You're the Voice

You're The Voice (words by Keith Reid) was released on John Farnham's Whispering Jack album. It was a hit song when released in 1986, going to number one on the Australian charts and beyond. Sam Cameron notes that 'this was also a No 6 hit in the UK and Heart had a hit with a song of the same name (is it the same song – yes ... see below) No 56 in the UK in 1991. Reid's Aussie No 1 has been blessed with some odd covers ... in 1987 the London Symphony Orchestra covered it on Classic Rock, Barbara Dickson on Coming Alive Again in 1989, and Brenda Cochrane on The Voice in 1991 ... . The song mentions guns which seem to recur a lot in Reid's post-1985 (Robin Trower) writings, and might be a presage of things to come – to be sadly relished by Learn to Fly haters – that it sails into the AOR hall of fame.'  The original recording of the song, by Chris Thompson, my be heard on The Keith Reid Project's The Common Thread 2008 solo CD

 

We have the chance to turn the pages over We can write what we wanna write We gotta make ends meet before we get much older We're all someone's daughter We're all someone's son How long can we look at each other Down the barrel of a gun You're the voice, try and understand it Make a noise and make it clear Wo-oh-oh ... Wo-oh-oh ... We're not gonna sit in silence We're not gonna live with fear Wo-oh-oh ... Wo-oh-oh ... This time we know we all can stand together With the power to be powerful Believing we can make it better We're all someone's daughter We're all someone's son How long can we look at each other Down the barrel of a gun

John Farnham's manager Glenn Wheatley had to mortgage his house to produce the album, but one in four Australian households now have a copy. This was the record that brought John Farnham to fame.

Sam Cameron writes: the single of YTV in 1987 UK is on Wheatley PB41093 – ie his manager started the label to get this hit though JF was a big star in Australia since 1969 ish. I still don't know how KR got involved but can the C Thomson co-author be the same one [yes!] as on The Hand that Rocks the Cradle? That may be the link ... if you're looking for Procol connections he was actually born in Dagenham – ok it's not Southend, but Sandie Shaw was born there ...

If you want to hear this masterpiece it is on the net here.

BtP adds: the co-authors include Chris Thompson (Cradle co-author and big, big rock-vocalist (ex-Manfred Mann and dozens of films, commercials and many solo works)) and Maggie Ryder (hard-working backing vocalist who has performed with No Stiletto Shoes) Andy Qunta has written other songs with Chris Thompson, such as Don't Tell Me It Can't Be Done, which was also recorded by John Farnham.

The 1995 Alan Parsons album The Very Best Live (US release) includes a studio version of Chris Thompson performing You're The Voice (which he also performed as the finale of the World Liberty Concert in Holland in front of 120,000 people). 

The John Farnham recordings are on the albums Whispering Jack (1987: studio version) and Full House (1991: live version)

Catherine Waters writes: I work for Gotham Records which is a record label that John Farnham established with his long-time producer (of Whispering Jack and all subsequent albums) Ross Fraser.

I'm afraid I have no idea how You're the Voice came to be written and I cannot confer with John or Ross at present (5 August 1998) as they are both overseas; I don't know if they actually know anyway.

The copy of Whispering Jack which I have is catalogue number WJCD 0001: I believe this would be due to the fact that this was the first album pressed on CD in Australia.

However, I believe the current cat. # is SFCD 0149 (the album has been re-released a number of times in our territory).

You may wish to verify this through BMG Records.

Keith advises BtP (June 2008) that You're the Voice started life with Chris Thompson, who had the musical idea and wanted to get a lyricist involved. It was therefore one of his jobs where music essentially preceded the words, which are all Reid's. He also mentioned that the song (which has been repeatedly covered, and featured, all over the world) was lately adopted for a Greenpeace film in Italy, for which cause Keith 'donated his services'.

The song was recorded in 1986 by Chris Thompson in a version (not then released) which the John Farnham track closely resembles (though it contained no bagpipes) according to Keith. Hear it on The Keith Reid Project's The Common Thread 2008 solo CD.