Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder

Pastime Paradise


1976 album SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE


Composer * Stevie Wonder
Produced & Arranged * Stevie Wonder
Musicians * Raymond Maldonado & Bobbye Hall: percussion, Hare Krishna, West Angeles Church Choir: Background vocals, Stevie Wonder: all instruments

The song "Pastime Paradise" is a reflection on the need for progress in society. It pushes us to give more importance to the future, instead of staying anchored and magnifying the past. Through the chorus it reflects the performance of people who spend much of their time living in the past, wasting their days instead of moving forward. He wonders who will be responsible for realizing that. It makes us reflect on the evils of the world such as exploitation, or racism, and the need to combat them. Emphasizing how important it is to live for a future paradise that achieves salvation and world peace, instead of living anchored in the past.

The main riff was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's "Prelude number 2 in C minor", and in the final stretch we can hear sound references to the gospel song "We shall overcome" which was recorded by sound engineer Gary Olazabal, when he ran into some Hare Krishna who were chanting on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Stevie Wonder emulated a string section with a Yamaha GX-1 synthesizer, something at that time very advanced and difficult to achieve.

Video

Pastime Paradise
The cover by Coolio for the film "Gangsta's Paradise" was one of hits more ear in the 90`s.






Pastime Paradise

Lyrics

They've been spending most their lives
Living in a pastime paradise
They've been spending most their lives
Living in a pastime paradise
They've been wasting most their time
Glorifying days long gone behind
They've been wasting most their days
In remembrance of ignorance oldest praise

Tell me who of them will come to be
How many of them are you and me
Dissipation
Race Relations
Consolation
Segregation
Dispensation
Isolation
Exploitation
Mutilation
Mutations
Miscreation
Confirmation...to the evils of the world

They've been spending most their lives
Living in a future paradise
They've been spending most their lives
Living in a future paradise
They've been looking in their minds
For the day that sorrows gone from time
They keep telling of the day
When the Savior of love will come to stay

Tell me who of them will come to be
How many of them are you and me
Proclamation
of Race Relations
Consolation
Integretion
Verification
of Revelations Acclamation
World Salvation
Vibrations
Stimulation
Confirmation...to the peace of the world

They've been spending most their lives
Living in a pastime paradise
They've been spending most their lives
Living in a pastime paradise
They've been spending most their lives
Living in a future paradise
They've been spending most their lives
Living in a future paradise
We've been spending too much of our lives
Living in a pastime paradise

Let's start living our lives
Living for the future paradise
Praise to our lives
Living for the future paradise
Shame to anyones lives
Living in the pastime paradise

Classic Albums: Songs In The Key Of Life

Classic Albums: Songs In The Key Of Life
In one of the most creative periods of the soul, Stevie Wonder released Songs in the key of life. Despite the tight control exercised Barry Gordy over the Motown artists, was one of the few who, along with Marvin Gaye, managed to escape capture in their records and what his mind could create. In this double album, Stevie had collaborations with many artists, including musicians and vocalists such as large, Michael Sembello, Herbie Hancock, Nathan Watts, Minnie Riperton, Deniece Williams, George Benson ... and we discovered compositions of heavenly delicacy, instrumentation with a higher evolutionary level and inspiration only possible for a divine touch.

The album debuted at No.1 in the USA charts and stayed there for 14 consecutive weeks. He was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, winning four of them, highlighting the best production, disco and R&B singer. The album is part of the U.S. Library of Congress which preserves the audio events that are culturally, historically or aesthetically important, Diamond disc, and above all is an album where both black and white, lovers of pop, soul, jazz, rock or any genre will find the oasis in the desert thirsty, paradise in hell hotter and oxygen to survive in the deepest ocean.

His importance to the significance and influence that has made music that has achieved classic status. Stevie is aware of what led to this work in his life and in the world of music, and pay tribute in a tour live 2014 performing adaptations for more than 10 cities across North America, beginning Nov. 6 in New York (Madison Square Garden), and having invited as India.Arie, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and other artists that we'll be adding to this SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE PERFORMANCE.

It is undoubtedly one of the best albums ever made, a nectar available to our ears as such must necessarily be savored.
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