Fifty years after its original release, Stevie Wonder has unearthed four previously unreleased tracks from the recording sessions for Songs in the Key of Life, now issued as a short EP timed to the album’s anniversary. The collection offers fresh material for longtime fans and arrives as Wonder prepares to perform the landmark record on tour next month.
The newly released set, titled Songs in the Key of Life: The EP, contains four songs selected by Wonder from the vault of outtakes recorded during the sessions for the sprawling 90-minute album. These pieces were not part of the final 1976 LP, but Wonder says they reflect the creative moment that produced the original record.
Production credits remain closely tied to the album’s original team. Wonder wrote and produced the tracks, and engineers John Fischbach and Gary O. Adante—who worked on the original mixes—returned to handle these versions. One song, “My Life Story of Love,” lists former Supremes member Susaye Greene as a co-writer.
- It’s Easier — A previously unheard outtake that rounds out the EP’s mix of moods.
- My Life Story of Love — Co-written with Susaye Greene; adds a collaborative voice from that era.
- I Can See the Sun in Late December — One of the more evocative titles to surface from the sessions.
- I’m Into Livin’ — A vault track that complements the EP’s reflective tone.
For listeners, the release does more than expand a catalog: it provides additional context for one of soul music’s most celebrated works. Archival tracks can shift how listeners hear the original sequencing and themes, revealing alternate directions the sessions explored.
Wonder’s decision to revisit these tapes also has practical effects today. New releases tied to major anniversaries often move songs back into streaming playlists, renew media attention, and give tourgoing audiences material they may hear performed live for the first time. With the anniversary tour starting next month, these tracks arrive at a moment when interest in the album will likely spike.
What this means for listeners and collectors
Collectors and casual fans alike get a compact package of material that was long private. Because the songs were chosen by Wonder himself and mixed by members of the original engineering team, the EP maintains a direct link to the album’s sonic identity while offering distinct, previously unavailable moments.
Streaming platforms have the new EP available now, and the timing suggests the material will be featured in upcoming set lists as Wonder revisits the full album live. For anyone following the legacy of Songs in the Key of Life, the EP is a timely reminder that even landmark records can yield new discoveries decades later.
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