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.
How Come How Long
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was oh so beautiful
But she's not here anymore
She had a college degree
Smart as anyone could be
She had so much to live for
But she fell in love
With the wrong kinda man
There was not enough education in her world
That could save the life of this little girl
How come, how long
It's not right, it's so wrong
Do we let it just go on
Turn our backs and carry on
Wake up, for it's too late
Right now, we can't wait
She won't have a second try
Open up your hearts
As well as your eyes
She tried to give a cry for help
She even blamed things on herself
But no one came to her aid
Nothing was wrong as far as we could tell
That's what we'd like to tell ourselves
But no, it wasn't that way
So she fell in love
With the wrong kinda man
And she paid with her life
For loving that man
So we cannot ignore,
We must look for the signs
And maybe next time we might save
Somebody's life
How come, how long
It's not right, it's so wrong
Do we let it just go on
Turn our backs and carry on
Wake up, for it's too late
Right now, we can't wait
She won't have a second try
Open up your hearts
As well as your eyes
I on occasion met that guy
It's been a feeling deep inside
Some ... wasn't right
The way he proves himself a man
By beating his woman with his hands
Oh I wish that she'd seen the light
How can someone like that call himself a man
He's not a man
Soon reality ...
And we cannot ignore
Whenever we see the signs
'Cause any kind of abuse
God knows, it's a crime
How come, how long
It's not right, it's so wrong
Do we let it just go on
Turn our backs and carry on
Wake up, for it's too late
Right now, we can't wait
She won't have a second try
Open up your hearts
As well as your eyes
In How Come How Long, Stevie Wonder discusses the issue of domestic violence through the story of a young woman who fell in love with the wrong kind of man. Despite her education, intelligence, and beauty, this man abused her love and treated her poorly. The lyrics express Wonder's sadness and anger that despite the girl's cry for help, nobody came to her aid, and she lost her life for loving the wrong kind of man. The song touches on the fact that abuse and violence are crimes that must not be ignored, and we must open our hearts and eyes to signs of abuse to help those in need.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a girl I used to know
Stevie Wonder is singing about a girl he knew who was a kind, intelligent person who had a bright future ahead of her.
She was oh so beautiful
The girl who Stevie Wonder knew was also physically attractive.
But she's not here anymore
Unfortunately, the girl Stevie Wonder knew is no longer alive.
She had a college degree
Despite her tragic end, the girl Stevie Wonder knew had a college degree, indicating that she was very intelligent.
Smart as anyone could be
The girl Stevie Wonder knew was not just intelligent, but exceptionally so.
She had so much to live for
Given her intelligence and education, the girl Stevie Wonder knew had a lot of potential and a bright future ahead of her.
But she fell in love
However, the girl Stevie Wonder knew fell in love with the wrong man.
With the wrong kinda man
The man the girl Stevie Wonder knew fell in love with was not a good person.
He abused her love and treated her so bad
The man the girl Stevie Wonder knew fell in love with was abusive towards her, treating her very poorly.
There was not enough education in her world
Unfortunately, despite her education and intelligence, the girl Stevie Wonder knew did not have the knowledge or resources to protect herself from her abusive partner.
That could save the life of this little girl
Due to this lack of resources and support, the girl Stevie Wonder knew ultimately lost her life at the hands of her abusive partner.
How come, how long
Stevie Wonder is questioning why society as a whole allows abuse and violence to happen for so long.
It's not right, it's so wrong
Stevie Wonder firmly believes that abuse and violence is morally wrong and unacceptable.
Do we let it just go on
Stevie Wonder is urging society to take action and not turn a blind eye to abuse and violence.
Turn our backs and carry on
If we don't actively work to stop abuse and violence, we are essentially ignoring it and allowing it to continue.
Wake up, for it's too late
Stevie Wonder is telling us that we need to be aware of the signs of abuse and violence before it's too late to prevent it.
Right now, we can't wait
Stevie Wonder believes that we need to take action immediately to prevent abuse and violence.
She won't have a second try
Unfortunately, the girl Stevie Wonder knew lost her life and will never have a second chance at life.
Open up your hearts
Stevie Wonder is urging people to be more compassionate and empathetic towards victims of abuse and violence.
As well as your eyes
In addition to being more compassionate, Stevie Wonder is saying we need to be more aware of the signs of abuse and violence to prevent it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KENNETH EDMONDS, STEVIE WONDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@azz-playz1
who is listening in 2024?
@brandonmoore7497
I’m listening to Babyface and Stevie Wonder How Come How Long mid February 2024
3:12
@mgibn07
Me 😄
@oussamamouelhi93
I always come back listen to this masterpiece every year every quarter to remind my self that i had the chance to live the period of old gold songs and nothing compare nowadays. This song is great ...voices ...compose meaning .. Message.. Something worldwide
@josephkimanimuriu8660
Me
@suryanineni
Indonesian here.
@dragonslayer7766
Who’s listening in 2024
@brandonmoore7497
I’m listening to Babyface and Stevie Wonder How Come How Long mid February 2024
4:06
@diyacouqinho9223
Who's listening in 2024 😊
@brandonmoore7497
I’m listening to Babyface and Stevie Wonder How Come How Long mid March 2024
1:23