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.
I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
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And my dreams are drifting away
Your eyes don't shine like they used to shine
And the thrill is gone when your lips meet mine
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
And so is love, and so is love
Your love and so is love
I guess I'll have to play Pagliacci and get myself a clown's disguise
And learn to laugh like Pagliacci with tears in my eyes
You look the same
You're a lot the same
But my heart says "No, no, you're not the same"
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
And so is love, and so is love
Your words don't mean what they used to me
They were once inspired, now they're just routine
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
The lyrics to Stevie Wonder’s song “I’m Afraid the Masquerade Is Over” speaks about a relationship that has lost its spark, leaving the singer with feelings of negativity and sadness. The song opens up with the singer expressing his disappointment with the situation that he finds himself in; as his once bright horizon begins to look gloomy and his dreams start to slip away. He goes further to lament that the love that once existed between him and his partner is gone, and the twinkle that once shone in her eyes has faded away. The spark that existed when they kissed is now missing and the thrill is gone.
The singer then goes on to say that he is afraid that the masquerade that covered their love is over, and with it, the love they once shared. The relationship has lost its excitement, and the fake feeling of love that they continued to put on is now clear to them. In the next line, the singer refers to the opera Pagliacci and how he will have to wear a clown's disguise as a masquerade to cover up his true feelings. He will have to learn to laugh like a clown even though there are tears in his eyes, indicating how much he is affected by the whole situation.
The lyrics continue and the singer mentions that although his partner looks and sounds the same, his heart tells him that she is not the same. He also mentions that her words don't mean the same to him as they once did. They were once inspired and genuine, but now they are just routine and lack sincerity. In conclusion, the masquerade has worn out, and the relationship has lost its sparkle.
Line by Line Meaning
My blue horizon is turning gray
The once hopeful future now looks bleak.
And my dreams are drifting away
As the horizon darkens, hopes for the future fade away.
Your eyes don't shine like they used to shine
The spark of attraction that once existed is now gone.
And the thrill is gone when your lips meet mine
The excitement and passion of a romantic encounter has disappeared.
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
The deception and illusion of the relationship has come to an end.
And so is love, and so is love
The relationship and the love that once existed are both gone.
I guess I'll have to play Pagliacci and get myself a clown's disguise
I will have to hide my pain behind a mask of humor and pretend everything is still okay.
And learn to laugh like Pagliacci with tears in my eyes
I will have to laugh in order to keep from crying, even though my heart is broken.
You look the same
Physically, you have not changed.
You're a lot the same
Your actions and demeanor are still similar.
But my heart says "No, no, you're not the same"
Despite the physical and behavioral similarities, the emotional connection is no longer present.
Your words don't mean what they used to me
The words that once held deep meaning and significance now fall flat.
They were once inspired, now they're just routine
What was once passionate and creative has become monotonous and uninspired.
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
The deception and illusion of the relationship has come to an end.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLIE WRUBEL, HERBERT MAGIDSON
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!