Especially for a song that has spawned numerous versions in different generation, You’re the Voice is one veritable piece. Written by Andy Qunta, Mitchel Reid, Maggie Ryder and Chris Thompson 80’s, this single is a hit in some countries such as Australia and even European nations, but not forceful enough that it gains the attention of the Americans. Such accountability of this can be recalled in one episode of American Idol on Fox. “I didn’t know the song but I like it,” said Randy Jackson, one of the three-panel judges of the show. But what is more appalling in the talent show, of which the song is performed by David Archuleta, is Simon Cowell’s comment: “[This is] reminiscent of a theme park performance… The song is not for you.” Though it is believable enough to say that Archuleta was not able to pull it off and he ended up looking so artificial on that glossy concert stage, Cowell’s remark is not right. It is downright nasty. Everyone is entitled to sing a song the same as everyone has the right to eat ice cream.
Nothing beats the original but other versions of You’re the Voice can stand on their own. David Archuleta’s is one passable edition, in our opinion. With the Heart band, the spunk and energy of John Farnham is still present, except that it was presented by a woman. Shown in the video, though, differs because it focuses on poverty and war issues, unlike Farnham’s which presented dysfunctional parents ranting off right in front of their child.
With the Heart’s rendition, the song shows how versatile it is as being androgynous. This flexibility also proves that the song is not only limited to the masculine mindset because another singer, Rebecca St. James, rendered it with her very own semi-rock style of singing. Though she’s not much of an original, with her antics closely resembling Fiona Apple’s subtlety and Avril Lavigne’s angst, her other songs are nevertheless good.
The song is a classic—especially the one by John Farnham. As a literary piece, You’re the Voice is very mundanely austere but realistic. It is encouraging its audience (or listeners) to make the world a better place. It may fall as a cliché but its message is encompassing and full of truth that being trite is not an issue. It doesn’t make use of any complex words yet it effectively delivers the message across with such unexplainable uniqueness. If this were to be a poem, the persona is just expressing the urgency to fight against what’s wrong in society.
The song can fit in any generation. It has been proven by the many versions of the song by various artists in different periods in time. There aren’t just four versions of the song, but among the four, the music video by Heart was the loudest. It showed the suffering of people due to war and poverty. It evokes pity from its viewers. We appreciate the song because, aside from its catchy tune, its message is simple and clear. It is universal. It has the voice of everyone.
