Five Stairsteps vs. Angie Stone | Head 2 Head

In the sixth edition of Head 2 Head (2025), Five Stairsteps and Angie Stone contend for the best rendition of “O-o-h Child.”

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song and compare their performances.  After deliberation, we decide which performance is the best or moves us more subjectively.  In the sixth edition of Head 2 Head (2025), Five Stairsteps and Angie Stone contend for the best rendition of “O-o-h Child”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Five Stairsteps, “O-o-h Child”

Stairsteps // Sony Music Entertainment // 1970

“Ooh-oo child / Things are gonna get easier / Ooh-oo-child / Things’ll get brighter.” Oh, how positive and uplifting those lyrics are! They hail from the Five Stairsteps classic, “O-o-h Child”.  Five Stairsteps was a family affair, comprised of five siblings from Chicago.  The group was often known as The First Family of Soul. Notably, multi-instrumentalist and singer Keni Burke (1951 – ) was a member of the collective. “O-o-h Child,” recorded in 1970, was written and produced by Stan Vincent. A mega success on the pop charts, it peaked at no. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the sole pop hit for Five Stairsteps.

“O-o-h Child” is a surefire vibe from the get-go.  It features bright, sunny-sounding musical accompaniment comprised of the rhythm section (terrific guitar, bass, keys, and drumming) and orchestra (winds and strings). The production and orchestration are top-notch.  The songwriting excerpted above is also terrific. In the centerpiece, the chorus, the Five Stairsteps sing:   

“Someday, yeah 
We’ll get it together, and we’ll get it all done 
Some day 
When your head is much lighter 
Someday, yeah 
We’ll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun 
Some day 
When the world is much brighter.” 

Inspiring! Bringing those lovely words and melodies to life are fabulous vocals.  The lead is shared throughout the group, which is perfect for this song.  All told, the greatness of “O-o-h Child” speaks for itself.  This once-in-a-lifetime song has been covered by many different musicians.  

Appears in 🔻:

• Five Stairsteps, O-o-h Child: 1 Hit WONDERful 50 (2024)
• 11 Songs Where the Focus is the Child (2025)

2. Angie Stone, “O-O-H Child”

Covered in Soul // Cleopatra // 2016

On March 1, 2025, the music world lost a marvelous singer/songwriter, Angie Stone (1961 – 2025), who was tragically killed in an automobile accident 😢.  Despite being painfully underrated, Stone was a big proponent in the neo-soul movement of the late 1990s into the 2000s.  In 2016, she quietly released a covers album, Covered in Soul.  Among the classics that Stone lent her smoky, sultry alto voice to is “O-O-H Child”. Stone ‘puts her foot’ into her vocal performance.

In Stone’s hands, “O-O-H Child” gets an ‘updated’ production compared to the original. Keyboards, synthesized strings, and percussion are key parts of the sound palette, contrasting the more robust, acoustic instrumentation of the original.  Sure, it sounds cheaper and likely was cheaper to record, but the soulful sensibilities and vibes remain intact. Stone remained firmly planted in her musical lane. Stone delivers classy, refined, and smooth vocals. She is commanding and nuanced yet sounds as if she barely breaks a sweat.  Her cool, calm, and collected approach to soul is something that she always excelled at. She delivers the encouraging, uplifting vibes without a hitch. “O-O-H Child” in the hands of our dearly departed neo-soul icon, is incredibly sweet.

Appears in 🔻:

• Angie Stone, O-O-H Child: Covers No. 6 (2025)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

So, who brought out the positive vibes of “O-o-h Child” the best? Was it the original pop hit by the Five Stairsteps or the cover, released almost 50 years later by the late, great Angie Stone?  Stone was a marvelous singer who deserved more accolades and recognition than she did during her lifetime.  Her vocals are the best part of her 2016 cover of the song.  However, it is difficult to outdo an original. Rare are sequels better than the original. It is a tall task for any musician who covers “O-o-h Child” to beat the original by the Five Stairsteps.  Stone gave a fine interpretation, but the original takes home this head-to-head battle.

Five Stairsteps vs. Angie Stone: Head 2 Head No. 6 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sony Music Entertainment, Cleopatra; Israel Torres, KoolShooters, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]