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 Wanna Make Her Love Me
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
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I wanna make her love me 'til the rock ain't stone
And I wanna make her love me 'til the cows come home
And I wanna make her love me 'til the fire don't burn
And I wanna make her love me 'til the world cease to turn
Oh papa, I'm like a little lost lamb
Ah, sit right down and talk to me man to man
Tell me how to practice what you used to preach
Oh, papa used to tell me that a man could do
Anything he ever put his heart into
But I wanna make her love me 'til them seas run dry
And I wanna make her love me 'til money can't buy
I wanna make her love me 'til the fifth week in May
And I wanna make her love me 'til Ol' Man River runs away
Oh, she's sadity and as pretty as a Mona Lisa
Papa's rich and her mama's proud
I worked three jobs tryin' to give her what might please her
But still she lives in a world where I ain't allowed
Ah, papa you used to tell me it might take a little sweat
But when a man wakes up he sure enough will get
I wanna make her love me 'til the kingdom come
I wanna make her love me 'til the cows come home
I'm gonna make her love me 'til right is wrong
Ah
Hey, yeah
Hey
Ah, I can't compete with Baby Face Pete
And I ain't no match for Lou
He gave her a diamond, a diamond ring the other week
And all I can give her is a heart so true
Oh, papa used to say a true heart will reign
What a true heart desires it sure enough will gain
Well I wanna make her love me 'til the rock ain't stone
I wanna make her love me 'til the cows come home
I'm gonna make her love me 'til it snows in June
Hey-hey, baby
Hey, save on my baby, yeah, yeah-yeah
I'm gonna make her
The lyrics to Stevie Wonder’s “I Wanna Make Her Love Me” reveal both the desperation and determination of the singer to win the affection of his love interest. The opening lines of the song reveal just how far the singer is willing to go to win her love, stating that he wants to make her love him until the “rock ain’t stone” and until the “world cease to turn.” These hyperbolic statements highlight just how much the singer desires the love of this woman, who seems to be out of his league.
The singer acknowledges his own shortcomings and admits that he cannot compete with other men who may have more money or status. However, he still clings to his belief that a “true heart” will ultimately win out in the end. The singer is unsure of how to proceed in his attempts to win this woman’s love, and he seeks advice from his father, who urges him to work hard and put his heart into his efforts.
Overall, the lyrics to “I Wanna Make Her Love Me” convey a sense of desperation coupled with determination, as the singer seeks to win the love of someone who seems to be out of his reach. The song ultimately speaks to the universal desire for love and connection, and the lengths that people will go to in order to achieve it.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna make her love me till the rock ain't stone
I want her to love me unconditionally and forever.
And I wanna make her love me till the cows come home
I want her to love me every moment of every day.
And I wanna make her love me till the fire don't burn
I want her to love me even in the toughest of times.
And I wanna make her love me till the world cease to turn
I want her to love me until the end of time.
Oh papa, I'm like a little lost lamb
I am lost without the love of the girl I desire.
Reaching for a girl that's out of reach
I am trying to win the love of someone who is unattainable.
Ah, sit right down and talk to me man to man
Please give me advice on how to gain her love.
Tell me how to practice what you used to preach
Teach me how to follow in your footsteps.
But I wanna make her love me till them seas run dry
I want her love to last longer than forever.
And I wanna make her love me till money can't buy
I want her love to be priceless and beyond material things.
I wanna make her love me till the fifth week in May
I want her love to be consistent throughout the year.
And I wanna make her love me till Ol' Man River runs away
I want her love to outlast even the most timeless things.
Oh, she's a ditty and as pretty as Mona Lisa
She is beautiful beyond compare, like the Mona Lisa.
Papa's rich and her mama's proud
She comes from a wealthy and prestigious family.
I worked three jobs tryin' to get what might please her
I have worked hard to try and impress her.
But still she lives in a world where I ain't allowed
She is unattainable and out of my reach.
Ah papa, you used to tell me it might take a little sweat
You have taught me that hard work and effort are required to achieve one's goals.
But when a man wakes up he sure enough will get
If one is persistent, they will eventually achieve their desires.
I wanna make her love me till the kingdom come
I want her love to last beyond this lifetime.
I gonna make her love me till right is wrong
I want her love to be everlasting, even when things seem impossible.
Ah I can't compete with Baby Face Pete
I am no match for those who have more wealth and prestige than I do.
And I ain't no match for Lou
I cannot compare to those who have already won her heart.
He gave her a diamond, a diamond ring the other week
He has given her material things that I cannot afford.
And all I can give her is a heart so true
All I can offer is my sincere and honest affection.
Oh papa used to say a true heart will reign
You have taught me that true love is the most powerful force in the world.
What a true heart desires it sure enough will gain
If one's love is true, they will eventually win the heart of the one they desire.
I gonna make her love me till it snows in June
I want her love to be consistent and unwavering, no matter what happens.
Hey, hey, save on my baby, yeah, yeah, yeah
My love for her is strong and unwavering, even in the face of adversity.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby, Lula Hardaway, Sylvia Moy
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!