Pastime Paradise
| "Pastime Paradise" | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||
| Song by Stevie Wonder from the album Songs in the Key of Life | ||||||||||
| Released | 1976 | |||||||||
| Genre | Soul, pop | |||||||||
| Length | 3:27 | |||||||||
| Label | Motown | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||||||||
| Producer(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
| "Pastime Paradise" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Sunlightsquare | |
| from the album Urban Latin Soul[1] | |
| Genre | Soul, Latin music |
| Length | 4:31 |
| Writer(s) | Stevie Wonder |
"Pastime Paradise" is a song from the 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life by Grammy-winning artist Stevie Wonder. The song was one of the first to use a synthesizer (the Yamaha GX-1) to sound like a full string section.[2] Built initially from synth tracks rather than from a drummer setting the basic rhythm, the song was later augmented with rhythm performances from Ray Maldonado and Bobbye Hall, especially featuring finger cymbals.[3]
Meaning
Steve Wonder writes that the song can be understood in two different ways. It compares and contrasts the difference between the negative attitude of someone who has a flawed past, and the positive outlook of someone who wishes for a perfect future in this life or the next. Or, the song may be understood as Wonder describing how me-first materialism and laziness cannot compare to a strong work ethic which brings the great reward of heaven.[4]
Covers, samplings, and parodies
A notable cover was released as a single by Sunlightsquare in 2008.[5] The song has been sampled by over a dozen artists, in songs such as "Time" by Mary J. Blige, "Crack" by Scarface, and "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio (which in turn inspired "Amish Paradise" by Weird Al Yankovic).[6][7]
References
- ↑ AllMusic
- ↑ AllMusic
- ↑ Buskin, Richard (December 2007). "Classic Tracks: Stevie Wonder 'Pastime Paradise'". Sound On Sound.
- ↑ "Stevie Wonder: A Musical Guide to the Classical Albums".
- ↑ Whosampled.com
- ↑ AllMusic
- ↑ Whosampled.com
