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.
For the First Time
John Legend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's like I heard nothing for a thousand years
My eyes were closed, locking in my tears
I was so surrounded but still all alone
A great big house but so far from home
How'd you breathe life in this heart of soul
It's like I can live, it's like I can love
For the first time, for the first time
For the first time, for the first time
I'm electric, finally exposed
You see through me, strip off all my clothes
If this is falling, then let me go, oh
It's like I can feel, it's like I can breathe
It's like I can live, it's like I can love
For the first time, for the first time
For the first time, for the first time
I'm finally awake and I can feel my heart
It's beating like a drum when I'm right here where you are
I can feel it, I can feel it, oh
Can you feel it
It's like I can feel, it's like I can breathe
It's like I can live, it's like I can love
For the first time, for the first time
For the first time, for the first time
It's like I can feel, it's like I can breathe
It's like I can live, it's like I can love
For the first time, for the first time
For the first time, for the first time
In John Legend's song "For the First Time," the artist expresses the feeling of finally waking up from a long slumber by recounting a time in his life when he was feeling incredibly isolated and alone. In the first verse, he mentions how it feels like he's been living in darkness for a thousand years and how his tears were filling his eyes. This creates an image of someone who has been stuck in a rut, unable to break free from their negative thoughts and emotions.
He then goes on to mention how even though he was surrounded, he still felt alone. The line "a great big house but so far from home" speaks to the feeling of being physically present somewhere, but not feeling like you belong. Despite this, he marvels at the power of the person who was able to bring him back to life, allowing him to truly feel and experience things "for the first time."
The chorus expounds on this feeling of revival, using the repetition of "for the first time" to emphasize just how much of a turning point this was for the artist. He feels "electric," almost as if he's been stripped down to his rawest form, but instead of being scared, he welcomes it. He's ready to fall and embrace this newfound energy.
Overall, "For the First Time" explores the themes of isolation, loneliness, and the transformative power of love. Through simple yet evocative lyrics, John Legend creates a powerful message about the impact that one person can have on someone else's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Is that music in my ear
I am hearing something so beautiful that it almost seems unreal
It's like I heard nothing for a thousand years
I have been living in silence for so long that this music is like a revelation
My eyes were closed, locking in my tears
I have been unable to see the beauty around me, but this music has opened my eyes and released my tears
I was so surrounded but still all alone
I have been surrounded by people, but have not felt a true connection until now
A great big house but so far from home
I have everything I could ask for, but have never felt at home until now
How'd you breathe life in this heart of soul
I am amazed by how this person has brought me to life and given me hope and love
I'm electric, finally exposed
I feel alive and invigorated like never before
You see through me, strip off all my clothes
This person sees the real me and has allowed me to be vulnerable and exposed
If this is falling, then let me go, oh
If this is what it feels like to fall in love, then I am ready to let myself fall
I'm finally awake and I can feel my heart
I have been asleep and numb, but this person has awakened my heart and soul
It's beating like a drum when I'm right here where you are
My heart races with love and joy when I am with this person
I can feel it, I can feel it, oh
I can feel the love and happiness that this person brings me
Can you feel it
I want this person to feel the same love and joy that I am feeling
It's like I can feel, it's like I can breathe
This person has given me a new lease on life and every breath feels like a gift
It's like I can live, it's like I can love
I feel alive and have discovered the true meaning of love for the first time thanks to this person
For the first time, for the first time
Everything feels new and exciting and I am experiencing things for the first time
For the first time, for the first time
This person has brought me so much happiness and love that everything feels like a brand new experience
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN STEPHENS, DAVID J. SCHULER, BILLY MANN
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.