John Stephens (born December 28, 1978 in Springfield, Ohio), better known a… Read Full Bio ↴John Stephens (born December 28, 1978 in Springfield, Ohio), better known as John Legend, is a Grammy award winning R&B singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, poet and actor signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label. Prior to the release of his debut album Get Lifted in 2004, Legend's career gained momentum through a series of successful collaborations with multiple established artists such as Jay-Z, Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill. He released his second album, Once Again in 2006, and his latest release, 2008's Evolver showcased a more experimental and upbeat side of Legend. He is the recipient of six Grammy Awards, and in 2007 he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. You can get Cheap John Legend Tickets for his next performances.

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.

Wanna Be Loved
John Legend Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yea they wanna be loved
Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on
They wanna be loved

Everywhere I go
Everywhere I be
I see lonely hearts and fallen leaves
Where did those hearts go

Do they find their match
Or do they drift away
It's time to bring them back

They wanna be loved, wanna be loved
Come on it's simple enough
They wanna be loved
They wanna be loved, wanna be loved
A little kiss and a hug
They wanna be loved

Now everybody knows it don't always last
But if I can't have it for long then I want it fast
Better love for now then for never at all
So baby if you down, then gimee a call

I wanna be loved, wanna be loved
Come on it's simple enough
I wanna be loved
I wanna be loved, wanna be loved
A little kiss and a hug
I wanna be loved

I wanna be loved, wanna be loved
Come on it's simple enough
I wanna be loved
I wanna be loved, wanna be loved
A little kiss and a hug
I wanna be loved

Don't you wanna be loved
Sing for love
Don't you wanna be loved

You wanna be loved, wanna be loved
Come on it's simple enough
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved, wanna be loved

A little kiss and a hug
You wanna be loved

Overall Meaning

John Legend's song "Wanna Be Loved" is a soulful ballad that sheds light on the universal human need for love and affection. The song is all about seeing those who are lonely and sad and wanting to make a difference in their lives. In the first verse, Legend talks about how he sees lonely hearts and fallen leaves everywhere he goes, and wonders where all the hearts went. He adds that it's time to bring them back, to give them the love that they desperately need. The chorus repeats the message that people just want to be loved and that it's simple enough to show them some affection with a little hug and a kiss.

The second verse of the song is a bit more personal as Legend talks about his own desires to be loved. He recognizes that love isn't always forever, and that it's better to have love for now than to never experience it at all. The bridge builds up the momentum of the song as Legend chants "Don't you wanna be loved?" which adds a sense of urgency to the message behind the verses.

Line by Line Meaning

Yea they wanna be loved
The people around us desire love and affection.

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on
The singer urges the listener to open their heart to love.

Everywhere I go
In all the places the singer visits.

Everywhere I be
Wherever the singer finds themselves.

I see lonely hearts and fallen leaves
The singer observes the feeling of loneliness in people's hearts and the metaphorical dead ends in their lives.

Where did those hearts go
The singer is concerned about where the hearts of people disappear.

Do they find their match
The singer wonders if the people find someone to connect with.

Or do they drift away
The singer contemplates if people wander aimlessly without finding love.

It's time to bring them back
The singer encourages people to bring back their hearts and start thinking about love again.

They wanna be loved, wanna be loved
The singer emphasizes that people long for affection.

Come on, it's simple enough
The singer thinks that finding love is straightforward, and people should not overthink about it.

A little kiss and a hug
The singer believes that expressing love and affection can be as simple as giving a hug or a kiss.

Now everybody knows it don't always last
The singer acknowledges that love doesn't always go forever, knowing it doesn't last eternally, and enjoys every moment.

But if I can't have it for long then I want it fast
The singer prefers a short love experience over having nothing.

Better love for now then for never at all
The singer favors seeking love for the moment rather than never experiencing it at all.

So baby if you down, then gimee a call
The singer invites the listener to reach out if they need love.

I wanna be loved, wanna be loved
The singer confesses they too desire affection.

Don't you wanna be loved
The singer asks the listener if they also yearn for love.

Sing for love
The singer invites the listener to enjoy singing as a form of celebration of love.

You wanna be loved, wanna be loved
The singer addresses the listener to emphasize that they deserve love.

A little kiss and a hug
The singer reminds the listener that simple gestures can be forms of expressing love and affection.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP
Written by: JOHN LEGEND, MARTIN MCKINNEY, ALI SHAHEED MUHAMMAD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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