"Boogie On Reggae Woman" is a 1974 funk single by American Motown artist Stevie Wonder, from his album Fulfillingness' First Finale. Despite the song's title, its style is firmly funk/R&B and not reggae. It continued Wonder's successful Top Ten streak on the pop charts, reaching number three and also spent two weeks at number one on the soul charts.[1] It features Wonder's distinctive harmonica, although not his usual chromatic type but instead a diatonic A-flat"blues harp".[2] The song is also notable for Wonder's pulsating Moog synthesizer bassline. The lyrics are designed as a dialogue between "nice" and "naughty" intent, including the introduction to his harmonica break, which incorporates Wonder's casual but repeated question "Can I play?"
Following conclusion of the vocal, the harmonica is reprised for the remaining seventy seconds, and concluding thirty bars of the tune, to the fade.
Contents[]
[hide] *1 Personnel
Personnel[edit][]
- Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, Fender Rhodes, piano, harmonica, drums, Moog bass
- Rocky Dzidzornu – congas
Cover versions[edit][]
Phish occasionally covers it in concert; one such performance appears on their live album Hampton Comes Alive. It has additionally been covered by Marcus Miller on his 2005 album Silver Rain.[3][4]
"Boogie On" was also covered by the Legion of Mary band, a collaboration between Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, Martin Fierro, John Kahn and Ronnie Tutt a total of 24 times between 1974 and 1975;[5] a cover of this song is available on the "Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 1" bonus disc, "Absolutely Mary," as sung by Merl Saunders.[6]
On the album Glitter-Grass from the Nashwood Hollyville Strings, John Hartford recorded a version.