All of Me is Legend’s romantic best

It felt like a suspenseful waiting game, wondering what song would come to dislodge Pharrell Williams’ Happy from the No. 1 spot of Billboard Magazine’s Hot 100 hit list. The Academy Award nominated song had already been on top for a record of 10 weeks and was still a hot seller.  It would take a very special song to push it off the No. 1 spot. 

The song came last week and what do you know, it was not anything new. In fact, it had already been on the list for several weeks, simmering slowly on its way to the top.  More so, it comes from an album that was released late last year and was even nominated at the Grammy Awards last February. Still it has now  emerged as one of the year’s most important recordings. The album is Love In The Future by John Legend and the song which I say, is a budding classic is All Of Me

Love In The Future is Legend’s fourth album. He started out with the Grammy winning Get Lifted 10 years ago and then followed it up with Once Again, Evolver and the truly remarkable Wake Up! with The Roots, which also won some Grammy trophies. A balladeer who blends the purity of Stevie Wonder’s vocals and the soulful sensuality of Teddy Pendergrass with just a hint of Kanye West, Legend has had both critical acclaim and commercial success in good measures.

Among his earlier hits are Ordinary People, Used To Love You, Heaven, Save Room, Green Light, Shine and Hang On In There. And now comes All Of Me. This is the third single out of Love In The Future.  Released earlier were Who Do We Think We Are feat. Rick Ross and Made To Love feat. Kimbra. But it was the slow ballad All Of Me that generated the hottest buzz and which gave Legend his first No. 1 hit.

The song is extra special. Legend composed it with Toby Gad and dedicated it to his lovely bride, the model Chrissy Teigen, whom he married in Italy a few months ago. It is no wonder then that he sings All Of Me with so much love.  Teigen is also the girl in the much-talked about video of the song, that must be one of the sexiest ever made for a pop recording. Think lovemaking in the shower, the bed and saying vows amidst the gorgeous Lake Como scenery. With or without the eye-popping video though, All Of Me, where Legend’s smooth vocals fuses to perfection with his piano is exceptionally beautiful.

I do not know how long it will stay on Billboard’s Hot 100 but All Of Me is already assured of a place in the hearts of many Pinoys. You hear it everywhere nowadays. And that means from Martin Nievera to the sloshed customer in some beer joint. Even Legend himself has already done a cover, as a duet with pop violinist Lindsey Stirling. 

All Of Me is now the song by which we will always remember the summer of 2014.  And don’t you just love the fact that it is no mindless pop tune about sunshine and the beach but a song about love, unconditional, taking on also all the imperfections and offered with the promise of forever.

The Top 20 singles according to sales, radio airplay and streaming are the following: All Of Me by John Legend; Fancy by Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX; Problem by Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea; Happy by Pharrell Williams; Turn Down For What by DJ Snake & Lil Jon; Dark Horse by Katy Perry feat. Juicy J; Talk Dirty by Jason Derulo feat. 2 Chainz; Not A Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake; Love Never Felt So Good by Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake.

A Sky Full Of Stars by Coldplay; Summer by Calvin Harris; Ain’t It Fun by Paramore; Let It Go by Idina Menzel; Magic by Coldplay; Pompeii by Bastille; Sing by Ed Sheeran; Am I Wrong by Nico and Vinz; Loyal by Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and French Montana Or Too Short Or Tyga Loyal; Best Day Of My Life by American Authors; and Wiggle by Jason Derulo with Snoop Dogg.

And the Top 20 albums on Billboard’s 200 Chart are: Turn Blue by The Black Keys; Xscape by Michael Jackson; Now 50 by Various Artists; Frozen, the motion picture soundtrack; Rewind by Rascall Flatts; Blue Smoke by Dolly Parton; Unrepentant Geraldines by Tori Amos; Shine On by Sarah McLachlan; Storyline by Hunter Hayes; Sovereign by Michael W. Smith.

White Women by Chromeo; Crash My Party by Luke Bryan; GIRL by Pharrell Williams; The New Classic by Iggy Azalea; Here’s To The Good Times by Florida Georgia Line; Fuse by Keith Urban; Corazon by Santana; Demi by Demi Lovato; Pure Heroine by Lorde; and The Righteous & The Butterfly by Mushroomhead.