History Music / SongsInTheKeyOfLife

** A lot of "I Wish" ended up as the main theme from the Creator/WillSmith movie Film/WildWildWest.

--->''Count Basis," [[Music/GlennMiller Miller,]] [[Music/LouisArmstrong Satchmo,]] and the king of it all [[Music/DukeEllington Sir Duke]].''
--->''And with a voice like Ella's ringing out, there's no way the band could lose.''

* SpecialGuest: Among the people present during the sessions were Music/HerbieHancock, George Benson, [[Film/{{Flashdance}} Michael Sembello,]] and Minnie Riperton.

-->''With a language we all understand''

--->''And with a voice like Ella's ringing out. There's no way the band can lose.''

'''Songs in the Key of Life''' is an highly acclaimed music double album released in 1976 by Music/StevieWonder. It was his 18th solo release and one of the best selling albums of his career. It debuted at #1 in the Billboard Pop Albums Chart where it spent another 12 weeks, and was awarded ''Album of the Year'' at the 1977 UsefulNotes/{{Grammy Award}}s. It spawned hits such as: "Sir Duke," "I Wish," "As," "Isn't She Lovely?", and "Pastime Paradise."

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Several songs have autobiographical undertones, like "Isn't She Lovely?" about Wonder's baby daughter.

--->''[[Music/CountBasie Basie,]] [[Music/GlennMiller Miller,]] [[Music/LouisArmstrong Satchmo,]] and the king of it all [[Music/DukeEllington Sir Duke]].''
--->''And with a voice like Music/{{Ella|Fitzgerald}}'s ringing out. There's no way the band can lose.''

'''Songs In The Key Of Life''' is an highly acclaimed music double album released in 1976 by Music/StevieWonder. It was his 18th solo release and one of the best-selling albums of his career. It debuted at #1 in the Billboard Pop Albums Chart where it spent another 12 weeks, and was awarded ''Album of the Year'' at the 1977 [[UsefulNotes/GrammyAward Grammy Awards]] It spawned hits such as "Sir Duke", "I Wish", "As", "Isn't She Lovely?" and "Pastime Paradise".

In 2005 it was inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being culturally, historically and aesthetically significant.Magazine/TimeMagazine included the album in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]]. It was listed at nr. #57 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]]. It was also subject of an episode of the TV music documentary series ''Series/ClassicAlbums''.

The album title is so well known that Wiki/TVTropes has none less than two PunBasedTitle articles based on it: SongsInTheKeyOfPanic and SongsInTheKeyOfLock.

''''

[[AC:Side One]]
# "Love's In Need of Love Today" (7:06)

[[AC:Side Two]]

[[AC:Side Three]]

[[AC:Side Four]]

''''

!!Tropes in the Key of Life include:
* AlliterativeTitle: "'''S'''ummer '''S'''oft", "'''E'''bony '''E'''yes", "'''P'''astime '''P'''aradise".
* ArtisticLicenseAstronomy: "Saturn", apart from Stevie's rather casual plan of planning to live there he has a rather unrealistic idea of life on this planet:
--> ''Going back to Saturn where the rings all glow''
--> ''Rainbow, moonbeams and orange snow''
--> ''On Saturn''
--> ''People live to be two hundred and five''
--> ''Going back to Saturn where the people smile''
--> ''Don't need cars cause we've learn to fly''
--> ''On Saturn''
--> ''Just to live to us is our natural high''

* BilingualBonus: "Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing" which repeats [[SingleStanzaSong its verse]] in Zulu, Spanish and English (with an additional bridge in English)
* CasualInterstellarTravel: "Saturn", where Wonder decides to leave Earth and all its misery behind and go to Saturn.

* CrapsackWorld: The tracks "Village Ghetto Land" and "Pastime Paradise", an attack on all the stuff Wonder considered awful:
--> ''How many of them are you and me?''
--> ''Dissipation of race relations,''
--> ''consolation, segregation,''

--> ''mutations, miscreation, confirmation to the evils of the world.''
** The rest of the album is a celebration of life, but these songs underpin that life has its bad moments. The album's working title was ''Let's See Life the Way It Is'', after all.
* DistinctDoubleAlbum: ''Plus'' "A Something's Extra:" a 7-inch EP with 4 songs that didn't fit on the album--literally or figuratively. [[note]]On the CD reissue, this was included on the second disc.[[/note]]
* EpicRocking: "Isn't She Lovely?", "As", "Another Star", "Black Man", "Joy Inside My Tears", "Ordinary Pain".

