Who Did It Better? Oh How The Years Go By

Who Did It Better? 

Oh How The Years Go By

(In honor of my milestone birthday coming up on the 14th.)

Oh How The Years Go By is a song written by English songwriter/producer Simon Climie and Will Jennings. 

Climie had enjoyed a string of top 40 hits in the UK when he was part of the duo Climie Fisher. As a producer and songwriter he is most closely associated with Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Michael McDonald and Sara Evans. 

Oh How the Years Go By first appeared on Climie's debut solo album, 1992's Soul Inspiration. Released as a single in 1993, it failed to chart.

Shortly after, it was recorded by Amy Grant for her 1994 album, House Of Love which was the follow-up to her multi-platinum breakthrough, 1991's Heart In Motion. Like it's predecessor, House Of Love spun off a slew of singles, the last of which was Oh How The Years Go By. Released in 1995, it hit #11 on Billboard's Christian Chart and #12 on the Christian Adult Contemporary Chart. 

John Miles had a huge hit in 1976 in the UK, and subsequently became part of touring bands for the likes of Elton John and Tina Turner. In addition, he contributed vocals for a number of The Alan Parson's Project's albums. Throughout it all, he continued to record as a solo artist. For his 1993 album, Upfront, he decided to record a cover of Oh How The Years Go By. It was released as the final single from the album, also serving as the final single of his very distinguished career. 

In 1996, Vanessa Williams was approached to contribute to an album honoring the 50th anniversary of the NBA. She chose to cover Oh How The Years Go By and it appeared on the Polygram various artist compilation album NBA At 50 - A Musical Celebration. Later, it was also included on her studio album, Next, which debuted on  August 26, 1997. Released as the third single from the album on November 27th of that same year, her version reached #6 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. 

And that's the whole story.

Now? On to the competition!

The Song: Oh How The Years Go By

The Competitors: Climie vs. Grant vs. Miles vs. Williams

Oh How The Years Go By - Simon Climie

Oh How The Years Go By - Amy Grant

Oh How The Years Go By - John Miles

Oh How The Years Go By - Vanessa Williams

Simon Climie

Opening seems pitched high and thin. And that piano cadence is Bruce Hornsby 101. But nice. Weird whiplash synth percussion track. The piano trickling through? It keeps things interesting. That synth wash as the backdrop, welling up and subsiding? I guess it's the times. Makes for a spacious airiness. So... I'm looking for a little something to weight this one. And it's not Climie's voice, which strikes me as strained, airy, and thin. Not bad, by any means... but it sounds as if he is just getting by. 

What it does is detracts from the song. He could seriously be singing about the sorrows of vacuuming. Considering he had a hand in writing it, he doesn't seem very interested in communicating what it is the song has to share. Or... perhaps he's not vocally capable?

It's like Truman Capote's singing. 

With the strings and synths all swelling and fading, and the trickling piano playing like raindrops and that haunted, rigid rhythm track - there's plenty of atmosphere. What I'm not getting a sense of is the song itself. The arrangement? Pretty. 

I'm simply not buying Climie as a singer. Sorry. I'm out. I don't like the placement of his voice, and there's not depth to his delivery. Zip. 

I would say this makes for a nice demo, but the song itself isn't the focus... it's the arrangement - and that alone, is not enough to sell this one. Although, I really like the string work on the C-section. And the Bruce Hornsby vibe. The occasional accordion. And that neighing horse... soprano sax? 

But again... atmosphere and clever production can't sell a song if the singer doesn't tell a compelling story. The hook in the chorus does come through, and sticks. But the rest... well, I have no idea what he's trying to say. 

Amy Grant

A much cleaner opening, with some homespun corn in there. Love the pulsing strings. Still very Hornsby. 

She sounds great. Full-bodied, fully-realized and relaxed. Stylistically, she's attempting a bit of a sly sound, slurring and purring a bit, but that's fine... she has me listening - to the words. With the second half of the verse, I lose her a bit. There's like a near stumble, where rhythmically, the syncopation she's playing with is at odds with the arrangement. I also find them competing with one another a bit too much for my comfort level. Let's see if she breaks away.

Nope. Even with the arrangement dropping out some of the more distracting elements, I still find her vocals to be bumping heads with the arrangement. It's annoying because they've created a nice warm sound here. But she's not working that format.

There's some kind of agenda at play here, which, again, means the song itself is not the focus. In the second verse, we find her doubling down on that sly sound she hinted at earlier as the arrangement gets busier. 

And, as I write this, I remember that is one of the things about Grant that intrigued me way back when The Collection came out in 1986. It was the complicated way she played within rhythm - slightly off and around it, pushing and pulling. With her clear, pristine pipes, she didn't sing like anyone else. Debbie Boone never came close to the musical sophistication Grant (in league with Michael W. Smith) brought to to genre. That said, she always caught my ear, but also left me a bit mystified and perturbed. I think it was because I couldn't crack what she was doing.

I still can't. 

Her attack is always just either a little pulled or a little pushed and it feels at odds with that overly aggressive piano track. 

It does get better. Second chorus she feels right on it. And the quality of her voice is really not at question, save for how thin and tight she sounds on climax of the C-section. 

