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.
Everybody Needs Somebody
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I made you so sad
And I know your love was true, baby
And this makes me feel bad
'Cause now I see I'm about to lose you
And It's driving me mad
You're all I ever had, girl
Everybody needs somebody like you, oh baby
Everybody needs somebody, I need you
You know darlin'
Hadn't thought much about it
When I left you behind
But now I'm almost certain, baby
When I left, you were cryin'
Oh, I ask myself, how could I do it?
How could I be so blind?
So selfish and unkind
'Cause everybody needs somebody like you
You'd better believe darlin'
Everybody needs somebody and I need you
Ooh yeah
Ooh yeah, babe
Everybody needs somebody like you (somebody, yeah)
Take these arms and hold you tight
And these lips that can explain
How someone that means you right
Can cause you so much pain
Oh, the only plea to enter for myself
Is that I'm not to blame
Temporarily insane, girl
Everybody needs somebody like you
Oh baby
Everybody needs somebody and I need you
Yes, I do, darlin'
Everybody needs somebody like you (oh baby, I need you)
In Stevie Wonder's song "Everybody Needs Somebody," the singer apologizes for being mean to his lover and making her sad, realizing that he might lose her. He acknowledges that her love was genuine, leaving him feeling guilty. The lyric "Everybody needs somebody like you" means that everyone needs a loving partner like her, which he finally admits that he needs her. The singer realizes that he hadn't paid much attention to her and didn't realize how much he meant to her until he left her behind. His apology is sincere, and he admits he can't blame her for leaving.
The song is about love, loss, and the importance of recognizing the people who matter in our lives. The second verse explains how he took her love for granted, leading him to this point, where he can't imagine living without her. The bridge emphasizes that he's not blaming her for leaving, but he's only pleading that he's not to blame, hoping that she can forgive him. This song shows Stevie Wonder's emotional depth and his ability to convey heartfelt apologies and reconciliation in his music.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I've been mean to you lately
I'm aware that I've been treating you badly recently
And I made you so sad
And I caused you a lot of emotional pain
And I know your love was true, baby
And I recognize that you genuinely loved me, my dear
And this makes me feel bad
And this realization fills me with regret and sorrow
'Cause now I see I'm about to lose you
Because I now realize that I'm on the brink of losing you
And It's driving me mad
And it's making me feel extremely anxious and desperate
You're all I ever had, girl
You're the only one I've ever truly cared about, my darling
Everybody needs somebody like you, oh baby
Everyone needs a person as remarkable as you, my dear
Everybody needs somebody, I need you
Everyone requires someone, and I need you in particular
You know darlin'
My dear, do you know that
Hadn't thought much about it
I hadn't given it much thought earlier
When I left you behind
When I deserted you before
But now I'm almost certain, baby
But now it's almost definite, my dear
When I left, you were cryin'
When I abandoned you, you were crying
Oh, I ask myself, how could I do it?
Oh, I'm questioning myself, how was I able to do that?
How could I be so blind?
How did I not see what I was doing?
So selfish and unkind
I was incredibly self-centered and cruel
'Cause everybody needs somebody like you
The truth is, everyone could benefit from having a person like you in their lives
You'd better believe darlin'
You should take that to heart, my love
Everybody needs somebody and I need you
Everyone needs someone, and I need you
Ooh yeah
Oh, yes
Ooh yeah, babe
Oh, yes, my dear
Everybody needs somebody like you (somebody, yeah)
Everyone craves for someone as exceptional as you (someone, yeah)
Take these arms and hold you tight
Let me embrace you closely with these arms of mine
And these lips that can explain
And with these lips of mine, I can express
How someone that means you right
How someone who sincerely cares for you
Can cause you so much pain
Could cause you so much hurt
Oh, the only plea to enter for myself
Oh, the only defense I can offer
Is that I'm not to blame
Is that I'm not responsible for everything
Temporarily insane, girl
I was out of my mind, my dear
Everybody needs somebody like you
Every person needs someone as extraordinary as you
Oh baby
Oh dear
Everybody needs somebody and I need you
Everyone requires someone, and I need you in particular
Yes, I do, darlin'
Yes, I do, my love
Everybody needs somebody like you (oh baby, I need you)
Everyone requires a person like you (oh dear, I need you)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder, Clarence Paul, Morris Ervin Broadnax
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cheryl Rowland Hall
on Isn't She Lovely
Dedicated to my lovely daughter, Amy Kathleen Rawson, the lovely child who helped mom to grow up!