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.
Don't You Know
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna know is everybody ready out there? Yeah
(Yeah)
I don't here you, I want you to say, "Yeah"
(Yeah)
I do not hear you
(Yeah)
Child, don't you know
Don't you know baby
Little girl, little girl, don't you know
Don't you know baby
Girl, I'm in love with you so
Turn your lamp down low
I said turn your lamp down low
Ow, turn it down
Please turn your lamp down low
Come on baby
Girl I'm in love with you so
Ay I know I've been away
For such a long, long time
But now baby, I can't get you
off of my mind
So come on
Hey, come on
Oh come on
Love your daddy all night long
Now if you love me
Like I love you
We can do all the things that we used to do
So come on
Woo, come on, now
Oh come on
Love your daddy all night long
Hey have you heard?
Stevie Wonder's in town
You can mess around 'til the midnight hour
To see what he's puttin' down, so come on
Ow, come on
Oh, come on
Love your daddy all night long
Turn your lamp down low
Turn that thing down, baby
Turn it down low
Girl I'm in love with you so
I said, girl I'm in love with you so
So turn that lamp down low
Turn it down, baby baby baby turn it down
How 'bout that ladies and gentlemen?
Have a nice round of applause for Stevie Wonder
The song "Don't You Know" by Stevie Wonder is a playful and upbeat love song. It begins with Stevie engaging with the audience, asking if they are ready for the song and encouraging them to participate with repeated calls of "Yeah." The chorus then repeats the lyrics "Don't you know baby, little girl, don't you know, girl I'm in love with you so." This repetition adds emphasis to the message of the song: Stevie is in love with someone and wants her to realize it.
Throughout the song, Stevie also showcases his musical and vocal talent. He asks the listener to "turn your lamp down low," which could be a metaphorical request to create a more intimate setting, but could also reference the blues song "Turn Your Lamp Down Low" by Lil' Green, which is about a woman wanting the attention of her man. Stevie's use of call-and-response with the audience further showcases his ability to engage and connect with his listeners. He also references himself in the third person, including the line "Stevie Wonder's in town," which adds a playful and self-assured element to the song.
Overall, "Don't You Know" is a catchy and lively love song that highlights Stevie Wonder's musical talent and ability to connect with his audience.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah, ohh
A casual beginning to the song, expressing enthusiasm and excitement.
I wanna know is everybody ready out there? Yeah
Asking the audience if they are ready for the performance and requesting them to shout 'yeah' as a form of affirmation.
(Yeah)
Repeating the request for the audience to shout 'yeah'.
I don't here you, I want you to say, "Yeah"
Stating that the audience response was not loud enough and repeating the request for them to shout 'yeah'.
(Yeah)
Final request for the audience to shout 'yeah'.
Don't you know, baby
Addressing the person being sung to in a loving manner.
Child, don't you know
Endearingly calling the person being sung to 'child' and expressing that they should know how the singer feels about them.
Little girl, little girl, don't you know
Calling the person being sung to 'little girl' and urging them to understand the singer's feelings.
Don't you know baby
Repeating the expression of love to the person being sung to.
Girl, I'm in love with you so
Stating directly that the singer is in love with the person being sung to.
Turn your lamp down low
Requesting the person being sung to dim the lights to create a more intimate atmosphere.
I said turn your lamp down low
Repeating the request for the person being sung to dim the lights.
Ow, turn it down
Adding in an ad-lib sound effect to emphasize the request for the person being sung to dim the lights.
Please turn your lamp down low
Politely requesting the person being sung to dim the lights to create a romantic setting.
Come on baby
Encouraging the person being sung to to comply with the request to create a more intimate atmosphere.
Ay I know I've been away
Acknowledging that the singer has been absent from the person being sung to for a long time.
For such a long, long time
Emphasizing how long the singer has been away and absent from the person being sung to.
But now baby, I can't get you off of my mind
Expressing the strong feelings the singer has for the person being sung to and how they have been in the singer's thoughts constantly.
So come on
Inviting the person being sung to to join the singer in an intimate setting.
Hey, come on
Repeating the invitation for the person being sung to to join the singer for an intimate moment.
Oh come on
Adding emphasis to the invitation to join the singer for some intimate moments.
Love your daddy all night long
Using 'daddy' as a term of endearment for the singer and requesting the person being sung to to spend the night being intimate with the singer.
Now if you love me
Asking the person being sung to if they love the singer in return.
Like I love you
Comparing the feelings of the singer and the person being sung to for each other.
We can do all the things that we used to do
Suggesting that if the person being sung to loves the singer back, they can do everything they used to do and be intimate with each other.
So come on
Repeating the invitation to be intimate with the singer.
Woo, come on, now
Adding emphasis and enthusiasm to the invitation to be intimate.
Oh come on
Repeating the invitation once again to join the singer for some intimate moments.
Love your daddy all night long
Repeating the request to be intimate all night long with the singer.
Hey have you heard?
Asking if the audience has heard the singer's music and announcing that the singer is performing in town.
Stevie Wonder's in town
Informing the audience that the famous singer Stevie Wonder is performing in their town.
You can mess around 'til the midnight hour
Encouraging the audience to stay and enjoy themselves until midnight when the performance is over.
To see what he's puttin' down, so come on
Encouraging the audience to stay and appreciate the singer's music by saying that they should see what he is 'putting down'.
Ow, come on
Repeating the encouragement to the audience to stay and enjoy the performance.
Oh, come on
Adding emphasis to the encouragement for the audience to stay and enjoy the performance.
Love your daddy all night long
Repeating the request to be intimate with the singer all night long.
Turn your lamp down low
Repeating the request for the person being sung to to dim the lights to create an intimate atmosphere.
Turn that thing down, baby
Urging the person being sung to to turn down the lights for a romantic setup.
Turn it down low
Repeating the request for the person being sung to to dim the lights for a romantic atmosphere.
Girl I'm in love with you so
Repeating the expression of love to the person being sung to.
I said, girl I'm in love with you so
Emphasizing the strong feelings the singer has for the person being sung to and repeating the expression of love.
So turn that lamp down low
Repeating the request for the person being sung to to dim the lights to create a romantic atmosphere.
Turn it down, baby baby baby turn it down
Repeating the request for the person being sung to to dim the lights for a romantic atmosphere, with increasing urgency.
How 'bout that ladies and gentlemen?
Ending the song with a question to the audience to gauge their reaction to the performance.
Have a nice round of applause for Stevie Wonder
Requesting the audience to applaud for the singer Stevie Wonder as a sign of appreciation for his performance.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Charles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@OldSusannah1
Is this not the most positive, magical song ever? I remember being a little girl and hearing it through the radio - and was enchanted. Still totally am. It's sooooo beautiful and uplifting. Kind of like the man himself.
@wickedshadesproductions5254
there’s also Don’t Worry Be Happy and all of James Brown
@jefffirnhaber6250
I love you
@t.j.7789
Just what I need today!!!
@0921AV
Agree, agree, agree!!! It lifts my spirit every time.
@aquariuscheers9191
Absolutely.❤️
@glenncsombok3377
I'm 63 year old. I've been listening to this song since it came out. It's still one of my all time favorite songs! What a voice and talent. Thank you Steveland Hardaway Junkins!
@PaulPattiPhD
Me too, well just a bit younger at 61. But I remember the summer of ‘74 well and always will. Thank you, Stevie!!❤️⭐️👍🏆
@cathywulschner3646
Stevie Wonder is a blessing to the whole world
@irw4350
He's Mistra know it all............ Tha knows 😆😆😆