I Wonder (Kanye West song)
"I Wonder" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the fourth track on his third studio album, Graduation. The song was written and produced by him; Labi Siffre received a songwriting credit due to the sampling of his work. The song's composition was influenced by rock and electronic music. Composed by West as a variation of "City of Blinding Lights" by his tourmates, the Irish rock band U2, he set it to focus on the concerns of university graduates. A hip hop and R&B ballad with Eurodance and stadium rock elements, the song relies on a sample of "My Song" by Siffre. Its downbeat instrumentation has a distorted beat and is led by Larry Gold's orchestration, razorblade synths, and a drum kit.
In the lyrics of the song, West raps about the contrasting scenarios of him having achieved his dreams and other dream chasers still searching for theirs. "I Wonder" was met with critical acclaim, being lauded for its composition. Some praised West's vocals for his delivery and certain critics saw it as a highlight of Graduation. In 2023, the song reached number 88 on the Lithuania Top 100. It was also awarded triple platinum and platinum certifications in the United States and the United Kingdom by the Recording Industry Association of America and British Phonographic Industry, respectively.
An accompanying video clip was directed by Derrick Lee and screened during the album's session at New World Stages in August 2007, consisting of synced footage from the first installment of the Tron film franchise, Tron. Despite abandoning his consideration of "I Wonder" as the fourth single from Graduation, West identified it among his three favorite songs from the album. West performed the song at the Global Gathering and Glastonbury festivals in 2008 and 2015, respectively. In 2017, Big Sean performed a cover version on the Live Lounge of BBC Radio 1Xtra with altered lyrics. A cult following has emerged for the song amongst West's fans and "I Wonder" has been credited with an impact on other musical acts.
Background and development
"I Wonder" was written and produced solely by West. The experimental production of the song created a sound different from that of West's past work, incorporating influences from rock and electronic music. After witnessing Irish rock band U2 perform "City of Blinding Lights" as he joined them on their Vertigo Tour from 2005 to 2006, he sought out to compose rap songs that could operate similarly in live venues. He set out to create his variation of the single with "I Wonder", focusing on delivering his message in a slower flow with few words and sloganeering to be chanted in unison. Having also been accompanied by the Rolling Stones on tour and inspired by both the touring acts, West found that complex lyrics did not consistently generate reactions. He jokingly said that "this 50-year-old white lady" would be waiting for the band to appear as he delivered his "super raps". The song moves towards a melancholy style, including piano, winding keys, and a crashing beat.West mentioned that the song focuses on the concerns of university graduates, echoing the title of Graduation. He explained that he offers the graduates a small amount of advice, posing the question of how they make their decisions and "letting them zone out to the music" to figure that out. Prior to the release of Graduation, West spoke of wanting to write songs that listeners could connect with. Throughout the album, West reconditioned his lines to be more simple, direct, and autobiographical in order to make them more accessible to listeners and appeal to the widest audience possible. The song's swelling, anthemic energy was the result of West's influences from the touring bands; West wished to attain a "stadium status" for his music. His lyrics talk about chasing after dreams and address his rise to fame. In a 2007 interview with Concrete Loop, West explained that he made a conscious effort not to overexert his rapping on Graduation, imparting that he felt he did so too often in the past. He instead "zoned out", entering the studio and feeling his words came from God as he focused on the beat of "I Wonder".
Recording
The song features a sample of the 1972 recording "My Song" by British singer Labi Siffre, which led to him receiving a songwriting credit. The sample is combined with synths, which were inspired by "City of Blinding Lights". By placing the sample under this instrumentation, West caused it to sound as though it was trapped in a machine. He sampled directly from the song rather than altering the pitch, as he did with the other samples in the album. Synths appear on nearly every track of Graduation, which served as West's introduction to electronic.In an interview, West stated that one of his primary objectives on Graduation was for his drums to "bang harder in stadiums". His newfound interest in house music influenced his mission to achieve stronger drum beats. West relied less on his signature shuffling rhythmic patterns and placed more emphasis on clipped electro tones, strengthening the musicality of his programmed beats. The rhythm section of "I Wonder" is structured on a combination of West's drum kit and pounding breakbeats. Its snare drum was reportedly heard while he was shopping for furniture at Moss. West spent around 10 recording sessions working on the drum track across weeks.
