"Master Blaster (Jammin')" is a 1980 song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released as the lead single from his nineteenth studio album, Hotter than July (1980). It was a major hit, spending seven weeks at number one on the US Billboard R&B singles chart, reaching number five on Billboard's pop singles chart in the fall of 1980[2] and peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart,[3] and number one in New Zealand.[citation needed]
History
The song, built on a heavy reggae feel, is an ode to reggae legend Bob Marley; Wonder had been performing live with Marley (billing him as an opening act) on his US tour in the fall of that year. Lyrics mention "children of Jah", "Marley's Hot on the box" and the end of the civil war in Zimbabwe. The song has a similar feel to Marley's own song "Jamming," from his 1977 album Exodus.[4]
Record World said that it combines "topical urban street themes with reggae-pop rhythms."[5]
"Master Blaster (Jammin')" was covered by UK garage duo DJ Luck & MC Neat featuring singer JJ, initially titled as "On da Street" which was released on the Red Rose EP in 1999. The following year, on 15 May 2000, the song was released as a single and retitled as "Masterblaster 2000". This version was a top-five hit, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart. It samples the All-Star Remix of "No Diggity" by Blackstreet, which itself samples "As Long as I've Got You" by the Charmels.
In November 2016, UK duo Gorgon City compiled a list of their top UK garage songs for Billboard, with "Masterblaster 2000" at number 29.[40] In 2018, the House & Garage Orchestra together with MC Neat and Oggie recorded an orchestral version for the UK garage covers album Garage Classics.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
References
^"Review: Master Blaster – Stevie Wonder" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 38. September 20, 1980. p. 71. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 24, 2020 – via World Radio History.
^Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 636.
^"officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
^Patti, Mike (April 15, 2021). "Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster" Tribute to Bob Marley". The Pier. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
^"Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. September 20, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
^"Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Jammin')" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^"Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Jammin')" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
^Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Stevie Wonder". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 284. Retrieved July 14, 2022.