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Conversation Peace

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Conversation Peace
Studio album by
Stevie Wonder
ReleasedMarch 21, 1995
Recorded1993–1995
GenreR&B
Length73:32
LabelMotown
ProducerStevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder chronology
Jungle Fever
(1991) 		Conversation Peace
(1995) 		Natural Wonder
(1995)
Singles from Conversation Peace
  1. "For Your Love"
    Released: March 1995
  2. "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing"
    Released: April 1995
  3. "Treat Myself"
    Released: July 1995

Conversation Peace is the 22nd album released by American musician Stevie Wonder, on the Motown label in 1995. The album was Wonder's first full-length non-soundtrack studio album since 1987's Characters. This album yielded the hits "For Your Love" (a Grammy winner for Wonder for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance) and the reggae-flavored "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing". This album also saw Wonder reuniting with Robert Margouleff, who assisted during Wonder's "classic period" from 1972 to 1974.

Wonder wrote about 40 songs in 1993 after being invited to stay for six weeks in Ghana by President Jerry John Rawlings. A number of these songs were eventually shaped into album form.[1][2] Motown announced in August 1993 that Conversation Peace would be released later that year;[3] however, Wonder continued to work on the album through 1994 until its release in March 1995, when Vibe magazine reported that the album had been in development "off and on for at least the past four" years. A circulating outtake from these sessions, "Ms and Mr Little Ones", was later released on Natural Wonder (1995).[4]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Chicago Tribune[6]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[7]
Los Angeles Times[8]
NME7/10[9]
The New York Times(favorable)[10]
Rolling Stone[11]
Stereo Review(favorable)[12]
The Village VoiceA[13]

Critics felt that the album was a return to Wonder's classic period of the 1970s. John Milward in a 1995 review in Rolling Stone gave it four stars and felt that while the album is "reminiscent" of Wonder's classic albums, its "lean execution" gives it a "modern sound".[11] While the quality of the work was appreciated, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune and Jean Rosenbluth of the Los Angeles Times felt that the style was a bit too familiar and well-worn to be interesting,[6][8] though Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave it an "A−" and remarked that while listeners may have "heard all this before, that doesn't mean it's worn out its welcome."[13] Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it two-and-a-half stars in a retrospective review for Allmusic and felt the music wasn't contemporary enough to get radio play.[5]

Track listing

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All songs written and composed by Stevie Wonder, except where noted.

  1. "Rain Your Love Down" – 6:08
  2. "Edge of Eternity" – 6:04
  3. "Taboo to Love" – 4:25
  4. "Take the Time Out" – 5:05
  5. "I'm New" – 5:41
  6. "My Love Is with You" – 5:54
  7. "Treat Myself" (Wonder, Stephanie Andrews) – 4:55
  8. "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing" (Wonder, Edley Shine) – 4:46
  9. "Sensuous Whisper" – 5:47
  10. "For Your Love" – 5:00
  11. "Cold Chill" – 6:53
  12. "Sorry" – 6:15
  13. "Conversation Peace" – 6:39

Personnel

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Personnel involved in the album include:

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[31] Gold 158,000[29]
United States (RIAA)[32] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Brown, Jeremy K. (2010). Stevie Wonder: Musician. Infobase. p. 79. ISBN 9781438134222.
  2. ^ Werner, Craig (2007). Higher Ground: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Rise and Fall of American Soul. Random House. p. 269. ISBN 9780307420879.
  3. ^ Jeffrey, Don (August 14, 1993). "Motown Adds Might to Polygram Roster". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 33. Nielsen Business Media. p. 82. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. ^ "Revolutions: Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace – Motown". Vibe. 3 (3). Vibe Media Group: 98. March 1995. ISSN 1070-4701.
  5. ^ a b "Conversation Peace". Allmusic. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Greg Kot (April 6, 1995). "Not So Wonder-ful". Chicago Tribune – via chicagotribune.com.
  7. ^ Hiltbrand, David (March 31, 1995). "Conversation Peace". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly.
  8. ^ a b Jean Rosenbluth (March 19, 1995). "Record Rack". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 20, 2013 – via articles.latimes.com.
  9. ^ Fadele, Dele (March 18, 1995). "Long Play". NME. p. 47. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  10. ^ Pareles, Jon (March 26, 1995). "RECORDINGS VIEW; What if Love Can't Save The World?". The New York Times – via nytimes.com.
  11. ^ a b John Milward (March 23, 1995). "Stevie Wonder: Conversation Peace". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone.
  12. ^ Stevie Wonder: Conversation Peace. Vol. 60. Stereo Review. August 1995. p. 78 & 79.
  13. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (July 11, 1995). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  14. ^ Conversation Peace - Stevie Wonder | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-10-20
  15. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 305.
  16. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  17. ^ "Ultratop.be – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6892". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  19. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  20. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  21. ^ "Highest position and charting weeks of Conversation Peace by Stevie Wonder". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Archived from the original on May 10, 2007. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "Charts.nz – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  23. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  25. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  26. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  27. ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  28. ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  29. ^ a b Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  30. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  31. ^ "Japanese certifications" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved July 14, 2022. Select 1995年3月 on the drop-down menu
  32. ^ "American album certifications – Stevie Wonder – Conversation Peace". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
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