History
The song, built on a heavy reggae feel, is an ode to reggae legend Bob Marley; Wonder had been performing with Marley a few times in concerts (and actually billed him as an opening act) on his US tour in the fall of that year. Lyrics mention Marley, joining as "children of Jah", and the end of the civil war in Zimbabwe.
The song was the leading single from Wonder's Hotter than July album. It was a major hit, spending seven weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart, reaching number five on Billboard's pop singles chart in the fall of 1980 and peaking at number two on the UK Singles chart. It can be played as a follow on segue to Marley's hit "Jamming", and some critics believe it was designed as an extension of that song. The song is also significant for the difficult vocal maneuvers Wonder showcased especially on the line, "I bet you if someone approached you yesterday/to tell you that you would be jammin'/you would not believe it/they would be jammin' thought that you'd be jammin'". The song also includes the "hotter than July" line.
Read more about this topic: Master Blaster (Jammin')
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“These anyway might think it was important
That human history should not be shortened.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“To summarize the contentions of this paper then. Firstly, the phrase ‘the meaning of a word’ is a spurious phrase. Secondly and consequently, a re-examination is needed of phrases like the two which I discuss, ‘being a part of the meaning of’ and ‘having the same meaning.’ On these matters, dogmatists require prodding: although history indeed suggests that it may sometimes be better to let sleeping dogmatists lie.”
—J.L. (John Langshaw)
“All history attests that man has subjected woman to his will, used her as a means to promote his selfish gratification, to minister to his sensual pleasures, to be instrumental in promoting his comfort; but never has he desired to elevate her to that rank she was created to fill. He has done all he could to debase and enslave her mind; and now he looks triumphantly on the ruin he has wrought, and say, the being he has thus deeply injured is his inferior.”
—Sarah M. Grimke (1792–1873)