Master Blaster (Jammin')
| "Master Blaster (Jammin')" | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||
| Single by Stevie Wonder | ||||||||||
| from the album Hotter than July | ||||||||||
| B-side |
"Master Blaster (Instrumental)" (7") "Master Blaster (Dub)" (12") | |||||||||
| Released | September 12, 1980 | |||||||||
| Format | 7", 12" | |||||||||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||||||||
| Genre | Reggae, Dub | |||||||||
| Length |
4:49 (7")
5:08 (album) | |||||||||
| Label | Tamla/Motown | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||||||||
| Producer(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||||||||
| Stevie Wonder singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Master Blaster (Jammin)" is a 1980 single by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder from his 1980 album Hotter than July.
History
The song, built on a heavy reggae feel, is an ode to reggae legend Bob Marley; Wonder had been performing live with Marley (obviously billing him as an opening act) on his US tour in the fall of that year. Lyrics mention "children of Jah" and the end of the civil war in Zimbabwe. Stevie also plays drums on the track.
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[1] and peaking at number two on the UK Singles chart. 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.
Cultural references
The song itself is the subject of an homage by the North African raï singer Cheb Mami titled "Enfants d'Afrique" featuring Canadian superstar Corneille.
'Master Blaster' is the name of a round on the Australian RockWiz rock quiz show, with the two musician guests answering questions on a special subject. The song's tune is played when the round is introduced.
The song was featured in the WKRP in Cincinnati episode called "The Airplane Show" and also in the Portuguese TV movie O Lampião da Estrela.
Charts
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
| German Singles Chart | 9 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 2 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 |
References
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 636.
External links
| Preceded by "Upside Down" by Diana Ross |
New Zealand Singles Chart October 31, 1980 - November 21, 1980 |
Succeeded by "He's So Shy" by Pointer Sisters |
| Preceded by "Funkin' For Jamaica(N.Y.)" by Tom Browne |
Billboard's Hot Soul Singles number one single November 1, 1980 - December 13, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang |
| Preceded by "Upside Down" by Diana Ross |
Swiss number-one single November 2, 1980 - November 15, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand |
| Preceded by "Upside Down" by Diana Ross |
Swedish number-one single November 14–27, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand |
| Preceded by "Oliver Onions" by Santa Maria |
Austrian number-one single December 15, 1980 - January 1, 1981 |
Succeeded by "Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand |
