their Moms featuring Stevie Wonder and his mother

• My favorite song on Natural Wonder

• Going to a Stevie Wonder concert with my mom

Click through to ‘68 to ‘05 to read the full essay (and if you want to share it with your people, please share the ‘68 to ‘05 link).

---

P.S. In case you missed it, I’ve joined Columbus Underground as a freelance writer covering local hip-hop and rap. For my CU debut, I met up with CHRIS., an emcee from Columbus’ North Side, and talked with him about his upcoming single “Jokes” (prod. by Malccs). I’ll be writing monthly stories for the publication and absolutely plan to keep you all posted!

Also, I’m shifting my weekly content recommendation series, Take It or Leave It, to be available for paid subscribers only. For as little as $5/month or $50 for the year (17% cheaper than subscribing monthly), you’ll have access to these posts.

I appreciate those of you who have already signed up for a paid subscription, and I’d like to reserve this special corner of my newsletter for you while still making my long-form essays available to everyone.

If you want to continue having access to Take It or Leave It but really can’t afford it right now, all you have to do is use the referral link below, or the “Share” button on any post and you'll get credit for any new subscribers. Simply send the link in a text, email, or share it on social media with friends.

When more friends use your referral link to subscribe (free or paid) to Feels Like Home, you’ll gain access to paid posts:

• Get a 1 month comp for 3 referrals

• Get a 3 month comp for 5 referrals

• Get a 6 month comp for 25 referrals