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.
If It's Magic
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then why can't it be everlasting
Like the sun that always shines
Like the poets in this rhyme
Like the galaxies in time
If it's pleasing
Then why can't it be never leaving
Like the day that never fails
Like the time that always tells
It holds the key to every heart
Throughout the universe
It fills you up without a bite
And quenches every thirst
So
If it's special
Then with it why aren't we as careful
As making sure we dress in style
Posing pictures with a smile
Keeping danger from a child
It holds the key to every heart
Throughout the universe
It fills you up without a bite
And quenches every thirst
So
If it's magic
Why can't we make it everlasting
Like the lifetime of the sun
It will leave no heart undone
For there's enough for everyone
Stevie Wonder's "If It's Magic" is a poignant love song about the beauty and mystery of life itself. The singer wonders why the magic he experiences in the world can't be eternal, everlasting like the sun, the poets, and the galaxies. He questions why people don't treat magic with the care that it deserves, the same way we take care of a child, dress in style or take pictures. Magic, the singer explains, is the key to every heart and it fills you up without taking a bite, it quenches every thirst.
The song is deeper than a love song; it's philosophical, mystical, and emotional. The singer is contemplating the very nature of life and the universe. He questions why people don't take care of magic, why they don't realize that it's the key to their hearts. The singer is urging us to be more mindful of beauty, magic and the wonders of the universe around us.
Overall, the song is a celebration of life and the beauty that surrounds us. The message is simple but profound, reminding us that we need to cherish the magic in our lives and hold it close to our hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
If it's magic
The singer is referring to something powerful and captivating.
Then why can't it be everlasting
Wonder wants to know why this magical thing cannot last forever.
Like the sun that always shines
He is comparing the power and vitality of the magical thing to that of the sun.
Like the poets in this rhyme
The artistry of the magical thing is being compared to that of poetry.
Like the galaxies in time
The singer is invoking the imagery of the cosmos to reflect the vastness of the magical thing.
If it's pleasing
Wonder is reiterating the pleasant experience of this magical thing.
Then why can't it be never leaving
He wonders why such a pleasant thing cannot stay with us forever.
Like the day that never fails
The singer compares the consistency of the magical thing to that of the dependable day.
Like on seashores there are shells
He compares the ubiquity of the magical thing to the abundance of shells on seashores.
Like the time that always tells
The singer likens the magical thing to the eternality of time.
It holds the key to every heart
Wonder declares that this magic thing is the ultimate solution to every heart's desires.
Throughout the universe
He emphasizes the universality of this magic thing.
It fills you up without a bite
The singer implies that this magical thing is capable of fulfilling you without any physical intervention.
And quenches every thirst
Once again, he is emphasizing the satisfying nature of this magical thing.
So
Wonder uses this word as a transition to the next stanza.
If it's special
He reiterates the extraordinary nature of this magical thing.
Then with it why aren't we as careful
The singer is urging listeners to be mindful of this magic thing.
As making sure we dress in style
He emphasizes the importance of this magical thing by comparing it to how we present ourselves.
Posing pictures with a smile
He emphasizes the need to capture and preserve the memory of this magical thing.
Keeping danger from a child
Just as you would protect a child from harm, we must also protect this magical thing.
It holds the key to every heart
Wonder repeats this important point from the first stanza.
Throughout the universe
Again, the universality of this magical thing is emphasized.
It fills you up without a bite
Wonder repeats this line a second time to emphasize the non-physical fulfillment aspect of this magical thing.
And quenches every thirst
He reiterates that this magical thing can satisfy any need or desire.
So
This word is once again used to transition to the final stanza.
If it's magic
The singer uses this line to repeat the central theme of the song.
Why can't we make it everlasting
Wonder is hopeful that with concerted effort, this magical thing can be made to last forever.
Like the lifetime of the sun
He uses the sun as a metaphor once again to emphasize the enduring nature of this magical thing.
It will leave no heart undone
If this magic thing can last forever, it has the power to fully satisfy everyone.
For there's enough for everyone
Wonder believes that there is enough of this magic thing for everyone to enjoy.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@californyaeh
If it's magic...
Then why can't it be everlasting
Like the sun that always shines
Like the poets in this rhyme
Like the galaxies in time
If it's pleasing...
Then why can't it be never leaving
Like the day that never fails
Like on seashores there are shells
Like the time that always tells
It holds the key to every heart
Throughout the universe
It fills you up without a bite
And quenches every thirst
So...
If it's special
Then with it why aren't we as careful
As making sure we dress in style
Posing pictures with a smile
Keeping danger from a child
It holds the key to every heart
Throughout the universe
It fills you up without a bite
And quenches every thirst
So...
If it's magic...
Why can't we make it everlasting
Like the lifetime of the sun
It will leave no heart undone
For there's enough for everyone
@jayajolene1
"If It's Magic"
If it's magic...
Then why can't it be everlasting
Like the sun that always shines
Like the poets in this rhyme
Like the galaxies in time
If it's pleasing...
Then why can't it be never leaving
Like the day that never fails
Like on seashores there are shells
Like the time that always tells
It holds the key to every heart
Throughout the universe
It fills you up without a bite
And quenches every thirst
So...
If it's special
Then with it why aren't we as careful
As making sure we dress in style
Posing pictures with a smile
Keeping danger from a child
It holds the key to every heart
Throughout the universe
It fills you up without a bite
And quenches every thirst
So...
If it's magic...
Why can't we make it everlasting
Like the lifetime of the sun
It will leave no heart undone
For there's enough for everyone
@daydreamer3603
Here from Fellow Travelers!
@kashacorbin9960
Right
@domanicklucious9996
Same!!
@scream8564
Fellow Travelers ♥👨❤👨
@strawberry5785
I played this song at my son's funeral it means so much to me
@whyask1897
So sorry for ur loss.
@jude1515
I am so so sorry for your loss. Beautiful song.
@fido652
Why can't it be everlasting...Sadly we all say goodbye. I am sorry for your loss.
@kimmygirl4544
I'm so very sorry for your loss. Even though it was a while ago, I'm still keeping you in my prayers for continued strength, comfort and peace that only God can give🙏🏽❤
@marilynhorton95
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