Randy Houser vs. Reba McEntire | Head 2 Head 🗣️

On the 27^th edition of Head 2 Head, country musicians Randy Houser and Reba McEntire contend for the best rendition of “Back to God”.

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elcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing and contrasting their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  On the 27^th edition of head-to-head, country musicians 🎙 Randy Houser and 🎙 Reba McEntire contend for the best rendition of the inspirational country song, 🎵 “Back to God.” So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

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1. Randy Houser, “Back to God”

💿 Anything Goes • 🏷 Universal South • 📅 2008

“You gotta get down on your knees, believe / Fold your hands and beg and plead / You gotta keep praying.” For a Mississippi born and bred country musician like 🎙 Randy Houser, it shouldn’t come as a surprise there’s a religious song in the catalog.  That religious song is 🎵 “Back to God,” which appears as the fourth track on Houser’s 2008 debut album, 💿 Anything Goes.  Even though Houser, who co-wrote the song with 🎼✍ Dallas Davidson, gets spiritual, “Back to God” is a legit, rousing country song, with that beloved narrative vibe.

Essentially, Houser sees the world ‘going through it’ – godlessness, I say! Even with these bleak times, there’s hope, thanks to G-O-D: “In these darkest days you are not afraid / That it’s too late.”  That’s when, of course he sings that dynamic, high-flying chorus, excerpted above.  Later, Randy adds, “You gotta cry, ram tears of pain / Pound the floor and scream his name / Cause we’re still worth saving.” The big takeaway – that ultimate message – is, “We [sinners] gotta give this world back to God.” As the song progressives, Houser continues to assert the need to lean on God given the sad state of the world.  He does so expressively, accompanied by ripe guitars, and a rocking, unapologetic country backdrop.  There’s even an extended instrumental outro, which is a vibe.  Houser never achieved country superstar status as an artist, but, had no other version of “Back to God” materialized, it would be safe to say he’d own the definitive version. 

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2. Reba McEntire, “Back to God”

💿 Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope • 🏷 Big Machine • 📅 2017

Let’s cut straight to the chase.  The name 🎙 Reba McEntire carries tremendous weight. She’s a surefire, undisputed country superstar.  When you hear the 🏆 Grammy winner sing, well, you KNOW you’re listening to a Reba song, period.  When McEntire included the Randy Houser original “Back to God” on her 2017 country-gospel album, 💿 Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope, she made it her own.  Honestly, unless you happened to be one of the few folks that purchased Houser’s debut (it peaked at no. 101 on the Billboard 200), then, you might’ve associated Reba as the original artist.

Much like the Houser version, Reba remains energetic – fired up for that great restoration of faith and spirituality! So, what are the differences? McEntire matches the smoothness of Houser, specifically on the verses, but she also brings that once-in-a-lifetime tone.  The production is a bit more refined on this more recent Reba version, though it still packs a punch, particularly the chorus.  Furthermore, “Back to God” in Reba’s hand runs nearly 25 seconds shorter than the original, reducing the extended instrumental outro.  All said and done, McEntire doesn’t reinvent the wheel, rather the original, but that voice – its special. 

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The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️

Randy Houser or Reba McEntire?  Both versions of “Back to God” are great.  Because I love her tone, however, I’ll give Reba McEntire the edge.  Furthermore, the Reba version was the first time I’d ever heard the song, so, congrats Ms. McEntire!  

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Randy Houser vs. Reba McEntire: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 27 [📷: Big Machine, Brent Faulkner, GenderArts from Pixabay, The Musical Hype, Universal South, Valentin Tikhonov from Pixabay]

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