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 Parts 1 & 2
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Yeah'
'Yeah'
Spoken:
Ladies and gentlemen, now I'm going to do a song
taken from my album, 'The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie'
Now, I want ya to clap yo' hand, come on.
Come on!
Yeah!
Stomp yo' feet
Jump up and down, do anything that you wanna do!
Yeah!
Yeah!
[instrumental & Stevie harmonica begin .40 trk]
Part 2 begins (3:15 approx. on the track)
Ev'rybody say, 'Yeah'
(Yeah, yeah!)
Say, yeah!
(Yeah!)
Say, yeah
(Yeah!)
Yeah?
(Yeah!)
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
(instrumental & harmonica)
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
(harmonica & instrumental)
Stevie sings:
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
(harmonica)
Announcer spoken:
How about it?
Let's hear it for him, huh?
Little Stevie Wonder
Take a bow, Stevie
(instrumental)
(harmonica)
(piano)
Unk crowd woman: 'Yeah!, Harry, get down!'
Band member: (What key? What key?)
Other band member: (Been tellin' you)
Band member: (You been tellin' me, what?)
(instrumental)
(drums)
Stevie: 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!
(instrumental and harmonica to end)
Announcer:
'How 'bout it?'
'Go ahead an shake this up for me real good'
'Stevie Wonder.'
The lyrics to Stevie Wonder's Fingertips Part 2 involve a lot of audience participation and engagement. Stevie Wonder starts off by encouraging his audience to not only listen to his song but to clap their hands, stomp their feet, and jump up and down while he performs. After this, he launches into a harmonica and instrumental solo that builds up to the beginning of Part 2, where he asks the audience to say "yeah" multiple times.
In the latter part of the song, Stevie sings about how everyone had a good time and he will swing a song just one more time before leaving. The final parts of the song involve the band members asking for the key and Stevie starting up the song one last time before finally bidding goodbye.
Overall, the lyrics to Fingertips Part 2 are mostly centered on the energy and excitement of a live performance, with Stevie Wonder urging his audience to participate and enjoy the music with him.
Line by Line Meaning
Ev'rybody say, 'Yeah'
Stevie Wonder is instructing the crowd to say 'yeah'.
(Yeah, yeah!)
The crowd responds by saying 'yeah'.
Say, yeah!
Stevie Wonder is encouraging the crowd to say 'yeah' again.
(Yeah!)
The crowd responds by saying 'yeah'.
Say, yeah
Stevie Wonder is once again encouraging the crowd to say 'yeah'.
(Yeah!)
The crowd responds once more by saying 'yeah'.
Yeah?
Stevie Wonder is asking the crowd if they are ready to continue the song.
(Yeah!)
The crowd responds that they are indeed ready to continue the song.
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
The crowd is expressing their excitement for the song and their participation in it.
Just a little bit-a so-whoa-whoa-whoa-oh-oul
Stevie Wonder is singing a short phrase with a soulful twist.
Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
The crowd continues to express their excitement with the song.
Clap your hands, just a little bit louder
Stevie Wonder is requesting that the crowd join him in clapping their hands louder.
Clap your hands, just a little bit louder
Stevie Wonder repeats his request for the crowd to clap their hands louder.
I know that ev'rybody had, yeah
Stevie Wonder acknowledges the crowd's participation and enjoyment of the song.
Ev'rybody have a good time
Stevie Wonder is expressing his desire for the crowd to have a good time.
So, if you want me to
Stevie Wonder is asking the crowd if they want him to continue the song.
If you want me to
Stevie Wonder repeats his question to ensure he has the crowd's attention and agreement.
I'm gonna swing a-song
Stevie Wonder is promising to continue playing the song in a swinging, upbeat style.
Yeah, just-a one mo' time
Stevie Wonder is going to play the song 'just one more time'.
Be sure I'll come back
Stevie Wonder is promising to come back and play the song again.
Just-a one more time
Stevie Wonder is reassuring his fans that he'll play the song 'just one more time'.
Will I come back
Stevie Wonder sounds unsure if he'll return to play the song again, despite his earlier promise.
So, good-bye
Stevie Wonder is saying goodbye and signaling the end of the song.
Hey!
Stevie Wonder is interjecting to get the crowd's attention and excite them.
Come on!
Stevie Wonder is urging the crowd to continue participating and enjoying the song.
I'm gonna go, yeah
Stevie Wonder is announcing that he is ending the song and performance.
I'm gonna go, yeah
Stevie Wonder reiterates that he's leaving the stage after the song and performance.
Let's just swing it one more time!
Stevie Wonder is encouraging the crowd to enjoy the song one more time before he leaves.
'How 'bout it?'
The announcer is asking the crowd for their reaction to Stevie Wonder's performance.
'Go ahead an shake this up for me real good'
The announcer is asking the crowd to continue supporting Stevie Wonder's performance.
'Stevie Wonder.'
The announcer is introducing Stevie Wonder as the performer of the song.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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!!!