The Friday Listen: “Heaven Help Us All”

by Mike Meldon

The Friday Listen is a simple, weekly reflection on music that’s been sticking with me — songs worth sitting with, revisiting, or hearing a little more closely.

This week’s pick isn’t new.

But it feels necessary.

A Song That Still Speaks

Stevie Wonder’s “Heaven Help Us All” feels less like entertainment and more like a plea — a moment of collective honesty spoken out loud.

Just this week, for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I shared his reminder that people are not only judged by their actions, but also by their silence — that remaining silent in the face of injustice carries its own responsibility.

I think that’s why this song found me again now.

When Music Says What We Avoid

“Heaven Help Us All” speaks to injustice, suffering, and division without anger or accusation. It doesn’t point fingers or offer simple solutions. Instead, it feels weary, honest, and quietly hopeful — all at once.

It doesn’t pretend certainty exists. It doesn’t wrap reality in comfort.

It simply acknowledges what is — and asks for help.

Belief Without Religion

I’m not religious, and I don’t believe in a heaven above.

But I do believe in human kindness. I believe in shared responsibility. And I believe in a common human connection that runs deeper than belief systems or labels.

When Stevie Wonder sings “Heaven help us all,” I don’t hear a religious message. I hear a human one — a reminder that if things are going to change, it’s on us.

Together.

The Power of the Music Itself

What makes this song especially powerful is the way the music lifts you, even as the message remains heavy.

There’s something almost church-like about it — not in a doctrinal sense, but in the way a good gospel hymn can rejuvenate and motivate. The melody rises. The vocals feel communal. The arrangement carries a sense of shared resolve.

Even though the lyrics speak to suffering and injustice, the music itself feels uplifting. It raises you up instead of weighing you down. It inspires rather than overwhelms.

That contrast matters. It reminds us that hope doesn’t deny hardship — it exists alongside it.

Why This Song Matters

The most unsettling thing about this song is how timeless it feels. You could place it in almost any moment — including right now — and it would still make sense.

That’s not really a good thing. It suggests that, in many ways, we haven’t moved as far forward as we’d like to believe… or maybe I’m just having a pessimistic day.

Still, that’s exactly why music like this matters.

Not because it distracts us from the world — but because it helps us see it more clearly.

And on my more optimistic days, I believe things can change. I believe we can come together. And I believe we can — and should — help us all.

Sometimes the most powerful songs don’t demand attention.

They earn it.