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 Never Had A Dream Come True
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In my every dream, I'm loved by you
And we're free as the wind
And true love is no sin
Therefore, men are men, not machines
I never, never had a dream come true
Without you, the world out there is painted shades of blue
Since our roads never crossed
Think I might as well get lost in my dreams
Do do do do do
I never, never had a dream come true
Yes, I'm gonna dream about you baby my whole life through
Seems my folks are ashamed
Said I ain't worth a thing
But I'm glad I'm chained to my dreams
Do do do do do
Keep on dreamin'
Sing along with me
Keep on dreamin'!
Stevie Wonder's "I Never Had A Dream Come True" is a song about a person who has never had a dream come true until they imagine themselves with the love of their life. It's a song that juxtaposes the reality of life with the power of a dream. From the lyrics, it's obvious that the singer has suffered a lot of disappointment; they've never had a dream come true until the one that they share with their beloved. The dream feels like a release, as they can be free like the wind and have true love without judgment.
The song appears to be about hope, the hope that's born out of a lack of fulfillment. There's a sense of escape in the song that's achieved through dreaming - the singer can escape their mundane existence and instead imagine a better life full of love and freedom. This is a message that could resonate with many people, particularly those who feel stuck in a situation they're unhappy with. Stevie Wonder's delivery of the lyrics is exceptionally emotive - the repeated "do do do do do" is particularly effective in conveying the idea of dreaming.
Line by Line Meaning
I never, never had a dream come true
I've never actually experienced a dream I've had become a reality.
In my every dream, I'm loved by you
In every dream I have, you are there and we love each other very much.
And we're free as the wind
We have no restrictions and are free to do what we please.
And true love is no sin
Loving someone with all your heart is not a crime, it's beautiful.
Therefore, men are men, not machines
Human beings have feelings and should be treated as such, not just as robots.
Without you, the world out there is painted shades of blue
If you're not there with me, everything outside seems sad and lonely.
Since our roads never crossed
Because we haven't had the opportunity to meet yet.
I work just to please the boss
I do what I have to do at work to make my boss happy, even though it's not my dream job.
Think I might as well get lost in my dreams
It feels better to escape into my dreams than to face the reality of my unfulfilling job.
Yes, I'm gonna dream about you baby my whole life through
I know I'll never stop dreaming about you, even if it never becomes a reality.
Seems my folks are ashamed
It appears that my family is not proud of me or my life choices.
Said I ain't worth a thing
My family has expressed that they believe I am a failure or not successful.
But I'm glad I'm chained to my dreams
Despite what others think, I am happy to hold onto my dreams and aspirations.
Keep on dreamin'
Encouragement to keep believing in your dreams, even if they never come true.
Sing along with me
Join in and sing this song about dreaming and love.
Keep on dreamin'!
Again, encouragement to never stop dreaming.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVESTER STEWART
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!