She Don't Have to Know

Album: Get Lifted (2004)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • John Legend with a song about creeping! It's true.

    Back in the days before he met Chrissy Teigen, he put out some Usher-like songs where he's behaving badly. One of them is "She Don't Have to Know," where he's cheating on his girl with a woman who is, in turn, cheating on her man. He figures it's OK as long as nobody finds out.
  • Will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas produced this song and wrote it with Legend. The two worked closely around this time, with Legend featuring on two tracks from will's 2003 solo album Must B 21.
  • "She Don't Have to Know" is part of John Legend's debut album, Get Lifted, the first release on Kanye West's GOOD Music label. Legend was already established as a songwriter and session player, but the album made him a solo star, which judging by his stage name, he was ready for. (His real name: John Stephens.)
  • The groove includes replayed elements of a 1971 Sly & the Family Stone song called "Just Like a Baby."

Comments: 1

  • Nikki from Chicago, IlHe came out with a part two to this song called "Again" which is on his second commercial CD called "Once Again". The part 3 of this song is also on "Once Again" and that song is called "Another Again".
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.