Legend also played the piano on Lauryn Hill's 1998 song "Everything is Everything" and sang background vocals on Jay-Z's "Encore" and Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name". Legend frequently cites gospel, R&B, and hip hop music as his main musical influences.
Legend released his critically acclaimed and Billboard Top Ten second album, Once Again, in October 2006. Produced by Raphael Saadiq, Kanye West and will.i.am, it is again a mixture of gospel and classic soul showcasing his extraordinary voice, particularly on "Show Me".
Grammy Award Wins:
*2005 Best New Artist
*2005 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: "Ordinary People"
*2005 Best R&B Album- Get Lifted
*2007 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: Heaven
*2007 Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: Family Affair
Neo-soul singer and pianist John Legend combined the raw fervor of contemporaries Cody ChesnuTT and the burning precision of D'Angelo. Born John Stephens, Legend was a child prodigy who grew up in Ohio, where he began singing gospel and playing piano at the tender age of five. Legend left Ohio at 16 to attend college in Philadelphia, and it was there that he first found a larger audience. Not yet out of his teens, Legend was tapped to play piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything" in 1998. After completing college, he moved to New York, where he began to build a loyal following playing in nightclubs and releasing CDs that he would sell at shows. He also became an in-demand session musician, playing and occasionally writing for a wide array of artists, including Alicia Keys, Twista, Janet Jackson, and Kanye West. It wasn't until West signed the young talent to his new label that he adopted the Legend name with 2004's Solo Sessions Vol. 1: Live at the Knitting Factory. Get Lifted, his first studio album, was released later in the year. On the strength of enduring single "Ordinary People," the album reached the Top Five of the Billboard 200. This led to three Grammy Awards: Best R&B Album, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance, and Best New Artist. Once Again, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and number one on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, followed in October 2006. Live from Philadelphia, sold exclusively at Target stores, was a successful stopgap release that predated October 2008's Evolver.
Coming Home
John Legend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A mother prays for his return
I just called to see
If you still have a place for me
We know that like took us apart
But you're still within my heart
I go to sleep and feel your spirit next to me
I'll make it home again
I pray you'll fall in love again
Just say you'll entertain the possibility
I learned enough from my mistakes
Learned from all I didn't say
Won't you wait for me
It may be long to get me there
It feels like I've been everywhere
But someday I'll be coming home
Round and round the world will spin
Oh, the circle never ends
So you know that I'll be coming home
We fight to stay alive
But somebody's got to die
It's so strange to me
A new year, a new enemy
Another soldier gone to war
Another story told before
Now it's told again
It seems the wars will never end
But we'll make it home again
Back where we belong again
We're holding on to when
We used to dare to dream
We pray we live to see
Another day in history
Yes we still believe
It may be long to get me there
It feels like I've been everywhere
But someday I'll be coming home
Round and round the world will spin
Oh, the circle never ends
So you know that I'll be coming home
Coming home, coming home
I'm coming, I'm coming
I'm coming, I'm coming
You know that I'll be coming
I'm coming, I'm coming
Coming home, I'll be coming
You know that I'll be coming home
I'll be coming home
I'll be coming home
It may be long to get me there
It feels like I've been everywhere
But someday I'll be coming home
Round and round the world will spin
Oh, the circle never ends
So you know that I'll be coming home
The song Coming Home by John Legend is a heartwarming and emotional tribute to the upheavals of life, reminding listeners that there is always hope, even in times of turmoil. The lyrics tell the story of a soldier who has been separated from his loved ones due to the rigors of war. The song begins with a father waiting for his son's return and a mother praying for his safe homecoming. The singer then calls his loved one to check if there's still a place for him in their lives. Despite being physically apart, the soldier feels the presence of his loved ones as he goes to sleep at night.
As the song progresses, the lyrics reflect on the countless lives lost in warfare and the arduous journey to return home. The song talks about fighting to stay alive and the tragedy that often accompanies such efforts. However, the singer continues to hold onto hope and believes that he will return home someday. The song's chorus repeats its central message about coming home and the infinite cycle of life.
The lyrics offer a bittersweet portrayal of the journey through life and its ups and downs. The soldier is separated from his loved ones, and the world is in turmoil, but the song suggests that there is always a silver lining. The lyrics showcase the power of dreams, hope, and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
A father waits upon a son
A father eagerly anticipates the return of his son
A mother prays for his return
A mother is fervently praying for her child to come back
I just called to see
If you still have a place for me
The singer is asking if there's still room for him in their lives
We know that like took us apart
But you're still within my heart
Although their lives have taken them in different directions, the person is still important to the singer
I go to sleep and feel your spirit next to me
Even though they are physically apart, the singer feels a connection to this person when they sleep
I'll make it home again
The singer is confident that they will return home someday
I pray you'll fall in love again
The singer hopes that the person they are addressing will find love once more
Just say you'll entertain the possibility
The singer is asking for a chance to return to their lives
I learned enough from my mistakes
Learned from all I didn't say
The singer has grown and learned from past errors and regrets
Won't you wait for me
The singer is asking the person to hold on and wait for their return
It may be long to get me there
It feels like I've been everywhere
But someday I'll be coming home
The singer acknowledges that the journey may be long, but they are determined to come back home
Round and round the world will spin
Oh, the circle never ends
So you know that I'll be coming home
No matter where life takes them, the singer will always find a way back home
We fight to stay alive
But somebody's got to die
It's so strange to me
A new year, a new enemy
The singer reflects on the cost of war and the never-ending cycle of violence and death
Another soldier gone to war
Another story told before
Now it's told again
It seems the wars will never end
The singer laments the repetition of history and warfare
But we'll make it home again
Back where we belong again
We're holding on to when
We used to dare to dream
We pray we live to see
Another day in history
Yes we still believe
Despite the challenges and struggles, the singer and their fellow soldiers hold onto hope and faith that they will come back home
Coming home, coming home
I'm coming, I'm coming
I'm coming, I'm coming
You know that I'll be coming
I'm coming, I'm coming
Coming home, I'll be coming
You know that I'll be coming home
I'll be coming home
I'll be coming home
The singer repeatedly affirms their intention to come back home
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHN STEPHENS, WILL ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jaxon
on All of Me
really really good I love it
Rickie
on All of Me
Good
Christine Bañega
on All of Me
like
Promise Sokyes
on All of Me
A perfect love song.