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Joan Osborne — I'll Be There
Album: How Sweet It Is
Avg rating:
5.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 202









Released: 2002
Length: 4:24
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Comments (85)add comment
Why?
Posted 20 years ago by Daveinbawlmer    [ Reply ]
Seems to me like another artist doing a mediocre cover in lieu of new great material that they can't seem to muster. Not horrible, just "why?"
Posted 20 years ago by lindalouwho    [ Reply ]
i don't think i ever appreciated how beautiful joan osborne's voice was until this album of cover songs, and i don't think i ever appreciated how sweet this song was until i heard her sing it.
Posted 20 years ago by rah    [ Reply ]
qbee wrote:
Sometimes you just want to sing a great song, and when you've got pipes like Joan Osborne, you don't need to apologize for it.
Sounds good to me...and frankly I thought she was one of the better vocalists that sang with the Funk Brothers in "Standing in the Shadows of Motown."
Posted 20 years ago by kevinc    [ Reply ]
Nice cover. It's rare to hear an R&B cover that doesn't try to out-do the original (e.g. Mariah), but Joan stays true to her own style.
Posted 20 years ago by Dinsdale    [ Reply ]
Sometimes you just want to sing a great song, and when you've got pipes like Joan Osborne, you don't need to apologize for it. I disagree with those who say she didn't add anything. Sure, she didn't warp it all out of whack, but thank God. She sang it like we all would - close to the fantastic original, but as ourselves. I'm glad to hear the song again, and it's refreshing to hear it as a cover.
Posted 20 years ago by qbee    [ Reply ]
hmm..I was just going to make a positive comment about how this cover made me realise that this is a decent song...then I saw all the comments totally crushing it....I'll just say that I agree with "typesbad" and let it go at that.
Posted 20 years ago by toastee    [ Reply ]
cgrow wrote:
this is an awful song.
Awful? no. It's pretty flat though.
Posted 20 years ago by stripes    [ Reply ]
this is an awful song.
Posted 20 years ago by cgrow    [ Reply ]
cheesy. can't we just hear the original?
Posted 20 years ago by bluedot    [ Reply ]
Poor Joan... what ever happened to her? Relish was a GREAT record, full of great songs. Was it all just because of the Hooters (the band)? Since then, just a lot of bad choices in material.
Posted 20 years ago by drH    [ Reply ]
upinya wrote:
This song SOOOO belongs in a Wal-Mart or grocery store soundtrack. I feel like I'm shopping right now. Blech.
Blech is in aisle 6B, sir, top shelf next to the blah. We're out of stock on icky but will have more in next week. We don't carry nice, decent, soothing or groovalicious anymore, but let us know if there's anything else you're looking for, and we can get it by special order. Thanks for stopping by. We appreciate your patronage.
Posted 20 years ago by rgj13    [ Reply ]
This song SOOOO belongs in a Wal-Mart or grocery store soundtrack. I feel like I'm shopping right now. Blech.
Posted 20 years ago by upinya    [ Reply ]
Another remake. How is this better or even that different from the original? Pretty ho hum.
Posted 20 years ago by Pipes    [ Reply ]
billowhead wrote:
This song is getting WAY too overplayed here (in my opinion obviously)
That's funny, I had yet to hear it.
Posted 21 years ago by newwavegurly    [ Reply ]
One of the best covers ever. She really makes this song her own.
Posted 21 years ago by geavis    [ Reply ]
This song is getting WAY too overplayed here (in my opinion obviously)
Posted 21 years ago by billowhead    [ Reply ]
great cover of a so-so song. love joan. saw her this summer, and she lit the whole place up. it's obvious to anyone that sees her live that she really loves what she is doing, and it spills over to the audience like a wave. she's one of my fave's for live performers. she doesn't seem to have a bit of artificial "i'm so great, bow to me" when she's on stage. it was windy and cold, and the only reason she quit singing when she did was because the festival folks told her that an extra hour was all they were giving her. had to be there.
Posted 21 years ago by nook    [ Reply ]
OK, after the tenth time hearing it, i make it a 10. i just LOVE this song.
Posted 21 years ago by BLADERUNNER    [ Reply ]
Seems the Now Playing info is different from the Song Information...
Posted 21 years ago by R_P    [ Reply ]
ouch. this is bad. in a michal jackson way. please destroy this record. immediately.
Posted 21 years ago by knucklehead    [ Reply ]
I love this! Great cover.
Posted 21 years ago by Micky    [ Reply ]
And we needed a cover of this song...why? mdt
Posted 21 years ago by mdtuley    [ Reply ]
Great artist but this cover is crap. The material is beneath her. As to the folks commenting on her looks: STFU! Put you dicks back in your pants!
