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.
Hey Harmonica Man
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What'cha calling my name?
Tell us if you can
It's my one big thing
Does it really move?
What'cha want to know?
What they say you can do
Ain't ya every hear me blow?
I can play that thing
Make us dance and sing?
Make you dance and sing
Do it if you can, can, can Harmonica man
Ahh, I'm gonna blow now
Now we've been searching for a long long time
(You know to find)
To find a way to ease our troubling mind
We been down under and we've sure been blue
Come on and play it like we know you can do
Hey Harmonica Man
What'cha calling me for?
Come on and take a stand
You wanna dance some more?
We wanna dance some more
Everything's alright
Out on the sandy shore
I can play all night
Do the Monkey Watusi
Do the Monkey Watusi
Like little Lucy
I'ma play a little bluesy
Do it if you can, can, can Harmonica man
Ha, ha we gonna wail now
Yeah
Hey Harmonica Man
What'cha calling me for?
Come on and take a stand
Gonna dance the floor
We wanna dance some more
Everything's alright
On the sandy shore
I can play all night
Do the Monkey Watusi
Do the Monkey Watusi
Like little Lucy
I'm gon' play it real bluesy
Do it if you can can can, Harmonica Man
Ah, everybody's gonna wail
Yeah yeah yeah
In Stevie Wonder's song "Hey Harmonica Man," the singer is reaching out to a harmonica player asking him to play his instrument, dance, and sing. The song is essentially an upbeat and playful dialogue between the singer and Harmonica Man.
The song's lyrics suggest that the band has been searching for a while to ease their troubled minds and have finally come across the harmonica man. The harmonica is described as the one big thing and the singer and his group want to dance and sing while the harmonica man plays his instrument. The chorus of the song is an invitation to the harmonica man to play his instrument to make them dance and sing.
The song is an excellent representation of Stevie Wonder's early work, revealing his love of merging diverse musical styles. The song has an upbeat 60s feel with a mix of rhythm and blues, funk, and pop elements. The lyrics are lively and playful, inviting the listener to let their hair down and join in the dance. All in all, "Hey Harmonica Man" is a fun, light-hearted tune that perfectly showcases Wonder's immense musical talent.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Harmonica Man
Addressing the Harmonica Man
What'cha calling my name?
What is the reason you are calling my name?
Tell us if you can
Say what you know
It's my one big thing
Harmonica play is my greatest strength
Does it really move?
Does Harmonica play have a positive impact?
What'cha want to know?
What do you want to find out?
What they say you can do
What are the claims about your abilities?
Ain't ya every hear me blow?
Haven't you heard me play before?
Can you play that thing?
Are you capable of playing that harmonica?
I can play that thing
Yes, I can play that harmonica
Make us dance and sing?
Can you make us dance and sing with your music?
Make you dance and sing
Yes, I can make you dance and sing
Do it if you can, can, can Harmonica man
Show us your skills, Harmonica man
Ahh, I'm gonna blow now
I am going to start playing the harmonica now
Now we've been searching for a long long time
We have been searching for a solution for a long time
(You know to find)
(You know what I mean)
To find a way to ease our troubling mind
To find a way to reduce our worries
We been down under and we've sure been blue
We have been depressed and feeling low
Come on and play it like we know you can do
Play it as we know you can do it
Hey Harmonica Man
Addressing the Harmonica Man
What'cha calling me for?
What is the reason you are calling me?
Come on and take a stand
Step up and give us a performance
You wanna dance some more?
Do you want to dance some more with us?
We wanna dance some more
We want to dance some more
Everything's alright
Everything is good
Out on the sandy shore
By the sandy beach
I can play all night
I can play for as long as you want
Do the Monkey Watusi
Let's dance the Monkey Watusi
Do it if you can, can, can Harmonica man
Show us your skills, Harmonica man
Ah, everybody's gonna wail
Everyone is going to dance and enjoy themselves
Yeah
Expression of affirmation/ agreement
Hey Harmonica Man
Addressing the Harmonica Man
What'cha calling me for?
What is the reason you are calling me?
Come on and take a stand
Step up and give us a performance
Gonna dance the floor
Going to dance throughout the night
We wanna dance some more
We want to dance some more
Everything's alright
Everything is good
On the sandy shore
By the sandy beach
I can play all night
I can play for as long as you want
Do the Monkey Watusi
Let's dance the Monkey Watusi
Like little Lucy
Just like what little Lucy does
I'm gon' play it real bluesy
I am going to play it with the blues rhythm
Do it if you can can can, Harmonica Man
Show us your skills, Harmonica man
Ah, everybody's gonna wail
Everyone is going to dance and enjoy themselves
Yeah yeah yeah
Expression of affirmation/ agreement
Lyrics © MARTIN COOPER MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lou Josie, Marty Cooper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sergio Rivera
Little S.W. was only 14 years old when it was recorded his music with the sound of harmonica. ANOTHER GOOD RECORD FROM LATE '64!
THANK YOU!, ¡MUCHAS GRACIAS, THEPROF78!
Condy Love
I love this
Harpwailer1
Stevies the man.