Stevland Hardaway Morris (né Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally a… Read Full Bio ↴Stevland Hardaway Morris (né Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, soul, gospel, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-man band, Wonder's use of synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of R&B. He also helped drive such genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder.

Wonder's single "Fingertips" was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963, at the age of 13, making him the youngest artist ever to top the chart. Wonder's critical success was at its peak in the 1970s. His "classic period" began in 1972 with the releases of Music of My Mind and Talking Book, the latter featuring "Superstition", which is one of the most distinctive and famous examples of the sound of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard. His works Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) and Songs in the Key of Life (1976) all won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, making him the tied-record holder for the most Album of the Year wins, with three. He is also the only artist to have won the award with three consecutive album releases. Wonder began his "commercial period" in the 1980s; he achieved his biggest hits and highest level of fame, had increased album sales, charity participation, high-profile collaborations (including Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson), political impact, and television appearances. Wonder has continued to remain active in music and political causes.

Wonder is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of over 100 million records worldwide. He has won 25 Grammy Awards (the most by a solo artist) and one Academy Award (Best Original Song, for the 1984 film The Woman in Red). Wonder has been inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a federal holiday in the U.S. In 2009, he was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and in 2014, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan, on May 13, 1950, the third of five children born to Lula Mae Hardaway, and the second of Hardaway's two children with Calvin Judkins. He was born six weeks premature which, along with the oxygen-rich atmosphere in the hospital incubator, resulted in retinopathy of prematurity, a condition in which the growth of the eyes is aborted and causes the retinas to detach, so he became blind.

A House Is Not a Home
Stevie Wonder Lyrics

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A chair is still a chair, even when there's no one sitting there,
But a chair is not a house, and a house is not a home
When there's no one there to hold you tight,
And no one there you can kiss good night.

A room is still a room, even when there's nothing there but gloom,
But a room is not a house, and a house is not a home
When the two of us are far apart,

And one of us has a brok, en heart.

Now and then I call your name,
And suddenly your face appears,
But it's just a crazy game, when it ends, it ends in tears.

Darling, have a heart, don't let one mistake keep us apart.
I'm not meant to live alone, turn this house into a home.

When I climb the stair and turn the key,
Oh, please be there, still in love with me.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stevie Wonder's song A House Is Not a Home explore the theme of loneliness and the difference between a physical dwelling and a true home. The first verse speaks of a chair, which may still be present and functional even when there is no one sitting in it. However, a chair is not a house and a house is not a home when there is no one there to connect with emotionally. The absence of someone to hold and kiss goodnight makes a physical space hollow, and it is not a true home without the presence of love and companionship.

Continuing with this analogy, the second verse describes how a room can still exist even when it is filled with gloom and emptiness. However, without the presence of a loved one, a house cannot truly be a home. When couples are separated or when one person is struggling with a broken heart, physical space alone does not provide the necessary solace or support. The bridge of the song speaks to the longing for connection, with the singer calling out their lover's name only to be met with the reality of their absence. The final verse pleads for the lover to return, emphasizing the importance of turning a physical house back into a comforting and safe home.

Overall, the song touches on the universal theme of the importance of meaningful human connections and how a true home is more than just a physical structure. It highlights the emptiness and isolation that can come from being physically present but emotionally absent, reminding us that love and companionship truly make a house a home.

Line by Line Meaning

A chair is still a chair, even when there's no one sitting there,
An empty chair remains an object of utility, even when no one is there to sit on it.

But a chair is not a house, and a house is not a home When there's no one there to hold you tight, And no one there you can kiss good night.
A chair may be used for sitting, but it cannot provide the comfort of a house or a home where someone can hold you or kiss you good night.

A room is still a room, even when there's nothing there but gloom,
Even an empty room is still a physical space, albeit with a negative atmosphere.

But a room is not a house, and a house is not a home When the two of us are far apart, And one of us has a broken heart.
A room can't compare to a house or a home, especially when distance and emotional pain keep the two people apart.

Now and then I call your name, And suddenly your face appears,
Sometimes I call your name, and your image comes to mind.

But it's just a crazy game, when it ends, it ends in tears.
However, this is just a fruitless game played by the mind, that always ends in disappointment and tears.

Darling, have a heart, don't let one mistake keep us apart. I'm not meant to live alone, turn this house into a home.
Oh my love, please be forgiving and do not let one mistake ruin our chance at a happy home. I need you in my life to make this house a home.

When I climb the stair and turn the key, Oh, please be there, still in love with me.
When I come home and unlock the door, I hope to find you there, with the same love for me as always.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Burt Bacharach, Hal David

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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