Whitney Houston vs. Ryland James | Head 2 Head

In the 41^st edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Whitney Houston and Ryland James contend for the best rendition of “You’re Still My Man.”

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 41^st  edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Whitney Houston and Ryland James contend for the best rendition of “You’re Still My Man”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence

1. Whitney Houston, “You’re Still My Man”

Whitney // Arista // 1987 

“On the day that you left me / You said no regrets / There’s a bond between us / That hasn’t been broken yet.” Those matters of the heart always fuel the fire for a wonderful musical selection. Once-in-a-lifetime vocalist Whitney Houston sang the wonderful “You’re Still My Man” on her 1987 tour de force, Whitney. The soaring ballad is the eighth track from the Grammy-nominated LP (“I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” won a Grammy, FYI).  “You’re Still My Man” was written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser. Houston thrives on this ambitious, big, and beautiful ballad.

“You’re Still My Man” wasn’t one of the 40 songs that Houston charted on the Billboard Hot 100.  It is, however, a solid album track from Whitney that deserves even more love.  Broken up from ‘her man,’ per Houston, and the unforgettable chorus, “You’re still my man / Nothing can change it / We still be long together.” Ooh-wee! She goes on to add, “Our love will last forever.” With a second verse continuing to tout their bond and a bridge where she vows, “I’ll wait for you / The thought that keeps me going each day / Is to believe you still love me,” her bread is its most buttery in the final choruses.  Here, Whitney navigates some epic key changes, showcasing the power and versatility of her pipes.  The ad-libs are epic.  Listening, I’m in sheer awe that someone possessed the ability to sing so celestially and perfectly.  Like the big singles from Whitney, “You’re Still My Man” deserves its flowers too.

Appears in 🔻:

• Whitney Houston, You’re Still My Man: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 161 (2024)

2. Ryland James, “You’re Still My Man”

“You’re Still My Man” // 21 Entertainment Group // 2024 

“You’re still my man / Nothing can change it / We still belong together.” Canadian musician Ryland James is filled with dedication on “You’re Still My Man”. However, he wasn’t the first to sing those ‘tethered’ lyrics (despite the end of a relationship, mind you).  Whitney Houston originally sang “You’re Still My Man” on her 1987 tour de force, Whitney. Covering a Whitney song takes big vocals and a lot of courage. James, who has a commanding instrument, has no issue with tackling this rarely covered song from a male perspective: he identifies as queer.

James makes “You’re Still My Man” his own, with more of a ‘pop-leaning’ sound.  He sings radiantly, showing off his distinct, expressive, and nuanced pipes. The falsetto notes he hits are glorious. He is accompanied by piano initially as he laments the union with his man.  “And the feelings between us / Will never disappear,” he sings in the first verse, continuing, “How can you be far away / When you’re spirit’s here?” In the second verse, he’s certain “soon you’ll be missing me,” adding “There’s a magic we share together / And no one can break that spell.” As the song progresses, the accompaniment expands including strings, bass, and drums.  The most powerful section of the song is the outro, where Ryland shows how dynamic and powerful he is as a vocalist.  The ad-libs and riffs are on point. He navigates the key changes soundly, one of the harder aspects of this big, big song. Covering Whitney Houston is no easy task, but Ryland James does a fabulous job with “You’re Still My Man”.

Appears in 🔻:

• Ryland James, You’re Still My Man: Covers No. 38 (2024)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

So, who performed “You’re Still My Man” the best? Was it the original by Whitney Houston or a compelling, well-rounded cover by Ryland James? James puts in work on his cover.  Give him credit for (1) choosing to cover a Whitney song and (2) doing so respectably.  But, ultimately, “You’re Still My Man” belongs to the one-and-only Whitney Houston. Not only is her vocal performance breathtaking but the orchestration and production are sublime too. Ryland, you have no reason to hang your head down – you did that! But, few best the late, great Whitney.

Whitney Houston vs. Ryland James: Head 2 Head No. 41 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; 21 Entertainment Group, Arista; Hernán Toro, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]