Style:

Usually played as a shuffle, typically at a comfortable medium tempo.

Form:

A-B (16 Bars) [8-8]

Arrangements:

The melody is often played twice on both the way in and out, and the pentatonic fill that is played during the head is often carried on throughout the solos.

Key:

Most commonly played in E Major

Harmony/Overview:

The harmony of this composition is very conventional. The A sections begin  with a II - V of V before V7sus resolves to the tonic. The B section  begins on IVMaj7 before a secondary dominant resolves to VImi. A  prolonged V7sus is then used to build toward the final resolution back  to the tonic. The pentatonic fill that is played during the head is often carried on throughout the solos.

Recordings:

This song has been recorded over 175 times to date. It was first introduced on the Stevie Wonder album Songs in the Key of Life in 1976. It was a massively popular song with much cross-over appeal, and soon after its release jazz musicians started taking a liking to the  tune. It has been recorded by many different artists and has received a wide variety of treatments over the years, and it continues to be an especially popular jam session number.

JGC Top Picks:

Sonny Rollins, Easy Living, 1977

Milt Jackson and the Monty Alexander Trio, Soul Fusion, 1978

Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Onward, 2017