 Songs In The Key Of Life (1976) [ larger cover art ] |
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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's 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 sorrow's lost 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 life for living in the pastime paradise
| Biscobret (Vashon, WA) | Posted: May 21, 2013 - 10:00 rdo wrote: Two sad but true confessions. The Coolio song is the first version I had heard until RP. It was perhaps the only Rap song I had liked. Now, I know it's not original, but a pathetic "sample" or cover like a lot of Rap. Rap is pathetic. Actually your post is what is pathetic. All "rock" songs use the same seven fucking chords, pathetic! Most of them - well above half - use a I-IV-V pattern - just like the rest, always in 4/4 time, with verse X4, X2, then chorus, possibly a bridge, and repeat. What formulaic bullshit, right? Wrong - knowing how a song is constructed has nothing to do with realizing the art in it. It is the art - the feeling - that is important to me. Sure, I like me some great playing, too, but I also love me some good sampling. That fucking van Gogh - putting oil on canvas! What a shlock! What a farce! I call bullshit! |
| psycholynx (Corona, CA (outside L.A.)) | Posted: Apr 09, 2013 - 16:58 Spiderwoman wrote: First play the original, then play the rap song that sampled from it. Like, how about Ann Peebles and Missy Elliot's I Can't Stand The Rain. I do love me some rap! Only if we get to play the Weird Al version after that! |
| Spiderwoman (Lake Chelan, North Central Washington) | Posted: Apr 04, 2013 - 07:07 First play the original, then play the rap song that sampled from it. Like, how about Ann Peebles and Missy Elliot's I Can't Stand The Rain. I do love me some rap! |
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Mar 03, 2013 - 19:43 t00lur wrote: romeotuma = Bill This makes me truly sentimental... love this song... sigh... |
| Ahnyer_Keester (Chicago Il) | Posted: Nov 29, 2012 - 18:43 CAN NOT hear this and not think of Weird Al's Amish Paradise. One of his finest parodies yet. |
| richlister (Here, there, pretty much everywhere.) | Posted: Nov 14, 2012 - 04:43 Coolios. |
| ziakut (Right Here) | Posted: Oct 29, 2012 - 10:35 Boy...do I hear where Adam Levine gets his inspiration! |
| ziggytrix (Dallas, TX) | Posted: Oct 29, 2012 - 10:33 As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain I take a look at my wife and realize she's very plain |
| rdo (DC) | Posted: Oct 13, 2012 - 20:26 Proclivities wrote: What is a 'Coolio'? Isn't that an ethnic slur for that was once a term for an indentured servant/manual laborer in The Orient? Two sad but true confessions. The Coolio song is the first version I had heard until RP. It was perhaps the only Rap song I had liked. Now, I know it's not original, but a pathetic "sample" or cover like a lot of Rap. Rap is pathetic. |
| DD rabbi_phil (beach) | Posted: Sep 12, 2012 - 07:09 t00lur wrote: romeotuma = Bill nope....this one |
| rockpommel16 (rockpommel´s land...dreaming of netherlands) | Posted: Sep 12, 2012 - 07:07 ,,,a solid 9 for all the memories come along with this song...... |
| LongGoneDaddy | Posted: Aug 27, 2012 - 10:36 t00lur wrote: romeotuma = Bill  this one? or this one? or this one? |
| enkay (Vancouver Island) | Posted: Aug 11, 2012 - 19:24 Oh man, Stevie had great music spilling out of his fingers and toes in the 70's. He could barely get it down on tape fast enough. Love this. And the album is still peerless. |
| dpvest (northern cali) | Posted: Aug 01, 2012 - 11:17 WonderLizard wrote:     There are few runs of sheer, unadulterated genius like Stevie's four albums made between 1972 and 1976. For those of us who loved him as a pop artist, these works revealed his depth as a musician and his prowess as a composer. Similar runs—with similar attributes (musical depth and masterful composition)—IMHO include the likes of The Beatles, Joe Jackson, and Steely Dan with Prince and Beck close enough. agreed. those album covers are all so familiar. I must have played them to death. thanks for the shot of nostalgia... another similar run was elton john's during those same years... |
