Stevland Hardaway Morris (né Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally a… Read Full Bio ↴Stevland Hardaway Morris (né Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, soul, gospel, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-man band, Wonder's use of synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of R&B. He also helped drive such genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder.

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 Call It Pretty Music But The Old People Call It The Blues
Stevie Wonder Lyrics

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I call it pretty music
But the old people call it the blues, yeah, yeah

I call it pretty music
But the old people call it the blues, yeah, yeah, yeah

I call it pretty music
But the old people call it the blues

Overall Meaning

In Stevie Wonder's song "I Call It Pretty Music But The Old People Call It The Blues Pt. 1," he touches on the generational divide in music. According to the young Wonder, his music is pretty, but to the elders, it's simply the blues - a genre that was born from the African-American community in the South, and one that often deals with feelings of sadness, heartbreak, oppression and longing. However, for the young artist, his music is an expression of joy and vitality, and he challenges the notion that it has to be classified as simply "the blues."

It's a clear indication of how music is viewed differently across generations, and how it can be misunderstood or dismissed by those who don't fully understand its cultural significance or evolution. The song is also a celebration of youth and new beginnings, as the young Wonder feels confident in his unique sound and refuses to be limited by the expectations of the older generation. Ultimately, it's a testament to the power of music to transcend boundaries and to represent different experiences and emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

I call it pretty music
My personal taste in music is what I consider to be pleasing and attractive to listen to.

But the old people call it the blues, yeah, yeah
However, the mature generation labels it as blues music, a genre that often relates to sadness, melancholy, and heartbreak.

I call it pretty music
Once again, I express my personal preference in music.

But the old people call it the blues, yeah, yeah, yeah
Despite my opposition, the elderly audience sticks to their traditional labels and continues to call it blues music.

I Call It Pretty Music But The Old People Call It The BluesStevie Wonder Lyrics

Cheryl Rowland Hall

on Isn't She Lovely

I Call It Pretty Music But The Old People Call It The Blues
Stevie Wonder Lyrics