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 Wish
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was a little nappy headed boy
Then my only worry
Was for Christmas what would be my toy
Even though we sometimes
Would not get a thing
We were happy with the
Joy the day would bring
To hang out with those hoodlum friends of mine
Greeted at the back door
With, "Boy thought I told you not to go outside"
Trying your best to bring the water to your eyes
Thinking it might stop her from whooping your behind
I wish those days could come back once more
Why did those days ever have to go?
I wish those days could come back once more
Why did those days ever have to go?
'Cause I love them so
Brother says he's telling
About you playing doctor with that girl
Just don't tell I'll give you
Anything you want in this whole wide world
Mama gives you money for Sunday school
You trade yours for candy after church is through
Smoking cigarettes and writing something nasty on the wall (you nasty boy)
Teacher sends you to the principal's office down the hall
You grow up and learn that kind of thing isn't right
But while you were doing it-it sure felt out to sight
I wish those days could come back once more
Why did those days ever have to go?
I wish those days could come back once more
Why did those days ever have to go?
The lyrics to Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" reflect both nostalgia for a simpler time in the singer's life, as well as a recognition that some of the behaviors he engaged in during that time were not always the best. In the first verse, he reflects on his childhood, where his biggest worry was what toy he might receive for Christmas. While he acknowledges that his family sometimes struggled financially ("even though we sometimes would not get a thing"), he emphasizes that they were still able to find joy in the holidays. However, he also describes sneaking out of the house to hang out with "hoodlum friends," only to be caught by his father, who warned him not to go outside. He tries to cry to avoid punishment, but it's clear that he knew he was doing something he shouldn't have been.
In the second verse, Wonder introduces a storyline in which he trades candy for his mother's Sunday school money and writes something inappropriate on the wall at school. He even references playing "doctor" with a girl, a potentially sexualized behavior that he recognizes may not have been acceptable. Despite this, he expresses a desire to return to those carefree days, wondering why they couldn't come back again.
Overall, the song suggests a complex mix of emotions - fondness for the simple joys of childhood, as well as recognition that some of the behaviors he engaged in were perhaps misguided. It's a relatable message, as many people have likely looked back on their own youthful indiscretions with a mix of nostalgia and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking back on when I
Reflecting on my childhood and past experiences
Was a little nappy headed boy
When I was a young child with curly/kinky hair
Then my only worry
At that time, my only concern was
Was for Christmas what would be my toy
What present I would receive on Christmas day
Even though we sometimes
Despite the fact that at times
Would not get a thing
We did not receive any gifts
We were happy with the
We still found joy in
Joy the day would bring
The happiness that the holiday brought
Sneaking out the back door
When I would leave through the rear of the house
To hang out with those hoodlum friends of mine
To spend time with my mischievous/bad influence friends
Greeted at the back door
Met with disapproval upon my return
With, "Boy thought I told you not to go outside"
Reprimanded with a reminder of what I had been told
Trying your best to bring the water to your eyes
Attempting to cry to avoid punishment
Thinking it might stop her from whooping your behind
Believing that tears could prevent getting spanked
I wish those days could come back once more
Expressing a desire to relive the past
Why did those days ever have to go?
Questioning why the times changed and could not stay the same
Cause I love them so
Because those moments hold a special place in my heart
Brother says he's telling
My brother is saying
About you playing doctor with that girl
That you were playing a game of "doctor" with a girl
Just don't tell I'll give you
Asking for discretion and offering a bribe
Anything you want in this whole wide world
Any desire can be fulfilled for keeping the secret
Mama gives you money for Sunday school
My mother provides funds for me to attend religious education
You trade yours for candy after church is through
I exchange the money for sweets after the class concludes
Smoking cigarettes and writing something nasty on the wall (you nasty boy)
Engaging in misbehavior such as smoking and defacing property
Teacher sends you to the principal's office down the hall
I am reprimanded and sent to the principal's office
You grow up and learn that kind of thing isn't right
I mature and realize that such actions are inappropriate
But while you were doing it-it sure felt out to sight
Despite this, at the time it felt exciting and fun
I wish those days could come back once more
Expressing a desire to relive the past
Why did those days ever have to go?
Questioning why the times changed and could not stay the same
I wish those days could come back once more
Expressing a desire to relive the past
Why did those days ever have to go?
Questioning why the times changed and could not stay the same
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stevie Wonder
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!