Which Stevie Wonder song was originally offered to Jeff Beck?

Stevie Wonder’s song “Superstition” was originally offered to Jeff Beck. Wonder developed the song during sessions connected with Beck, who was expected to record his own version before Wonder released it himself.

The collaboration grew from Wonder’s work with Beck and the jazz-rock group Beck, Bogert & Appice. Beck played drums on an early version, and the song was shaped around a prominent clavinet figure, a tight rhythm section, and lyrics about superstition and bad omens.

Wonder ultimately recorded and released his own version first. It appeared on the 1972 album Talking Book and became one of his signature songs, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1973. Beck later released his version on the album Beck, Bogert & Appice.

The story is sometimes simplified into the claim that Beck wrote “Superstition.” Wonder wrote the song; Beck’s connection concerns the planned recording and the development of the arrangement.