Stevie Wonder was one of the artists who helped establish Motown as a force to be reckoned within the music world. (Motown)

Inspired by both the emergent rock-funk fusion sounds of Sly & The Family Stone and the socially aware songs of Motown’s latest writing team, the Clan (R. Dean Taylor, Pam Sawyer, Frank Wilson and Deke Richards, authors of The Supremes’ “Love Child”), Whitfield and partner Barrett Strong commenced their assault on Motown’s ingrained sensibilities with “Cloud Nine,” a psychedelic-soul synthesis which combined momentum and message to emerge utterly unique. ►