* FictionalCountry: "Village Ghetto Land", which depicts all the horrors of street life amplified in one place.
* GodIsLoveSong: "Have A Talk With God".

-->''For solving the problems of all men, women, little boys and girls''

* LongTitle: "Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing".
* LoveMakesYouDumb: "All Day Sucker"
--> ''I'm an all day sucker''
--> ''Coming to give something to get nothin' ''
--> ''I'm an all day sucker''
--> ''Coming to give something but to get none of your love''
* ManlyTears: "Joy Inside My Tears"
--> ''Oh baby, you've brought some joy inside my tears''

* NostalgiaFilter: "I Wish", about Wonder's youth.
--> ''I wish those days could come back once more''
--> ''Why did those days ev-er have to go?''
--> ''I wish those days could come back once more''
--> ''Why did those days ev-er have to go?''
--> ''Cause I love them so''

* OneWordTitle: "Saturn", "Contusion" and "As".
* PepTalkSong: "Ngicuela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing" (see also ThePowerOfLove), but especially the final verse of "As".
--> ''We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles''
--> ''Can make you wish you were born in another time and space''
--> ''But you can bet you life times that and twice its double''
--> ''That God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed''
--> ''So make sure when you say you're in it but not of it''
--> ''You're 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 children's grandchildren''
--> ''And their great-great grandchildren will tell''
--> ''I'll be loving you...''
* ThePowerOfLove: "Love's In Need Of Love Today", "Knocks Me Off My Feet", "Another Star", "As", "Isn't She Lovely?" and ""Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing", which has the following lines:
--> ''I am singing of tomorrow''
--> ''I am singing of love''
--> ''I am singing someday love will reign''
--> ''Througout this world of ours''
--> ''I am singing of love from my heart''
--> ''Let's all sing someday sweet love will reign''
--> ''Throughout this world of ours''
--> ''Let's start singing''
--> ''Of love from our hearts''
--> ''Let's start singing''
--> ''Of love from our hearts''
* ThePowerOfRock: "Sir Duke" is a homage to jazz and soul musicians Stevie admires.
--> ''Music is a world within itself with a language we all understand''
--> ''With a language we all understand''
--> ''For all to sing, dance and clap their hands''
--> ''But just because a record has a groove''
--> ''Don't make it in the groove''
--> ''But you can tell right away at letter "A"''[[note]]On sheet music, melodies are indexed in alphabetical order and can be referred to in parlance as ABA, just like verse-chorus-verse. So "A" in this case refers to the start of the song.[[/note]]
--> ''When the people start to move''
* ProtestSong: "Pastime Paradise", and to a lesser extent "Black Man" and "Village Ghetto Land":
--> ''Now some folks say that we should be''
--> ''Glad for what we have''
--> ''Tell me would you be happy?''
--> ''Village Ghetto Land''
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Several songs have autobiographical undertones, like "Isn't She Lovely"?" about Wonder's baby daughter.

** Also, in 1995 Coolio used "Pastime Paradise" as the basis for his "Gangsta's Paradise".
** A lot of "I Wish" ended up as the main theme from the WillSmith movie Film/WildWildWest.

---> ''[[Music/CountBasie Basie]], [[Music/GlennMiller Miller]], [[Music/LouisArmstrong Satchmo]] and the king of it all [[Music/DukeEllington Sir Duke]].''
---> ''And with a voice like [[Music/EllaFitzgerald Ella]]'s ringing out. There's no way the band can lose''.
** "Black Man" references several historical characters of different race and lists their achievements, among them UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln, UsefulNotes/ThomasEdison, Creator/BruceLee, Harriet Tubman, Sacagawea and Hiawatha.

*** Irwin Chusid's book about OutsiderMusic, ''Songs in the Key of 'Z'''.
*** ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''' soundtrack album ''Songs In The Key of Springfield''.
*** Another soundtrack album, ''Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by ''Series/TheXFiles''''.

