Pastime Paradise by Stevie Wonder Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Prophetic Vision of Societal Reflection
Lyrics
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 oldest praise
Tell me, who of them will come to be?
How many of them are you and me?
Dissipation
Of race relations
Consolation
Segregation
Dispensation
Isolation
Exploitation
Mutilation
Mutation
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
Integration
Verification
Of revelation
Acclamation
World salvation
Vibration
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 anyone’s lives
Living in the pastime paradise
Among the pantheon of Stevie Wonder’s soul-stirring creations, ‘Pastime Paradise’ stands as a testament to the artist’s profound ability to weave social commentary into the fabric of his rhythm and melody. Released on the seminal album ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ (1976), this song transcends mere entertainment, morphing into a poignant exploration of humanity’s collective psyche.
Peering through the prism of Wonder’s lyrics, we perceive a society ensnared by its own nostalgia and myopic dreams of a utopia. The track oscillates between sharp critique and hopeful yearning, a duality as resonant today as it was at the height of the 70s.
Nostalgia’s Labyrinth: The Entrapment of ‘Pastime Paradise’
Wonder’s repeated chant, ‘They’ve been spending most their lives, living in a pastime paradise,’ rings as a clarion call to the perils of glorifying a bygone era. The song challenges the audience to reflect on the time squandered in yearning for the past instead of effecting change in the present.
Through this lens, ‘Pastime Paradise’ emerges as an anthem against the stagnation bred by clinging to ‘ignorance’s oldest praise.’ It is an urging to discard the rose-colored glasses that distort the reality of historical injustice.
A Score of Societal Strife: Decoding the Litany of Woes
Within the song’s bridge lies a cascade of powerful terms: ‘Dissipation of race relations, consolation, segregation…’ This liturgical recitation portrays an incisive snapshot of the societal ailments plaguing the era, remnants of which persist stubbornly.
Wonder does not merely present a tableau of despair; instead, he juxtaposes it with a mirror image of hopeful terms like ‘Integration, verification of revelation.’ This diametric symmetry presents the breadth of human capacity for both self-destruction and transcendence.
Vision of Tomorrow: The Quest for a ‘Future Paradise’
Crooning about ‘spending most their lives living in a future paradise,’ Wonder juxtaposes the futility of past obsession with the folly of futurism. It is a potent reminder that the idealized ‘day that sorrow’s lost from time’ can only distract from the imperatives of the present.
Yet, in this yearning for a savior, a notion of ‘World salvation’ percolates. This dalliance with a messianic hope suggests that amidst the wasted past and the fantasized future, there is a chronicle of human aspiration for a realm of peace and love.
Unveiling the Hidden Gospel According to Stevie
Beneath the hypnotic verses and the choir-backed refrains, ‘Pastime Paradise’ conceals a quasi-spiritual credo. It is a subtle rallying cry for an evolution of consciousness—away from divisive chapters in humanity’s history toward a communion of souls.
In essence, the song is a profound meditation on time and its hold on human consciousness. Wonder implores listeners to realize that both the past and future are illusions that detract from the tangible power found in the present moment.
Quotable Lyrics: The Ageless Echoes of ‘Pastime Paradise’
‘Tell me, who of them will come to be? How many of them are you and me?’ These questions linger long after the song ends, uniting listeners in a shared contemplation of identity and responsibility.
The song’s unforgettable refrains, laden with existential inquisition, continue to resonate as more than just memorable lines. They serve as markers of awareness, pushing us to reckon with the weight of our role in fostering either a ‘pastime’ or a ‘future paradise.’
