Pastime Paradise

Pastime Paradise is a profound critique of escapism, apathy, and the human tendency to avoid the present reality. Stevie Wonder uses the song to contrast two unproductive states of being with a third, active state of spiritual and social progression.

The first state is the "Pastime Paradise," which represents a fixation on nostalgia. Wonder criticizes those who "glorify days long gone behind," suggesting that this reverence for the past is often a "remembrance of ignorance." This can be interpreted as a critique of those who romanticize historical eras that were actually rife with inequality and injustice (e.g., the Antebellum South or pre-Civil Rights America), or simply a personal refusal to grow.

The second state is an escapist "Future Paradise," where people passively wait for a savior or a better tomorrow without doing the work today. While less harsh than his critique of the past, Wonder implies that merely "looking in their minds" for a sorrow-free future is another form of inaction.

The central message lies in the call to action: "Let's start living our lives, living for the future paradise." Here, "future paradise" transforms from a passive fantasy into an active goal. The song suggests that true salvation comes from facing the "evils of the world" (segregation, exploitation, isolation) and replacing them with "peace of the world" (integration, consolation, salvation). It is a spiritual and political wake-up call, urging the listener to reject the comfort of stagnation for the difficult work of building a better world.

The narrative begins by observing a group of people who have spent the majority of their existence trapped in a state of nostalgic stagnation. They are described as living in a "pastime paradise," a metaphorical state where they waste their time glorifying a history that is long gone and, in the narrator's view, largely characterized by ignorance. These individuals are fixated on "days long gone behind," finding comfort in looking backward rather than confronting the present.

The narrator then poses a direct, probing question to the listener and society at large: who among these people will actually evolve or come to be something more? He implicates the listener by asking how many of "them" are actually "you and me," suggesting that this tendency to escape into the past is a collective human flaw. Following this, the song descends into a litany of societal ills, listed rhythmically as heavy, burdening concepts: dissipation, race relations, consolation, segregation, dispensation, isolation, exploitation, and mutilation. These are presented as the "evils of the world" that result from this backward-looking mindset.

The focus then shifts to a different group—or perhaps the same group in a different mode of escapism—who are living in a "future paradise." These individuals are consumed by looking ahead, searching their minds for a theoretical time when sorrow will vanish. They speak constantly of a day when a "Savior of love" will arrive to fix everything. Like the first group, they are not living in the present reality. The narrator again asks who will truly "come to be."

In response to the earlier list of evils, a new list of solutions and positive concepts is proclaimed: proclamation, integration, verification of revelations, acclamation, world salvation, and stimulation. These are confirmed as the path to the "peace of the world." The song concludes with a powerful exhortation to stop living in the "pastime paradise" or the escapist "future paradise." Instead, the narrator urges humanity to start truly living their lives in the present moment, but with a specific orientation: working actively toward a "future paradise" of spiritual and social fulfillment. The final judgment is clear: praise is due to those who actively live for this better future, while shame is cast upon those who remain content in the stagnation of the past.

Recorded for his magnum opus, the 1976 double album Songs in the Key of Life, Pastime Paradise represents a significant departure from the Motown sound of the era. The song was written, produced, and arranged by Stevie Wonder at a time when he was disillusioned with the U.S. political climate and the music industry.

A key element of the song's creation was its pioneering use of the Yamaha GX-1 synthesizer. This massive, polyphonic analog synthesizer allowed Wonder to emulate the sound of a full string section—violins, violas, and cellos—entirely by himself. It was one of the first times a synthesizer was used to create such a realistic, yet distinctly eerie, orchestral texture in popular music. Engineer Gary Olazabal was instrumental in capturing this sound, treating the synth tracks as if they were acoustic instruments.

The track is also notable for its lack of a traditional drum kit. Instead, the rhythm is driven by a clapping sound (often cited as a clapboard) and the "chinging" of finger cymbals. To achieve the song's spiritual crescendo, Wonder incorporated a multicultural choir. He utilized a Hare Krishna chanting group (devotees from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) whom Olazabal had found chanting on Hollywood Boulevard, alongside the West Angeles Church of God Choir. This blend of gospel and Eastern chant underscored the song's universal message.

