Stevie Wonder has proven to be an innovator in just every aspect of his amazing career. One area where you might not even realize he’s been ahead of the curve is his willingness to speak out on social and political issues in his songs, occasionally risking controversy if it means he can speak his unfiltered mind.
On his 1974 single “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” Wonder dared to call out a president in his lyrics. Yet instead of the song coming out like a dry diatribe, Wonder connected it to effortlessly funky music to make sure the message went as wide as possible.
Stevie Says
Perhaps no artist possessed a bigger pulpit from which to spread a message in the ‘70s than Stevie Wonder. After proving one of the surest hitmakers at Motown in the previous decade—during which he was mostly a teenager—Wonder matured and took charge of his career in a major way with a string of brilliant albums that managed to wow critics while still churning out big hit singles.
Part of Wonder’s brilliance came from his fearlessness in pushing musical boundaries. You can hear some of that on “You Haven’t Done Nothin’.” His funky clavinet work dominates the sound, but some synthesizer effects and a drum machine provide some cool textures around that. It also didn’t hurt that he was helped on the track by The Jackson 5, who came through with the backing vocals.
All that makes this a track to which you can groove and vibe without paying much attention to the words. But you must take heed once Wonder starts singing, because the fierce edge to his vocals pretty much demands it. Wonder released a statement with the release of “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” in 1974 as a single from the album Fulfillingness’ First Finale, explaining his intent in writing the song:
“Everybody promises you everything but in the end, nothing comes out of it. I don’t vote for anybody until after they have really done something that I know about. I want to see them do something first. The only trouble is that you always hear the president or people say that they are doing all they can. And they feed you with hopes for years and years. I’m sick and tired of listening to all their lies.”
Examining the Lyrics of “You Haven’t Done Nothin’”
At no point in the lyrics does Steven Wonder actually identify the You that he’s addressing. But it didn’t take much deduction to put it together at the time. The song was aimed at the then-U.S. President Richard M. Nixon, who was at the time under severe duress as he dealt with the Watergate scandal; he would resign just days after the song was released in 1974.
Wonder immediately challenges him by suggesting his words are never matched by actions: We are amazed but not amused / By all the things you say that you’ll do. That theme of unfulfilled promises lingers throughout the remainder of the song. But we are sick and tired of hearing your song, Wonder complains. Tellin’ how you are gonna change right from wrong.
In the second verse, Wonder can’t quite bring himself to show any sympathy for the embattled world leader: It’s not too cool to be ridiculed / But you brought this upon yourself. He demands accountability, or barring that, at least honesty: We want the truth and nothing else.
The final verse comes from the perspective of those who have been failed by the president: We would not care to wake up to the nightmare / That’s become real life. Wonder makes clear the consequences of betrayal: But when misled / Who knows a person’s mind / Can turn as cold as ice.
Many have noted the use of the grammatically dreaded double negative in the title of “You Haven’t Done Nothin’.” But Stevie Wonder knew exactly what he was doing, because he was implying the target of his ire hadn’t even risen to the standard of a do-nothing. Searing stuff from an elite pop star unafraid to ruffle the feathers of the powers that be.
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