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.
Baby Don
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't break my heart, don't do it babe
Don't break my heart, please don't do it babe
Don't you break my heart
'Cause I sacrifice to make you happy
Get nothin' for myself
Now you wanna leave me
For the love of someone else
I believe, baby, you'd better keep on keepin' on
Girl, I try to do my best
Girl, I try to do my best, don't do it babe
Don't break my heart, oh don't do it baby
Don't break my heart
My biggest mistake was lovin' you too much
And lettin' you know
'Cause now you've got me where you want me
And you're gonna let me go
My heart was made glad when you strolled, you see
Heartaches and misery you've been causin' me
Girl, I try to do my best
Girl, I try to do my best
Don't you do it, don't break my heart
Go down to the river and there I'll be
I'm gonna jump in, baby, if you don't see by me
Open up your eyes; can't you see I love you?
Open up your heart; can't you see I need you?
I'm no good without you, can't go on without you
Life's no good without you, what'm I gonna do without you?
Baby don't do it, don't you break my heart
Don't you do it, baby, don't you break my heart
What'm I gonna do without you?
Got to go on, baby
Baby don't you do it
Stevie Wonder's "Baby Don't You Do It" is a song about heartbreak and the sacrifices made in a relationship. The opening line begs the lover not to break the singer's heart, asking them to reconsider their actions. The singer then describes how they have sacrificed everything to make the lover happy, without getting anything in return. Despite their efforts, the lover plans to leave for someone else, leaving the singer with no pride and broken-hearted.
The song's lyrics express the singer's deep love and dependency on their lover, which makes the possibility of breaking up intolerable. The chorus repeats the plea, "don't do it, baby, don't you break my heart," emphasizing the singer's desperation for their lover to stay. The song's third verse sees the singer contemplating suicide due to the despair and heartbreak they feel. However, they ultimately plead with their lover to reconsider, as they "can't go on without you."
Overall, "Baby Don't You Do It" is a heartfelt plea for a lover to stay and work things out. The lyrics express the depths of the singer's love and their total emotional dependence on the lover, making the possibility of separation unbearable. The song's emotional intensity, combined with Stevie Wonder's soulful vocals, makes it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby don't you do it, don't do it babe
I implore you, my love, to refrain from doing what you are planning to do
Don't break my heart, don't do it babe
Please spare me the pain of heartbreak, my dear
Don't break my heart, please don't do it babe
I beg of you, please do not cause me such emotional distress
Don't you break my heart
My heart cannot handle being broken by you
'Cause I sacrifice to make you happy
I have given up so much to ensure your happiness
Get nothin' for myself
I have received no personal satisfaction or reward
Now you wanna leave me
You are now considering abandoning me
For the love of someone else
You wish to leave me for another person
My pride is all gone, whether right or wrong
I have lost all sense of pride, regardless of whether or not I am at fault
I believe, baby, you'd better keep on keepin' on
I believe it would be in your best interest to continue to persevere and work with me
Girl, I try to do my best
I have done everything in my power to make this relationship work
My biggest mistake was lovin' you too much
I regret loving you so intensely and fear it has driven you away
And lettin' you know
I now realize it was a mistake to reveal the depth of my feelings for you
'Cause now you've got me where you want me
You have successfully put me in a vulnerable and powerless position
And you're gonna let me go
You plan to abandon me despite my love for you
My heart was made glad when you strolled, you see
My heart was filled with joy whenever you were around
Heartaches and misery you've been causin' me
You have been the source of my emotional pain and suffering
Go down to the river and there I'll be
If you seek me out by the river, I will be waiting
I'm gonna jump in, baby, if you don't see by me
If you do not realize how much I need and love you, I may resort to drastic measures
Open up your eyes; can't you see I love you?
I care for you deeply and want you to recognize my love
Open up your heart; can't you see I need you?
I am asking you to be open-minded and understand how much I need you
I'm no good without you, can't go on without you
My life is incomplete and purposeless without you by my side
Life's no good without you, what'm I gonna do without you?
My life is meaningless without you and I cannot fathom living without you
Got to go on, baby
Despite my fears and anxieties, I must find a way to move forward
Baby don't you do it, don't you break my heart
I plead with you, my love, to not end our relationship and cause me pain
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jazmaan
"My biggest mistake was loving you too much - AND LETTING YOU KNOW" Learn from this fellas. Don't make the same mistake!
taratova
Stevie is the Soul of Great music.. Awesome!!
MotownConnoisseur30
Great versions by Stevie, The Isley Brothers, The Who, and the Band, but Marvin Gaye owns this song!
Allen Russell
i love the whos version of this, but this is a lot better!
Roosevelt McCarter
Stevie Wonder: What album was this taken from? Music Of My Mind or I Was Made To Love Her?