The decade in which I was born has given me a strange perspective on its music. I discovered pretty much all of the 70’s sounds – from prog rock to punk to disco – well after they came into the world. It wasn’t until the late 80’s that I discovered what I was missing. I would characterize the decade as one where budding genres leaped off their inspiration pads and came to fruition. For the month of February, Mental Jukebox will feature some of these gems with a different 70’s song each day. #28DaysOf70sSongs
Songs In The Key of Life is such an appropriate title for one of the most ambitious and extraordinary albums of the 70’s. Its 21-song track listing tackles all kinds themes, including love, childhood and social injustice. It varies tempos, from mid-tempo to ballad pacing to frenetic. And, most noticeably, it spans a wide range of genres, from pop to soul to R&B to jazz. It truly showcases Stevie Wonder’s versatility as a songwriter, arranger, performer and producer. It seems like an impossible task to single out one track from Songs In The Key Of Life. So maybe today I’ll go with “As” and revisit more of the album’s treasures in a future Mental Jukebox write-up.
“As” is not only the title of the song. It’s the first word of the song as well. It’s a musical manifesto of unconditional love. It’s not clear who’s the narrator and who’s the beloved – is this a statement between two lovers? Between the Creator and the creation? Between the artist and the audience? The interpretation doesn’t really matter. What does matter is the sheer audacity of this unconditional love in a world predicated on conditions. “As” is a reminder of not what was, but what could be. In the key of life, it’s that C note on the highest octave.
“Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream. Be loving you.”