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.
Stranger On The Shore Of Love
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The first act begins
The scene is two people in love
Lovely is she, lucky feels he
She smiles in his eyes
He smiles in her eyes
They both vow love never to part
A perfect love story begins
'Til insecurity sets in
What happens then is, one aching heart
Oh, I don't wanna be
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
And a broken heart
I can tell you that I don't wanna be
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
And a broken heart
A table for two
Love vows of "I do"
A honeymoon out of a dream
Who could ask for, anything more
A home on a hill
With love daffodils
And cold winter nights by the fire
What more could be, for she and he
There's more than enough love and yet
She or he starts feeling regret
What do you get, one broken heart
Oh, I don't wanna be
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
And a broken heart
I can tell you from experience I don't wanna be
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
And a broken heart
I don't wanna be
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
And ah-ah-ah-oh, oh, oh
Oh, I don't wanna be, please don't let me be
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
And a broken heart, na, na, na, na, na
No, I don't wanna be no, don't let me be no
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
No, no, no with tears
I don't wanna have an upset stomach from a broken heart, baby
I don't wanna be
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
And a broken heart
The song "Stranger On The Shore of Love" by Stevie Wonder tells a story of a perfect love story that transforms into a heartbreak. The song starts by describing the beginnings of a romantic relationship between two people who are deeply in love. They make vows of never leaving each other's side and present a perfect love story. However, insecurity, doubt, and regret set in, leading to a broken heart. The song expresses the singer's fear of becoming a stranger on the shore of love with tears and a broken heart.
The song highlights the bittersweet nature of love stories. It illustrates how love can make people feel complete and fulfilled, but it can also lead to a heartbreak when things don't work out as expected. It's a reminder that even the most beautiful love stories can come to an unexpected end.
Overall, "Stranger On The Shore of Love" captures the drama and complexities of love in a delicate and thoughtful way. It's a reminder that love is a journey with ups and downs, but that it's worth it in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
The curtain goes up
The start of a new love story
The first act begins
The beginning of the couple's journey in love
The scene is two people in love
Describing the relationship between the two individuals
Lovely is she, lucky feels he
The man feels fortunate to have a beautiful woman in his life
She smiles in his eyes
The woman smiles at the man
He smiles in her eyes
The man smiles back at the woman
They both vow love never to part
The couple promises to stay in love forever
One sight for all, lovers to see
A picture-perfect romance story on display
A perfect love story begins
The beginning of a fairy tale romance
'Til insecurity sets in
When insecurity starts to creep in and disturb the harmony
What happens then is, one aching heart
One of them starts feeling pain and discomfort
Oh, I don't wanna be
The artist expresses his/her desire to avoid a certain outcome
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
Avoiding the heartbreak of lost love
And a broken heart
Suffering emotional pain and misery
A table for two
A romantic dinner setting
Love vows of 'I do'
Marriage promises of commitment and devotion
A honeymoon out of a dream
A romantic vacation of a lifetime
Who could ask for, anything more
Grateful for such a beautiful life together
A home on a hill
A beautiful house in the countryside
With love daffodils
A beautiful garden filled with lovely flowers
And cold winter nights by the fire
A cozy home where they cuddle during winter nights
What more could be, for she and he
Describing the happiness of the couple's life together
There's more than enough love and yet
Even with all the love they have, something still goes wrong
She or he starts feeling regret
One of them starts feeling remorse
What do you get, one broken heart
The cost of having regrets is a painful heartbreak
I can tell you from experience I don't wanna be
The singer has experienced the pain of heartbreak and knows how it feels
No stranger on the shore of love with tears
Avoiding the experience of suffering heartbreak alone
And ah-ah-ah-oh, oh, oh
Expressing emotions of reluctance and fear
Please don't let me be
Pleading to avoid the undesired outcome
Na, na, na, na, na
A meaningless lyric that follows the repetition of the previous line
No, no, no with tears
Rejecting the idea of suffering from heartbreak, even with tears
I don't wanna have an upset stomach from a broken heart, baby
Metaphorically describing the physical pain of emotional suffering
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!