Journey into Sound




This is a Journey into Sound - Paid in Full by Eric B. and Rakim




Released in October 1987, Eric B & Rakim’s Paid in Full was arguably the hip hop duo’s biggest single, thanks chiefly to a sample-heavy remix of the track by seminal electronic music duo Coldcut.

The famed ‘Seven Minutes of Madness’ edit builds on the original by throwing a litany of samples into the mix, including the voice of Israeli singer Ofra Haza, a snippet of Humphrey Bogart from The Big Sleep (“Now wait a minute, you better talk to my mother”), and a cut or two from Eric B & Rakim’s I Know You Got Soul – the most famous of these, “Pump up the volume”, would of course gain infamy all of its own later that year.




According to writer Tony Herrington, Coldcut’s remix ‘laid the groundwork for hip hop’s entry into the UK mainstream’. Let’s not forget that it would be three more years before a rap track would top the British charts – and even then, that owed a lot to the movie it was tied in with (Partners in Kryme’s Turtle Power)

Erik B & Rakim, meanwhile, hated Coldcut’s rework.. at least initially. As they told Rolling Stone in a rare interview last year, while their first reaction was one of disgust – “Picasso did a painting and then all of a sudden somebody just came in with a brush and tightened it up. No man, you crazy?,” as Eric B put it – the mood changed as the track progressed, and the crossover potential dawned.

“We started listening and before we started realising, like, this shit is like specially made for London, like, we kind of big over here, bro,” as Rakim put it.

However, it was the opening vocal snippet, of a refined English voice uttering the phrase “This is a journey into sound…”, that was arguably Coldcut’s most unusual addition to the track, with the line seemingly plucked out of obscurity.

Following its use in Paid in Full, the same sample would crop up in Bomb The Bass’ Beat Dis, Public Enemy’s Welcome to the Terrordome and Potter’s Field by rockers Anthrax. It also re-appeared in 2016, in the track Magic by EDM favourites Jauz and Marshmello.

The voice behind the snippet is one Geoffrey Sumner, a Devon-born actor and radio announcer, who passed away in 1989.

The infamous ‘journey into sound’ snippet forms part of Train Sequence, the opening ‘track’ of A Journey Into Stereo Sound, a compilation released by Decca Records in 1958 to showcase the label’s innovative stereo recording processes.

A Journey Into Stereo Sound is quite the varied collection, combining an excerpt from Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, Vera Lynn, a dash of Mozart and the sound of motorcars speeding round the track at Goodwood.



This is a journey into sound
this is a journey into sound
A iourney which along the way will bring to you a new colour
New dimension
New value
When all is ready I throw this switch
Pump up the volvme
Pump up the volume
Pump that beat.
(Arabian singing)
You make me feel so good
We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a special news bulletin from our on-the-spot task force
Oh my gosh, the music just turns me on
Thinking of a master plan
					
					
dance with the record
dance with the record

					
					
					
					
Thinking of a master plan

					
					
						
						
dance with the record

						
						
dance with the record

						
						
Thinking of a master plan

						
						
This ain't nothing but sweat inside my hands.

						
						
So I dig into my pocket

						
						
but all my money's spent

						
						
							
							
So I can leave while I'm coming up the place

							
							
So I start my mission

							
							
leave my residence

							
							
Thinkin' how can I get some dead presidents

							
							
I need money!

							
							
I used to be o stick-up kid

							
							
so I think about all the devious things I did.
1

						
						
2

						
						
3

						
						
4

						
						
I used to roll up

						
						
this is a hold up

						
						
Ain't nothin' funny

						
						
stop smilin'

						
						
you still don't nothin' move but the money

						
						
But now I've learned to earn

						
						
'cause I'm righteous
				
				
					
					
						
						
I feel great

						
						
so maybe I might just search tor a 9 to 5

						
						
If I strive

					
					
						
						
then maybe I'll stay alive.

						
						
So I'll walk up the street

						
						
whistling this

						
						
feelin' out of place
'Cause man
						
						
do I miss a pen and a paper
a stereo
a tape
or
Me and Eric B. and a nice bia plate of 
fish
which is my favourite dish.
But without no money it's still a whish
'Cause I don't like to dream about gettin' paid.
So I dig into the books of the rhymes that I made
Tonight is the test to see if I got pull
hit the studio
'Cause I'm paid in full
full full
1
2
3
ah
By George, even London calling
Pump up the volume
pump up the volume
					
					
Wait a minute

					
					
you better talk to my mother!

					
					

						
						

							
							
 
(Arabian singing)
					
					
Ok, Ok, alright, alright

					
					
Yo

					
					
what happened to peace

					
					
what happened to peace

					
					
peacez

					
					
1

					
					
2

					
					
3

					
					
4

					
					
						
						
dance with the record

						
						
dance with the record.

						
						

							
							

								
								
 
pump that beat.
Check this out
yo
you go to your girl's house and I'll go to mine
'Cause my girl is definately mad
'Cause it took us too long to do this album.
Yeah
I hear what you're saying
so let's just pump the music up
And count our money
so
we'll just check this out
yo
Eli
Turn the bass down and iust let the beat keep on rockin' -
And we're out outta here.
Pump up the volume
pump up the volume
Wait a minute
you better talk to my mother!
Ok
ok
alright
alright
ok
ok
alright
alright
Yo
what happened to peace
what happened to peace
peacez
1
2
3
4
dance with the record
dance with the record.
It's so fresh! 
Good night kids!
Was it good enough for you?
source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/e/ericburtonlyrics/paidinfulllyrics.html