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.
So What the Fuss
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
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And everybody dances on my bare feet
Shame on me
If I'm mindin' my business just doin' the right thing
And you try to front me off in the street
Shame on you
If a family's waiting for that special blessing to come their way
But they ain't tryin' to get on their knees and pray
And if we live in a time where every nation's fightin' 'round the world
Yet we can't all agree that peace is the way
Shame on us
Shame on me, shame on you
Shame on them, shame on us
Shame on me, shame on you
Shame on them, shame on us
So what the fuss?
If I gotta get up early in the morning for a job interview
And I forget to set the stupid alarm
Shame on me
If my children are playin' outside like little children do
And you come 'round there tryin' to bring them some harm
Shame on you
Should I be drivin' through a Klantown, find a restaurant to get me some food
And someone says, "Hey boy, we don't serve your kind"
Shame on them
And if we live in a democracy and you don't use your power to vote
Knowin' some would like to turn back the hands of time
Shame on us, mm
Shame on me (shame, shame)
Shame on you (shame, shame)
Shame on them (shame, shame)
Shame on them (sha-sha-shakity, shame)
Shame on me, shame (shame) on you
Shame (shame) on them, shame (shame) on us
So what the fuss?
What the fuss?
What the fuss?
What the fuss?
If I'm hooked on a habit knowin' damn well it could cost me my life
Yet I keep doin' what I should do without
Shame on me
If you're locked in a marriage and your other half just gives you abuse
Yet you've convinced yourself that there's no way out
Shame on you
If we're jammin' the music and somebody's got the audacity
To say that they can jam it better than us
Shame on them
And should there be just a handful that believe that we are totally free
And there's no need to fight for equality
Shame on us
Shame on me (shame, shame)
Shame on you (shame, shame)
Shame on them (shame, shame)
Shame on them (sha-sha-shakity, shame)
Shame on me, shame (shame) on you
Shame (shame) on them, shame (shame) on us
So what the fuss?
One more time
Shame on me (shame, shame)
Shame on you (shame, shame)
Shame on them (shame, shame)
Shame on them (sha-sha-shakity, shame)
Shame on me, shame (shame) on you
Shame (shame) on them, shame (shame) on us
So what the fuss?
I say, what the fuss?
I say, what the fuss?
Say, what the fuss?
What the fuss?
Listen first, listen, listen
Say, what the fuss?
Come on now
The lyrics of Stevie Wonder's "So What The Fuss" present a series of situations that could be considered shameful in some way, and they implore us to consider our actions and take responsibility for them. The first verse deals with personal responsibility - if we are unprepared or careless about our own choices, we should be ashamed. The second verse discusses societal issues such as racism, violence, and political apathy. In all cases, the chorus repeats the same refrain - shame on those who are not living up to their responsibilities.
The song is a call to action, asking the listener to take an honest look at themselves and their actions. It encourages them to be aware of their surroundings and to take responsibility for their actions. The repetition of the phrase "shame on" is used to emphasize that individuals must be held accountable for their actions, and that a collective responsibility for the harms being caused must be taken. The song is encouraging and uplifting, with a message of hope for a better future, one in which responsibility is taken seriously and social problems are addressed.
Line by Line Meaning
If I'm caught at a dance party without my dancin' shoes
If I show up unprepared to a situation where preparation is necessary
And everybody dances on my bare feet
And everyone else takes advantage of my unpreparedness
Shame on me
I am at fault for not being prepared
If I'm mindin' my business just doin' the right thing
If I am going about my day and doing what is expected of me
And you try to front me off in the street
And someone tries to publicly challenge or intimidate me
Shame on you
You are at fault for trying to disrupt my peace
If a family's waiting for that special blessing to come their way
If a family is expecting something good to happen to them
But they ain't tryin' to get on their knees and pray
But they are not putting in the effort to make that good thing happen
Shame on them
They are at fault for not working towards their desired outcome
And if we live in a time where every nation's fightin' 'round the world
And if we are currently in a world where every country is involved in conflict
Yet we can't all agree that peace is the way
Yet we cannot seem to come together and decide that peace is the answer
Shame on us
We are at fault for not choosing peace as the solution
If I gotta get up early in the morning for a job interview
If I have an important task to do the next day
And I forget to set the stupid alarm
And I forget to prepare for that task properly
Shame on me
I am at fault for not properly preparing for the task
If my children are playin' outside like little children do
If my children are innocently playing outside
And you come 'round there tryin' to bring them some harm
And someone tries to harm my children for no reason
Shame on you
You are at fault for trying to harm innocent children
Should I be drivin' through a Klantown, find a restaurant to get me some food
If I were traveling through an area known for racism and wanted food
And someone says, 'Hey boy, we don't serve your kind'
And someone denies me service because of my race
Shame on them
They are at fault for discriminating against me
And if we live in a democracy and you don't use your power to vote
And if we live in a country where we have the right to vote and participate in democracy
Knowin' some would like to turn back the hands of time
While knowing there are people who wish to regress society
Shame on us, mm
We are at fault for not utilizing our power to create a better society
If I'm hooked on a habit knowin' damn well it could cost me my life
If I am engaging in a behavior that I know is harmful to me
Yet I keep doin' what I should do without
Yet I continue to partake in that behavior regardless
Shame on me
I am at fault for not prioritizing my health and well-being
If you're locked in a marriage and your other half just gives you abuse
If you are in a toxic relationship where your partner is abusive
Yet you've convinced yourself that there's no way out
But you have normalized the abuse and convinced yourself that you cannot leave
Shame on you
You are at fault for not valuing yourself enough to leave the toxic situation
If we're jammin' the music and somebody's got the audacity
If we are enjoying something and someone dares to question our enjoyment
To say that they can jam it better than us
And claims they can do it better than us
Shame on them
They are at fault for trying to belittle us and our enjoyment
And should there be just a handful that believe that we are totally free
If only a small group of people believe they are truly free and equal
And there's no need to fight for equality
And believe that there is no need to pursue further progress towards equality
Shame on us
We are at fault for not continuing to strive for equality and freedom
So what the fuss?
So why are we wasting our energy and time on frivolous things?
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!