* SpecialGuest: Among the people present during the sessions were Music/HerbieHancock, George Benson, [[Film/{{Flashdance}} Michael Sembello]]. and Minnie Riperton.
* SpokenWord: The baby noises of Wonder playing with his daughter in "Isn't She Lovely?" and the call & response outro to "Black Man".

'''Songs In The Key Of Life''' is an highly acclaimed music double album released in 1976 by Music/StevieWonder. It was his 18th solo release and one of the best-selling albums of his career. It debuted at #1 in the Billboard Pop Albums Chart where it spent another 12 weeks, and was awarded Album of the Year at the following [[UsefulNotes/GrammyAward Grammy Awards]] It spawned hits such as "Sir Duke", "I Wish", "As", "Isn't She Lovely?" and "Pastime Paradise".

In 2005 it was inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being culturally, historically and aesthetically significant.Magazine/TimeMagazine included the album in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]]. It was also subject of an episode of the TV music documentary series ''Series/ClassicAlbums''.

'''Songs In The Key Of Life''' is an highly acclaimed music double album released in 1976 by Music/StevieWonder. It was his 18th solo release and one of the best-selling albums of his career. It debuted at #1 in the Billboard Pop Albums Chart where it spent another 12 weeks, and was awarded Album of the Year at the following [[GrammyAward Grammy Awards]] It spawned hits such as "Sir Duke", "I Wish", "As", "Isn't She Lovely?" and "Pastime Paradise".

** However, the rest of the album is a celebration of life.

* FictionalCountry: "Village Ghetto Land".

--> ''But you can tell right away at letter "A"''

In 2005 it was inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being culturally, historically and aesthetically significant. It was also subject of an episode of the TV music documentary series ''Series/ClassicAlbums''.

** However, the rest of the album is a celebration of life. The title supposedly came to Wonder first in a dream, and he and his team worked to live up to it.

--> ''Many of us feel we walk alone without a friend''
--> ''Never communicating with the One who lives within''
--> ''Forgetting all about the One who never ever lets you down''
--> ''And you can talk to him anytime He's always around''
--> ''When you feel your life's too hard''
--> ''Just go have a talk with God''

* OneManSong: "Black Man".

* OneWomanSong: "Ebony Eyes", "Isn't She Lovely?"
* PepTalkSong: "Ngicuela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing" (see also ThePowerOfLove), but especially "As".
--> ''We all know sometimes lifes hates and troubles''

--> ''so make sure when you say you're in it but not of it''

--> ''I'll be loving you ''

--> ''Why did those days ev-er have to go?

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/songs_in_the_key_of_life_2562.jpg]]

-->How many of them are you and me?
-->Dissipation of race relations,
-->consolation, segregation,
-->dispensation, isolation, exploitation, mutilation,
-->mutations, miscreation, confirmation to the evils of the world.

* ThePowerOfLove: "Knocks Me Off My Feet", "As", "Isn't She Lovely?"

-->Now some folks say that we should be
-->Glad for what we have
-->Tell me would you be happy?
-->Village Ghetto Land
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Several songs have autobiographical undertones.

--->[[Music/CountBasie Basie]], [[Music/GlennMiller Miller]], [[Music/LouisArmstrong Satchmo]] and the king of it all [[Music/DukeEllington Sir Duke]].
--->And with a voice like [[Music/EllaFitzgerald Ella]]'s ringing out. There's no way the band can lose.

*** Irwin Chusid's book about outsider music, ''Songs in the Key of 'Z'''.

* EpicRocking: "Isn't She Lovely?", "As" and "Another Star".

* ProtestSong: "Pastime Paradise," and to a lesser extent "Black Man" and "Village Ghetto Land:"

** Also, in 1995 Coolio used "Pastime Paradise" as the basis for his "Gangsta's Paradise."

In 2005 it was inducted in the NationalRecordingRegistry for being culturally, historically and aesthetically significant. It was also subject of an episode of the TV music documentary series ''Series/ClassicAlbums''.

The album title is so well known that TV Tropes has none less than two PunBasedTitle articles based on it: SongsInTheKeyOfPanic and SongsInTheKeyOfLOck.

** The album title has been referenced by Irwin Chusid's book about OutsiderMusic: "Songs in the Key of "Z" and WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons' soundtrack album "Songs In The Key of Springfield".