And I have huge issues with the production work, here. There's no space between Grant and the instrumentation; they both seem bolted together, like a train riding atop a railroad track. It makes for an aural mess, but not a sloppy one; everything is impeccably done, but honed and focused so tightly that it's like a single cable. So the competition between the two, which Grant's vocals give no indication of or acknowledgement to, strikes me as annoying. 

Ugh. That guitar solo is gross. Loud, flabby and lazy. And everything after is a homogenized sonic snooze. Yes... big. But minus substance. I mean, she might as well drop all the instruments and finish with a second grade kids choir singing the chorus. 

Weird. Because when this was on the radio? I liked it just fine. 

John Miles

I like the intro because it doesn't sound like Bruce Hornsby and that's Mr. Miles on the guitar adding the occasional atmospheric pluck. The rhythm track is what I call 'the coconuts' - and it's used quite subtly here, with the tikki accents. 

I love his voice; assured, full-bodied. It's not warm, but then I have a feeling he's going for something else here - sort of a reflective perspective, if you will. This is also bringing to mind mid-eighties Steve Winwood. 

I have to say, this is the first version where I felt the melody was front and center. Musically, the song makes sense. 

Okay, so as he stretches up there for notes, the top of his range has seen better days and he can't pop open those notes like he used to. And when it comes to the chorus, there's no liftoff - it's one continuous line, which is too bad, because it sort of buries the hook. 

I like verse two. Great harmonies. And that guitar looming up every once in awhile. It gives us some much needed build. 

Once the full trap set kicks in, that's some pretty by-the-book drumming, and not in line with the rest of the arrangement, really. I continue to appreciate the guitar work.

Then a tasty guitar lick intertwined with some so-so sax work before that pulsing string thing I love so much enters the soundscape. It's nice, because it allows Miles to open up his vocals full throttle. And I'm kind of shocked, because dude nails that C-section.

I know this isn't to everyone's taste, but I have a soft spot for this. 

The sax work? Still not my thing. It's just alright. But Miles is fully engaged now. And he sounds great... until the 3:57 mark - I really wish he would have reconsidered those woo-whoo-whoo's. A bit on the weak side. 

But his guitar work remains stellar. 

I like his final vocal stance. That's tough. That's earned.

I do wish his arrangement would have rhythmically punched up "we fight, we laugh, we cry" at least once - it's a great rallying cry.

Vanessa Williams

Pretty piano, heavy strings. It sets up our lady for a lovely entrance. But... what on earth is that folding-paper rhythm shuffle introduced and running beneath? That is one odd choice. And a little flute moving through? What? This is so shapeless. Or is it?

That piano work is very scattershot, but really effective. The whole arrangement moves like clouds across a starry, moonlit night. And that accordion - out of left field, but effective. 

Her voice moves through this so effectively. I have to give her props... she knows exactly where she's going, unfolding like a flower... And when she really starts to open up and starts to bring the fire around the 2:12 mark - I got chills, children! 

I think the back up singers come on a little too strong. I would have allowed Williams to continue to lead on this. 

But she's back in the driver's seat for the C-section - which really is my favorite part of this song. It's been interesting hearing the different approaches to that section. That tight little sawing string figure? It competes a bit with what Williams has in mind, but she can handle it.  And, again... those backup singers need to back up just a bit more. 

Oh, very smart... bringing it all back down like that. Producer Keith Thomas knows what he's doing, and Williams is such a fine talent. No one else coddles a listener quite the way Williams can.

When the gospel choir rears up, I sure do hate that trap set; way too forward in the mix and hot. 

So, I do not think a gospel choir was the way to go. Williams is smart and does not embarrass herself trying to compete - she colors around them, and ripples beneath. She's not the kind of singer who is going to open up and start wailing. But, that mistake aside, I really rather enjoyed this. 

The Verdict

I'm going with Williams. 

My second choice is Miles. 

I don't care for Climie's vocals - I couldn't understand some of the words at all - though I did think the arrangement had some interesting things going for it. Ultimately, though, the song got lost in all the claptrap. 

Same is true of whatever it is Grant was attempting to do. In the end, I find her singing style so perplexing I can't give myself over and just enjoy the song. But then, I also think she loses sight of the actual song, as well. 

I liked Miles arrangement. I liked his straightforward singing. His journeyman approach. It's a very Steve Winwood moment, and I thought most of it worked quite well. I'd listen to his version again, anytime. 

But it's Ms. Williams who has the style and the chops. The backing vocals aside, I really enjoyed her performance and had Thomas not mucked up things by going gospel choir with that cheap ass drum set, I think there would be no question as to who had the best version. Hers is a knowing, multi-faceted performance. I love it when she holds the listener close and adore it when she breaks free. And while initially taken aback by the odd arrangement... as soon as I truly started listening closely to what was going on, I began to find it rather breathtaking -  right up until the backing vocalists showed up. 

Still, there's so much talent on display in her version... 

Bravo, Ms. Williams.

--- ---

And that's enough of me.

Okay, your turn. Leave your choice and thoughts in the comments section. You know I love to hear a differing opinion. 

And that's all for today.

Until next time...

Thanks for reading... and listening!

Oh How The Years Go By - Vanessa Williams