Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder Song Info
Higher Ground is a funk song written and performed by Stevie Wonder, released in 1973 as part of his album Innervisions. The song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the US Hot R&B Singles chart. Wonder wrote and recorded the entire song in just three hours, playing all the instruments himself, including a distinctive wah-wah clavinet sound achieved with a Mu-Tron III envelope filter pedal. The lyrics address the concept of reincarnation, with Wonder expressing his belief in second chances and the value of life. Guided by a mix of Christian morality and astrological mysticism, Wonder believed he was writing a special song whose lyrics suggested a coming day of judgment. As he told Q magazine, I did the whole thing in three hours. It was almost as if I had to get it done. I felt something was going to happen. I didn't know what or when, but I felt something. The song gained profound significance when Wonder was involved in a near-fatal car accident shortly after its recording. During his subsequent coma, his manager hummed the melody of Higher Ground into his ear, and Wonder moved his fingers along with the music—the first sign of consciousness he exhibited after the accident. Higher Ground has been critically acclaimed and influential: - Rolling Stone ranked it #113 on their 2021 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time - The Red Hot Chili Peppers released a popular cover version of Higher Ground in 1989 - It has been featured in numerous films, TV shows, and video games The song's enduring relevance and impact continue to this day, as demonstrated by Wonder's performance of Higher Ground at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in support of Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.