| fitzworld (The Big A) | Posted: Aug 01, 2012 - 11:11 I love Stevie but this song (lyrics and melody) brings new meaning to the words "repetitive" and "monotonous." |
| Proclivities (Carrboro, NC) | Posted: Aug 01, 2012 - 11:11 Sasha2001 wrote: Am I the only one who was a little disappointed (after the first three bars) that this wasn't the Coolio song? What is a 'Coolio'? Isn't that an ethnic slur for that was once a term for an indentured servant/manual laborer in The Orient? |
| catey (Connecticut Shoreline) | Posted: Aug 01, 2012 - 11:08 It seems that I have loved this song my entire life... |
| t00lur (happy petergabriel free land) | Posted: Jul 27, 2012 - 00:41 romeotuma = Bill |
| rasimych (Pskov, Russia) | Posted: Jul 01, 2012 - 00:59 smokingpikachu wrote: Love this song but kinda wish RP would play the Coolio version just for fun. Would you like to listen to Albinoni's Adagio played in reggae stile? Just for fun? |
| smokingpikachu (Tucson, Arizona) | Posted: Jun 25, 2012 - 14:18 Love this song but kinda wish RP would play the Coolio version just for fun. |
| rasimych (Pskov, Russia) | Posted: Jun 25, 2012 - 14:18 Heavenly music! Stevie reached out his soul and God touched it. |
| valeriogonzalez (Quito, Ecuador) | Posted: Jun 25, 2012 - 14:18 I actually prefer the Coolio version. But I like this one too  |
| stunix (Narrowboat nr Caen Locks) | Posted: Jun 09, 2012 - 16:29 there is a reason Coolio covered/copied/knicked/plagiarized this song. imitation is the best form of flattery. |
| calypsus_1 (East of Eden) | Posted: Jun 09, 2012 - 16:27 2nd! WonderLizard wrote: There are few runs of sheer, unadulterated genius like Stevie's four albums made between 1972 and 1976. For those of us who loved him as a pop artist, these works revealed his depth as a musician and his prowess as a composer. Similar runs—with similar attributes (musical depth and masterful composition)—IMHO include the likes of The Beatles, Joe Jackson, and Steely Dan with Prince and Beck close enough. |
| justin4kick (The Netherlands) | Posted: May 30, 2012 - 03:13 Sasha2001 wrote: Am I the only one who was a little disappointed (after the first three bars) that this wasn't the Coolio song? I guess you´re on your own. |
| gjeeg (Syracuse, New York) | Posted: May 24, 2012 - 18:03 This album shook the world. |
| gjeeg (Syracuse, New York) | Posted: May 24, 2012 - 18:03 yes, you fool. Sasha2001 wrote: Am I the only one who was a little disappointed (after the first three bars) that this wasn't the Coolio song? |
| On_The_Beach (The Blue Planet) | Posted: Apr 28, 2012 - 12:52 Sasha2001 wrote: Am I the only one who was a little disappointed (after the first three bars) that this wasn't the Coolio song? yes |
| Sasha2001 (I can see Zabars from my window) | Posted: Apr 28, 2012 - 09:39 Am I the only one who was a little disappointed (after the first three bars) that this wasn't the Coolio song? |
| WonderLizard (2,755.46 mi. due east of Paradise) | Posted: Mar 22, 2012 - 07:39 There are few runs of sheer, unadulterated genius like Stevie's four albums made between 1972 and 1976. For those of us who loved him as a pop artist, these works revealed his depth as a musician and his prowess as a composer. Similar runs—with similar attributes (musical depth and masterful composition)—IMHO include the likes of The Beatles, Joe Jackson, and Steely Dan with Prince and Beck close enough. |
| 80poundsOfFury | Posted: Mar 06, 2012 - 11:45 Stevie is awesome... my feelings for him, tho, are summed up perfectly by Jack Black in the movie "High Fidelity": "Rob, name the top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away? " |
| fredriley (Nottingham, UK) | Posted: Jan 24, 2012 - 06:48 ThePoose wrote: As with most music, it is about the MUSIC, not the words. That's a contentious statement that would take hours, perhaps days, to discuss properly. Still, to give a niche example I have knowledge of, music and poetry in Gaelic culture are very closely linked. You can have instrumental music without poetry, and poetry without music, but quite often Gaelic concerts and events comprise both (bardachd 's ceòl). |
| MiracleDrug (Earth) | Posted: Dec 02, 2011 - 05:55 hey! More Cowbell ! enough cowbell???  |
| cheesemonger | Posted: Nov 16, 2011 - 09:31 jmkate wrote: What a great transition from Mad World....Not getting much done, but the chair dancing is enjoyable. agreed on all points- Cut it out, Bill! I've got things to do! :D |
