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.
Fingertips Pts. 1 & 2
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah
Ladies and gentlemen, now I'm going to do a song
Taken from my album, 'The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie'
The name of the song is called, um, 'Fingertips'.
Now, I want ya to clap yo' hand, come on.
Yeah!
Stomp yo' feet
Jump up and down, do anything that you wanna do!
Yeah!
Yeah!
Ev'rybody say, "Yeah"
(Yeah, yeah!)
Say, yeah!
(Yeah!)
Say, yeah
(Yeah!)
Yeah?
(Yeah!)
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Just a little bit-a so-whoa-whoa-whoa-oh-oul
Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Clap your hands, just a little bit louder
Clap your hands, just a little bit louder
I know that ev'rybody had, yeah
Ev'rybody have a good time
So, if you want me to
If you want me to
I'm gonna swing a-song
Yeah, just-a one mo' time
Be sure I'll come back
Just-a one more time
Will I come back
So, good-bye
How about it?
Let's hear it for him, huh?
Little Stevie Wonder
Take a bow, Stevie
Unk crowd woman: 'Yeah!, Harry, get down!'
(What key? What key?)
(Been tellin' you)
You been tellin' me, what?)
Hey!
Come on!
Well, good-bye, good-bye
A-good-bye, good-bye
Good-bye, good-bye, good-bye
I'm gonna go, yeah
I'm gonna go, yeah
Let's just swing it one more time!
How 'bout it?
Go ahead an shake this up for me real good
Stevie Wonder.
The lyrics to Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips Pts. 1 & 2" are mainly a call and response to encourage the audience to engage in the performance with him. The singer announces that he'll be performing the song "Fingertips" from his album, "The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie" before urging the crowd to start clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and jumping up and down. He tells them to do anything they want to do and encourages them to say "Yeah!".
As the performance continues, the singer progresses from simply urging the audience on to sing along with him for "just a little bit of soul". He riles them up with a series of "yeahs" and encourages them to clap their hands louder, building the energy of the performance as he goes. After finishing a couple of verses, he tells the crowd that he's had a great time with them, but it's time for him to go. He ends by asking the band to play one more time before telling the crowd goodbye.
Embedded in the call and response of the lyrics is the notion of musical tradition, particularly African-American musical tradition. The call and response is a staple of black gospel music, and that tradition can be seen in these lyrics as well. The singer takes on the role of a preacher, urging his flock to join in and participate in the music. The idea is that the performance is not meant to be a passive experience for the audience, but rather an active one, where everyone contributes to the music together.
Overall, the lyrics to "Fingertips Pts. 1 & 2" are about the joy of music and the way that it brings people together. Stevie Wonder encourages the audience to participate and enjoy the music, building energy as he goes until the performance reaches a joyous conclusion.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
Ladies and gentlemen, now I'm going to do a song
Announcing the performance of a song
Taken from my album, 'The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie'
Providing the source of the song
The name of the song is called, um, 'Fingertips'.
Introducing the title of the song
Now, I want ya to clap yo' hand, come on.
Encouraging the audience to participate in the performance
Come on!
Urging the audience to join in
Yeah!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
Stomp yo' feet
Encouraging the audience to stomp their feet
Jump up and down, do anything that you wanna do!
Encouraging the audience to freely express themselves through dancing or any other form of movement
Ev'rybody say, "Yeah"
Encouraging the audience to shout "yeah" in unison
(Yeah, yeah!)
Echoing the audience's response
Say, yeah!
Encouraging the audience to shout "yeah" again
(Yeah!)
Echoing the audience's response
Say, yeah
Encouraging the audience to shout "yeah" yet again
(Yeah!)
Echoing the audience's response
Yeah?
Asking if the audience is ready
(Yeah!)
Confirming the audience's readiness
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Celebrating the audience's enthusiasm and readiness
Just a little bit-a so-whoa-whoa-whoa-oh-oul
Starting the song with a soulful rhythm
Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Echoing the rhythm and adding vocalization to create a festive atmosphere
Clap your hands, just a little bit louder
Encouraging the audience to clap their hands louder
Clap your hands, just a little bit louder
Repeatedly encouraging the audience to clap their hands louder
I know that ev'rybody had, yeah
Acknowledging the audience's enjoyment of the performance so far
Ev'rybody have a good time
Confirming the audience's positive experience
So, if you want me to
Offering to continue the performance if the audience desires
If you want me to
Repeating the offer to emphasize the audience's role in the performance
I'm gonna swing a-song
Announcing the continuation of the song
Yeah, just-a one mo' time
Adding an extra repetition for emphasis
Be sure I'll come back
Promising to return for another performance
Just-a one more time
Repeating the promise for clarity
Will I come back
Repeating the promise in the form of a question
So, good-bye
Ending the performance
How about it?
Asking for feedback or reaction from the audience
Let's hear it for him, huh?
Encouraging the audience to applaud for the performer
Little Stevie Wonder
Providing the name of the performer
Take a bow, Stevie
Encouraging the performer to take a bow
Unk crowd woman: 'Yeah!, Harry, get down!'
Capturing a spontaneous response from the audience
(What key? What key?)
A humorous exchange between the performer and a member of the audience
(Been tellin' you)
Repeating the joke and further engaging with the audience member
You been tellin' me, what?)
Continuing the humorous exchange
Hey!
Expressing surprise or excitement
Come on!
Urging the audience to continue participating
Well, good-bye, good-bye
Repeating the farewell
A-good-bye, good-bye
Adding extra vocalization for emphasis
Good-bye, good-bye, good-bye
Adding additional repetition for emphasis
I'm gonna go, yeah
Announcing the performer's departure
I'm gonna go, yeah
Repeating the announcement for clarity
Let's just swing it one more time!
Suggesting a final performance before departing
How 'bout it?
Asking for agreement or enthusiasm from the audience
Go ahead an shake this up for me real good
Asking the audience to contribute to the performance
Stevie Wonder.
Ending with the performer's name
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLARENCE O. PAUL, CLARENCE O. PAULING, HENRY COSBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dvlaries
Absolutely the very first Motown record I ever bought in the summer of 1963 when I was 9 (and "Heat Wave" was right on its heels). I still love it every bit as much today and it hasn't lost any freshness, fun or energy. I feel like I owe the entire talented Motown family my perpetual thanks for nothing less than a happy childhood. They supplied plenty of that happiness. And if old age brings deafness, I'll be just as happy to read about the musical miracle Detroit gave all America.
LeslyeJoyAllen - JazzMaestra
The youngest recording artist to ever sell 1 million copies of an album. Now you know why. I grew up on Stevie Wonder!
430gma
Stevie Wonder is truely a National Treasure !
HyNiJo
Stevie is a living legend. Much Much Respect for this wonderfull person. God bless all of us. PEACE
Matt Mansfield
I remember driving along Central Park West in '63 when I first this song. I stopped the car on the spot and jiggled the tuner handle to get the signal to come in clearer. Couldn't believe how good this was - and I was into Ray Charles' "Mess Around" and Marvin Gaye's "Need A Witness" and thought they were the best. Then, Stevie came along.. and I kept checking stations all the time to catch "Fingertips" again. Those three at that time...what a trinity.
sel1hotmail
old men
Donald T
Too bad you could not just Google it and and stream it to your car radio! :) There's no one like these guys today... OK some come close but this music moves you when you dont wanna move! of corse there were others back then who compared but not today!
Den Stew
Amen
soroteca71
Thanks for sharing your memories. I'm a big fan of soul music and I'm moved of hearing someone sharing first hand impressions of when these incredible classics were first released
Phillip Miranda
this little guy was incredible and still is!!!