Green Light (John Legend song)
Encyclopedia
"Green Light" is the first single from John Legend
's album Evolver
. The song is produced by Malay
and KP and features André 3000
of OutKast
. The song was released as a single download on July 29, 2008.
The single was mixed by Manny Marroquin, and there is an official remix featuring T.I.
with production by Swizz Beatz
, the release of which is shelved. MSTRKRFT
, the electronic music group who worked with Legend on "Heartbeaker" for their album Fist of God
, also produced a remix. Patrick Stump
(lead singer of Fall Out Boy
) posted an A Capella style version of the song, singing the lyrics live, accompanied by a prerecorded background beat and his own backing vocals.
The song became Legend's third top 40 hit in the UK Singles Chart
after all singles from previous album Once Again failed to chart well there. It is his third biggest hit in the UK and his first single to chart in the top forty since "Ordinary People
". The song is also his second top 40 hit in U.S. (after "Ordinary People").
, Legend explained how the track first came about: "Initially I was working in the studio with a guy called Rick Nowels
, who's not known for making a buncha dance songs but is a good writer! And one of the songs we worked on turned out to be 'Green Light'. He started playing this guitar groove, put a beat to it... And, because it was uptempo and felt good, the melody and lyric came to me pretty quickly. So I played it for my A&R guy, who then helped me re-produce it with this producer named Malay. Then, after we listened to the finished track, we thought it would be really cool if Andre 3000 became part of it. 'Cause it just sounded like something he'd do! So we played it for him; he loved it; he wanted to get on it right away... So he wrote and recorded his rap very quickly. And, from the moment I heard Andre on it, to me it straightaway felt like the album's first single!"
BET J placed the music video at #13 on the year-end Last Call 2008! Top 50 Countdown.
. André 3000 appears in the video along with Legend. Singer Estelle
also makes an appearance in the video. Visual effects and editorial for the video were created by Baked FX
, previously Baked Goods. The video starts with John Legend singing on the piano to his best-selling single, "Ordinary People
". After that, the video proceeds to a wild party. At the end of the video, a snippet from Legend's song "Good Morning", also on Evolver, is played during the morning after, while Legend and André 3000 leave the house and other party guests remain asleep.
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
's album Evolver
Evolver (John Legend album)
Evolver is the third studio album by R&B/soul singer John Legend, released by GOOD Music and Columbia Records on October 28, 2008 in the United States and on October 20 in the United Kingdom. It features guest appearances by Kanye West, Brandy, Estelle and Andre 3000, among others.The album debuted...
. The song is produced by Malay
Malay (producer)
Malay is an R&B/Pop/Rock/Hip-Hop producer and songwriter who is believed to be of Asian descent.-Discography:-External links:...
and KP and features André 3000
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin , better known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being part of American hip-hop duo OutKast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi...
of OutKast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
. The song was released as a single download on July 29, 2008.
The single was mixed by Manny Marroquin, and there is an official remix featuring T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
with production by Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
, the release of which is shelved. MSTRKRFT
MSTRKRFT
MSTRKRFT is a Canadian electronic music duo from Toronto, Ontario. The group was started in 2005 by Jesse F. Keeler of Death from Above 1979 and Al-P formerly of the Mississauga, Ontario electropop group Girlsareshort...
, the electronic music group who worked with Legend on "Heartbeaker" for their album Fist of God
Fist of God
Fist of God is the second album by MSTRKRFT, released on March 17, 2009 by Dim Mak Records and Downtown Records.-Reception:Initial critical response to Fist of God was very average. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has...
, also produced a remix. Patrick Stump
Patrick Stump
Patrick Vaughn Stump is an American singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and music critic. He is the composer, lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist of Fall Out Boy, an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, and is also a solo artist...
(lead singer of Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
) posted an A Capella style version of the song, singing the lyrics live, accompanied by a prerecorded background beat and his own backing vocals.
The song became Legend's third top 40 hit in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
after all singles from previous album Once Again failed to chart well there. It is his third biggest hit in the UK and his first single to chart in the top forty since "Ordinary People
Ordinary People (song)
"Ordinary People" is the second single from John Legend's album Get Lifted. The single has been certified gold by the RIAA. Critics were positive towards the song, praising it for its raw emotion and simplicity. The track also ended up being featured on the compilation album Now That's What I...
". The song is also his second top 40 hit in U.S. (after "Ordinary People").
Background
Speaking in July 2008 to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning Blues & SoulBlues & Soul
Blues & Soul is a British music magazine covering black music. Genres covered include soul, R&B, jazz, hip hop, reggae and world music. It was first published in 1966 and is known for first using the term Northern Soul....
, Legend explained how the track first came about: "Initially I was working in the studio with a guy called Rick Nowels
Rick Nowels
Richard Wright Nowels Jr. is a Grammy / Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter/producer who has worked with many of the most vibrant artists in contemporary music...
, who's not known for making a buncha dance songs but is a good writer! And one of the songs we worked on turned out to be 'Green Light'. He started playing this guitar groove, put a beat to it... And, because it was uptempo and felt good, the melody and lyric came to me pretty quickly. So I played it for my A&R guy, who then helped me re-produce it with this producer named Malay. Then, after we listened to the finished track, we thought it would be really cool if Andre 3000 became part of it. 'Cause it just sounded like something he'd do! So we played it for him; he loved it; he wanted to get on it right away... So he wrote and recorded his rap very quickly. And, from the moment I heard Andre on it, to me it straightaway felt like the album's first single!"
BET J placed the music video at #13 on the year-end Last Call 2008! Top 50 Countdown.
Music video
A music video has been filmed and was released on August 22, 2008 on FNMTVFNMTV
FNMTV is a music video program on MTV focused on premiering new music videos and airing viewers' instantaneous feedback from its website...
. André 3000 appears in the video along with Legend. Singer Estelle
Estelle (musician)
Estelle Fanta Swaray commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as Est'elle, is an English R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.-Early Life:Estelle was born 18 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, England...
also makes an appearance in the video. Visual effects and editorial for the video were created by Baked FX
Baked FX
BAKED FX, formerly Baked Goods, is a boutique visual effects / post-production facility located in Culver City, CA. The company provides VFX and editorial services for the industry’s top directors, producers, production companies and ad agencies....
, previously Baked Goods. The video starts with John Legend singing on the piano to his best-selling single, "Ordinary People
Ordinary People (song)
"Ordinary People" is the second single from John Legend's album Get Lifted. The single has been certified gold by the RIAA. Critics were positive towards the song, praising it for its raw emotion and simplicity. The track also ended up being featured on the compilation album Now That's What I...
". After that, the video proceeds to a wild party. At the end of the video, a snippet from Legend's song "Good Morning", also on Evolver, is played during the morning after, while Legend and André 3000 leave the house and other party guests remain asleep.
Formats and track listings
UK CD:- "Green Light" (International radio edit)
- "Green Light" (Johnny DouglasJohnny DouglasJohn "Johnny" William Henry Tyler Douglas was a cricketer who was captain of the England team and an Olympic boxer.-Early life:...
radio edit)
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
24 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
4 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
80 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 19 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
35 |
| Dutch Bubbling Under Top 40 | 6 |
| Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... |
9 |
End of year charts
| Charts (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
92 |