John Legend reveals story behind hit song which ‘upset’ ‘a lot’ of people

30 May 2025, 11:36

‘She Don’t Have to Know’ was one of the songs released on John’s debut album, Get Lifted.

John Legend is “sorry” for writing one of his debut album’s most popular songs.

Speaking with Smooth’s Angie Greaves about his Get Lifted 20th Anniversary tour, the ‘All of Me’ singer and proud father of four was jokingly confronted by Angie about how his track ‘She Don’t Have to Know’ makes cheating seem romantic.

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“It’s a classic cheating song, I’m sorry!” John laughed.

Watch Angie and John’s chat here:

John Legend reveals the song that upset fans and opens up about fatherhood

“A lot of people were upset with me because I made cheating sound so appealing, so romantic,” he admitted.

But John defended the song, adding: “It’s in the lineage of songs like ‘Me and Mrs Jones’, and ‘Sweet Thing’. Classic songs about being with someone who’s not yours.”

‘She Don’t Have to Know’ was the first song John worked on with his now longtime collab partner and friend will.i.am.

She Don't Have to Know

After being introduced via their manager, the singer recalled: “The first thing we wrote together was this dastardly cheating song...

“We wanted it to sound sexy and painful, anguished and a little dramatic.”

Life-changing hits

Speaking with Angie, John also opened up about how his own family inspired Get Lifted’s breakthrough hit, 'Ordinary People'.

“I started writing it on the road... I was inspired by my family because at the time my parents were going through a second divorce,” the 46-year-old shared.

“I wasn’t in a serious relationship at the time, but I was seeing the ups and downs of love through my parents.”

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‘Ordinary People’ charmed audiences with its honest and vulnerable approach to talking about love.

“It started to get such a response from the audience I think because it sounded so different from everything else that was on the radio, it would really stop people in their tracks,” John recalled.

“It’s saved relationships”

“[‘Ordinary People’] struck a chord with people... they heard so clearly what I was saying and they felt that it connected with their own experience...

“I’ve met people that said it saved their relationship,” he revealed. “I still meet people that tell me where they were when they first heard that song."

John Legend - Ordinary People (Official Music Video)

Songs like ‘Ordinary People’, ‘She Don’t Have to Know’ were all written by John when he was still a star-in-the-making.

‘Get Lifted’ and ‘Live It Up’ were even penned by the ‘Tonight’ artist before he’d signed a record deal.

“These were aspirational songs hoping that everything would work out with my career,” he recalled emotionally. “I had no idea [what would happen].”

But as Angie noted, the singer spoke his success into existence with these debut songs.

John Legend is touring the UK, Europe and North America this year on the Get Lifted 20th Anniversary Tour. Get tickets here: johnlegend.com