Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder song)

"Higher Ground"
Cover for the 7" single in Germany.[1]
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Innervisions
B-side	"Too High"
Released	July 1973
Format	7" 45 RPM
Recorded	May 12, 1973
Genre	Funk[2]
Length	3:42 (Album version) 3:10 (Single version)
Label	Tamla
Writer(s)	Stevie Wonder
Producer(s)	Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (1973) "Higher Ground" (1973) "Living for the City" (1973)

"Higher Ground" is a funk song written by Stevie Wonder which first appeared on his 1973 album Innervisions. The song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the US Hot R&B Singles chart.^[3] Wonder wrote and recorded the song in a three-hour burst of creativity in May 1973.^[4] The album version of the song contains an extra verse and runs 30 seconds longer than the single version. The unique wah-clavinet sound in the song was achieved with a Mu-Tron III envelope filter pedal. The bass line is provided by a Moog synthesizer and using overdubs, Wonder played all instruments on the track, including drums and percussion.

The song was also released in the UK but achieved only modest success, reaching number 29 in the UK Singles Chart.

Subject

The song lyrics address the issue of reincarnation. Wonder commented, when interviewed by The New York Times:

I would like to believe in reincarnation. I would like to believe that there is another life. I think that sometimes your consciousness can happen on this earth a second time around. For me, I wrote Higher Ground even before the accident. But something must have been telling me that something was going to happen to make me aware of a lot of things and to get myself together. This is like my second chance for life, to do something or to do more, and to value the fact that I am alive.^[5]

Critical reception

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song #265 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, adding: "'Ground' was recorded just before Wonder was involved in a near-fatal accident in August '73 that left him in a coma. Early in Wonder's recovery, his road manager sang the song's melody into the singer's ear; Wonder responded by moving his fingers with the music."^[6]

Chart performance

Red Hot Chili Peppers version

"Higher Ground"
Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album Mother's Milk
B-side	"Millionaires Against Hunger"
Released	April 8, 1989
Format	CD, cassette, 7", 12"
Genre	Funk metal[16]
Length	3:21
Label	EMI America
Writer(s)	Stevie Wonder
Producer(s)	Michael Beinhorn
Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology
"Fight Like a Brave" (1987) "Higher Ground" (1989) "Knock Me Down" (1989)
Music video "Higher Ground" on official website

The Red Hot Chili Peppers released a cover as the first single^[17] from their fourth studio album Mother's Milk.

It has featured in films, TV shows and video games, including Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie,^[18] Beavis and Butthead,^[19] Center Stage,^[20] The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,^[21] Walking Tall,^[22] The Longest Yard,^[23] The Karate Kid,^[24] The Change-Up,^[25] Rocksmith^[26] and Guitar Hero Live.^[27]

A remixed version by the X-Ecutioners was featured in the video game SSX 3^[28] while a cover version appeared in Guitar Hero.^[29]

FX used the song to promote The Ultimate Fighter: Live and it also serves as the show's theme song.^[30][31]

As part of the "Year of a Million Dreams" Celebration, Space Mountain at Disneyland in Anaheim, California was transformed into Rockin' Space Mountain. The song was used as its soundtrack for 16 weeks, from January 3, 2007 to April 26, 2007.^[32]

British magazine Total Guitar named it the second greatest cover ever in 2000.^[33]

Red Hot Chili Peppers performed the song with other musicians as part of the all-star jam during the band's induction into the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.^[34]

Track listing

US Cassette single (1989)^[35]

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Nobody Weird Like Me"

7" single (1989)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Fight Like a Brave"

UK CD single

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
3. "Millionaires Against Hunger"
4. "Mommy Where's Daddy?"

12" single/Germany CD single (1989)

1. "Politician" (Mini Rap)
2. "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
3. "Higher Ground" (Dub Mix)
4. "Mommy Where's Daddy?"

12" UK promo (1989)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
3. "Higher Ground" (Bert Bevans Remix)

12" US promo (1989)

1. "Higher Ground" (Edit)
2. "Higher Ground"

12" US promo (1989)

1. "Higher Ground" (12" Vocal)
2. "Higher Ground" (Politician Mix)
3. "Higher Ground" (Dub Mix)

US test pressing 12" single (1989)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
3. "Millionaires Against Hunger"
4. "Mommy Where's Daddy?"

Australian 7" single (1989)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Punk Rock Classic"

UK 7" single (1989)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Millionaires Against Hunger"

U.S. CD Promo Single (1989)

1. "Higher Ground (CHR Edit)"
2. "Higher Ground"

UK 12" 3D Punch Out Pepper single (1990)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Higher Ground" (Munchkin Mix)
3. "Politician" (Mini Rap)
4. "Higher Ground" (Bert Bevans Mix)

UK 12" gatefold sleeve pop up single (1990)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Fight Like a Brave"
3. "Out in L.A."

UK 12" limited edition picture disc single (1990)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Higher Ground" (Daddy-O Mix)
3. "Fight Like a Brave"

UK CD Maxi-single (1990)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Fight Like a Brave"
3. "Behind the Sun"
4. "Out in L.A."

Spain CD promo single (1992)

1. "Higher Ground"
2. "Higher Ground"

France CD promo single (1992)

1. "Higher Ground" (Daddy-O Mix)
2. "Millionaires Against Hunger"
3. "Castles" (Live)

Europe CD promo single (1992)

1. "Higher Ground" (Ben's Mix)
2. "Higher Ground"

Chart performance

References