He's Misstra Know-It-All

"He's Misstra Know-It-All" is a single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla (Motown) label, from his Innervisions album, which reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1974.[2] The song takes the form of a mellow ballad with a steady beat, principally a solo performance with Wonder providing lead vocal, background vocal, piano, drums, handclaps and congas. Ethereal flute-like sounds are provided by his TONTO modular synthesiser. Willie Weeks, on electric bass, is the only other musician. Towards the end of the song the mood changes to a stronger feel, more strident singing and with hand-claps emphasising the beat, half-beat and quarter-beat.

"He's Misstra Know-It-All"
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Innervisions
B-side"You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover"
ReleasedApril 1974
Recorded1973
GenreSoul, pop [1]
Length3:25 (single version)
5:38 (album version)
LabelTamla
Songwriter(s)Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
(1973)		 "He's Misstra Know-It-All"
(1974)		 "You Haven't Done Nothin'"
(1974)

The song was released again in 1977 in both the UK and US as the B-side to "Sir Duke".

The song is essentially a long description of a know-it-all confidence trickster character who is a "man with a plan", who has a slick answer to all his critics and who has "a counterfeit dollar in his hand." It has been alleged that this is a reference to United States' President Richard Nixon.[3]

Track list

A. "He's Misstra Know-It-All" – 3:25 (Stevie Wonder)
B. "You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover" (Wonder, Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy)[4]

Personnel

Covers
  • Danny Grant, from his album The Light Of Day
  • Moxy Früvous, from their album Fruvous Live
  • Heleen van den Hombergh, from her album Here, There & Everywhere[5]
  • Eric van Aro, from her album Friends
  • The Synthesizer Rock Orchestra, from their album The Synthesizer Rock Orchestra Plays Phil Collins And Stevie Wonder[6]
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References
  1. John McFerrin. "Stevie Wonder- Innervisions". Retrieved 2018-09-22.
  2. "Official Charts Company - Stevie Wonder". 23 July 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  3. Arthur Chappell, The Story In The Song - Stevie Wonder - He's Misstra Know It All, Bubblews
  4. "Stevie Wonder – He's Misstra Know It All" at Discogs.
  5. "Covers of Stevie Wonder Songs". www.steviewonder.org.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  6. "The Synthesizer Rock Orchestra* - The Synthesizer Rock Orchestra Plays Phil Collins And Stevie Wonder". Discogs. Retrieved 16 September 2017.


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