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.
Ngiculela
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(zulu translation by thoko mdalose hall)
Ngiculela ikusasg
Ngliyacula nao thando
Ngicula ngelinyi langa
Uthando luyobusa
Es una historia
(spanish translation by raymond maldonado)
Es una historia de manana
Es una historia de amor
Es una historia que amor reinera
Por nuestro mundo
Es una historia de mi corazon
I am singing
There’s songs to make you smile
There’s songs to make you sad
But with an happy song to sing
It never seems so bad
To me came this melody
So I’ve tried to put in words how I feel
Tomorrow will be for you and me
I am singing of topmorrow
I am singing of love
I am singing someday love will reign
Througout this world of ours
I am singing of love from my heart
Let’s all sing someday sweet love will reign
Througout this world of ours
Let’s start singing
Of love from our hearts
Let’s start singing
Of love from our hearts
The lyrics to Stevie Wonder’s ‘Ngiculela’ are quite complex and multilingual. The song begins with a phrase in Zulu which translates to “I am crying” (ngiculela) because of love (thando), and because love rules the day (uthando luyobusa) beneath the sun (ngelinyi langa). The second verse, in Spanish, shares that this is a story: “Es una historia de manana” – it is a story of tomorrow – and of love, which will rule the world (“Por nuestro mundo”) and reign in the artist’s heart. The song then returns to English with a melody that came to Wonder and the lyrics he came up with to describe it: there are songs for happiness and sadness, but singing a happy song can make things seem less dire. Wonder sings directly to his listener, sharing that he is singing of tomorrow and of love, and he encourages everyone to begin singing of love from their hearts.
‘Ngiculela’ is both personal and universal, with Wonder’s lyrics moving from his own feelings caused by love to a more expansive love that will change the world. The use of multiple languages not only reflects the artist’s own multicultural background, but it invites a global audience to connect with the song on different levels. The song’s call to sing of love suggests that music is a powerful tool to not only express emotions, but to bring people together and create positive change in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Ngiculela ikusasg
I am singing of tomorrow
Ngliyacula nao thando
I am singing of love
Ngicula ngelinyi langa
I am singing someday love will reign
Uthando luyobusa
Throughout this world of ours
Jikelele kulomblada wethu
Let's all start singing of love from our hearts
Contributed by Reagan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@morganalvarez5925
This song should be played
on loud speakers over and
over again in all towns and
shopping centres to
get people to feel love
and peace i believe
through beautiful
emotional music like
this God is spreading
his message of peace
and love thank you
Lord Jesus for such
beautiful songs
I think in this song
Stevie is trying to
unite the world through
peace and love
God bless you
Stevie Wonder :-)
@africanandproud6792
Who taught Stevie Wonder how to sing in my Zulu language of South Africa? Even his pronunciation of our words is on point. Very impressive 🙏🏾🇿🇦
@candiceward8345
Stevie is god in my eyes
@siyavuyambuli284
Probably Letta Mbulu
@onkekweyama6021
@siyavuyambuli284 Yes it's her who taught him
@morganalvarez5925
This song should be played
on loud speakers over and
over again in all towns and
shopping centres to
get people to feel love
and peace i believe
through beautiful
emotional music like
this God is spreading
his message of peace
and love thank you
Lord Jesus for such
beautiful songs
I think in this song
Stevie is trying to
unite the world through
peace and love
God bless you
Stevie Wonder :-)
@zowjakhalifah
Agreed
@adrienpressey7439
ITS TRUE. HE SAID HE IS STILL TRYING TO WRITE THE SONG. THAT UNITES HUMANITY.
@GiselleGrape
Oh what a PERFECT perspective and comment!!!!!!! Could NOT agree with you MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would love to put it on the loudspeakers at my school!!!🙏☺️🥰💕💗💖❤️
@morganalvarez5925
@@adrienpressey7439 Amen to that how the world so desperately
needs peace right now especially
what's going on the middle east
✌️ ☮️ 🕊 🏳️ ❤️
@morganalvarez5925
@@GiselleGrape Thanks Giselle ❤️ 💕 😊