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 Hear A Symphony
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a feeling that's so new, so inviting, so exciting
Whenever you are near, I hear a symphony
A tender melody pulling me closer, closer to your arms
Then suddenly, oh, your lips are touching mine
A feeling so divine 'til I leave the past behind
I'm lost in a world made for you and me
Ev'ry time your lips meet mine my baby
Baby, baby, I feel a joy within
Don't let this feeling end
Let it go on and on and on now baby
Baby, baby, those tears that fill my eyes
I care not for myself but for those
Who've never felt the joy we've felt
Whenever you are near
I hear a symphony each time you speak to me
I hear a tender rhapsody of love, love
Baby, baby, as you stand up holding me
Whispering how much you care
A thousand violins fill the air now
Baby, baby, don't let this moment end
Keep standing close to me
Oh so close to me, baby, baby
Baby, baby, I hear a symphony, a tender melody
Ah it goes on and on
In "I Hear a Symphony", Stevie Wonder sings about a love that is so strong and pure that it feels like a symphony is playing every time his lover is near. He expresses his gratitude for this love and how it has changed his life, allowing him to leave the past behind and live a better life. With lyrics like "whenever you are near, I hear a symphony" and "I hear a tender rhapsody of love," Wonder uses musical metaphors to describe the intense emotions he feels when he is with his lover. He also expresses his hope that this love will continue forever, with lyrics like "don't let this feeling end" and "let it go on and on and on now baby."
Line by Line Meaning
You've given me a true love and ev'ry day I thank you love
I am grateful for the genuine love that you have given me and I give thanks for it every day.
For a feeling that's so new, so inviting, so exciting
This feeling of being loved by you is a new experience for me and it is very welcoming and exhilarating.
Whenever you are near, I hear a symphony
Whenever you are close to me, my heart sings and I feel like I am enveloped in a beautiful symphony.
A tender melody pulling me closer, closer to your arms
The tender melody that I hear makes me feel drawn to your embrace, wanting to be closer and closer to you.
Then suddenly, oh, your lips are touching mine
The sudden touch of your lips against mine feels amazing and divine, wiping away any past memories of heartache or pain.
A feeling so divine 'til I leave the past behind
This divine feeling is so intense that it helps me forget about any negative experiences from my past.
I'm lost in a world made for you and me
When we are together, I feel like I am in our own world, where everything is perfect and beautiful just for us.
Baby, baby, those tears that fill my eyes
Whenever I cry tears of joy, it is not for myself but for those who have never experienced the kind of happiness that we have found together.
I care not for myself but for those who've never felt the joy we've felt
I don't just care about my own happiness, I also want others who have not experienced the same joy as us to also feel that kind of love and contentment.
Whenever you are near I hear a symphony play sweet and tenderly
Whenever you are close to me, I am surrounded by a beautiful melody that is sweet and gentle, making me feel safe and loved.
Ev'ry time your lips meet mine my baby
Whenever we kiss, I feel so happy and content, knowing that we belong together.
Baby, baby, I feel a joy within
I feel a sense of happiness and contentment deep within me whenever I am with you.
Don't let this feeling end
I don't want this feeling of love and happiness to ever end between us, as it is too precious to lose.
Let it go on and on and on now baby
I hope that our love will continue to grow and flourish, never fading or disappearing.
I hear a tender rhapsody of love, love
The music of our love is so tender and beautiful, filling me with a sense of joy and wonder whenever I hear it.
Baby, baby, as you stand up holding me
When you hold me close, I feel so safe and loved, as if nothing can hurt me.
Whispering how much you care
When you whisper sweet nothings in my ear, I know that you care deeply for me and that our love is true.
A thousand violins fill the air now
When we are together, it feels as if a thousand violins are playing a beautiful melody in the air, filling us both with happiness and love.
Keep standing close to me
I want you to always stay close to me, as you are my rock and my source of happiness in life.
Oh so close to me, baby, baby
I want you to be as close to me as possible, because you are the one I love and want to be with forever.
Baby, baby, I hear a symphony, a tender melody
Our love is like a beautiful symphony, with a tender melody that fills me with happiness and love whenever I hear it.
Ah it goes on and on
Our love is an endless symphony that will continue to play forever, as long as we stay together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
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!