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Rating: It's a real shame that an album like John Legend's "Get Lifted" went relatively unnoticed in our parts, despite a powerful single like "Ordinary People" (though the piano and voice version is much better than the remix); a further sign of how, in the pop realm, the worst has decidedly taken over.
John, a good pianist with classical training, might be remembered by some in Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything," and he's also composed for big names like Alicia Keys and his mentor Kenye West. For me, he's one of the most concrete hopes for a "rebirth" of Soul, far from improbable and anachronistic restorations but also able to find clear reference points and respect the "roots." While not disdaining catchy and appealing melodies, driving rhythm tracks similar to rap, it would be wrong to confuse him with most of the new R&B proposals, which are so similar they almost seem indistinguishable. John, despite his young age, shows he knows how to handle himself wonderfully among the "sacred monsters" of Black music, particularly looking to Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder as role models.
The opening track "Let's Get Litfed" immediately lays the cards on the table: basses that "pump" discretely on a classic and well-crafted soul-song, including old Motown-style choruses, a successful blend of tradition and modernity. All the tracks on the album aim in this direction, almost always succeeding in the operation, indicating to the "brothers" what he sees as the right path: yes to rap, but in small doses, incorporating it into the golden soul-gospel-R&B tradition. When you have such high goals, in addition to an art name that sounds quite demanding, the means cannot, should not, be lacking; and John doesn't lack the skills of a composer and instrumentalist, as well as an arranger and brilliant performer, with a vocal timbre that "nails" you. In "Used To Love," "Alright," and "I Can Change," a duet with Snoop Dogg, there may be a bit too much concession to the market, to current trends, but never falling into the trivial. But with "She Don't Have To Know," we're already close to the excellence of the genre. "Number One," "Stay With You," "I Don’t Have The Change," in which he is accompanied by his entire family, demonstrate that along with listening to classic, old and new, the prodigy child must have spent not a little of his time accompanying the gospel choirs in the Baptist church of his native Springfield.
A healthy religiosity, a certain mystical breath, circulates throughout the work and proves to be not just style, but sincere and heartfelt. "Refuge," a Lauryn Hill-style piece, the first to believe in him, and "So High," a superior class ballad, are further arguments in favor of our artist.
The implicit message of John Stephens, known as Legend, is clear and we're happy to accept it: to drive the "merchants" of Black out of the "temple." It takes more than Tyson-style abs, with a side of generous shaking buttocks, to be an artist.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Prelude (00:44)
Come on and go with me
There's something new for you to see
Come on and go with me
There's something new for you to see
Just relax
Just relax
05 She Don't Have to Know (04:52)
Oohhhhhhh stealing moments just to be with you
Though its wrong its hard to tell the truth
Oh No she don’t have to know
She don’t have to know
When I meet cha
I got my shades on to cover up my eyes
I’m hoping that nobody sees me passing by
Through my disguise
I still know... you recognize
But you
I know you got a lilltle secret of your own
You Sneaking out with me while your mans at home
You know your wrong
But it's so strong ,still carrying on
I goooooooooooo
To the other side of town so I
Will never risk the chance of catching her eye oh no
she don’t have to know
She don’t have to know
And Ooohhhh
Girl I know your doing the same thing too
But I wont tell your man the things we do (oh no )
He don’t have to know
He don’t have to know
Someone’s watching
We got to be careful next time or we’re through ( PAUSE)
Damn it’s so stressful doing the dirt we do
So sad but true
And I know one day
I’m going to pay
Then you ask me
To sneak out of town for just a day or three
let'sGo to DC and hold hands publicly
All through the streets
Cause they don’t know you and they don’t know me
Hey and oh Ohhhhhh
Ill feel sorry for mistake we’ve made
But there’s no reason that we should tell her today
she don't have to know, she don't have to know
And Ohhhhh
Though you give a lot of love to me
Girl I know I’m not the only one you see
But he don’t have to know
He don’t have to know
Ohm its getting crazy
I don’t want to hurt my baby
And I know its supposed to be the last time for you and I
But let’s not end this way
Wait another day.
09 Stay With You (03:49)
We've been together for a while now
we’re growing stronger everyday now
It feels so good and there is no doubt
I will stay with you
As each morning brings sunrise
And the flowers bloom in springtime
On my lovin you can rely , yea
And I'll stay with you
Oh I'll stay with you through the ups and the downs
Oh I'll stay with you when no one else is around
When the dark clouds arrive
I will stay by your side
I know we'll be alright
I will stay with you... ohh oohh wooh
Though relationships can get old
Have a tendency to grow cold
We have something like miracle
Yeah, I'll stay with you
Oh I'll stay with you through the ups and the downs
Oh I'll stay with you when no one else is around
When the dark clouds arrive
I will stay by your side
I know we'll be alright
I will stay with you
There will be heartaches and pains, yea yea
But through it all, we will remain.. heyyy
In this life, we all know
Friends may come, and they may go
Through the years I know
I will stay
In the end I know that we'll find
Love so beautiful and divine
We'll be lovers for lifetime, yeah
And I'll stay with you
I will stay with you
Oh I'll stay with you through the ups and the downs
Oh I'll stay with you when no one else is around
And when the dark clouds arrive
I will stay by your side
I know we'll be alright
I will stay with you
Oh Everything will be fine yea
And I will stay with you
Through the end of time
I will stay with you
Ohh hohh woohh
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