4. All of Me – John Legend
This was John Legend's first truly global smash hit single after four solo albums. In America this was also the song that knocked Pharrell Williams' 'Happy' off the top spot. It didn't reach number one in the UK but did spend nine weeks in the top 10. The lyrics speak of an all-consuming, all-accepting love.
'Cause all of me Loves all of you Love your curves and all your edges All your perfect imperfections Give your all to me I'll give my all to you You're my end and my beginning Even when I lose I'm winning 'Cause I give you all of me And you give me all of you
I loved this song, until I saw its accompanying video. The video was shot in Italy just a few weeks before John Legend married supermodel Chrissy Teigen. The video is basically Legend and Teigen making out semi-naked in beautiful locations. It took the edge off the heartbeat of the song, which seemed like a call to unconditional love. Instead it just seems a little smug with a video that seems to shout, "Look at our wonderful lives, we live in a lovely place, we are beautiful people and we have sex a lot."
But sometimes a song can say more than an artist intends. Despite the video celebrating erotic love, the song's lyrics hint at another type of love – one that echoes God's love for us.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
