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.
I'm Your Puppet
John Legend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm your puppet
I'll do funny things if you want me to
I'm your puppet
Oh, I'm yours to have and to hold
Darlin', you've got full control
Of your puppet
Pull another string and I'll kiss your lips
I'm your puppet, oh yes, I'll have it
Snap your fingers and I'll turn you some flips
I'm your puppet, oh darlin'
Listen, your every wish is my command
All you gotta do is wiggle your little hand
I'm your puppet, yeah, I'm your puppet
I'm just a toy, just a funny boy
That makes you laugh when you feel blue
I'll be wonderful, do just what I'm told
I'll do anything for you
I'm your puppet
Just pull them little strings and I'll sing you a song
I'm your puppet, oh
Make me do right or make me do wrong
I'm your puppet, yeah yeah
Treat me good and I'll do anything, yeah
I'm just a puppet an' you hold my string
I'm your puppet
Darlin', darlin', pull the strings
Let me sing you a song, baby
I'm your puppet. baby
You can sing to me all night long
Honey, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'll kiss your lips, honey yeah
In John Legend and Samuel L. Jackson’s song “I’m Your Puppet,” the lyrics depict the idea of a puppet being controlled by his or her master. The puppet is at the mercy of the master’s every whim, and is willing to do whatever the master desires in order to please them. The puppet emphasizes his willingness to do anything for the master by singing, “Just pull them little strings and I'll sing you a song. Make me do right or make me do wrong. I'm your puppet, yeah yeah.”
The lyrics of this song can be interpreted as a metaphor for a relationship dynamic in which one person is in control and the other person is willing to do whatever it takes to make the other happy. This can be seen in the lines “Listen, your every wish is my command. All you gotta do is wiggle your little hand. I'm your puppet, yeah, I'm your puppet.” The lines signify the partner’s need for validation and desire to please their significant other.
Overall, the song “I’m Your Puppet” highlights the idea of being submissive in a relationship and doing whatever it takes to please the other person. It emphasizes the importance of control and the lengths people will go to feel loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Pull the strings and I'll wink at you
You have complete control over me and I'll follow your lead.
I'm your puppet
I will do anything you ask of me and let you lead me.
I'll do funny things if you want me to
I'll entertain you and be a source of joy in your life.
Oh, I'm yours to have and to hold
I belong to you and am devoted to your service.
Darlin', you've got full control
You are the master and I am the servant, with no will of my own.
Of your puppet
I am completely dedicated to serving you and fulfilling your every desire.
Pull another string and I'll kiss your lips
I'll do whatever you ask, including showing affection and intimacy.
Snap your fingers and I'll turn you some flips
I am eager to please you and will perform for your entertainment.
Listen, your every wish is my command
I am at your service and will do whatever you ask, no matter what it is.
All you gotta do is wiggle your little hand
Even the slightest gesture or indication from you is enough to prompt me to act.
Yeah, I'm your puppet
I am completely devoted to you and will do anything you ask of me.
I'm just a toy, just a funny boy
I exist solely to amuse and entertain you, with no agency of my own.
That makes you laugh when you feel blue
I am here to bring you joy and happiness, even in your darkest moments.
I'll be wonderful, do just what I'm told
I strive to be perfect in your eyes and will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.
I'll do anything for you
I am completely devoted to you and will do whatever it takes to make you happy.
Just pull them little strings and I'll sing you a song
I am eager to please you and will use my talents to entertain you at your whim.
Make me do right or make me do wrong
I have no agency or moral compass of my own - I exist solely to do your bidding.
Treat me good and I'll do anything, yeah
I am completely dependent on your approval and will do whatever it takes to maintain it.
I'm just a puppet an' you hold my string
I am powerless and at your mercy - you control my actions and my fate.
Darlin', darlin', pull the strings
You are the one in control, and I am completely submissive to your will.
Let me sing you a song, baby
I want to use my talents to entertain and please you.
You can sing to me all night long
I am here to be your audience and to make you happy, no matter what it takes.
I'll kiss your lips, honey yeah
I am here to be physically intimate with you and to fulfill your every desire, no matter what it is.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SPOONER OLDHAM, DAN PENN
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.