Posted 21 years ago by eric    [ Reply ]
Like others here, I'm just too awash in nostalgia to rate this song objectively. I'll agree that she may not add anything new, but I don't really care. When this song was first out, I just took it for granted and didn't give it too much thought. Yet, Joan's cover has brought me to appreciate just how good the song really was. And that seems to me to often be the intent of covers like this, where the the original tone has been retained as possible. I always imagine the artist either discovering, rediscovering or just picking a song that has long been an influence and basically saying: Hey look how good this song is! Lets not forget it and hold on while I try to do justuce to it." Not always of course. Sometimes it appears nothing more than a B-grade artist snagging some A-grade song glory. And personally, I'd be hard pressed to tell you what exactly marks the difference, but to paraphrase Justice Potter Stewart, I know it when I hear it. All that said, I think my favorite covers are still the ones that put the song in a completely different context. Among the endless examples, for some reason, the Cowboy Junkies' version of Waltz Across Texas is the first that comes to mind. Uh... so which one of you requested my personal long-winded diatribe on cover songs anyway?
Posted 21 years ago by Typesbad    [ Reply ]
Great song, great voice.
Posted 21 years ago by nbsdawn    [ Reply ]
great old song, done up in a modern, funky style. what a lovely voice. just enough vibretto.......sweet to listen to.
Posted 21 years ago by BLADERUNNER    [ Reply ]
it\'s grown on me. at first, just another mindless cover. but joan has a great voice, and the more i hear the song the more it seems she puts into it. but i\'d still like to hear the afghan whigs version...
Posted 21 years ago by downbylaw    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by sully3: Joan isn't exactly the cat's meow. Take a cold shower, she's nothing to write home about...Have you seen her on the cover of Rolling Stone! What a dog!
Someone's having a bad day... To be honest, she may not be "pop-star" beautiful but she is when she sings. Catch her live - she just glows...
Posted 21 years ago by apd    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by sully3: Joan isn't exactly the cat's meow. Take a cold shower, she's nothing to write home about...Have you seen her on the cover of Rolling Stone! What a dog!
Well, I think Joan is attractive many ways: appearance, talent & personality (from what I can tell). Missed the RS cover, though usually the people on those covers are best left looked at and little else!
Posted 21 years ago by ksb    [ Reply ]
Totally agree - Joan is amazing singing with the Funk Bros. She also does a kicker little number on this album with Me'shell (who was also on the Funk Bros. Standin') and Chef (Isaac Hayes)- "Smiling Faces".
Originally Posted by Stella: Watch "In the Shadow of Motown." The woman can sing (helps to have the Funk brothers behind her)...and she has more soul then Ben Harper who sings with them as well. (Sorry Ben...I do enjoy your music however). Enough said.
Posted 21 years ago by ciscochasbro    [ Reply ]
Hmmmmm. SmoothJazz on RadioParadise?
Posted 21 years ago by dawiese    [ Reply ]
Watch \"In the Shadow of Motown.\" The woman can sing (helps to have the Funk brothers behind her)...and she has more soul then Ben Harper who sings with them as well. (Sorry Ben...I do enjoy your music however). Enough said. :roll:
Posted 21 years ago by Stella    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by sully3: Joan isn't exactly the cat's meow. Take a cold shower, she's nothing to write home about...Have you seen her on the cover of Rolling Stone! What a dog!
To each his/her own. Personally, I've been known to favor musical artists based on their musical talents. :p I do make exceptions. :D -ptah
Posted 21 years ago by ptah    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by hcg11: She's alright, but nothing too thrilling about her voice. She sounds like I do in the shower! :)
Whoa, what I wouldn't give to have Joan singing in my shower!
Posted 21 years ago by ksb    [ Reply ]
It\'s O-S-B-O-R-N-E.
Posted 21 years ago by cherylg4    [ Reply ]
I usually am not crazy about cover songs but Joan has crafted covering to a fine art.
Posted 21 years ago by MsJudi    [ Reply ]
You're wrong.
Originally Posted by eval: Joan Osbourne always struck me as a marginal talent.
Posted 21 years ago by racerx    [ Reply ]
You're right.
Originally Posted by Joyfulchristine: Maybe it's because I'm not super familiar with her work, but I'm really enjoying her smooth, mellow-yet-scratchy voice in this song. She makes it sound so easy.
Posted 21 years ago by racerx    [ Reply ]
If you ever have a chance to catch Joan live DO IT! I saw her open for Melissa Etheridge about 7 years ago when she was considered a \"new\" artist. She was captivating.
Posted 21 years ago by Leslie    [ Reply ]
Her first album?.... great... This bit o bad advice followed? On the fence... much like her performance..
Posted 21 years ago by halcatus    [ Reply ]
A better cut from her covers record. High high hopes for it but overall found it somewhat disapointing. Her original material has been excellent.
Posted 21 years ago by Heathen954    [ Reply ]
Some harsh comments here. I really like her voice - sounds like there are a number of things to like about her more recent work. I think I pick up her last album... :)
Posted 21 years ago by lordcruloze    [ Reply ]
damn every time I hear this song I like it more. I actually heard it on FM the other day.
