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.
Thank You Love
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You made me happy in so many ways
Through all my sweet and tender yesterdays
You were the sunshine I needed love
You were there
You warmed my heart when troubled skies would come
You were my one and only faithful one
Whoa, oh
Thank you love
With all my heart and soul I thank you love
Each day that comes and goes I thank you love
I thank you 'cause you gave me true love, whoa
I was lost
Somewhere along life's road I was lost
And on that lonesome road our bridges crossed
You showed me the way to tender love, oh
It's a miracle
Just like the sunshine makes the flower grow
That's just the way you change my whole life show
Through the sunshine of your tender love, whoa
Thank you love (thank you love)
With every breath I take I thank you love
With every new day break I thank you love
I thank you 'cause you gave me true love
Oh my darling, when I'm down
You'll gently squeeze these hands of mine
And I feel just like a child at Christmas time
'Cause I could feel the nearness of your love
Oh my darling I've been blessed (thank you love)
A precious thing this is that I possess
You fill this heart of mine with happiness
I wanna really really thank you love
Oh my baby thank you love (thank you love)
With all my heart and soul I thank you love
Each day that comes and goes I thank you love
I thank you 'cause you gave me true true love
Thank you, thank you, thank you
The song "Thank You Love" by Stevie Wonder is a heartfelt expression of gratitude towards his lover for all the ways she has brought sunshine into his life. He acknowledges that she has been a constant source of happiness and warmth, especially during the difficult times when troubled skies would come. The love he receives from her has been a guiding light, showing him the way to a life filled with tenderness and true love. In essence, the song is a testament to the power of love to transform one's life and make everything seem brighter.
The lyrics are a beautiful expression of the love that Stevie Wonder feels for his significant other, and the way that she has changed his life for the better. The comparison of her love to the warmth of the sun and the miracle that makes flowers bloom emphasizes just how much she has impacted his life. The repeated refrain of "thank you love" reinforces the message of gratitude and appreciation that he feels towards her. The song is not just a romantic ballad, but it also speaks to the universal need for love and how it can brighten even the darkest days.
Line by Line Meaning
Thank you love
Expressing gratitude for the love received
You made me happy in so many ways
Love brought happiness in various aspects of life
Through all my sweet and ender yesterdays
Love was present during sweet and tender moments in the past
You were the sunshine I needed love
Love was the source of warmth and brightness needed in life
You were there
Love was always present and reliable
You warmed my heart when troubled skies would come
Love provided comfort during difficult times
You were my one and only faithful one
Love was the only true and loyal partner
I wanna really really thank you love
Emphasizing the desire to sincerely express gratitude for the love received
With all my heart and soul I thank you love
Thanking love with complete sincerity and appreciation
Each day that comes and goes I thank you love
Every day, love is appreciated and thanked for being present
I thank you 'cause you gave me true love
The gratitude is because love was genuine and authentic
I was lost
Feeling directionless and disoriented in life
Somewhere along life's road I was lost
Feeling lost at some point in the journey of life
And on that lonesome road our bridges crossed
Love intersected with life during a difficult period
You showed me the way to tender love
Love helped find a path to gentle and caring affection
It's a miracle
The impact of love feels like a wondrous and extraordinary event
Just like the sunshine makes the flower grow
Love's effect is similar to how sunlight helps flowers thrive
That's just the way you change my whole life show
Love transformed and improved life drastically
Oh my darling, When I'm down
Addressing the loved one as a term of endearment
You'll gently squeeze these hands of mine
Love provides physical touch and comfort
And I feel just like a child at Christmas time
The joy and excitement of love are similar to that of a child on Christmas
'cause I could feel the nearness of your love
The presence of love feels close and strong
Oh my darling I've been blessed
Feeling fortunate and grateful for the presence of love
A precious thing is this that I possess
Love is treasured and valued highly
Could fill this heart on mine with happiness
Love brings immense joy and fulfillment to the heart
Oh my baby thank you love
Expressing appreciation to the loved one as a term of endearment
I thank you 'cause you gave me true true love
Appreciating the love for being genuine and authentic
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Reiterating the expression of gratitude for the love received
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy
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!