Ray Charles vs. The Band of Heathens | Head 2 Head 🗣️

In the 44^th  edition of Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️ (2022), Ray Charles and The Band of Heathens contend for the best rendition of “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One.” 

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing 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.  In the 44^th edition of head 🗣️2 head 🗣️ (2022), 🎙 Ray Charles and 🎙 The Band of Heathens contend for the best rendition of 🎵 “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Ray Charles, “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”

💿 A Message From The People • 🏷 Tangerine • 📅 1972

“What good is the sun if there is no sky above?” That is a legitimate question that 🎙 Ray Charles asks on 🎵 “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”.  The legendary, 🏆 Grammy-winning musician continues to inquire in the first verse of this gem from  💿 A Message From The People (1972), “Why should the rivers flow? / Why should a candle glow?” So, what is Charles’ point on this 🎼 ✍ Sadye Shepard-penned classic? Unity and the dysfunction caused by the lack of it.  As the chorus and titular lyric, performed by a gorgeous, lush choir, “Ah, ah, ah, there’ll be no peace without all men as one.”

Throughout the rest of the verses, Charles continues with hypothetical questions, all of which feel authentic and legitimate.  In the second verse, he’s concerned with the state of nature – leaves, trees, and flowers – all referring back to the idea of humankind not getting right and being on one accord.  Similarly, in the third verse, he’s worried about a lack of songs, bells ringing, and even day.  Worth noting, he delivers a ripe falsetto by the end of this verse, driving his transcendent point home.  Essentially, with Shepard’s poetic pen, and a marvelous arrangement courtesy of Sid Fuller, Quincy Jones, and Mike Post, Charles implores us to be better people who work together.  Sadly, Charles’ call to action still falls far too often on deaf ears in such a polarizing world.  Regardless, 🎵 “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One” is a radiant, radiant classic from a truly iconic, one-in-a-lifetime musician. Hard to top that, right?

Appears in 🔻:

• Ray Charles, “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 35 (2022)

2. The Band of Heathens, “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”

💿 A Message from the People Revisited • 🏷 BOH • 📅 2018

Talk about a hard act to follow! How does anyone follow a giant like the late, great 🎙 Ray Charles? It’s an arduous task, to say the least! Even so, Texas rock collective 🎙 The Band of Heathens do a bang-up job covering Charles’ beloved  🎵 “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”, which appeared on his 1972 album, 💿 A Message From The People.  The Band of Heathens version, notably, appears on their Ray Charles cover album, 💿 A Message from the People Revisited, which arrived in 2018.  Have I already mentioned it’s a sweet interpretation?

The Band of Heathens retains the core of “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One” – they protect the sanctity of this prudent ballad.  That alone is a selling point.  That said, the band also ensures that “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One” isn’t a note-for-note, no originality/no tweaks cover. The orchestrations from the original are contrasted, as to be expected.  The Ray Charles version is incredibly lush, which choral vocals and a rich instrumental palette.  Even as The Band of Heathens scale the arrangement back, they still deliver a stupendous timbre that’s ear-catching and picturesque.  Perhaps more intimidating than recreating the instrumental is delivering the commanding lead vocals that the genius himself does.  While Charles isn’t reincarnated by any means, the vocals are on-point and capture the same sentiment authentically – seeking unity and channeling peace remains the modus operandi.  Without a doubt, The Band of Heathens should be incredibly proud of this particular record.

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️

🎙 Ray Charles or 🎙 The Band of Heathens?  The Band of Heathens definitely do Ray Charles justice on their cover of  “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One.”  Still, when it all comes down to it, the definitive version of “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One” belongs to nobody else by Ray.  It’s just utterly magical!

Ray Charles vs. The Band of Heathens: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 44 (2022) [📷: BOH, Brent Faulkner, Kool Shooters, Layers, Mario Aranda, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Tangerine, Valentin Tikhonov]