3 Years 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of--

Arrested Development | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 24, 1992)
• Original Release Date: March 24, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000003JBE
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,902 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Man's Final Frontier

2. Mama's Always On Stage

3. People Everyday

4. Blues Happy

5. Mr. Wendal

6. Children Play With Earth

7. Raining Revolution

8. Fishin' 4 Religion

9. Give A Man A Fish

10. U

11. Eve Of Reality

12. Natural

13. Dawn Of The Dreads

14. Tennessee

15. Washed Away

16. People Everyday (Metamorphosis Mix)

Editorial Reviews

15 Tracks - 1. Man's Final Frontier 2. Mama's Always On Stage 3. People Everyday 4. Blues Happy 5. Mr Wendal 6. Children Play With Earth 7. Raining Revolution 8. Fishin' For Religion 9. Give A Man A Fish 10. U 11. E

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I draw strength from this CD, March 20, 2005

By 

Music Lover (California Bay Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 3 Years 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of-- (Audio CD)

When this CD first came out I was 10 years old and I loved it. I bought the tape and listened to it all the time. I made a back-up copy of the tape and listened to both till they were destroyed.

A few weeks ago I stepped into the library and picked this CD up and I can't stop listening to it. I can now understand many of the lyrics that didn't quite catch when I was younger. I also think that I draw a lot of strength from this CD.

The music itself is innovative and wonderful. But the lyrics are truly powerful and seem to affirm the choices I have thus far made in my life. These songs discuss the importance of mothers and fathers raising their children, respecting all people (tribute to a homeless man "Mr. Wendal"), valuing nature (Children Play with Earth), the importance of marriage ("U"), and being honest and natural in a relationship ("Natural").

There are some aspects of the songs that I find more spiritual than religious although there are many reference to God. I am not particularly religious and don't think it comes off as being too preachy. There are also many calls to a revolution that seem almost silly but it is very tied to the poetics of original rap music (before it was swept away by gangsta rap).

Although I am not black, I am an immigrant and relate very much with their most famous song "Tennessee" which discusses a nostalgic reconnection to the violence of African American past in the United States. It's dealt with in a way that is mature, deep and intelligent.

A lot of intelligent beautiful rap music exits. This is a great place to start. Here are some other artists you may also enjoy: Spearhead, Blackalicious, Jurassic 5, The Roots, Ms. Dynamite, Public Enemy, Mos Def, Talib Kweli.

Take care of yourself.

peace-

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars inspirational! a hard act to follow......, March 11, 2005

By 

D. Pawl "Dani" (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 3 Years 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of-- (Audio CD)

This album is definitely unlike the majority of r&b/hip hop albums from 1992 (when it was first released) or the music of today. For starters, the lyrics are not misogynistic, violent or about drug use. They go deeper, and penetrate your thoughts.

The title refers to the duration of time it took to find a distributor and finally record this album. Though, it is unbelieveable, to me, that while a duo like Milli Vanelli can lyp synch their way to a GRAMMY, Marky Mark can drop his pants and become a model for Calvin Klein, posing in his tighty whities, and yet and yet an intelligent, thoughtful and beautiful group with affirmative content in their songs has to wait THREE years to even get a record deal! What a world!

Arrested Development mixes rap (by leader of the band, and lyricist, Speech), the stirring African drum rhythms and arrangements and the powerful vocals of the great Dionne Farris. It's like taking a musical journey, filling your ears with truthful and poetic messages about poverty and humanity ("Mr. Wendel"), anti-"gangsta" inspired messages about treating young Black women with respect ("Everyday People"), and taking an introspective look at the racism of the South and the ghosts that continue to haunt the descendants of slaves ("Tennessee").

This band was made up of a great group of storytellers, and it is truly a shame that they weren't able to continue together for more than a couple of years. We need you, Speech! We need to hear from the poets who take their gifts and use them to educate, not escalate.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling and inspirational, June 14, 2004

By 

Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 3 Years 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of-- (Audio CD)

This innovative album opens with Man's Final Frontier, a funky number with lots of scratching and samples. It is followed by the amazingly positive and life-affirming Mama's Always On Stage and People Everyday, black pride anthem and intelligent protest against violence.

Mr Wendall is another gem of a song, about homelessness and recognising the dignity in others. It also has a most compelling arrangement and gripping vocals. Arrested Development highlights personal and social problems without sounding preachy.

The jazzy Raining Revolution is a moving spiritual rap, and Fishin' 4 Religion is a critical look at organized religion. The energetic Give A Man A Fish deals with the music business whilst the bubbly uptempo U and the gentle, melodious Natural are about love and relationships.

Dawn Of The Dreads has lots of pop appeal with its catchy sung parts alternating with the rap; Tennessee has soulful female vocals, and the album concludes on a high note with the spiritual poem Washed Away. What a great album, so original in sound and uplifting in spirit! It encompasses a stunning variety of styles in a set of highly accomplished songs.