Despite its experimental nature, "I Wonder" remains one of the few tracks from Graduation that harbor certain characteristics of West's former musical style. Speaking of the song retrospectively, fellow rapper Cyhi the Prynce described West as "very musical". The sample from Siffre's "My Song" is soulful, maintaining West's audience from his earlier style. Alongside the sample, the orchestration includes his familiar piano and strings. The track's keyboards were played by West collaborator Jon Brion, who delivered a full string section.
Composition and lyrics
Musically, "I Wonder" is a hip hop and R&B ballad, with elements of Eurodance and stadium rock. The song contains a soulful, piano-led sample from "My Song" by Siffre. Vocals from the sample are used for the hook, posing the question: "And I wonder if you know/ What it means to find your dreams?" The sample is combined with razorblade crossover synths throughout, as well as breakbeats. Its downbeat instrumentation features a 10-piece orchestra arranged by Larry Gold. The orchestration consists of violin, viola, cello, bass, piano, and strings, accompanying the song's distorted beat. "I Wonder" features experimental production, with a stop-and-start arrangement accompanied by a melodic cadence and anthemic energy. The melodic cadence slows down, with West matching his rapping flow. Through sparse vocals and a staccato delivery, West delivers minimal verses in melancholia. Momentarily, West stops rapping and allows the instrumentation to wander indistinctly. The song features a lengthy introduction, which includes twinkling keyboards. Its bridge consists of snare and kick drums, led by the synths. Following the song's third verse that continues the kick drum, it enters a breakdown. The beat crashes, dominated by the strings until the song's conclusion.Lyrically, "I Wonder" contains introspection from West regarding dream chasers. The rapper describes the struggles of other people in fulfilling their lives, who are still searching for their dreams. On the contrary, West acknowledges that he has achieved his own dreams as he raps about becoming involved with the contents of a blouse. The track opens with a proclamation from West: "I've been waiting for this moment my whole life." He touches on a difficult relationship in the first verse, utilizing a staggered delivery. On the third and final verse, West returns to his usual cadence once the relationship seemingly ends. He also offers a call-out to the women present, questioning how many have "no spouse" and rhyming the lyrics with "blouse." West moves away from the subject of others' struggles and delivers bravado.
Some music journalists commented on how the lyrical content compared to the aspirational theme of "I Wonder". To Hillary Crosley from Billboard, West places focus on inspiration: "I've been waiting on this my whole life/You can still be what you wish you is, that's what intuition is." However, Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune detected that the song has undertones of self-doubt: "And I wonder if you know what it all means?" Todd Williams from The Boombox remarked that West seems to be in disbelief of his accomplishments in his career and life. Jesal Padania for RapReviews declared that the song's lyricism loosely shows West's miscommunication with many people, while its "buzz-lines and Shakespearian open text" attract listeners: "Do you even remember what the issue is?"
Release and promotion
"I Wonder" was first previewed when the digital radio station BBC Radio 1Xtra hosted an "Audience With Kanye West" event at the BBC Radio Music Theatre in London on August 13, 2007. West guided a specially selected audience through Graduation, playing the album on his MacBook Air laptop via a speaker system. West first performed "I Wonder" live during a secret show with Barbadian singer Rihanna at the Methodist Central Hall in the City of Westminster on August 20, 2007. The show was held to 500 fans and invited guests, who were mostly competition winners and music industry insiders. Initially, the guests were greeted with graduation outfits and Mortar Boards in reference to the album's title."I Wonder" was one of the tracks that West played during a listening session for Graduation at the New World Stages in Manhattan, New York on August 28, 2007, accompanied by a video clip. Inside an auditorium, West revealed his influences and aspirations. West played the songs from start-to-finish uninterrupted, with special programs of the lyrics handed out. He mentioned that the song served as his version of U2's "City of Blinding Lights" and how he simplified his lyrics to generate reactions from audiences. Despite originally being set to serve as the opener, "I Wonder" was ultimately released as the fourth track of Graduation on September 11, 2007. West imparted that the song was one of his three favorites from the album; he focused on its level of emotion and stadium feel, mentioning a favorite composition of his as Gold's strings in the breakdown. The rapper reportedly considered the track as an option for the record's fourth single following release, although he instead subsequently chose to release "Flashing Lights" in November 2007, another favorite that he saw as the album's "coolest" number.