Stevie Wonder + Harlem Boys Choir - As - BET Harlem Block Party - 2000
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"As" is a song written and performed by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album, Songs in the Key of Life. It reached #36 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Black Singles chart. The song gets its name from the first word of the song.
The song implies that the love the singer has for his partner will never diminish, as he says that he will love her until the physically impossible becomes true. The impossible feats include: rainbows burning the stars out in the sky, oceans covering the tops of every mountain, dolphins flying, and parrots living at sea, dreaming of life and life becoming a dream, day becoming night and vice versa, trees and the seas flying away, 8×8×8 equaling 4, this day becoming the last day, the Earth turning right to left, the Earth denying itself (for the Sun), Mother Nature saying her work is through, and "until the day that you are me and I am you."
By the most straightforward interpretation of the lyrics, this is a lover serenading his beloved. By another possible interpretation, the lyrics describe endless unconditional love for the listener, sung on behalf of the Abrahamic god. In yet a third interpretation, the song expresses the lyricist's own love for humanity. The verse that begins with "We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles..." would seem to preclude the first interpretation, and the second interpretation would seem precluded by the lyric, "As today I know I'm living but tomorrow, Could make me the past but that I mustn't fear".
In 1999, George Michael and Mary J. Blige covered the song for Michael's greatest hits album Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998). Released outside the United States, "As" was the second single from the album, it became a top 10 hit in Michael's home country, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart.
"As" was not released on the US version of Ladies & Gentlemen or as a single in the US. Michael cited Blige's record company president, Jay Boberg, for pulling the track after Michael's arrest for committing a lewd act in a public restroom.[3] In 2019, Kirk Burrowes, who executive produced Blige's fourth album Mary, told Rated R&B that it was indeed Boberg's decision not to release "As" in the US: "
It was covered by pianist Gene Harris on his 1977 album Tone Tantrum, with 30 additional seconds.
Sister Sledge covered it and included it on their 1977 album Together. They later performed it on a 1984 episode of The Jeffersons.
Kimiko Kasai with Herbie Hancock covered it on the 1979 album "Butterfly"
It was also covered by violinist Jean-Luc Ponty on his 1982 album Mystical Adventures.
Smooth jazz saxophonist/flautist Najee covered the song for his Stevie Wonder tribute album Songs from the Key of Life.[18]
In 2000, singer Nichole Nordeman covered the song on her album This Mystery.
Dutch singer Esmée Denters covered the song for Billboard's Mashup Mondays series in 2011.
In 2011 the season 2 winners of vocal competition The Sing-Off, Committed, also covered this song
The song implies that the love the singer has for his partner will never diminish, as he says that he will love her until the physically impossible becomes true. The impossible feats include: rainbows burning the stars out in the sky, oceans covering the tops of every mountain, dolphins flying, and parrots living at sea, dreaming of life and life becoming a dream, day becoming night and vice versa, trees and the seas flying away, 8×8×8 equaling 4, this day becoming the last day, the Earth turning right to left, the Earth denying itself (for the Sun), Mother Nature saying her work is through, and "until the day that you are me and I am you."
By the most straightforward interpretation of the lyrics, this is a lover serenading his beloved. By another possible interpretation, the lyrics describe endless unconditional love for the listener, sung on behalf of the Abrahamic god. In yet a third interpretation, the song expresses the lyricist's own love for humanity. The verse that begins with "We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles..." would seem to preclude the first interpretation, and the second interpretation would seem precluded by the lyric, "As today I know I'm living but tomorrow, Could make me the past but that I mustn't fear".
In 1999, George Michael and Mary J. Blige covered the song for Michael's greatest hits album Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998). Released outside the United States, "As" was the second single from the album, it became a top 10 hit in Michael's home country, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart.
"As" was not released on the US version of Ladies & Gentlemen or as a single in the US. Michael cited Blige's record company president, Jay Boberg, for pulling the track after Michael's arrest for committing a lewd act in a public restroom.[3] In 2019, Kirk Burrowes, who executive produced Blige's fourth album Mary, told Rated R&B that it was indeed Boberg's decision not to release "As" in the US: "
It was covered by pianist Gene Harris on his 1977 album Tone Tantrum, with 30 additional seconds.
Sister Sledge covered it and included it on their 1977 album Together. They later performed it on a 1984 episode of The Jeffersons.
Kimiko Kasai with Herbie Hancock covered it on the 1979 album "Butterfly"
It was also covered by violinist Jean-Luc Ponty on his 1982 album Mystical Adventures.
Smooth jazz saxophonist/flautist Najee covered the song for his Stevie Wonder tribute album Songs from the Key of Life.[18]
In 2000, singer Nichole Nordeman covered the song on her album This Mystery.
Dutch singer Esmée Denters covered the song for Billboard's Mashup Mondays series in 2011.
In 2011 the season 2 winners of vocal competition The Sing-Off, Committed, also covered this song