Hall & Oates vs. Paul Young | Head 2 Head

In the 38^th edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Daryl Hall & John Oates (Hall & Oates) and Paul Young contend for the best rendition of “Everytime You Go Away.”

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song and compare their performances.  After deliberating, we render a verdict on which performance was the best, or, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  In the 38^th edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Daryl Hall & John Oates (Hall & Oates), and Paul Young contend for the best rendition of “Everytime You Go Away”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Hall & Oates, “Everytime You Go Away”            

Voices // Sony Music Entertainment // 1980

“Always the same thing / But can’t you see we’ve got everything / Going on and on and on?” Daryl Hall & John Oates (Hall & Oates) had an extraordinary career.  Having charted 34 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, 16 were top 10 hits. Impressive.  One song that didn’t chart, as it wasn’t released as a single, was “Everytime You Go Away”. “Everytime You Go Away” was written by Hall and appeared on the duo’s 1980 album, Voices.  In Halls & Oates’ hand, the record had a gospel/R&B vibe.  The gospelized sound is amplified by the prominent use of organ, big vocal ad-libs and riffs by Hall, and the repetitive, harmonized background vocals.

Matters of the heart fuel “Everytime You Go Away.” In the first verse, Hall acknowledges, “Whoa, so you go again / When the leading man appears.” Bummer! In the second verse, he encourages, “Go on and go free / Maybe you’re too close to me / I can feel your body move / But doesn’t mean that much to me.” Or, does it? Per the chorus, the centerpiece, Hall and Oates sing, “That every time you go away / You take a piece of me with you.” In the outro, Hall lets ‘er rip with his gospelized ad-libs that take the listeners to church.  From my perspective, the duo should’ve released this soulful “Everytime You Go Away” as a single.  It’s the sugar honey iced tea!

2. Paul Young, “Every Time You Go Away”

The Secret Of Association // Sony Music Entertainment // 1985

To recap, Daryl Hall & John Oates (Hall & Oates) originally recorded “Everytime You Go Away”. It was written by Hall, the non-single appeared on their 1980 album, Voices. English singer Paul Young released a sweet cover of “Every Time You Go Away” on his 1985 album, The Secret Of Association.  Kind of a big deal, it reached no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The sound is quintessential of soft rock in the ‘80s. Laurie Latham produced the distinct remake.

“And every time you go away

You take a piece of me with you.”

That’s about the size of the section to beat, the chorus.  It’s simple but telling; ultra-relatable. Adding to the allure of that memorable section are harmonized vocals – always a win! Before the chorus ever arrives, there is an enigmatic intro which is unrushed.  Again, this rendition is characteristic of the ‘80s with its drum machine, detuned synths, heavenly keys, rhythm guitar, and fretless bass (Pino Palladino).  There are ample rhythmic lines instrumentally. Also, there are vocals mixed in the background that set the tone (“Don’t leave me all alone / Picking up the pieces”). The main attraction is Paul Young, of course.  His vocals are smooth and commanding, and, his tone is beautiful.  A beautiful tone to sing tuneful melodies is a match made in heaven!  The chorus sums up the record, but the verses yield magic as well.  “Every Time You Go Away” in Young’s hands is pretty sweet.

Appears in 🔻:

• Paul Young, Every Time You Go Away: Covers No. 34 (2024)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

Ah, the moment of truth! Who released the best version of “Everytime You Go Away”? Was it the original, gospel-leaning version by Hall & Oates or the soft-rock cover that became a pop hit by Paul Young?  Young earned the most accolades for his cover, including reaching no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The Englishman ‘put it work’ without a doubt. But, in my humble opinion, I prefer the original version by Hall & Oates.  Is it a dominant win by Daryl and John? No. Both versions are fabulous, but the gospel vibes win me over every time.

Hall & Oates vs. Paul Young: Head 2 Head No. 38 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sony Music Entertainment; Hernán Toro, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]