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.
You Will Know
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Traveling down the rigid road of life
Using pharmaceutical extractions
To find the paradise
Finds the high but comes down feeling lower
Gets down on their knees and starts to pray
Looking up to heaven for the answer
They hear a voice that says
You will know
Troubled heart, you'll know
Problems have solutions
Trust and I will show
Oh, you will know
Troubled heart, you'll know
Every life has reason
For I made it so
Single parent trying to raise their children
But they would much rather not alone
Reaches out to find that special someone
To make their house a home
Find someone but no one is the right one
Gets down on their knees and starts to pray
Looking up to heaven for the answer
They hear a voice that says
You will know
Lonely heart, you'll know
Problems have solutions
Trust and I will show (hey)
You will know
Lonely heart, you'll know
Every life has reason
For I made it so
You'll know
Troubled heart, you'll know
Problems have solutions
Trust and I will show
You will know
Troubled heart, you'll know
Every life has reason
For I made it so
And oh, you will know
Lonely heart, you'll know
Problems have solutions
Trust and I will show (hey)
(You will know)
You will know
You will know
You will know
You will know
You will know
Every life has reason
For I made it so
You know
Lonely heart, you'll know
The lyrics of Stevie Wonder's "You Will Know" are structured such that it highlights the universality of human pain and suffering, and the hope that is present in the act of reaching out for divine help. The song follows the stories of two different people from different walks of life who are going through difficult times. One of them is a young person who is brokenhearted and is using drugs as an escape from their problems. The other is a single parent who is longing for someone special to share life with. Both of them are clearly struggling and giving in to despair.
But then, they both turn to prayer and hope to find answers. Stevie's words tell the listener to have faith that things are going to get better. In the darkest moments, when problems seem insurmountable and solutions are hard to come by, Stevie reminds us that there is hope, and we can hold on to it. The repetition of the phrase "you will know" reinforces that idea.
The choice of words is also essential as it evokes strong emotions. Words like "troubled heart" and "pharmaceutical extractions" illustrate the struggles of the individuals. On the other hand, "problems have solutions," "trust," and "every life has a reason" all promote a message of positivity and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Lonely one of young so brokenhearted
A young person feeling isolated and heartbroken
Traveling down the rigid road of life
Navigating life's difficult challenges
Using pharmaceutical extractions
Turning to drugs for temporary escape
To find the paradise
In search of happiness and relief
Finds the high but comes down feeling lower
The temporary high from drugs doesn't last and leaves them feeling worse
Gets down on their knees and starts to pray
Turning to faith for guidance and support
Looking up to heaven for the answer
Seeking divine intervention
They hear a voice that says
Finding comfort in a higher power
You will know
Assurance that understanding will come
Troubled heart you'll know
Encouragement to trust in the process
Problems have solutions
Belief that issues can be resolved
Trust and I will show
Faith in a higher power to guide and support
Every life has reason
Belief that every person has a purpose
For I made it so
A recognition of a divine power behind everything
Single parent trying to raise their children
A parent struggling to care for their children on their own
But they would much rather not alone
Desire for support and companionship
Reaches out to find that special someone
Seeking a partner to provide love and stability
To make their house a home
Creating a loving and welcoming environment
Finds someone but no one is the right one
Encountering disappointment and setbacks
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!