Posted 21 years ago by cds    [ Reply ]
Joan Osbourne always struck me as a marginal talent.
Posted 21 years ago by eval    [ Reply ]
Wow, way to murder a great song. Joan should be ashamed of herself.
Posted 21 years ago by dignan2    [ Reply ]
the afghan whigs do a killer version of this song. maybe i\'ll upload it. but rp hates the whigs, so maybe not...
Posted 21 years ago by downbylaw    [ Reply ]
Nice cover but seems a little too \"produced\" and perfect.
Posted 21 years ago by ediTed    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by john_logan: Why not play the original?
I sympathize that hearing this makes you want to hear the original again. But I think the point in hearing the cover is: 1: to tell you something about Joan that she chose to bring back this song and show you how she did it, and 2: Put the song in a contemporary context, rather than have it just be a pleasent piece of nostalga. Does this make sense?
Posted 21 years ago by Typesbad    [ Reply ]
A very nice cover version. She just gets better and better
Posted 21 years ago by Coppertop    [ Reply ]
A surprisingly tasty cover version. ;)
Posted 21 years ago by ndanger666    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by Joyfulchristine: Maybe it's because I'm not super familiar with her work, but I'm really enjoying her smooth, mellow-yet-scratchy voice in this song. She makes it sound so easy. If you ever get a chance to catch her live, I think you'll really be glad you did. Joan puts on a great show.
Posted 21 years ago by mperry    [ Reply ]
Maybe it\'s because I\'m not super familiar with her work, but I\'m really enjoying her smooth, mellow-yet-scratchy voice in this song. She makes it sound so easy.
Posted 21 years ago by Joyfulchristine    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by AugieK: The song takes me back too - to summer nights as a kid, struggling to get the signal from KOMA, the AM station from Oklahoma City that we could only get at night.
I remember driving around on summer nights wishing the sun would go down so we could hear KOMA. And I remember when KOMA went to a "format". 'Twas a sad day. From a real, DJ-programmed album-rock station (ca. 1975) to oldies, then country, whatever the Program Director of the week decided would get him a better job in a bigger market. :(
Posted 21 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by dburges: Absolutely nothing to do with the song, but I thought I'd point out that she spells her last name "Osbourne"!
Both you and the uploader got it wrong. It's neither Osbourn or Osbourne. It's Osborne .
Posted 21 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by ladyj: OK. Even though I like this version I do have to agree that the originals could be played also. what if it's not in their list
Well if it's not we'll just have to upload it now won't we?
Posted 21 years ago by ladyj    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by AugieK: The song takes me back too - to summer nights as a kid, struggling to get the signal from KOMA, the AM station from Oklahoma City that we could only get at night, but played all the best songs we couldn't get on the local station. The song takes me back. This version leaves me wanting to hear the "REAL" one. I'm all for new interpretations of great songs, but I really think the interpretation should ADD to the song, not just be a rote repetition of the notes.
Oh man, I hear you as far as trying to get a radio station in that played something better than what you COULD get in. I lived in a remote area so I fell back on classic rock but I longed for non repititious forms of music I had never heard before. And Aparently still do and thats what brings me here.
Posted 21 years ago by ladyj    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by john_logan: Why not play the original?
OK. Even though I like this version I do have to agree that the originals could be played also. what if it's not in their list
Posted 21 years ago by ladyj    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by great_one: Not Joan's best work. She does nothing to this song to make it her own.
Yea I agree here - I think she has a great voice and it just doesn't come out on this number. The Spinners did it first and (still) best.
Posted 21 years ago by Skeletor    [ Reply ]
Absolutely nothing to do with the song, but I thought I\'d point out that she spells her last name \"Osbourne\"!
Posted 21 years ago by dburges    [ Reply ]
this is perfectly acceptable, so i rated it as such
Posted 21 years ago by pilgrim    [ Reply ]
just for that I\'m going to rate it!!!!!
Posted 21 years ago by ladyj    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by sparklingdark: Excellent choice for her to cover, but, yeah, where's that unique Joan-y voice?
I don't care whachta'll think. It's all good to me.
Posted 21 years ago by ladyj    [ Reply ]
I like the soul-organ in the background :)
Posted 21 years ago by ce    [ Reply ]
Great version . . .thanks!
Posted 21 years ago by ghcollins86    [ Reply ]
Most songs I can rate right after they\'re done. This I\'m going to have to hear a couple more times, I think.
Posted 21 years ago by catsoup    [ Reply ]
The song takes me back too - to summer nights as a kid, struggling to get the signal from KOMA, the AM station from Oklahoma City that we could only get at night, but played all the best songs we couldn\'t get on the local station. The song takes me back. This version leaves me wanting to hear the \"REAL\" one. I\'m all for new interpretations of great songs, but I really think the interpretation should ADD to the song, not just be a rote repetition of the notes.
Posted 21 years ago by AugieK    [ Reply ]