Today’s classic song of the day comes to us from Stevie Wonder and his 1972 album, Talking Book. The song is “Lookin’ for Another Pure Love” and it’s a keeper.
Stevie Wonder released a string of albums in the 1970s that are arguably unsurpassed in sustained quality and influence, starting with Music of My Mind and ending with the epic Songs in the Key of Life. Talking Book was the second of these outstanding albums, released in October of 1972. Some critics claim Talking Book is the best of the bunch, although it’s a tough competition. This album introduced such classics as “You Are the Sunshine in My Life,” “Superstition,” “Tuesday Heartbreak,” “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever),” and this song.
“Lookin’ for Another Pure Love” was written by Stevie with Syreeta Wright, his wife at the time. As with most of the songs on Talking Book, Stevie played multiple instruments on this one, including all the keyboards (lots of Fender Rhodes piano), Moog bass, and drums. Electric guitars were played by Jeff Beck and Buzz Feiten; Beck did the solo. (Listen for Stevie’s exhortation to “Do it, Jeff.”)
Here’s how Stevie recalls working with Mr. Beck on this track:
“I really didn’t know too much about him. But then I heard him play in New York. We were working on ‘Lookin’ for Another Pure Love’ and I said to him, ‘Why don’t you play on this?’ He thought that would be great. He laid one part down, then another part and another part. It was just amazing.”
Mr. Beck’s solo is indeed a thing of wonder. The whole thing creates a dreamy, silky smooth texture to back the lost love lyrics. (His true love just left him, so now he’s “looking for another pure love” in his life.)
“Lookin’ for Another Pure Love” is in E major, although the chords in the verses play around with that a little, moving from E to A7 to Am7 to GMaj7 to C to B7, then back around. The chorus is a little more traditional harmonically, moving from B7 to A7 to EMaj7, which is, more or less, a V-IV-I progression. Not a traditional pop song, but close, which is Stevie’s signature. He always put his distinctive mark on things.
Anyway, “Lookin’ for Another Pure Love” is a great tune, sometimes overlooked in Stevie’s massive catalog but definitely something I can listen to over and over. It’s just one of dozens of stellar songs in the Stevie Wonder songbook, a string of tunes that made the ’70s worth living.
