John Legend

Released: February 15, 2019

Songwriter: Greg Kurstin Sarah Aarons John Legend

Producer: Greg Kurstin

[Verse 1]
Every day I wake and everything is broken
Turnin' off my phone just to get out of bed
Get home every evenin' and history's repeatin'
Turnin' off my phone 'cause it's hurtin' my chest
Hey

[Pre-Chorus]
And Heaven knows I'm not helpless, yeah
But what can I do?
I can't see the use in me cryin'
If I'm not even tryna make the change I wanna see

[Chorus]
I can't sit and hope, I can't just sit and pray that
I can find the love when all I see is pain
Fallin' to my knees, and though I do believe
I can't just preach, baby, preach
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I can't just preach, baby, preach

[Verse 2]
All I hear is voices, everybody's talkin'
Nothin' real is happenin' 'cause nothing is new
Now, when all this tragic, and I just feel sedated
Why do I feel numb? Is that all I can do? Yeah

[Pre-Chorus]
And Heaven knows I'm not helpless, yeah (Uh)
But I'm only human
I can't see the use in me cryin'
If I'm not even tryna make the change I wanna see

[Chorus]
I can't sit and hope, I can't just sit and pray that
I can find the love when all I see is pain
Fallin' to my knees, and though I do believe (Though I do believe)
I can't just preach, baby, preach
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I can't just preach, baby, preach

[Pre-Chorus]
And Heaven knows I'm not helpless
But what can I do? Yeah
I can't see the use in me cryin'
If I'm not even tryna make the change I wanna see

[Chorus]
I can't sit and hope, I can't just sit and pray that
I can find the love when all I see is pain
I try to do the things I say that I believe (I do believe)
I can't just preach, baby, preach
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I can't just preach, baby, preach
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I can't just preach, baby, preach

[Outro]
Fallin' to my knees, and though I do believe
I can't just preach, baby, preach

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!’”

From the album

Bom Sucesso, Vol. 1 (2019)

John Legend popular songs

PreachJohn Legend

John Legend