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.
Overjoyed
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just for two, though you never knew you were my reason
I've gone much too far for you now to say
That I've got to throw my castle away
Over dreams, I have picked out a perfect come true
Though you never knew it was of you I've been dreaming
The sandman has come from too far away
And though you don't believe that they do
They do come true
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you would believe
You too might be
Overjoyed, over love, over me
Over heart, I have painfully turned every stone
Just to find, I had found what I've searched to discover
I've come much too far for me now to find
The love that I sought can never be mine
And though you don't believe that they do
They do come true
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you would believe
You too might be
Overjoyed, over love, over me
And though the odds say improbable
What do they know
For in romance
All true love needs is a chance
And maybe with a chance you will find
You too like I
Overjoyed, over love, over you
Over you
The song, "Overjoyed," is a beautiful ballad by Stevie Wonder about unrequited love. The lyrics are about a person who has been building a castle of love for the one they have been dreaming about, but sadly they are unaware of it. The singer has gone too far to turn back now and give up on the person, and they have painfully turned every stone only to find out that the love they sought can never be theirs.
Throughout the song, the singer relates how sending dreams and love to someone can come true if only you believe. The song implies that love is all about taking chances, and in romance, all true love needs is a chance. The song is a beautiful tribute to the idea of love and hope, and the theme of missed opportunities, and unrequited love is sure to resonate with a lot of listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Over time, I've been building my castle of love
I have been working hard to build a strong foundation of love over the years
Just for two, though you never knew you were my reason
My love and dedication was for you alone, even though you were not aware of it
I've gone much too far for you now to say
I have invested everything into this love, and now it is too late for you to dismiss my feelings
That I've got to throw my castle away
I cannot simply abandon what I have worked so hard to build, for it is a symbol of my love
Over dreams, I have picked out a perfect come true
I have idealized a perfect future with you in my mind's eye
Though you never knew it was of you I've been dreaming
You were the inspiration for my ideal future, even though I never shared it with you
The sandman has come from too far away
My dreams are beyond my control
For you to say come back some other day
I cannot simply put my idealized future on hold because it is not convenient for you
And though you don't believe that they do
You may not believe in the power of dreams, but they can come true
They do come true
It is possible for dreams to become reality
For did my dreams
I have seen my own dreams come true
Come true when I looked at you
My dreams became reality when I was with you
And maybe too, if you would believe
If you also believed in the possibility of dreams coming true, you could experience the same joy as me
You too might be
You also could feel
Overjoyed, over love, over me
Extremely happy about our love for each other and our relationship
Over heart, I have painfully turned every stone
I have searched every corner of my heart, leaving no stone unturned, to discover true love
Just to find, I had found what I've searched to discover
Finally, I have found what I have been searching for
I've come much too far for me now to find
I have invested too much time and energy to simply give up on what I have found
The love that I sought can never be mine
Unfortunately, the love that I have found cannot be fully realized or reciprocated
And though the odds say improbable
Although it seems unlikely or impossible
What do they know
People are often limited by their narrow perspectives and assumptions
For in romance
When it comes to love and relationships
All true love needs is a chance
A genuine love only requires an opportunity to flourish
And maybe with a chance you will find
If you give our love a chance, you may also discover something special
You too like I
You also could feel
Overjoyed, over love, over you
Overly happy in love with you
Over you
Completely focused on you and our relationship
Lyrics © FUSE FOUR, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, ONErpm
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!