| jmkate (nearly under a stack of books) | Posted: Sep 14, 2011 - 06:50 What a great transition from Mad World....Not getting much done, but the chair dancing is enjoyable. |
| debobasu (Toronto) | Posted: Aug 29, 2011 - 12:38 jayladdin wrote: There's just not enough Stevie on Radio Paradise. This is a fantastic song. There are so many unbelievable songs from this very prolific Stevie era . I'd love to hear just about anything from Innervisions. This song is too short, actually, which is a rarity with Stevie; many of his songs are just too damn long! The ending of this track features Hare Krishnas doing a chant, over a choir singing "we shall overcome." Oh, and the final gong at the end is also what opens the song (right before the first verse), just played backwards. Amazing song, but note on above commenters info: The "Hare Krishnas" are actually modern hindus (perhaps hippies) that sing a famous mantra (hail the lord). It's interesting because they were very popular throughout the 60's to the 80's and are featured in beatles songs and other pop culture of the time. Peace and love and all that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_Krishna_in_popular_culture |
| TerryS (Another SW) | Posted: Aug 13, 2011 - 21:51 Prestidigitation |
| ThePoose | Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 13:02 As with most music, it is about the MUSIC, not the words. No one had written music like this before. nmcvaugh wrote: I have to get me some of this! elevation transportation defenestration loud exclamation evaporation sublimation transpiration precipitation constipation indignation irrigation elimination inebriation excitation altercation deprication Wow - I'm a song writer too!  |
| ThePoose | Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 13:00 Steveland Morris is a funky genius. |
| Ahnyer_Keester (Chicago Il) | Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 13:00 cirruss wrote: Coolio is soooooo much better than... Weird Al's "Amish Paradise" is the best. |
| cirruss (Curacao, Netherlands Antilles) | Posted: Jun 27, 2011 - 16:56 Coolio is soooooo much better than... |
| MikeszCZ (Czech republic) | Posted: May 27, 2011 - 01:36 They've been spending most their lives listening to a radio paradise |
| eruwenolorien (SC) | Posted: May 16, 2011 - 13:03 lophrequa wrote: segue from Tricky so sweet agreed |
| lophrequa (canadia) | Posted: May 16, 2011 - 13:01 segue from Tricky so sweet |
| CalOF (Central CA) | Posted: Mar 24, 2011 - 22:32 I remember in '76 Paul Simon won a Grammy and thanked Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album the prior year.....and then he came up with this double wonder.....wow. |
| ekeyte (Lynchburg, VA) | Posted: Mar 14, 2011 - 12:21 defenestration hahahahahahaha nmcvaugh wrote: I have to get me some of this! elevation transportation defenestration loud exclamation evaporation sublimation transpiration precipitation constipation indignation irrigation elimination inebriation excitation altercation deprication Wow - I'm a song writer too! |
| nmcvaugh (Austin, Texas) | Posted: Jan 21, 2011 - 05:29 I have to get me some of this! elevation transportation defenestration loud exclamation evaporation sublimation transpiration precipitation constipation indignation irrigation elimination inebriation excitation altercation deprication Wow - I'm a song writer too! |
| laup (brantford , ontario) | Posted: Jan 05, 2011 - 12:34 Amish paradise !! |
| WonderLizard (2,755.46 mi. due east of Paradise) | Posted: Dec 10, 2010 - 07:02 lemmoth wrote: and from U2 we get This desparation Dislocation Separation Condemnation Revelation In temptation Isolation Desolation Isolation And from John Lennon we got Revoluton, evolution, masturbation, Flagellation, regulation, integrations, Meditations, United Nations, Congratulations |
| manonfortini (Québec, Canada) | Posted: Nov 08, 2010 - 14:02 For me, Stevie Wonder was "I just called to say I love youuuuuuuuuuu" and very crappy stuff. More I listen to Radio Paradise, and more I realise that songs that I love are by Stevie Wonder!!! I will definitely have to learn more about that guy! Thanks RP for my musical education! |