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.
Sylvia
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mmm, hmm
Sylvia
You Know you're getting to me now
Mmm, mmm, mmm, Sylvia
You gently touched my heart somehow
Just like the summer sun that warms my heart
And move on, now you are gone
Whoa, oh, oh, Sylvia
You're everything that I adore
That sweet song, that caught a spark I'm me more, yeah
Tenderly that's how you whisper that you loved me
As if a raindrop kissed my ear and disappeared, now you are gone
Oh, oh, oh, yeah
You know I love my little Sylvia
Sylvia, uh, uh, uh, uh, ah
And yeah, whoa, uh, yeah
And yesterday I feel in love with you all the way
Tenderly you lit a spark in my heart, now you are gone
Mmm, hmm, Sylvia
I gently miss Sylvia
I'm crazy 'bout ya, Sylvia
You know I love my little Sylvia
The song "Sylvia" by Stevie Wonder is a love song about a woman named Sylvia, who has captured the singer's heart. The song begins with the singer admitting that Sylvia is "getting to him" and that somehow she has "gently touched his heart." The lyrics suggest that she has brought joy and happiness to the singer's life, like the warmth of the summer sun. However, the second verse reveals that Sylvia is no longer with the singer, and he misses her tender whispers of love. The song ends with the singer declaring his love for Sylvia and admitting that he is crazy about her.
The lyrics of the song are simple yet poignant. The singer's feelings for Sylvia are expressed in a way that conveys both joy and sorrow. The imagery used in the lyrics, such as the summer sun and raindrops, is evocative and adds to the emotional impact of the song. The melody is also beautiful and complements the lyrics perfectly, with the use of gentle and smooth transitions between different notes.
Line by Line Meaning
Sylvia
The subject of the song and the person to whom the singer is addressing
You Know you're getting to me now
The singer expresses that Sylvia's actions and presence are significantly affecting him emotionally
You gently touched my heart somehow
The singer feels that Sylvia has made a deep emotional impact on him without even trying
Yesterday you made me happy as a child at play
The singer refers to a past moment where Sylvia brought him pure joy and elation, similar to how a child would feel at playtime
Just like the summer sun that warms my heart
The singer compares Sylvia's ability to make him happy to the warmth of the summer sun
And move on, now you are gone
The singer acknowledges Sylvia's absence and how things have changed since she left
You're everything that I adore
The singer expresses how much he loves and cares for Sylvia
That sweet song, that caught a spark I'm me more, yeah
The singer refers to Sylvia as a source of inspiration and how she motivated him to be a better person
Tenderly that's how you whisper that you loved me
The singer remembers how Sylvia would express her love for him in a gentle and caring way
As if a raindrop kissed my ear and disappeared, now you are gone
The singer compares Sylvia's loving whispers to a soft raindrop that fades away into nothingness, emphasizing how much he misses her
You know I love my little Sylvia
The singer restates his affection for Sylvia
I gently miss Sylvia
The singer expresses how much he misses Sylvia in a tender and heartfelt way
I'm crazy 'bout ya, Sylvia
The singer reinforces how much he loves Sylvia and how important she is to him
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HENRY COSBY, STEVIE WONDER, SYLVIA MOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ana Aiache
Sylvia
Canção de Stevie Wonder⚘🌿
Whoa, oh, oh, yeah
Mmm, hmm
Sylvia
You Know you're getting to me now
Mmm, mmm, mmm, Sylvia
You gently touched my heart somehow
Yesterday you made me happy as a child at play
Just like the summer sun that warms my heart
And move on, now you are gone
Whoa, oh, oh, Sylvia
You're everything that I adore
That sweet song, that caught a spark im me more, yeah
Tenderly that's how you whisper that you loved me
As if a raindrop kissed my ear and disappeared, now you are gone
Oh, oh, oh, yeah
You know I love my little Sylvia
Sylvia, uh, uh, uh, uh, ahhh...
And yeah, whoa, uh, yeah
And yesterday I feel in love with you all the way
Tenderly you lit a spark in my heart, now you are gone
Mmm, hmm, Sylvia
I gently miss Sylvia
I'm crazy 'bout ya, Sylvia
You know I love my little Sylvia
Christian Sean Dovidio
Whoa, oh, oh, yeah
Mmm, hmm Sylvia
You know you're getting to me now
Mmm, mmm, mmm, Sylvia
You gently touched my heart somehow
Yesterday you made me happy as a child at play
Just like the summer sun that warms my heart
And move on, now you are gone
Whoa, oh, oh, Sylvia
You're everything that I adore
That sweet song, that caught a spark in me more
Tenderly that's how you whisper that you loved me
As if a raindrop kissed my ear and disappeared, now you are gone
Oh, oh, oh, yeah
You know I love my little Sylvia
Whoa, oh, oh, yeah
And yesterday I feel in love with you all the way
Tenderly you lit a spark in my heart, now you are gone
Mmm, hmm, Sylvia
I gently miss Sylvia
I'm crazy 'bout ya, Sylvia
You know I love my little Sylvia
Sylvia Dalmida
My little brother dedicated this song to me the year after I married. He grew up thinking I was his mother because we were abandoned by our mother when he was three and I was five. I had to rescue us and get help. From that day forward I protected him until I was married in 1965.
Queen Bee
I will be celebrating my 65th BD in 2 days, and I dedicate this song from me to me with love! Thank You, Stevie Wonder, for being the "musical genius" that you are. You brought joy inside my tears in these tough times.
silvia miranda
Esse cantor é sensacional e essa música eu me considero homenageada, meu nome é Silvia, muitas bênçãos 👏 👏 👏
Júlio Andrade
JÁ REPETI ESTA MÚSICA LINDA UMAS 30 VEZES !!!
Sílvia Lima
Que linda, não conhecia essa música. Só a do Elvis e a do Vinicius Cantuária. 👍🏻😉
musiclover59
One of his best -- gorgeous melody, great arrangement, superb lead and backing vocals. The 60s were a special time.
Bentom86
RIP Sylvia Moy...The lady who made The Genius. Among all the epic songs & decades, I really think Ive listened to this one more than any of his others. Stevie was only 16 when he delivered this classy & underrated gem, and he had an amazing team behind him at Motown to make it possible. I hope Ms. Moy's contributions will properly celebrated and never forgotten.
lisa bradford
it s amazing that a 16 year old is singing this. but then, stevie is pretty amazing anyway.
Gregory Palmer
She was a client of mine; a truly fine lady.
Euzineia Oliveira
Amo tudo isso 💕💕💕💕 Syvia quantas recordações boas. Parabéns para o afixador.