Stevie Wonder : As

SONG As

WRITTEN BY Stevie Wonder

PERFORMED BY Stevie Wonder

APPEARS ON Songs In The Key Of Life (1976)




Stevie Wonder was born Steven Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950. He was signed to Motown Records at the age off 11 and had his first hit single Fingertips (Pt.2) at the age of 13. Despite the fact he lost his sight as an infant, he is considered by most to be a musical genius. During the mid 1970's Stevie released several albums that are considered classics. Perhaps the best and most groundbreaking of those releases is Songs in the Key of Life. It was released in 1976 and spent 14 weeks on the Billboard charts as the number one album. In American music as a whole this album is considered among the best ever made. In R&B music it is arguably a top five album of all time. There are a few songs from this album I want to write about but I will start with what I feel is the best and most underrated. Writing about this song was a special request. It’s a wonderful tune about everlasting love titled “As”. I always thought the name of this song was I’ll be Loving You Always until I scored an original copy of the album and couldn’t find that title on any of the four sides.

“As” is not a typical slow and sappy love song that is prominent in R&B music. I don’t want to make it seem like I don’t listen to my fair share of sappy love songs but this song is much deeper than that. It is about the genuine and undying love from one person to another. I did a blog post once about the songs that represent my life and listed this song as the song I would use to tell someone I love them. The song speaks to the kind of love that can sustain you throughout your life. Everyone should have someone like that in their life. It can be a spouse, parent, or a child. It can be your sibling, cousin, or just a damn good friend. It can even be a dog or a cat. It can be about that one person in your life no matter who they are that fills the need of knowing someone loves you and you love them back. The other day my friend told me she was in the store with her teenage sister. She fell in love with a pair of shoes and her sister decided to buy them for her. Her words were “as long as I have money, you have money.” It's like all the years growing up watching your dad wear those raggedy clothes knowing he wanted to look good but he couldn't because he didn't have a lot of money and he wanted his kids to look right. That’s the kind of love Stevie Wonder is singing about.

Anyone who reads the post I make will soon realize that I am heavy into lyrics. I have to give equal attention to the words of the song no matter what the subject matter of the song or the tempo. I think Stevie Wonder intended for this song to be inspirational and uplifting. The tempo is fast enough to dance to. It’s meant to celebrate the presence of that person. I think that’s the way it should be. When I think of the people in my life who I love I want to feel good about it. The words themselves are plainspoken but constructed to allow anyone of significance to come into the listeners mind. There is no mention of male or female. The only reference is “you”. Towards the end of the song the direction of the lyrics shifts to metaphors that describe how the love he has will last by basically saying “I’ll be loving you until….a bunch of things that will never happen.” For example:

“Ill be loving you
Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
Loving you
Until the ocean covers every mountain high”

The only disclaimer I can give about this song is that if you ever go to a Stevie Wonder concert please be prepared because the night I saw him at the Essence Music Festival he performed this song for about 20 minutes. I don’t know about you but that’s a lot of love to handle. Other than that minor tidbit, please enjoy the selection.

Clifton

Lyrics:
As around the sun the earth knows shes revolving
And the rosebuds know to bloom in early may
Just as hate knows loves the cure
You can rest your mind assure
That Ill be loving you always

As now cant reveal the mistery of tomorrow
But in passing will grow older every day
Just as all is born is new
Do you know what I say is true
That Ill be loving you always

Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
Always
Until the ocean covers every mountain high
Always
Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea
Always
Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream

Did you know that true love asks for nothing
Her acceptance is the way we pay
Did you know that life has given love a guarantee
To last through forever and another day

Just as time knew to move on since the beginning
And the seasons know exactly when to change
Just as kindness knows no shame
Know through all your joy and pain
That Ill be loving you always

As today I know Im living but tomorrow
Could make me the past but that I mustnt fear
For Ill know deep in my mind
The love of me Ive left behind
Cause Ill be loving you always

Until the day is night and night becomes the day
Always
Until the trees and sea just up and fly away
Always
Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4
Always
Until the day that is the day that are no more
Did you know youre loved by somebody?
Until the day the earth starts turning right to left
Always
Until the earth just for the sun denies itself
Ill loving you forever
Until dear mother nature says her work is through
Always
Until the day that you are me and I am you
Al~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~
Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
~~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~
Until the ocean covers every mountain high
~~~aa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~ys

We all know sometimes lifes hates and troubles
Can make you wish you were born in another time and space
But you can bet your life times that and twice its double
That God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed
So make sure when you say youre in it but not of it
Youre not helping to make this earth a place sometimes called hell
Change your words into truths and then change that truth into love
And maybe our childrens grandchildren
And their great-great grandchildren will tell

Ill be loving you
Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
Loving you
Until the ocean covers every mountain high
Loving you
Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea
Loving you
Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream
Be loving you
Until the day is night and night becomes the day
Loving you
Until the trees and seas up, up and fly away
Loving you
Until the day that 8x8x8x8 is 4
Loving you
Until the day that is the day that are no more
Loving you
Until the day the earth starts turning right to left
Be loving you
Until the earth just for the sun denies itself
Loving you
Until dear mother nature says her work is through
Loving you
Until the day that you are me and I am you
Now aint that loving you
Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
Aint that loving you
Until the ocean covers every mountain high
And Ive got to say always
Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea
Al~~~~~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~~~~ays
Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream
Um al~~~~~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~~~~ays
Until the day is night and night becomes the day
Al~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~ays
Until the trees and sea just up and fly away
Al~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4
~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~~~~aa
Until the day that is the day that are no more
Aa~~~~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ays
Until the day the earth starts turning right to left
Al~~~~~~~~wa~~~~~~a~~~~~~~~~~~~aa
Until the earth just for the sun denies itself
~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~aa~~~~~~ays
Until dear mother nature says her work is through
Al~~~~ways
Until the day that you are me and I am you

Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
Until the ocean covers every mountain high
Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea
Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream
Until the day is night and night becomes the day
Until the trees and sea just up and fly away
Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4
Until the day that is the day that are no more
Until the day the earth starts turning right to left
Until the earth just for the sun denies itself
Until dear mother nature says her work is through
Until the day that you are me and I am you