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.
It
John Legend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I pray that I would see the sun
'Cause life is so burdensome
When everyday's a rainy one
But suddenly there's no more clouds
I believe without a doubt
That heaven sent an angel down
You know and I know
Friends come and friends go
Storms rise and winds blow
But one thing I know for sure
When it's cold outside
There's no need to worry 'cause
I'm so warm inside
You give me peace
When the storm's outside
'Cause we're in love I know
It'll be alright
Alright it's alright
Oooh...
Now peace is so hard to find
We're terrorized and victimized
But that's when I close my eyes
And think of you to ease my mind
You take me to another place
There's no more war (no more war)
Just love and grace
Baby you restore my faith
I know the struggle's not in vain
You know and I know
Through all the battles
Baghdad to Israel
There's one thing I know for sure
When it's cold outside
There's no need to worry 'cause
I'm so warm inside
You give me peace
When the storm's outside
'Cause we're in love I know
It'll be alright
Alright it's alright
Alright it's alright
Alright it's alright
Alright it's alright
Oh...
When it's cold outside
There's no need to worry 'cause
I'm so warm inside
You give me peace
When the storm's outside
'Cause we're in love I know
It'll be alright
Alright it's alright
Oh it's gonna be alright
Ooh...
'Cause you give me peace
In the middle of the storm
When it's cold you're keeping me warm
It's alright
It's alright
I'm never gonna leave
You give me what I need
It's alright, alright
The song "It" by John Legend is about finding peace and comfort in someone else during difficult times. The lyrics suggest that the singer has experienced a lot of hardship and uncertainty in their life, but they have found solace in a significant other who brings them warmth and calm. Throughout the song, there is a sense of duality between external turmoil and internal peace, as the singer navigates storms and battles that are both physical and emotional.
The beginning of the song sets the stage for the rest of the lyrics, as the singer prays for better days and yearns for sunshine in a metaphorical sense. They describe life as burdensome and rainy, suggesting that they have been struggling for a while. However, the tone changes when they mention an angel who turned their life around. This suggests that they have found someone who brought light and positivity into their life.
The choruses repeat the idea that love provides comfort even in difficult times. The singer asserts that they feel warm and peaceful on the inside because they are in love, and they can weather any storm knowing that they have someone who cares for them. The final lines of the song emphasize this connection and suggest that the singer will always be devoted to their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
I pray for better days to come
I hope for good things to happen in the future.
I pray that I would see the sun
I hope that something good will happen to me soon.
'Cause life is so burdensome
My life is difficult.
When everyday's a rainy one
Every day is difficult.
But suddenly there's no more clouds
Things suddenly got better.
I believe without a doubt
I am absolutely sure.
That heaven sent an angel down
I think that something good happened.
And then she turned my life around
Someone made my life better.
Friends come and friends go
People come and go from my life.
Storms rise and winds blow
Difficult things happen.
But one thing I know for sure
I am absolutely sure about one thing.
When it's cold outside
When things are difficult.
There's no need to worry 'cause
I don't need to worry because...
I'm so warm inside
I feel good on the inside.
You give me peace
You make me feel peaceful.
When the storm's outside
When things are difficult.
'Cause we're in love I know
Because we are in love, I am certain.
It'll be alright
Things will be okay.
Oooh...
...
Now peace is so hard to find
It can be difficult to feel peaceful.
We're terrorized and victimized
Bad things happen to us.
But that's when I close my eyes
I can make things better by closing my eyes.
And think of you to ease my mind
I think of you as a way to feel better.
You take me to another place
You make me feel like I'm somewhere else.
There's no more war (no more war)
There is no more conflict.
Just love and grace
There is only love and kindness.
Baby you restore my faith
You make me believe in good things again.
I know the struggle's not in vain
I know that the difficult times are worth it.
Through all the battles
Despite all the difficulties.
Baghdad to Israel
In different parts of the world.
There's one thing I know for sure
There is one thing I am absolutely certain of.
Oh it's gonna be alright
Things are going to be okay.
Ooh...
...
'Cause you give me peace
Because you make me feel peaceful.
In the middle of the storm
When things are difficult.
When it's cold you're keeping me warm
When things are difficult, you make me feel better.
It's alright
Things are okay.
I'm never gonna leave
I won't abandon you.
You give me what I need
You provide what I need.
Alright
Things are okay.
Alright it's alright
Everything is alright.
Alright it's alright
Everything is alright.
Alright it's alright
Everything is alright.
Lyrics © Roba Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: DEVON L. HARRIS, JOHN STEPHENS, PAUL CHO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@remrens9624
Get lifted was his best album, who agrees?
@ryanwilliams7600
Toss up between that and Once Again.
@jazznabistudio5789
Ordinary people do.
@bambambigalow5844
It’s funny I got the urge to listen to it like last week completely clueless to the fact he did this.
@Wardell.Koloi10037
1. Get lifted/Once again
2. Get lifted/Once again
3. Love in the future
@productions271
Yes I completely agree
@SPFS12
I cant even lie, im so emotional watching this lol. I've always wanted to see this preformed with his family and it brought literal tears to my eyes. Wow. Can John just remake this whole album please
@terrellgladneyjr.5980
Same sentiment
@olumo25
Been waiting well over a decade to hear a live version of this song with the fam. So much talent.
@rickjames21
I have waiting over 10 years to see this live. This album helped me get through a tough part of my life.