The melody itself draws inspiration from classical music, specifically Johann Sebastian Bach's "Prelude No. 2 in C Minor" (from The Well-Tempered Clavier), which provides the song with its baroque, tragic, and timeless feel.

The song's rhythm is relentless and marching, set in a 4/4 time signature but with a distinct, syncopated Latin-influenced undertone provided by the percussion. The tempo is moderate but feels urgent due to the staccato nature of the synth strings.

Lyrically, the verses follow a loose AABB or AAAA rhyme scheme (e.g., lives/paradise, time/behind). However, the most striking rhythmic device occurs in the bridges. Here, Wonder abandons traditional sentence structures for a rapid-fire list of nouns ending in "-ation" (segregation, exploitation, mutation). This creates a staccato rhythmic effect that mimics the ticking clock or the hammering of nails, driving the song's tension to its peak. The interplay between this lyrical rhythm and the steady, unyielding pulse of the music creates a feeling of inevitability—suggesting that time is running out to make a change.

Musical Techniques: The defining feature of the song is its ostinato bassline and string arrangement played on the Yamaha GX-1. This creates a Baroque Pop feel, merging classical counterpoint with soul music. The absence of a standard drum kit creates a sense of tension; the rhythm is kept by the persistent, ticking sound of a clapboard and finger cymbals, which mimics the passing of time—a core theme of the song. The texture is polyphonic, with multiple synth lines weaving around each other.

Literary Techniques: Wonder employs anaphora (repetition of "They've been spending...") to emphasize the chronic nature of the problem. The bridge sections utilize assonance and consonance heavily, relying on the suffix "-ation" to create a rhythmic, chant-like effect. This technique, known as monorhyme, builds intensity and urgency, making the words sound like a political manifesto or a spiritual incantation. The contrast between the minor key verses (sorrow, warning) and the major key resolution in the chorus (hope) mirrors the lyrical journey from "pastime" to "future."

While not released as a single in 1976, "Pastime Paradise" has become one of the most culturally significant tracks from Songs in the Key of Life. Its legacy was cemented in 1995 when rapper Coolio sampled the track (and its melody) for his massive hit, "Gangsta's Paradise" (featured in the film Dangerous Minds). Coolio's version became a global anthem, introducing Wonder's composition to a new generation and transforming the "pastime" warning into a bleak narrative of inner-city life. "Weird Al" Yankovic further cemented the melody's ubiquity with his parody "Amish Paradise."

Beyond sampling, the song is critical in the history of music production for its early and masterful use of the Yamaha GX-1 polyphonic synthesizer, influencing how electronic strings were used in pop and soul. It has been covered by diverse artists including Patti Smith, Ray Barretto (a salsa version), and Chick Corea, showcasing its versatility across genres. The song remains a staple in discussions about socially conscious soul music.

The song relies heavily on the metaphor of "Paradise" as a mental state. A "Pastime Paradise" symbolizes a false comfort zone built on selective memory and denial. It represents a mental retreat into a history that feels safe only because it is over. In contrast, the "Future Paradise" represents potential and salvation, but the lyrics distinguish between waiting for it passively (a trap) and working for it actively (virtue).

The lyrics also employ a structural symbolism through the list of "-ation" nouns. The first list—"Dissipation, Race Relations, Consolation, Segregation"—symbolizes the chaotic and oppressive structures of the current world. These words feel heavy, bureaucratic, and restrictive. The second list—"Proclamation, Integration, Acclamation, World Salvation"—uses the same phonetic structure to symbolize the antidote. By reclaiming the rhyme scheme with positive concepts, Wonder symbolically transforms the "evils of the world" into the "peace of the world."

The "Savior of love" is a metaphor for spiritual redemption, but Wonder places it in the context of human agency—we cannot just wait for the Savior; we must "start living our lives" to bring that love into existence.

The phrase "Pastime Paradise" is the central hook, repeated as a warning. It is juxtaposed with "Future Paradise," creating a binary motif of regression vs. progression. The question "Tell me who of them will come to be / How many of them are you and me" recurs as a motif of self-reflection, forcing the listener to examine their own complicity.

Musically, the descending string motif (inspired by Bach) repeats throughout the song, grounding the track in a somber, classical mood. The "chinging" bell sound is a sonic motif associated with the Hare Krishna movement, adding a layer of spiritual consistency throughout the track.