A quick post focusing not so much on moments of beauty as moments of comfort.
With the local YMCA closed, I’ve replaced my 2 mile swims with 2 mile walks. And the soundtrack for many of these walks has been the aural equivalent of comfort food: pop tunes from the mid-to-late 1960s and early 1970s, i.e. the music of my childhood. Think Walk Away Renee, Georgy Girl, See You In September, Windy, and Ooh Child, among many others.
I hadn’t realized Hall & Oates (favorites of another era in my life, high school and college) were among the many artists who’ve covered Ooh Child since The Five Stairsteps first released it in 1970. On my walk a couple of days ago, I chose a Spotify playlist of all Hall & Oates. After a handful of familiar tunes, their cover of Ooh Child began and I didn’t immediately recognize it. About 10 seconds in, I thought, “Hey, this is Ooh Child…” I love their version, and I think what spoke to me, and ultimately prompted this post, is how their slightly different lyrics address the moment we find ourselves in. In so many ways, the world really has come undone…and the thought that “we’ll put together what was coming undone” is something to grab onto. I bolded a few other particularly apt lines.
Take a listen to both and see what you think. Do you have a preference and if so, why?
Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Ooh child things’ll get brighter
Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Ooh child things’ll get brighter
Some day, yeah, we’ll put it together and we’ll get it undone
Some day when your head is much lighter
Some day, yeah, we’ll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Some day when the world is much brighter
Ooh child things are gonna be easier
Ooh child things’ll be brighter
Ooh child things are gonna be easier
Ooh child things’ll be brighter
Some day, yeah, we’ll put it together and we’ll get it undone
Some day when your head is much lighter
Some day, yeah, we’ll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Some day when the world is much brighter
Some day, some day, some day, some day yeah
We’ll put it together and we’ll get it undone
Some day when your head is much lighter
Some day, yeah, we’ll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Some day when the world is much brighter
Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Ooh child things’ll get brighter
Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Ooh child things’ll get brighter
Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Ooh child things’ll get brighter
Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Ooh child things’ll get brighter
Some day we’ll put together what was coming undone
Some day we’ll tie it all tighter
Some day we can lay in the rays of a beautiful sun
Some day the sky will be brighter
Ooh child things are gonna be easier
Ooh child things’ll be brighter
Ooh child things are gonna be easier
Ooh child things’ll be brighter
Some day it won’t be long when I see you again
Some day the time will be tighter
Some day we’ll lose the blues and the hurt in your heart
Some day then my heart will be lighter
Ooh child things are gonna be easier
Ooh child things’ll be brighter
Oh some day we’ll be together
Some day we’ll put together what was coming undone
Some day we’ll tie it all tighter
Oh some day
Some day we can lay in the rays of the beautiful sun
Some day the sky will be lighter
Brighter baby
Some day we’ll put together what was coming undone
Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Some day we’ll tie it all tighter
Ooh child things’ll be brighter
Some day we can feel the heat of the heavier sun
Ooh child ooh child
Some day the sky will be brighter
Ooh child things’ll get lighter
I wanna be together
Some day we’ll put together what was coming undone
Ooh child ooh child
Some day we’ll tie it all tighter
Ooh child things will be tighter
Some day we can lay in the rays of a beautiful sun
Ooh child yes we will
Some day the skies will be lighter
Ooh child things will be lighter
Some day we’ll put together what was coming undone
Some day we’ll tie it all tighter
Trivia tidbit: The B side of the Ooh Child single was a cover of The Beatles’ Dear Prudence.
augenblick 
Love this Jeanno— going to go listen to Hall and Oates version now.
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This was loads of fun. I listened to all, plus some that followed on YouTube. Of the ‘ooh child’, I actually preferred The Five Stairsteps to the Hall & Oates recording. The instrumental accompaniment felt simpler and cleaner. I was previously unfamiliar with this song, or the Dear Prudence. It brought fun memories listening to Walk Away Renee, Georgy Girl, See You In September, and Windy. My true favorites are Bobby Gentry’s Ode to Billie Joe and Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Of course, these two would probably be difficult for your daily run due to the beat. Definitely not upbeat!!
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Thanks for stopping by, Anne. You should check out the original version of Dear Prudence (on the Beatles’ so-called ‘White Album’), as well as Jeff Buckley’s version of Hallelujah, both certainly available on YouTube.
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I was walking today–nasty out–and took a break to read your blog. No surprise, I was taken by the line about the rays of the beautiful sun. Now i have to decide if I want to walk or lay in the rays.
Thanks!
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You’re not alone in your heliotropism, Steve!
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Thanks for this Jeanne. I listened and enjoyed both, this line in the Hall & Oates version stood out to me more – Some day we can lay in the rays of the beautiful sun. Made me feel we can get through this!
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Definitely a hopeful line as well, Mary!
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One of the view bright spots in dealing with COVID has been the return of your blog!
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And you’re one of its biggest supporters….thank you.
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