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.
If You're Out There
John Legend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm calling every woman, calling every man
We're the generation
We can't afford to wait
The future started yesterday and we're already late
We've been looking for a song to sing
Searched for a melody
We've been looking for the world to change
If you feel the same
Then go on and say
If you're out there
Sing along with me
If you're out there
I'm dying to believe that you're out there
Stand up and say it loud
If you're out there
Tomorrow's starting now
Now, now
No more broken promises
No more call to war
Unless it's love and peace that we're really fighting for
We can destroy hunger
We can conquer hate
Put down the arms and raise your voice
We're joining hands today
Oh I was looking for a song to sing
I searched for a leader
But the leader was me
We were looking for the world to change
We can be heroes
Just go on and say
If you're out there
Sing along with me
If you're out there
I'm dying to believe that you're out there
Stand up and say it loud
If you're out there
Tomorrow's starting now
Now, now
Oh now, now
If you're ready we can shake the world
Believe again
It starts within
We don't have to wait for destiny
We should be the change that we want to see
If you're out there
If you're out there
And you're ready now
Say it loud
Scream it out
If you're out there
Sing along with me
If you're out there
I'm dying to believe that you're out there
Stand up and say it loud
If you're out there
Tomorrow's starting now
If you're out there
If you're out there
If you're out there
If you hear this message, wherever you stand
I'm calling every woman, calling every man
We're the generation
We can't afford to wait
The future started yesterday and we're already late
John Legend's song "If You're Out There" is a call to action to all individuals to stand up and be the change they want to see in the world. The opening verse immediately sets the tone for the song's message: that the future has already begun and we must act now before it's too late. The song calls for unity among all people, calling on women and men alike, to recognize that we are all part of "the generation" that can make a difference.
The chorus, "If you're out there, sing along with me," is an invitation to every person who feels the same way to join in and be part of the movement for change. The repetition of this call to action reinforces the message that together, we can create change.
The second verse emphasizes the need for action over empty promises and war, urging listeners to focus on love and peace as the true drivers of progress. By calling on people to raise their voices and join hands, the song emphasizes the power of unity and the need to work together as a community.
The bridge of the song provides a ray of hope, exclaiming that we can shake up the world and that change starts from within. The song's inspiring message underscores the importance of individuals coming together to drive positive change and be agents of hope for the future.
Overall, "If You're Out There" serves as a call to action, encouraging individuals to rise up and be the change they wish to see in the world. Its message is particularly relevant today, urging people to set aside their differences and come together to build a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
If you hear this message, wherever you stand
Listen carefully to my words, no matter where you are.
I'm calling every woman, calling every man
My message is for all genders, all people.
We're the generation
Our time is now.
We can't afford to wait
We have no time to waste.
The future started yesterday and we're already late
We should have started making change sooner, it's time to catch up.
We've been looking for a song to sing
Our generation has been searching for a unifying movement, a call to action.
Searched for a melody
We've been looking for a way to make our message heard through music.
Searched for someone to lead
We've been waiting for someone to step up and guide us in the right direction.
We've been looking for the world to change
Our generation wants to make a big impact on the world.
If you feel the same
If you share our desire for change,
Then go on and say
Speak up, let your voice be heard.
If you're out there
If you exist and share our values.
Sing along with me
Join me in this movement.
I'm dying to believe that you're out there
I truly hope that there are others out there who want to join us.
Stand up and say it loud
Be bold and make your voice heard.
Tomorrow's starting now
We need to start making change immediately, not put it off until the future.
No more broken promises
We can't afford to make promises that we don't keep.
No more call to war
We can't keep fighting each other, we need to come together.
Unless it's love and peace that we're really fighting for
The only thing worth fighting for is love and peace for all.
We can destroy hunger
We have the power to end world hunger.
We can conquer hate
With love and understanding, we can overcome hate.
Put down the arms and raise your voice
We don't need weapons to make change, we need to speak out.
We're joining hands today
Let's come together and work towards a common goal.
Oh I was looking for a song to sing
The artist is personally searching for a way to make change.
I searched for a leader
The singer was looking for someone to guide them.
But the leader was me
The singer realizes that they need to take the lead and make a difference themselves.
We can be heroes
We all have the potential to be heroes and make a difference.
Just go on and say
It's time to speak out and make our voices heard.
If you're ready we can shake the world
If we come together and take action, we can make a big impact on the world.
Believe again
Regain hope in the power of change.
It starts within
The first step towards change is looking inward and making changes within ourselves.
We don't have to wait for destiny
We aren't at the mercy of fate, we hold the power to make change ourselves.
We should be the change that we want to see
The artist encourages us to take action and create the change we want to see in the world.
And you're ready now
If you're ready, right now,
Say it loud
Speak up and make your voice heard.
Scream it out
Be passionate and vocal about your desire for change.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: MARCUS JOHN BRYANT, DEVON HARRIS, KAWAN PRATHER, JOHN STEPHENS
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.