Which 1972 Stevie Wonder song features a prominent clavinet?

Which 1972 Stevie Wonder song features a prominent clavinet? “Superstition.” The song’s instantly recognizable opening riff is played by Wonder on a Hohner Clavinet Model C, giving the recording its sharp, percussive funk sound.

“Superstition” was written and recorded during sessions for Wonder’s 1972 album Talking Book. Jeff Beck helped inspire the initial drum groove and was originally expected to release his own version first, but delays involving Beck’s new trio led Motown to issue Wonder’s recording on October 24, 1972.

Wonder played several instruments on the track, including clavinet, drums, vocals, and Moog bass. The clavinet’s string-plucking mechanism produces a bright, guitar-like attack, and the sound was central to the development of 1970s keyboard funk. Wonder’s playing helped make the instrument strongly associated with the genre.

Listeners sometimes confuse “Superstition” with “Higher Ground,” another Wonder recording built around clavinet. Both use the instrument prominently, but “Superstition” is the 1972 song whose signature riff most famously announces the sound.