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.
Outside My Window
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La la la la
La la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la la la
Much has been written about
The world and all its kind of loves
But the sweetest of them all
You seldom will find stories of, oh, oh, oh, oh
My love lives outside my window
Clouds burst to give water
So her love can grow, oh
My love smiles to me each morning
Says, she'll never leave me and I know it's so
La la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
You don't have to look around
Or ask yourself if she is there
'Cause the fragrance of her love
Says, 'Hi' with every breath of air, oh, oh, oh, oh
My love lives outside my window
Clouds burst to give water
So her love can grow, oh
My love smiles to me each morning
Says, she'll never leave me and I know it's so
La la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
You will often hear her name
Describing anothers prettiness
But if ever there was choice
My flower would be the prettiest, oh, oh, oh, oh
My love lives outside my window
Clouds burst to give water
So her love can grow, oh
My love smiles to me each morning
Says, she'll never leave me and I know it's so
My love lives outside my window
Clouds burst to give water
So her love can grow, oh
My love smiles to me each morning
Says, she'll never leave me and I know it's so
La la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
...
In Stevie Wonder's song "Outside My Window", the singer reflects on the world and different types of love, but ultimately focuses on his own love. He talks about how his love lives outside his window and how the rain provides water for her love to grow. He also mentions how his love greets him every morning with a smile and reassurance that she will never leave him. Despite what others may say or think, the singer's love is the prettiest to him.
The lyrics of this song convey a sense of devotion and appreciation for a significant other, but also the importance of looking beyond the surface level and valuing a person for who they are. The imagery of rain and growth serves as a metaphor for the ongoing development and nurturing of a relationship.
Interestingly, "Outside My Window" was never released as a single and was only included on the album "A Time to Love" in 2005, making it a lesser-known Stevie Wonder song. However, it still showcases his musical talent and lyrical prowess.
Line by Line Meaning
La la la la la la
Repetitive melody that brings a calming and soothing effect to the listener
La la la la
Continuation of repetitive melody
La la la
Repetition of melody
La la la la la la
Continuation of repetitive melody
La la la la
Continuation of repetitive melody
La la la
Repetition of melody
Much has been written about
A lot has been talked about in regards to love in the world
The world and all its kind of loves
Different types of love in the world that have been explored and described
But the sweetest of them all
Out of all these diverse kinds of love, there is one that stands out as the finest and most beautiful
You seldom will find stories of, oh, oh, oh, oh
This kind of love is hard to come across in stories or in real life
My love lives outside my window
The person that I love is not physically present but I still feel their love
Clouds burst to give water
Rain falls from the sky, which nourishes the plants and flowers outside the window, symbolizing love growing and blooming
So her love can grow, oh
The rain nourishes the flowers, just as love nurtures the soul and helps love grow
My love smiles to me each morning
Although the person is not physically present, their love is present and felt every day
Says, she'll never leave me and I know it's so
The person's love is reassuring and constant, even though they are not physically present
You don't have to look around
There is no need to search for love in the world
Or ask yourself if she is there
There is no need to wonder if the person is present
'Cause the fragrance of her love
The presence of the person's love is felt everywhere
Says, 'Hi' with every breath of air, oh, oh, oh, oh
The person's love is omnipresent and can be felt through every breath of fresh air
You will often hear her name
The person's name is often heard in relation to others who are described as pretty or beautiful
Describing anothers prettiness
Others are described as pretty, but the artist's love is more beautiful to them
But if ever there was choice
If given a choice, the artist would choose their love over anyone else
My flower would be the prettiest, oh, oh, oh, oh
The singer's love is the prettiest and most beautiful person to them
My love lives outside my window
Reiteration of the idea that the person's love is not physically present, but still strong
Clouds burst to give water
Reiteration of the idea that love grows and blooms with nourishment
So her love can grow, oh
Reiteration that love grows and flourishes when it is nurtured and nourished
My love smiles to me each morning
Reiteration of the idea that the person's love is reassuring and present every day
Says, she'll never leave me and I know it's so
Reiteration of the idea that the person's love is constant and reassuring
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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!