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.
Why Don't You Lead Me To Love
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lead me to love right now
And everything you do
Why don't you tell me?
Tell me you care right now
And show me that you do
This whole world′s got me down
Why don't you take me, take me
(Take me), take me by the hand
Oh yeah
Why don't you lead me?
Lead me to love right now
And everything you do
And why can′t you see girl
I need a little love right now
And show me that you do
I wanna hear you say
Yeah, baby
I′m going to stick by your side, alright
Yeah, you know
You know my love will be your guide
You know I'm gonna stick by
Searching for another please
Why don′t you touch me, touch me!
Touch me in this heart of mine!
Oh, yeah
Why don't you lead me?
Lead me to love right now
With everything you do
And why don′t you tell me?
Tell me somebody love me
Somebody love me
That someone is you
And I wanna hear you say
Yeah, yeah, oh baby
Oh, tell me that you love me stick by my side
Oh, I say that forever and ever
You'll always lead my life
This song is a plea from Stevie Wonder to his love interest to lead him to love, care for him, and show him affection. He begins by asking why she doesn't lead him to love and why she doesn't tell him that she cares for him. He expresses his feelings of being down and his inability to find a friend, and implores her to take him by the hand and lead him to love.
Stevie Wonder's vulnerability and need for love are evident in the chorus where he asks his love interest to lead him to love, and tell him that she loves him. He repeats this phrase throughout the song, emphasizing his need for her to take control and show him affection. The bridge is a plea for her to touch his heart and show him that she loves him, and the final verse is a continuation of his plea to be loved and cared for by her.
In summary, this song is a poignant expression of Stevie Wonder's desire for love and affection from someone he cares for deeply. It showcases his vulnerability and his willingness to be led and loved by his love interest.
Line by Line Meaning
Why don't you lead me?
Asking the person to guide them towards love.
Lead me to love right now
And everything you do
Take me by the hand and show me how to love.
Why don't you tell me?
Tell me you care right now
And show me that you do
Express how you feel about me and prove it with action.
This whole world's got me down
Not a friend could be found
Feeling lonely and downhearted.
Why don't you take me, take me
(Take me), take me by the hand
Oh yeah
Offering oneself to the other person, asking them to be taken.
And why can't you see girl
I need a little love right now
And show me that you do
Expressing that love is needed and asking for a demonstration of it.
I wanna hear you say
Yeah, baby
I'm going to stick by your side, alright
Yeah, you know
You know my love will be your guide
You know I'm gonna stick by
Desiring a statement of commitment from the other person.
Searching for another please
Why don't you touch me, touch me!
Touch me in this heart of mine!
Oh, yeah
Feeling a need for physical affection and intimacy.
Lead me to love right now
With everything you do
And why don't you tell me?
Tell me somebody love me
Somebody love me
Asking for love and affection to be demonstrated.
That someone is you
And I wanna hear you say
Yeah, yeah, oh baby
Oh, tell me that you love me stick by my side
Oh, I say that forever and ever
You'll always lead my life
Asking for a commitment to a long-term relationship and for the other person to always guide them through life.
Writer(s): Stevie Wonder, Lula Mae Hardaway, Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy
Contributed by Carson S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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!