Stevie Wonder Calls Out Trump’s Detroit Remarks at Concert

The swipe at Trump — on a night former President Barack Obama was campaigning for Harris nearby at Detroit’s Huntington Center (introduced by Eminem) — was not Wonder’s only political comment on Tuesday.

Later in the show he recited, for the first time ever, the lyrics of a new song, “Politic Playa,” which Wonder said will appear on his next album, Through the Eyes of Wonder, slated for release in March. T

he pointed song includes verses such as “you campaigned throughout the nation, saying you’ll unite the land/But when you get in office, you completely change the plan,” with a chorus that runs, “Politic playa/Why you playin’ politics so wrong/Politic playa/You get what you want, then you’re absent, up and gone.”

Introducing “Village Ghetto Land,” on which he sang accompanied only by a 12-piece string section, Wonder, who was born in Saginaw and moved to Detroit when he was four years old, recalled the violence and poverty he witnessed in the neighborhood in which he grew up.

“I just remember all this stuff was going on…a lot of what we saw then is what we’re seeing now, and that’s unacceptable. We gotta fix that,” he said, turning his attention to politicians as he added, “It’s not about what they say; it’s what they do. And my freedom  and my rights for what I want can’t be bought.”

Wonder took one more shot at Trump while vamping during “Do I Do,” referencing the Economic Club remarks again before saying, “All this has gotta stop…Let’s make America LOVE again.”

Wonder’s Detroit show was also distinguished by some special moments, including a bit of fellow Motowners the Four Tops’ “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” early on and the tour debut of “My Eyes Don’t Cry,” which had a line of fans on the arena floor doing an impromptu hustle.

During his mid-show break from the stage, meanwhile, Detroit’s Perfecting Greater Grace Singers choir performed Aretha Franklin’s “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)” before Wonder’s six backing vocalists paid tribute to the late Frankie Beverly with a rendition of Maze’s “Before I Let Go.”

Wonder also had to overcome some technical problems that shorted out the PA system three times during the night.

After the first — which interrupted “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” — was resolved he thanked the fans “for being patient, ’cause we can work it out, right?” before launching an impromptu rendition of the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out,” which he covered for a Top 20 single in 1970. The second and third came in rapid succession during “Don’t You Worry ’bout a Thing,” and an exasperated Wonder, while remaining composed, commented, “I’m sure the sound crew feels messed up.”

When it was finally fixed, he quipped “Oh, Stevie, Stevie, we forgive the mess up, and we’ll never mess up like that again.”

Wonder has four more dates on the Sing Your Song! tour, which wraps up Nov. 2 in Chicago.