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	Dub, reggae
Length	4:49 (7") 5:08 (album) 6:11 (12")
Label	Tamla/Motown
Writer(s)	Stevie Wonder
Producer	Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Happy Birthday" (1980) "Master Blaster (Jammin')" (1980) "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" (1980)
Hotter Than July track listing "As If You Read My Mind" (5) "Master Blaster (Jammin')" (6) "Do Like You" (7)

"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 with Marley a few times in concerts (and actually billed him as an opening act) on his US tour in the fall of that year. Lyrics mention Marley, joining as "children of Jah", and the end of the civil war in Zimbabwe.

The song was the leading single off 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/that you'd be jammin' jammin' till the break of day". 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 Cincinatti episode called "The Airplane Show".

It appeared in the portuguese 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

1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 636. 

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