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.
For Your Love
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is nothing to possess
If all the things that it can bring
Can't add up to one ounce of your happiness
And for your love
I would do anything
Just to see the smile upon your face
I would go anywhere
Just you tell me and I'll be right there
A diamond that shines
Like a star in the sky
Is nothing to behold
For minuscule is any light
If it can't like you brighten up the soul
And for your love
I would do anything
Just to see the smile upon your face
For your love
I would go anywhere
Just you tell me and I'll be right there (ooh, yeah)
I could have never fathomed this
Such joy, love and tenderness
That you give to me
For the love I feel inside
It's so wonderful I can't hide
And I glow, I glow
With just the thought of you
I do, I do, I do, I do, do, do, oh-oh, oh
And for your love
I would do anything
Just to see the smile upon your face
For your love
I would go anywhere
Just you tell me and I'll be right there
(One more time)
And for your love
I would do anything
Just to see the smile upon your face
For your love
I would go anywhere
Just you tell me and I'll be right there, yeah
(One more, one more time)
And for your love
I would do anything
Just to see the smile upon your face
For your love
I would go anywhere
Just you tell me and I'll be right there (I'll be right there)
The lyrics to Stevie Wonder’s song “For Your Love” express the depth of love and commitment the singer has for his beloved. The first verse establishes that material possessions are meaningless compared to the happiness brought by someone’s love. The second verse compares a diamond to his lover’s ability to brighten up his soul. Both verses reveal that the singer would do anything and go anywhere for her love.
The chorus repeats these sentiments, emphasizing the power that her smile has on him. The final verse expresses the joy that the singer feels from this love, which he never could have imagined. He glows with the mere thought of her, and he is willing to do anything for her. The song showcases the strength and intensity of love and the willingness to sacrifice for one’s beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
All the gold in all the world
Is nothing to possess
Possessing all the world's gold is worthless compared to what truly matters in life.
If all the things that it can bring
Can't add up to one ounce of your happiness
No amount of material possessions can bring happiness like being loved by you can.
And for your love
I would do anything
Your love is so valuable to me that I would do absolutely anything for it.
Just to see the smile upon your face
The happiness and joy that your smile brings to my life is priceless.
For your love
I would go anywhere
The love that I have for you is so strong that I would travel anywhere in the world just to be near you.
Just you tell me and I'll be right there
You are so important to me that I am at your beck and call, ready to do whatever you need.
A diamond that shines
Like a star in the sky
A bright and shining diamond is nothing in comparison to the light that you bring to my life.
Is nothing to behold
Although a diamond may be beautiful, it pales in comparison to your inner beauty and the love that you give me.
For minuscule is any light
If it can't like you brighten up the soul
Any light that is not as bright as the light that you bring to my life is insignificant in comparison.
I could have never fathomed this
Such joy, love and tenderness
I never could have imagined that I would experience such happiness, love, and tenderness in my life.
That you give to me
The love that you give me is the most precious gift that I could ever receive.
For the love I feel inside
It's so wonderful I can't hide
The love that you have given me fills me with so much joy and happiness that I can't help but express it.
And I glow, I glow
With just the thought of you
The mere thought of you fills me with so much joy and love that I feel a radiance from within.
And for your love
I would do anything
The love that I have for you is so strong that I would do anything to keep it and nurture it.
Just to see the smile upon your face
The mere sight of your smile brings me so much happiness and love.
For your love
I would go anywhere
The love that I have for you is so powerful that it would take me to the ends of the earth.
Just you tell me and I'll be right there
You are so important to me that I will always be there for you whenever you need me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder
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!