RP4

Stevie Wonder, what a man. I grew up listening to his music because my parents are large advocates. Our house used to actually vibrate on Sunday afternoons because they played his music so loudly. But despite the volume, I never actually listened to his lyrics. However, as I have now realized, he packs so much into just three minutes and delivers a piece that gets people excited and makes them think.
Have you ever watched a horror movie and sometimes the anticipation to the scariest scene is built by oddly juxtaposed happy music? You know what is happening, and you know it is horrible, and you don't really want to face what will come next, but because there is light-hearted music playing you feel slightly hopeful?
Although Stevie Wonder worked with music instead of film, I feel like he was still able to capture the same element in his art.
Wonder's chorus of the piece, "We're sick and tired of hearing your song, telling how you are gonna change right from wrong, 'cause if you really want to hear our views, you haven't done nothing." could otherwise spur a heated argument had it not been delivered via music. During the peak of his music career in the 60's, the United States was grappling with taking steps towards social and political equality, but by no means, as everyone is aware, was this simple or easy to live through. However, this period in history was also filled with up-beat, rhythmically alive music. Through this strategy of reeling in an audience via his talents with Motown music, Wonder was able to spread his messages especially in a time of such national tension.
In a way, I see this as Wonder telling his own side of the story and many people are listening. Although he was one of the most well-known Motown artists with music that is still idolized today, Stevie Wonder is not a professor of any subject, nor an academic scholar who could influence the stories being told of America's past and current state; yet, he was able to captivate his audience, telling stories though his music that sometimes ran contrary to conservative political thought during the 1960's.
Even though Wonder's lyrics were not the primary source for telling the United States history during the 60's, his music gave power and voice to people who found his messages both agreeable and necessary. I am thankful for my parents adoration of his music and am very happy that it was used as a medium in class to discuss issues such as the power of storytelling and the importance of having more than one story.