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 Blues Part 1
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
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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
The lyrics of Stevie Wonder's "I Call It Pretty Music but the Old People Call It Blues Part 1" poignantly capture the disconnect between the older and younger generations and their differing opinions on music. Stevie, who considers his music "pretty," is frustrated by the fact that older people dismiss it as "blues." This theme is a reflection of broader societal tensions that existed during the 1960s, when the song was released, between the older and younger generations with regard to music and culture.
Stevie's use of repetition in the lyrics to emphasize the gap between the old and young is powerful. The chorus, repeated three times, highlights the divide between Stevie's youthful exuberance and the older generation's perceived conservatism. The refrain, "yeah, yeah, yeah" further amplifies his frustration with the older generation's lack of appreciation for what he sees as new and exciting music. The song also reveals the complex relationship between race and music in America. The song's title acknowledges the genre's roots in African-American communities, highlighting how white audiences often dismissed it as "blues." Stevie's lyrics suggest that this dismissal was largely driven by racial prejudice.
Line by Line Meaning
I call it pretty music
I personally believe this music is beautiful and pleasant to listen to
But the old people call it the blues, yeah, yeah
However, the elderly members of society classify it as a genre called blues, despite my own perception of it
I call it pretty music
Once again, I express my enjoyment and positive feelings towards this music
But the old people call it the blues, yeah, yeah, yeah
Even though it may not align with my own viewpoint, the older generation still refer to it as blues music
I call it pretty music
Despite the differing opinions and interpretations, I still maintain my belief that this music is beautiful and enjoyable
But the old people call it the blues
Yet, the older individuals in our society continue to label it as blues music
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERRY GORDY JR, BERRY JR GORDY, CLARENCE O. PAUL
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!