“Ordinary People”
“Ordinary People”
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song
John Legend
“Ordinary People”
Written by John Legend and will.i.am
Recorded by John Legend
In Spring 2004, I was going to work with will.i.am at the Hit Factory, a studio on the west side of Manhattan. We’d been writing together for the next Black Eyed Peas record. He would play me beats, see if I could come up with hooks and I’d help him write the song. We’d done it before with some success.
He started playing and eventually the chorus emerged. We had a small brainstorming session but that’s all the song remained for awhile — the beat and the chorus. I liked it but the more I thought about it, I didn’t think it would be a good Black Eyed Peas song. It seemed more like something for my repertoire.
I had just gotten a record deal and was on my way to finishing my first album. I decided to keep “Ordinary People” and worked on the piano to develop and mold it for myself rather than for a rap group.
I was on tour in Europe with Kanye West to help him perform his new album. We were playing clubs and small theaters there and, at sound check each day, I worked on the song writing the lyrics and tweaking it. People around me heard me singing it and everyone seemed to feel that it was a great song. You never know. I worked on the lyrics and verses throughout the tour. I then worked on the bridge and it was pretty much finished by the time I got home.
When we decided that I would record the song, I had promised Will that I would let him produce it. I made a demo in Los Angeles at the Record Plant, just me and the piano. I sent it to Will and we, and everyone else who heard it, loved it the way it was. The demo was essentially the way it was when it was released.
The idea for the song is that relationships are difficult and the outcome uncertain. If a relationship is going to work, it will require compromise and even then, it is not always going to end the way you want it to.
No specific experience in my life led me to the lyrics for this song, although my parents were married twice to each other and divorced twice from each other. Their relationship is, of course, one of my reference points but I didn’t write this to be autobiographical or biographical. It is just a statement about relationships and my view on them.
“Ordinary People”
Girl I’m in love with you
This ain’t the honeymoon
Past the infatuation phase
Right in the thick of love
At times we get sick of love
It seems like we argue everyday.
I know I misbehaved
And you made your mistakes
And we both still got room left to grow.
And though love sometimes hurts
I still put you first
And we’ll make this thing work
But I think we should take it slow.
We’re just ordinary people
We don’t know which way to go
’Cause we’re ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow.
This time we’ll take it slow,
This time we’ll take it slow.
This ain’t a movie no,
No fairy tale conclusion ya’ll
It gets more confusing everyday.
Sometimes it’s heaven sent
Then we head back to hell again
We kiss and we make up on the way.
I hang up, you call
We rise and we fall
And we feel like just walking away.
As our love advances
We take second chances
Though it’s not a fantasy
I still want you to stay.
We’re just ordinary people
We don’t know which way to go
’Cause we’re ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow
This time we’ll take it slow
This time we’ll take it slow
Take it slow.
Maybe we’ll crash and burn
Maybe you’ll stay, maybe you’ll leave,
Maybe you’ll return
Maybe another fight
Maybe we won’t survive
But maybe we’ll grow
We never know baby you and I
We’re just ordinary people
We don’t know which way to go
’Cause we’re ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow.
We’re just ordinary people
We don’t know which way to go
’Cause we’re ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow.
This time we’ll take it slow
This time we’ll take it slow.
Words and Music by John Stephens and Will Adams. © 2004 Cherry River Music Co. (BMI), John Legend Publishing (BMI) and Will.I.Am Music Inc. (BMI). Worldwide Rights for John Legend Publishing and Will.I.Am Music Inc. Administered by Cherry River Music Co. International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Photo credit Nabil Elderkin
-
Title: Reprinted by permission of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC © 2009. In order to protect the rights of the copyright holder, no portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent. All rights reserved.