He's Misstra Know-It-All

Stevie Wonder

About He's Misstra Know-It-All

"He's Misstra Know-It-All" is a single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla (Motown) label, from his Innervisions album, which reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1974. The song takes the form of a mellow ballad with a steady beat, principally a solo performance with Wonder providing lead vocal, background vocal, piano, drums, handclaps and congas. Ethereal flute-like sounds are provided by his TONTO modular synthesiser. Willie Weeks, on electric bass, is the only other musician. Towards the end of the song the mood changes to a stronger feel, more strident singing and with hand-claps emphasising the beat, half-beat and quarter-beat. The song was released again in 1977 in both the UK and US as the B-side to "Sir Duke". The song is essentially a long description of a know-it-all confidence trickster character who is a "man with a plan", who has a slick answer to all his critics and who has "a counterfeit dollar in his hand." It has been alleged that this is a reference to United States' President Richard Nixon. 


Year:
2005
5:36
43 

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

He's a man
With a plan
Got a counterfeit dollar in his hand
He's misstra know-it-all

Playin' hard
Talkin' fast
Makin' sure that he won't be the last
He's misstra know-it-all

Makes a deal
With a smile
Knowin' all the time that his lie's a mile
He's misstra know-it-all

Must be seen
There's no doubt
He's the coolest one with the biggest mouth
He's misstra know-it-all

If you tell him he's livin' fast
He will say what do you know
If you had my kind of cash
You'd have more than one place to go oh

Oou... oou... oou oou... oou...
Any place
He will play
His only concern is how much you'll pay
He's misstra know-it-all

If he shakes
On a bet
He's the kind of dude that won't pay his debt
He's misstra know-it-all

When you say that he's livin wrong
He'll tell you he knows he's livin' right
And you'd be a stronger man
If you took misstra know-lt-all's advice oh oh

Oou... oou... oou oou... oou...
He's the man
With a plan
Got a counterfeit dollar in his hand
He's misstra know-it-all

Take my work
Please beware
Of a man that just don't give a care no
He's misstra know-it-all (look out he's coming)

dumb bum bum ba bum bum,
dumb bum bum ba bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum say
He's misstra know-it-all

Can this line
Take his hand
Take your hat off to the man who's got the plan
He's misstra know-it-all

Every boy take your hand
To the man that's got the plan
He's misstra know-it-all

Give a hand to the man
That you know he's got the plan
He's misstra know-it-all

Give a hand to the man
Don't you know darn well he's got the super plan
He's misstra know-it-all

Give a hand to the man
You know damn well he's got the super plan
He's misstra know-it-all

If we had less of him
Don't you know we'd have a better land
He's misstra know-it-all

So give a hand to the man
Although you've given out as much as you can
He's misstra know-it-all

Check his sound out
He'll tell it all
Hey
You talk too much you worry me to death
He's misstra know-it-all fade

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!


Stevie Wonder

Stevland Hardaway Morris (born May 13, 1950 as Stevland Hardaway Judkins), known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, a child prodigy who developed into one of the most creative musical figures of the late 20th century. Blind since shortly after birth, Wonder signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of eleven, and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day. more »

14 fans

Written by: Stevie Wonder

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Attribute
"He's Misstra Know-It-All" is a song by the American musician Stevie Wonder from his 1973 album Innervisions.
Album Context
The song is the final track on the album, which features a mixture of socially conscious material and songs about love.
Composer Origin
Stevie Wonder, whose real name is Stevland Hardaway Judkins, is a vastly influential figure in the music world. He was born in Saginaw, Michigan but moved to Detroit at a very early age where he developed his musical talents.
Song Inspiration
The song "He's Misstra Know-It-All" is said to be inspired by American President Richard Nixon's stint during the Watergate scandal. Stevie Wonder wrote it as a satire of deceitful politicians.
Musicality
It features Wonder's signature sound, rich in electronic keyboards, sophisticated vocal layering, and lyricism. Despite its critical narrative, Wonder embedded the song with a sense of joy through its melody, instrumentation and vocal performance.
Award-winning Album
Innervisions won the 1974 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. This made Wonder the third African-American artist to win this prize.
Song Length
The song is one of Wonder's longer works, with a duration of nearly seven minutes.
Lyrics Interpretation
The song's lyrics deal with a character who thinks he knows everything, yet is revealed to be a charlatan. In the lyrics, Wonder makes it clear that the "Know-It-All" is destined for a fall.
Unique Instrumentation
Aside from traditional instruments, the song also includes unorthodox instruments such as a Hohner clavinet, used extensively during the '70s by Wonder.
Cover Versions
Although the track is not as widely covered as some of Wonder's other works, its been performed by Herbie Hancock, George Michael and Mary J. Blige among others.

Discuss the He's Misstra Know-It-All Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "He's Misstra Know-It-All Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/35841962/Stevie+Wonder/He%27s+Misstra+Know-It-All>.

    Missing lyrics by Stevie Wonder?

    Know any other songs by Stevie Wonder? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    He's Misstra Know-It-All

    14,100
    269     15

    more tracks from the album

    The Complete Stevie Wonder

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Rock and roll musician Del Shannon was the stage name of?
    A Reginald Dwight
    B Patrick Clapp
    C Del Unser
    D Charles Westover

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Don't miss Stevie Wonder's

    Upcoming Events

    »
    Stevie Wonder tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!