Superstition is a funk song by American singer Stevie Wonder, released October 24, 1972 as the lead single from his album Talking Book (1972) on Motown. Written by Wonder, the track warns about the harmful effects of superstition on people’s lives. It features the iconic Hohner Clavinet riff and a driving rhythm, with a Moog bass programmed by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff; the opening drum part was created by Jeff Beck during the sessions. Wonder played most of the instruments himself, and the recording also features brass by Steve Madaio and Trevor Lawrence at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Beck recorded his own version later with Beck, Bogert & Appice, but Motown released Wonder’s version first to help drive Talking Book’s success. The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1973 and the US R&B chart, reaching #11 in the UK; it won two Grammys and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. Rolling Stone ranks it among the greatest songs of all time, with high placements on their lists through 2021.
