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.
Lifted
John Legend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it gets you won't know what to do
Relax, let me move you
Don't resist its in the air
Just one taste will take you there
Let it flow right through you
I know you're getting tired of the same ole thing
Imma break the rules gonna change the game
And imma take you places you neva seen
You couldn't picture this in your wildest dreams
Don't fear you're here with me
Let's get lifted
(Lifted)
Ohh Imma get you high
I'm really gonna blow your mind
We'll get lifted (lifted)
You're gonna feel it in you're soul
And baby you will lose control
We'll get lifted (high)
Ohhh ohhhh
Once you take a hit of this
You won't ever want to quit
You'll be so addicted
Said I'll have you spinning round and round
Crazy, making freaky sounds
You won't want to come down
And I'll have you seeing things and hallucinating
Even walking funny 'cause you're legs are shaking
All night we'll be blazin'
I'll take you for a walk to the other side
We can get high and enjoy the ride
Hold tight we'll be alright
Let's get lifted
(Lifted)
Ohh Imma get you high
I'm really gonna blow your mind
We'll get lifted (lifted)
You're gonna feel it in you're soul
And baby you will lose control
We'll get lifted (high)
Ohhh ohhhh
So come and go
(So much I want to show you I'll take you there)
Yeah, I'll take you there
Lemme take you there
Said I will show you
(So much I want to show you I'll take you high)
There's so much I want to show ya
I'll take you high
In John Legend's song Lifted, the singer promises to take his lover to a higher place through a new experience that they will share. He urges his lover to let go and trust him, promising that they will be okay. The new experience which he refers to is from a drug, which he promises will blow her mind and take her to the highest level of enjoyment. His promises to keep her uplifted and give her feelings she has never experienced before.
The chorus is a repetition of "let's get lifted" and this phrase has quite a strong message in it. It can be interpreted as getting high, but also could refer to uplifting the mind and spirit. The lyrics of the chorus are very rhythmic and make you want to dance along with them. The song's beat consists of reggae-tinged piano chords and a backbeat that commands a groove which is unusual for a John Legend song.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got something new for you
I have a new and exciting experience for you
When it hits you won't know what to do
You'll be overcome with sensation and won't be able to resist
Relax, let me move you
Let me guide you through the experience and take control
Don't resist its in the air
The experience is all around us and there's no need to fight it
Just one taste will take you there
Trying the experience even once will transport you to another level
Let it flow right through you
Allow the experience to permeate your entire being
I know you're getting tired of the same old thing
You're bored with the usual and ready for something new
Imma break the rules gonna change the game
I'm going to defy expectations and revolutionize the experience
You'll be screaming my name
You'll be overcome with excitement and joy
And Imma take you places you've never seen
I'll show you sights and experiences beyond your imagination
You couldn't picture this in your wildest dreams
You wouldn't believe what's possible even if you imagined it
Don't fear you're here with me
Don't worry because I'm with you and will take care of everything
Let's get lifted (lifted)
Let's elevate ourselves and our experience to new heights
Ohh Imma get you high
I'm going to make you feel incredible
I'm really gonna blow your mind
I'm going to provide an experience that will be unforgettable
You're gonna feel it in your soul
The experience will penetrate your core and be deeply felt
And baby you will lose control
You'll be so swept away by the experience that you won't be able to contain yourself
Once you take a hit of this
Once you try the experience
You won't ever wanna quit
You'll become addicted and want to continue
You'll be so addicted
You'll be unable to resist and will crave more
Said I'll have you spinning round and round
I'll make you feel dizzy and disoriented
Crazy, making freaky sounds
You'll be so excited and enthusiastic that you won't be able to contain yourself
You won't want to come down
You'll be so enamored by the experience that you won't want it to end
And I'll have you seeing things and hallucinating
The experience will be so intense that you'll see things that aren't really there
Even walking funny 'cuz your legs are shaking
Your body will shake and tremble because of how incredible the experience is
All night we'll be blazin'
We'll continue to have an incredible time and enjoy the experience all night
I'll take you for a walk to the other side
I'll show you things and take you to places you never thought possible
We can get high and enjoy the ride
We'll have a great time and enjoy the experience together
Hold tight we'll be alright
Stay with me because everything will be okay
So come and go
Join me and experience something new
Yeah, I'll take you there
I'll be your guide and show you the way
Lemme take you there
Allow me to lead you through the experience
There's so much I wanna show ya
There are endless possibilities to the experience
I'll take you high...
I'll elevate you and the experience to incredible heights
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: R SHOBIN, JOHN ROGER STEPHENS, KANYE WEST, KANYE OMARI WEST
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.