Ordinary People

“Ordinary People” by John Legend is a profound exploration of the complexities and realities of a long-term romantic relationship. The song’s central message is that true love is not the idealized, conflict-free fantasy often portrayed in movies and fairy tales. Instead, it is a journey filled with ups and downs, arguments, mistakes, and uncertainty. Legend emphasizes that the struggles and imperfections are not signs of failure, but rather an intrinsic part of what it means to be “ordinary people” navigating love. The lyrics candidly move past the initial infatuation or “honeymoon” phase to delve into the more challenging, “thick of love,” where daily arguments can occur and partners see each other’s flaws.

The song advocates for patience, compromise, and mutual growth. The recurring line, “Maybe we should take it slow,” serves as the song’s thesis, suggesting that navigating the turbulent waters of a relationship requires a deliberate and cautious approach rather than grand, impulsive gestures. It's a recognition that there are no easy answers or clear paths to follow. The lyrics present a dynamic of conflict and reconciliation—'We rise and we fall,' 'Sometimes it's Heaven sent, then we head back to Hell again'—which captures the cyclical nature of many relationships. Ultimately, the song conveys a message of resilient, realistic hope. It acknowledges the possibility of failure ('Maybe we won't survive') but still champions the effort to make it work ('I still put you first / And we'll make this thing work'). It is a mature and honest look at love, celebrating the perseverance and commitment required to sustain a relationship through its inevitable challenges.

The narrative begins by acknowledging that the initial, blissful phase of a relationship, the “honeymoon” and “infatuation phase,” is over. The couple finds themselves in the deep, complex, and sometimes difficult heart of love, where arguments have become a daily occurrence. There's a mutual recognition of past mistakes and personal flaws, an admission that both individuals have “misbehaved” and still have significant personal growth ahead of them. Despite the pain that love can sometimes cause, the commitment to prioritizing the partner remains. There's a shared desire to make the relationship work, but it's tempered with the cautious realization that they need to proceed slowly and with care.

The central refrain declares a universal truth: they are just “ordinary people,” uncertain and often lost about the right path to take. This shared vulnerability is the reason they conclude that taking things slow is the wisest approach. The song dispels romanticized notions, emphasizing that their story is not a movie with a guaranteed “fairy tale conclusion.” In fact, the reality is that their situation grows more confusing with each passing day. Their relationship is depicted as a volatile cycle, swinging between moments of heavenly bliss and periods that feel like hell. Yet, even in this turmoil, there is a pattern of reconciliation—they kiss and make up. The dynamic is one of constant push and pull: one person hangs up the phone, the other calls back. They experience highs and lows, and at times, the thought of simply walking away feels like the easiest option. However, as their love deepens, they consistently find themselves giving each other second chances. The singer affirms that despite the lack of fantasy, he still wants his partner to stay.

The bridge of the song delves into the profound uncertainty of their future. It presents a series of contrasting possibilities: “Maybe we'll live and learn, maybe we'll crash and burn.” Will the partner stay or leave? Will they return if they go? The future is a landscape of potential fights and the looming possibility that they might not survive as a couple. Conversely, there's also the chance that they will grow together. The ultimate outcome is unknown, a shared mystery for the two of them. The song concludes by reiterating the core message, a powerful declaration of their ordinary, imperfect, and uncertain journey, doubling down on the conviction that they must “take it slow” to have any chance of navigating the beautiful, painful, and confusing reality of their love.

“Ordinary People” was written by John Legend and will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. The song's creation began in the spring of 2004 at The Hit Factory studio in New York City during a writing session for the next Black Eyed Peas album. Will.i.am was playing beats, and Legend was tasked with coming up with hooks for the group to rap around. During this session, the chorus for “Ordinary People” emerged.

Initially, the piece consisted of just the beat and the chorus. However, Legend felt a strong connection to it and believed it was better suited for his own repertoire rather than for a rap group. Having recently secured his own record deal and working on his debut album, Get Lifted, Legend decided to keep the song for himself. He developed the song further on the piano while on tour in Europe with Kanye West, working on the lyrics and verses during sound checks each day.

Although not strictly autobiographical, Legend has stated that his parents' relationship, which included two marriages and two divorces to each other, served as a reference point for the song's themes of relationship difficulties and uncertainty. When it was time to record, Legend created a simple demo of the song with just his vocals and piano at the Record Plant in Los Angeles. He sent it to will.i.am, who was promised the producer credit, and they both, along with everyone else who heard it, agreed that the stripped-down demo was perfect as it was. The final version released is essentially the original demo, capturing the raw emotion and simplicity that has made the song a timeless classic.

“Ordinary People” follows a relatively simple and consistent rhyme scheme within its verses, often using AABB couplets, which contributes to its clear, narrative feel. For example, in the first verse: “This ain't the honeymoon / Past the infatuation phase / Right in the thick of love / It seems like we argue every day” (moon/phase and love/day are near rhymes, focusing more on lyrical flow than perfect rhyme). A more clear example is: “I know I misbehaved / And you've made your mistakes / And we both still got room left to grow.”

