John Legend

Released: November 16, 2016

Featuring: Chance the Rapper

Songwriter: Blake Mills Chance the Rapper Greg Kurstin John Legend

Producer: Blake Mills

[Verse 1: John Legend]
All this trouble in this here town
All this shit going down
When will they focus, on this?
Streets ride up with the TV crews
Look ma, we on the news
But they didn't notice, before this
They float above the city lights
Forget the truth, inhale the lies
Just enjoy the show
They see us reaching for the sky
Just ignore that you survive

[Chorus: John Legend]
Maybe we should go
Go to the penthouse floor (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Go to the penthouse floor (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Let's ride the elevator, they can't keep us out no more
Go to the penthouse floor (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Penthouse floor

[Verse 2: John Legend]
All that bubbly, all that wine
Oh man, look at the times
Didn't they notice, notice?
Only future I can see, ain't what it used to be
And I didn't know this, I didn't know this
Once you're above the city lights
Won't want to spend another night, down there on your own
The whole world on display for us
The altitude is dangerous, but we ain't going home

[Chorus: John Legend]
Go to the penthouse floor (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Go to the penthouse floor (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Let's ride the elevator, it's what we've been waiting for
Can't keep us out no more (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Penthouse floor

[Verse 3: Chance The Rapper]
I heard this old joke once, it was like, uh
Knock knock, who there, it's us, us who?
Just us, who dis? Just playin'
Just me, new phone, new hair, new era
I'm in the penthouse, baby
Handpicked from bad apples and bad eggs
Held back, I had to grab crab legs
And then there were only but a few
Conversations held with patience, what a party, what a view
What a dress, what a song
What a beautiful time
My folks downstairs still waitin' in line
They never been in these rooms
Never stayed with these folks
Never laughed at the news, never hated these jokes
So as I fly in my suit, in a group, undercover
Forcin' a new smile, he tells me another
He said "What happened to the boy that climbed up the trunk?"
Then he pushed me off the top and said "Jump, nigga, jump!"

[Bridge: John Legend]
Oh don’t bring me down I need a room up in the clouds
I wanna get there babe, I wanna elevate
Oh my favorite mix, a little ignorance and bliss
In the penthouse babe, go to the penthouse

[Chorus: John Legend]
Go to the penthouse floor (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Go to the penthouse floor (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Let's ride the elevator, it's what we've been waiting for
We'll tear down those penthouse doors (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Those penthouse doors
We'll tear down the penthouse doors (let's go, let's go, let's go)
Baby, I'm in the penthouse floor
Baby, let's ride the elevator
Til we can rise some more
Go to the penthouse floor, penthouse floor (let's go, let's go, let's go)

John Legend was born in 1978 in Ohio. He became an in-demand session musician and songwriter, working with such artists as Alicia Keys, Twista and Janet Jackson. He was soon introduced to up-and-coming hip-hop artist Kanye West, and the two musicians collaborated on one another’s demos.

J. Ivy claims credit for bestowing the “Legend” moniker upon John Stephens (with an assist from Kanye West). Via

Kanye was like, ‘Have you heard of this singer called John Stephens?’ He played me this song from him, that I think will.i.am produced. It was so refreshing and soulful. An hour later, John Stephens comes into the studio. I told him, ‘I heard your music. It’s so amazing. It sounds old school. Man, you sound like one of the legends. You’re a legend. Matter of fact, that’s what I am going to call you from now The Legend. A couple days later, we were in the lounge of the studio (Record Plant) and John Stephens walks in and everyone shouts him out. I was like, ‘John Legend!’ Kanye then said, ‘You’re John Legend from now on. That’s your name!’”

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