Get Lifted
Album ∙ R&B/Soul ∙ 2004
Already a studio session vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter for high-profile artists (Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Janet Jackson), John Legend, né John Stephens, had worked out a large chunk of the musical puzzle for himself before his studio debut, Get Lifted, appeared. Following a brief stint working at a management consulting firm after college, the Ohio native joined Common as one of the very first artists signed to G.O.O.D. Music, the then-fledgling imprint of Kanye West—whose cousin (“Diamonds Are Forever” producer Devo Springsteen) was Legend’s roommate at the University of Pennsylvania. Pulling both hip-hop-centered beats and Legend’s piano to the foreground, Get Lifted benefits from strong vocal arrangements (Legend was a former church choir director), reimagined classic soul samples (The Staple Singers’ “Let’s Do It Again” on “Number One,” Sly & The Family Stone’s “Just Like a Baby” on “She Don’t Have to Know”), and a canny mix of guests (Snoop Dogg, West, Hill) that never steals focus from the star. Standout hit “Ordinary People” features him alone at a piano counting the ways partners disappoint each other, but he uncovers new reasons to be hopeful in the end, singing, “This time we’ll take it slow.” The song’s sparse, crooner-esque voice-and-piano arrangement and romantic subject matter presaged "All of Me," the biggest hit of Legend’s career, released nine years later.
Affiliate Token:
Affiliate Campaign Name:
(Optional)
Optional to segment marketing (email, social, etc). Cannot be used to track individual clicks or contain any personal identifiable information. Can contain up to 40 characters. Avoid using ?, /, or & within this field.
Optional to segment marketing (email, social, etc). Cannot be used to track individual clicks or contain any personal identifiable information. Can contain up to 40 characters. Avoid using ?, /, or & within this field.
ITSCG Token:
ITSCG parameter is a group-level token for the Apple Services Performance Partners Program. This value can never be changed and must always remain the same in your affiliate links.
ITSCG parameter is a group-level token for the Apple Services Performance Partners Program. This value can never be changed and must always remain the same in your affiliate links.
ITSCT Token:
The ITSCT parameter is a partner-level token for the Apple Services Performance Partners Program. This value is static and should not be changed unless you are a partner who has been provided your own distinct token. If so, you may override the default ITSCT value with your own assigned value.
The ITSCT parameter is a partner-level token for the Apple Services Performance Partners Program. This value is static and should not be changed unless you are a partner who has been provided your own distinct token. If so, you may override the default ITSCT value with your own assigned value.
Content Link
Short Link
Preview Player
The player is responsive. Its width will automatically expand to fit mobile and desktop layouts
The player is responsive. Its width will automatically expand to fit mobile and desktop layouts