Joe Simon, You Are Everything | COVERS

In the 22^nd edition of COVERS (2024), Joe Simon delivers a compelling rendition of “You Are Everything,” originally performed by The Stylistics.

Ah, it’s time to get cozy and cover up! In COVERS, we highlight a musician or band covering songs by another musician (likely a popular musician). COVERS focuses solely on the musician who covers instead of the original/most famous performer.  It is open to established musicians and musicians who may not be as well-known. In the 22^nd edition of COVERS (2024), Joe Simon delivers a compelling rendition of “You Are Everything”, originally performed by The Stylistics.  

“Today I saw somebody / Who looked just like you / She walked like you do / I thought it was you.” Those famous lyrics hail from the soul classic, “You Are Everything”.  “You Are Everything” is most commonly associated with the original artist, The Stylistics.  Penned by Linda Creed and Thom Bell, The Stylistics earned a top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.  Southern soul singer Joe Simon didn’t chart with his cover of “You Are Everything” (it wasn’t released as a single), but it marks one of many awesome moments from his 1972 album, Drowning in the Sea of Love.  The first cover of the soul classic, Simon’s interpretation, produced by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, is a dramatic one that separates itself from the original.

“Because you’re my everything

My everything is you

You’re my everything

Oh, my everything is you…”

In Simon’s “You Are Everything” the tempo is on the slower side of the metronome. Even so, it doesn’t drag or sound lethargic. With his compelling vocals, soaked in southern soul, Simon sells this unique take. He delivers playful moments in the final phrase of the verses – a stellar touch. Furthermore, his ad-libs are awesome. Simon’s baritone benefits from its deep, masculine sound – sweet music to the ears.  Beyond Joe’s skills, the arrangement and production make “You Are Everything,” well, EVERYTHING! There are some adventurous harmonic moments, changes of keys, and more risks compared to the original. Authentic and ear-catching, Joe Simon ‘puts his foot’ into “You Are Everything”, period.

Joe Simon // Drowning in the Sea of Love // Ace // 1972

Joe Simon, You Are Everything: Covers No. 22 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner /The Musical Hype; Ace; Andrea Piacquadio, cottonbro studio, MART PRODUCTION, Matteo Milan from Pexels; MR1313, OpenClipart-Vectors, Vicki Hamilton from Pixabay]