An ode to love-you-no-matter-what, “All of Me” is an easier sell than “Ordinary People,” an ode to love-is-hard. The post-Adele New Stark thing is a cultural wave Legend was lucky enough to ride, but the sappier lyrics of his new song probably helped as well. With almost exactly 10 years separating Legend’s first hit from his biggest one, it’s worth asking what’s different this time around. The simplicity of the arrangement complemented the words to “Ordinary People,” which tackled the challenging, complicated emotions of long-term relationships with directness and empathy. His aforementioned 2004 breakthrough, “Ordinary People”-still, in my opinion, the best thing he’s ever done-was just as unadorned and understated, Legend’s dry voice cracking against the tinkling of ivories. This is actually his second Top 40 hit to consist of little more than a baby grand and a voice. But Legend was doing stark when stark wasn’t cool.
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