Sir Duke
"Sir Duke" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by Stevie Wonder | ||||
from the album Songs in the Key of Life | ||||
B-side | "He's Misstra Know-It-All" | |||
Released | March 22, 1977 | |||
Genre |
| |||
Length | 3:52 | |||
Label | Tamla | |||
Songwriter(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||
Producer(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||
Stevie Wonder singles chronology | ||||
|
"Sir Duke" is a song composed and performed by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. Released as a single in 1977, the track topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Black Singles charts,[4] and reached number two in the UK Singles Chart, his joint biggest hit there at the time. Billboard ranked it as the No. 18 song of 1977.
The song was written in tribute to Duke Ellington, the influential jazz legend who had died in 1974. The lyrics also refer to Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.
Wonder re-recorded the song for the 1995 live album Natural Wonder.
Background
Wonder wrote the song as a tribute to Duke Ellington, the jazz composer, bandleader, and pianist who had influenced him as a musician.[5] Wonder had already experienced the death of two of his idols (Dinah Washington and Wes Montgomery) after attempting to collaborate with them.
After Ellington died in 1974, Wonder wanted to write a song acknowledging musicians he felt were important. He later said, "I knew the title from the beginning but wanted it to be about the musicians who did something for me. So soon they are forgotten. I wanted to show my appreciation."
Wonder pays tribute to "some of music's pioneers" in the song: "There's Basie, Miller, Satchmo, and the king of all, Sir Duke / And with a voice like Ella's ringing out / There's no way the band can lose".
Wonder recorded other tributes to people he admired, including the 1980 songs "Master Blaster", dedicated to Bob Marley, and "Happy Birthday", which pleaded for what would eventually become the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday in the United States.
Reception
Cash Box said that "it's a tribute to jazz and roots, with a beat that lies somewhere between jazz and funk, and a horn section that dances on winged feet."[6] Record World said upon its single release: "Already familiar from its radio play and already on The Singles Chart, it is shaping up as a major hit."[7] New York Times critic John Rockwell said that it's "not Wonder's most compelling song, but nice that it should be so popular."[8]
Personnel
- Produced, written, arranged and composed by Stevie Wonder
- Vocals, Fender Rhodes electric piano, and percussion by Stevie Wonder
- Trumpets by Raymond Maldonado and Steve Madaio
- Drums by Raymond Pounds
- Bass guitar by Nathan Watts
- Lead guitar by Michael Sembello
- Rhythm guitar by Ben Bridges
- Alto saxophone by Hank Redd
- Tenor saxophone by Trevor Lawrence
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
Certifications
|
References
- ^ McFerrin, John. "Stevie Wonder- Songs In The Key of Life". Archived from the original on 2020-07-02. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
- ^ a b Breihan, Tom (October 28, 2019). "The Number Ones: Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke"". Stereogum. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
"Sir Duke" isn't exactly a jazz song, and it isn't exactly a Motown-style R&B song, either. It flips back and forth between the two modes...
- ^ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1976". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. p. 328. ISBN 9781493064601.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 636.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. April 2, 1977. p. 68. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-07-12. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. April 2, 1977. p. 20. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-11-27. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. April 9, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
- ^ Rockwell, John (June 17, 1977). "Top 10 Singles Are All Eclectic". Charlotte Observer. p. 10D. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 342–343. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5242a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke". VG-lista. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History: Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977". Musicoutfitters.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
- ^ Billboard. 1977-12-24. p. Front cover. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke". Music Canada. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "British single certifications – Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
External links
- List of cover versions of "Sir Duke" at SecondHandSongs.com
- v
- t
- e
- The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie
- Tribute to Uncle Ray
- With a Song in My Heart
- Stevie at the Beach
- Up-Tight
- Down to Earth
- I Was Made to Love Her
- Someday at Christmas
- Eivets Rednow
- For Once in My Life
- My Cherie Amour
- Signed, Sealed & Delivered
- Where I'm Coming From
- Music of My Mind
- Talking Book
- Innervisions
- Fulfillingness' First Finale
- Songs in the Key of Life
- Hotter than July
- In Square Circle
- Characters
- Conversation Peace
- A Time to Love
- Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius
- Stevie Wonder Live
- Live at the Talk of the Town
- Natural Wonder
- Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants"
- The Woman in Red
- The Last Dragon
- Jungle Fever
- Looking Back
- Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I
- Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection
- At the Close of a Century
- The Definitive Collection
- The Complete Stevie Wonder
- "Fingertips"
- "Hey Harmonica Man"
- "Uptight (Everything's Alright)"
- "With a Child's Heart"
- "Blowin' in the Wind"
- "A Place in the Sun"
- "Someday at Christmas"
- "Hey Love"
- "I Was Made to Love Her"
- "I'm Wondering"
- "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day"
- "You Met Your Match"
- "Alfie"
- "For Once in My Life"
- "I Don't Know Why"
- "My Cherie Amour"
- "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday"
- "Never Had a Dream Come True"
- "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"
- "Heaven Help Us All"
- "We Can Work It Out"
- "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer"
- "If You Really Love Me"
- "What Christmas Means to Me"
- "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)"
- "Superstition"
- "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"
- "Higher Ground"
- "Living for the City"
- "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
- "He's Misstra Know-It-All"
- "You Haven't Done Nothin'"
- "Boogie On Reggae Woman"
- "I Wish"
- "Sir Duke"
- "Another Star"
- "As"
- "Pops, We Love You (A Tribute to Father)"
- "Send One Your Love"
- "Master Blaster (Jammin')"
- "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It"
- "Lately"
- "Happy Birthday"
- "That Girl"
- "Ebony and Ivory"
- "Do I Do"
- "Ribbon in the Sky"
- "Front Line"
- "I Just Called to Say I Love You"
- "Love Light in Flight"
- "Part-Time Lover"
- "That's What Friends Are For"
- "Go Home"
- "Overjoyed"
- "Stranger on the Shore of Love"
- "Skeletons"
- "You Will Know"
- "Get It"
- "Gotta Have You"
- "For Your Love"
- "So What the Fuss"
- "From the Bottom of My Heart"
- "All About the Love Again"
- "Faith"
- "Can't Put It in the Hands of Fate"
- "My Love"
- "How Come, How Long"
- "California Roll"
- "You and I (We Can Conquer the World)"
- "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)"
- "Golden Lady"
- "All in Love Is Fair"
- "They Won't Go When I Go"
- "Love's in Need of Love Today"
- "Knocks Me Off My Feet"
- "Pastime Paradise"
- "Isn't She Lovely"
- "Black Man"
- "We Are the World"
- "Just Good Friends"
- "Seasons of Love"
- "True to Your Heart"
- "Stop Trying to Be God"
- "It's a Shame"
- "Tears of a Clown"
- "Tell Me Something Good"
- "Uptown Festival"
- "Let's Get Serious"
- "You're Supposed to Keep Your Love for Me"
Category