If you’ve ever sat through the entirety of Songs in the Key of Life, you know it’s a marathon of genius. It’s dense. It’s spiritual. It’s arguably the greatest album of the 1970s. But tucked away on the "A Something's Extra" bonus EP—that little 7-inch record tucked into the original gatefold sleeve—is a track that feels like a total curveball. Stevie Wonder Ebony Eyes is that song.
Honestly, it’s a weird one.
While the rest of the album is busy reinventing soul with the Yamaha GX-10 synthesizer or exploring the socio-political grit of "Village Ghetto Land," "Ebony Eyes" feels like a time machine. It’s got this bouncy, 1950s rock-and-roll shuffle that sounds like Stevie decided to crash a prom in 1958. But then, because he’s Stevie Wonder, he peppers it with a talk box and a saxophone solo that reminds you exactly what decade you’re in. It’s a fascinating contradiction.
The Mystery of the "Miss Beautiful Supreme"
One of the coolest things about the lyrics is the debate they spark. Stevie sings about a "Miss Beautiful Supreme" who was "born and raised on ghetto streets." For years, Motown obsessives have argued over who she actually is.
- The Florence Ballard Theory: Some fans believe the song is a tribute to the late Florence Ballard of The Supremes. She passed away in early 1976, right as Stevie was finishing the album. The "Supreme" reference is pretty on the nose, and the song’s praise for a "pretty girl with ebony eyes" feels like a bittersweet nod to her legacy.
- The Diana Ross Rumor: There’s another camp that thinks it’s about the complex relationship between Berry Gordy and Diana Ross. Given the competitive, family-like atmosphere at Motown, Stevie was always watching the drama from the sidelines.
- The Universal Tribute: Most likely? It’s a broad celebration of Black beauty. Stevie was always about uplifting his community. By describing a woman who is a "devastating beauty" despite coming from "ghetto streets," he’s subverting the typical 1970s beauty standards.
Why Stevie Wonder Ebony Eyes Was Banished to the EP
You might wonder why a song this catchy wasn't on the main double LP. In 1976, Stevie was under immense pressure. He’d signed a $13 million contract with Motown—the biggest in history at the time—and he was a perfectionist. He kept delaying the album. Motown even started printing "We're almost finished" T-shirts because the wait was getting ridiculous.
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When he finally turned it in, he had 21 songs. Instead of cutting them, he created the "A Something's Extra" EP. Stevie Wonder Ebony Eyes sat alongside "Saturn," "All Day Sucker," and "Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)."
Putting it on the EP allowed the song to exist in its own little world. It didn't have to fit the heavy, thematic flow of the main records. It could just be a fun, upbeat romp. It’s a masterclass in his "classic period" production, featuring Gary Olazabal and John Fischbach on the boards at Crystal Sound in Hollywood.
The Musical DNA of the Track
The song is deceptively simple. It’s a major-key shuffle, but the instrumentation is where it gets nerdy. Stevie plays almost everything, as usual. The talk box—a device that lets a musician "shape" the sound of an instrument with their mouth—gives the vocals a robotic, futuristic texture that clashes perfectly with the old-school piano rhythm.
It’s that specific "Stevie" magic. He takes a nostalgic sound and drags it into the future.
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The saxophone work here is also stellar. It provides that "ghetto street" grit he mentions in the lyrics, grounding the song so it doesn’t become too sugary. If you listen closely to the 2023 high-resolution remasters, you can actually hear the dynamic range—about 18dB—which is way higher than the compressed mush we usually get on streaming services. You can hear the spit in the sax and the hammer hitting the piano strings.
The Lasting Legacy of a "Bonus" Track
It’s funny how "bonus" tracks sometimes outlive the hits. While "Sir Duke" and "I Wish" reached Number One on the Billboard Hot 100, Stevie Wonder Ebony Eyes became a cult favorite among musicians.
Why? Because it’s a lesson in joy.
The song doesn't try to solve the world's problems. It just wants to tell you about a girl who "can't be beat." In an album that deals with systemic racism, poverty, and heartbreak, "Ebony Eyes" is a necessary breath of fresh air. It’s the sound of a genius letting his hair down.
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If you’re looking to really appreciate this track, don’t just listen to it on a tiny phone speaker. Put on a pair of decent headphones. Focus on the way the backing vocals (often overlooked) create this wall of harmony during the "yea, yea, yeah" sections. It’s pure Motown soul filtered through a 1970s psychedelic lens.
To get the full experience of Stevie’s 1976 masterpiece, start by listening to the "A Something's Extra" EP as a standalone project before diving into the main 21-track album; this helps you appreciate how these "leftover" songs actually hold their own against his greatest hits. You should also look for the original 24-page lyric booklet that came with the vinyl, as it provides the specific musician credits that aren't always visible on digital platforms.
Next Steps for the Listener:
- Compare the talk box usage in "Ebony Eyes" to the funkier, more aggressive style he used on the Music of My Mind album.
- Check out the song "Saturn" immediately after—it’s the tonal opposite of "Ebony Eyes" and shows the incredible range Stevie had during these sessions.
- Search for live footage from the 2014 "Songs in the Key of Life" tour to see how Stevie recreated these complex studio layers in a modern concert setting.