* SpecialGuest: Among the people present during the sessions were Music/HerbieHancock, [[Music/TheBeatles George Benson]], [[Film/{{Flashdance}} Michael Sembello]]. and Minnie Riperton

* {{God}}: "Have A Talk With God".
* LoveSong: "Knocks Me Off My Feet", "As", "Isn't She Lovely?"

* {{Sampling}}: In keeping with the theme of the title, the album has several sound clips strewn throughout. In addition to those mentioned in SpokenWord below, there's the sounds of crickets as a transition between "Pastime Paradise" and "Summer Soft," and of girls jumping rope between "Saturn" and "Ebony Eyes." Also, in 1996 Coolio used "Pastime Paradise" as the basis for his "Gangsta's Paradise."

** The album title has been referenced by Irwin Chusid's book about OutsiderMusic: "Songs in the Key of "Z" and WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons' album "Songs In The Key of Springfield".

''"Songs In The Key Of Life"'' is an highly acclaimed music double album released in 1976 by Music/StevieWonder. It was his 18th solo release and one of the best-selling albums of his career. It debuted at #1 in the Billboard Pop Albums Chart where it spent another 12 weeks, and was awarded Album of the Year at the following [[GrammyAward Grammy Awards]] It spawned hits such as ''"Sir Duke", "I Wish", "As", "Isn't She Lovely?"'' and ''"Pastime Paradise"''.

* {{Sampling}}: In keeping with the theme of the title, the album has several sound clips strewn throughout. In addition to those mentioned in SpokenWord below, there's the sounds of crickets as a transition between "Pastime Paradise" and "Summer Soft," and of girls jumping rope between "Saturn" and "Ebony Eyes."
* SampledUp: Coolio used "Pastime Paradise" as the basis for his "Gangsta's Paradise."

* SpokenWord: The baby noises of Wonder playing with his daughter in "Isn't She Lovely?" and the call & response outro to "Black Man"

In 2005 it was inducted in the NationalRecordingRegistry for being culturally, historically and aesthetically significant.

* SpecialGuest: Among the people present during the sessions were Music/HerbieHancock, Music/GeorgeBenson, Music/MinnieRiperton and [[Film/{{Flashdance}} Michael Sembello]].

''"Songs In The Key Of Life"'' is an highly acclaimed music double album released in 1976 by Music/StevieWonder. It was his 18th solo release and one of the best-selling albums of his career. It debuted at n° 1 in the Billboard Pop Albums Chart and spent 13 weeks at the top. It spawned hits such as ''"Sir Duke", "I Wish", "As", "Isn't She Lovely?"'' and ''"Pastime Paradise"''.

* BilingualBonus: “Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing”
* ConceptAlbum: The album tries to capture what life is all about.
* CrapsackWorld: The track "Pastime Paradise", an attack on all the stuff Wonder considered awful: ''"How many of them are you and me? Dissipation of race relations, consolation, segregation, dispensation, isolation, exploitation, mutilation, mutations, miscreation, confirmation to the evils of the world."''
** However, the rest of the album is a celebration of life.
* DistinctDoubleAlbum

* ProtestSong: "Pastime Paradise".
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Several songs have autobiographical undertones.
* ShoutOut:
** "Sir Duke" provides a shout-out to "[[Music/CountBasie Basie]], [[Music/GlennMiller Miller]], [[Music/LouisArmstrong Satchmo]] and the king of it all [[Music/DukeEllington Sir Duke]]. And with a voice like [[Music/EllaFitzgerald Ella]]'s ringing out. There's no way the band can lose."
** "Black Man" references several historical characters of different race and lists their achievements, among them UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln, UsefulNotes/ThomasEdison, Creator/BruceLee, Harriet Tubman, Sacagawea and Hiawatha.

* SpecialGuest: Among the people present during the sessions were Music/HerbieHancock, Music/GeorgeBenson and Music/MinnieRiperton.
* SpokenWord: The baby noises of Wonder playing with his daughter in "Isn't She Lovely?"

* SpecialGuest: Among the people present during the sessions were Music/HerbieHancock, Music/GeorgeBenson and Music/Minnie Riperton.

The album title is so well known that TV Tropes has on less than two PunBasedTitle articles based on it: SongsInTheKeyOfPanic and SongsInTheKeyOfLOck.