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.
Take Me Away
John Legend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, yeah
We dance and sing somewhere in between heaven and hell
Gabrielle, that was her name
Everyone was smiling, dreamin' through their tears, under a spell
But in Gabby's eyes, nothing
I asked, "do you not like the music?"
But she dances to her own sad tune, she said
Take me away from here
Take me somewhere where love is like breathing
I don't care where we go, long as I'm there with you, baby
Long as I'm there with you
I could tell, she's been through pain I could only dream
Nightmares to live where you live
Tears well in her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall
I'd give the world to know where her smile is
I asked, "Will you dance with me now?"
Let me try to figure out
The fastest route out of town and she says
Take me away from here
Take me somewhere, where love is like breathing
I don't care where we go, long as I'm there with you, baby
Oh
I got a full tank of gas, girl
Anywhere you wanna go, girl
All you have to do is ask, girl
Oh, she said
Take me away from here
Take me somewhere where love is like breathing
I don't care where we go, long as I'm there with you, baby
Come on and take me (away from here) ah
Take me somewhere where love is like breathing
I don't care where we go long as I'm there with you
The song āTake Me Awayā tells the story of a woman named Gabrielle who has experienced pain in her life but is still able to cast a spell on those around her. The singer danced with her at a party and noticed that she wasnāt fully enjoying the music, but he quickly realized she was marching to the beat of her own drum. Gabrielle was able to pull him into her own world, where they were both able to escape the difficulties of real life. She is seeking a lover who will take her away from the current place and take her to a place where love is as natural as breathing. Gabrielle knows that as long as she's with the right person, it does not matter where they go to escape.
This song displays the value of being unique and not following others completely. Gabrielle is someone who is not easily forgettable, despite going through pain. The song has a beautiful melody that uplifts and carries the listener through the experience, transporting them to that place of pure love that Gabrielle and the singer seek. This song is about breaking free from the difficult times in life and escaping with someone to a beautiful place where only their love matters.
Interesting facts about John Legendās āTake Me Awayā:
Line by Line Meaning
We danced and sing, somewhere in between heaven and hell
We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, in spite of our troubles and worries
Gabrielle, that was her name
The woman I met and danced with was named Gabrielle
Everyone was smiling, even through their tears, under her spell
Gabrielle had a captivating presence that made even those who were sad smile and be happy
But in Gabrielle's eyes, nothing
Despite her infectious charm, Gabrielle seemed emotionally detached
I asked, "Do you not like the music?"
I asked Gabrielle if she didn't enjoy the music we were dancing to
She said, "It's alright"
Gabrielle replied that the music was okay but not amazing
But she dances to her own side
Gabrielle danced in her unique style, unconcerned about societal norms
Take me away from here
Gabrielle wants to escape her current surroundings
Take me somewhere, where love is like breathing
She wants to go to a place where love is easily accessible and abundant
I don't care where we go as long as I'm there with you, baby
Gabrielle doesn't care about the destination as long as she's with the person she loves
I could tell, she's been through pain I could only dream
I could infer that Gabrielle had undergone intense emotional suffering that I couldn't fathom
Nightmares live where you live
Gabrielle had painful memories and experiences that haunted her
Tears were in her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall
Gabrielle was sad but didn't want to show it by crying
I get the world to know a her smile is
I want the world to see how beautiful Gabrielle's smile is
Let me try to figure out the fastest round out of town
I'll try to find the quickest way to take Gabrielle away from her troubles
I got a full tank of gas
I have enough fuel for a long drive
Anywhere you wanna go, girl
I'm willing to take Gabrielle anywhere she desires
All you have to do is ask girl
Gabrielle just needs to ask, and I'll take her anywhere she wants to go
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Shaffer Smith, Reginald D. Perry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jaxon
on All of Me
really really good I love it
Rickie
on All of Me
Good
Christine BaƱega
on All of Me
like
Promise Sokyes
on All of Me
A perfect love song.