The song's rhythm is dictated by Legend's piano playing, which maintains a slow, deliberate tempo. This pacing is crucial to the song's message, musically embodying the lyrical plea to “take it slow.” The vocal melody often has a conversational rhythm, moving fluidly over the steady piano chords. There's a gentle syncopation in his vocal delivery that is characteristic of R&B and soul, adding rhythmic interest without disrupting the song's calm and reflective mood. The interplay between the steady piano and the more expressive vocal rhythm mirrors the song's theme of trying to find stability amidst emotional turbulence. The structure is traditional, with verses building to the memorable, repeated chorus, which serves as both the lyrical and rhythmic anchor of the song.

Musically, “Ordinary People” is defined by its minimalist and stark arrangement. The song is primarily a piano ballad, featuring John Legend's soulful vocals accompanied only by his own piano playing. This stripped-down production is a key stylistic choice, as it places the focus entirely on the lyrical content and the raw, emotional delivery of his voice. The vocal performance itself is noted for its warmth and sincerity, avoiding excessive virtuosity to enhance the feeling of honesty and vulnerability.

Lyrically, the song employs several literary techniques:

• Direct Address: The song begins with “Girl, I'm in love with you,” establishing an intimate, conversational tone as if the singer is speaking directly to his partner.
• Parallel Structure and Repetition: The bridge utilizes parallel structure to list a series of uncertain, contrasting outcomes: “Maybe we'll live and learn / Maybe we'll crash and burn / Maybe you'll stay / Maybe you'll leave.” This repetition emphasizes the profound uncertainty of their future. The chorus itself is a powerful repetition that drills home the central theme of being “ordinary people.”
• Antithesis: The lyrics are built around contrasts that highlight the relationship's volatility, such as “Heaven sent” versus “back to Hell again,” and “rise” versus “fall.” This creates a sense of constant tension and movement.
• Idiomatic Language: Phrases like “honeymoon phase” and “thick of love” use everyday, relatable language to describe stages of a relationship, making the song accessible and grounded.

“Ordinary People” was a significant commercial and critical success, playing a crucial role in establishing John Legend as a major force in the music industry. Released as the second single from his debut album Get Lifted (2004), the song peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The album itself sold over 2 million copies.

The song's impact was solidified at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards in 2006, where Legend won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Ordinary People.” He also took home awards for Best New Artist and Best R&B Album for Get Lifted. This success cemented the song's status as one of his signature tracks, and it remains one of the most performed songs in his catalog.

Its raw honesty and stripped-down style influenced a wave of R&B that moved towards more authentic, singer-songwriter-driven content, prioritizing lyrical depth over flashy production. The song also became a staple in singing competitions like The Voice UK and The X Factor, with its popularity often leading to renewed chart success for the original version. Its enduring appeal lies in its universally relatable theme, making it a timeless ballad about the realities of love. The title and themes have also been referenced in other media, such as Diana Evans' 2018 novel of the same name.

The primary literary power of “Ordinary People” lies in its deliberate rejection of grand symbolism in favor of direct, relatable language. The central metaphor is the title itself, framing the couple as “ordinary people,” which functions as a symbol for the universal, non-idealized experience of love. This counters the common pop culture narrative of fairytale romances.

The song employs several contrasting images to symbolize the volatility of the relationship:

• Heaven and Hell: The line, “Sometimes it’s Heaven sent / Then we head back to Hell again,” is a stark metaphor for the extreme emotional highs and lows the couple experiences, symbolizing the rapid shifts between bliss and conflict.
• Rise and Fall: The phrase “We rise and we fall” serves as another metaphor for their fluctuating journey, representing moments of triumph and connection followed by periods of struggle and despair.

The lyric “This ain't a movie, no / No fairytale conclusion” acts as an anti-metaphor, explicitly stripping away the symbolic layers of idealized love stories to ground the listener in reality. It emphasizes that their life is not a scripted narrative with a guaranteed happy ending. The concept of “taking it slow” becomes a recurring motif that symbolizes a conscious choice to be patient and methodical in their love, as opposed to being swept away by passion or drama.

The most significant recurring phrase in the song is its title and the central line of the chorus: “We're just ordinary people.” This phrase acts as the core motif, repeated multiple times to reinforce the central theme that their relationship struggles are universal and not a sign of some unique failing. Its repetition serves as a humble and grounding mantra for the couple, stripping away unrealistic expectations.

The lyrical motif of “take it slow” is also critical, appearing at the end of the chorus and serving as the song's primary piece of advice or resolution. Its repetition emphasizes the importance of patience and caution in navigating their complex emotions. It’s the only answer the song offers to the confusion and uncertainty it describes.

Another recurring element is the motif of contrast and duality. This appears in phrases like “live and learn” vs. “crash and burn,” “stay” vs. “leave,” and “rise” vs. “fall.” This pattern of presenting opposing possibilities highlights the emotional volatility and the uncertain future of the relationship, making it a central structural and thematic device throughout the song.